Fabrication, 3D Printing, and Making

Abstract

This chapter presents an introduction to digital fabrication and the exciting opportunities it offers in the accessibility and assistive technology domain. Digital fabrication tools are more efficient and accessible than manual fabrication tools, allowing for efficient and affordable creation or modification of existing assistive technologies, or novel solutions. This chapter provides an overview of relevant digital fabrication tools (with an emphasis on 3D printing technology) and current online communities to share ideas and designs, and discusses exciting research and practitioner contributions that leverage 3D printing. The chapter concludes with the author's recommendations for how to successfully apply this technology in accessibility projects and areas for future inquiry.