Innovators in Action: CI MED Students Making a Difference for Local Children with Disabilities

Students from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine are making a difference for local children with disabilities by using their engineering skills to create free assistive devices and toys.

The student group Innovators in Action is dedicated to increasing accessibility through assistive technology solutions and addressing that challenge by offering free, do-it-yourself alternatives. Their work also creates a unique learning opportunity for CI MED and other engineering students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The group’s efforts will culminate on December 10, when CI MED students distribute the adapted toys and accessibility kits to local children at Stratton Academy in Champaign. The switch-activated toys will provide the children with an opportunity to learn cause-and-effect relationships while building their comfort with new sensory experiences.

“Every child deserves to play, but for many kids with disabilities, standard devices and toys can be hard to use independently, and commercially adapted versions can be prohibitively expensive,” said Oluwabusayo Oni, Innovators in Action President and second-year medical student. 

Prior to distribution, the group held several adapt-a-thons which focused on creating free switch-adapted assistive devices and toys for children with disabilities in the Urbana-Champaign area. The do-it-yourself approach creates accessible devices at a fraction of the cost, serving area families and raising awareness of the potential of assistive technology.

“The significance [of this group] lies not only in the immediate impact on accessibility but also in the development of essential technical and social skills for students, preparing them for future work in engineering and health care fields,” said Gregory Ridgel, Innovators in Action e-board member and second-year medical student. “By working directly with community members, students gain a deeper understanding of the social implications of their work, aligning with the university’s mission of community engagement and outreach.” 

Founded by Black students and with an e-board consisting of mostly minority and underrepresented students, the group recognizes how their experiences have shaped how they approach their work. 

“We feel that Innovators in Action serves as a great reminder that innovation comes from diverse perspectives and that everyone should feel liberated to pursue change,” said Oni.

The efforts of the Innovators in Action E-Board have enjoyed support from the Student Sustainability Committee, Champaign County Medical Society, SNMA (Student National Medical Association, Carle Chapter), Siebel Center of Design and lab manager Neil Pearse, Unit 4 Schools, Dr. Dawn McCoy, Professor Joe Bradley, Professor Laura Shackelford, and Julie Cutright. 

Innovators in Action E-board Members include Oluwabusayo Oni, Diamond Coleman, Debora Nya, Jona Kerluku, Gregory Ridgel, Brian Wadugu, Shelby Oke, Jake Nazarian, Sajan Goyal, and Brian Ellis.