Make Inclusive Tech (MIT) Sundays Program Overview

A Collaboration between Salvage Garden and SG Enable’s i’mable

Introduction

The Make Inclusive Tech (MIT) Sundays program represents a groundbreaking approach to assistive technology development in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Born from the partnership between Salvage Garden, Southeast Asia’s first assistive technology makerspace, and SG Enable’s i’mable public education initiative, this program embodies the principle of “Nothing about us, without us” by placing persons with disabilities and their caregivers at the center of the design process.

Program Overview

Make Inclusive Tech Sundays are free, weekly participatory design sessions that bring together a diverse community of persons with disabilities, caregivers, makers, designers, clinicians, and curious individuals to co-create assistive technology solutions. These sessions run every Sunday from 12 PM to 3 PM at four MakeIT at Libraries locations across Singapore, making cutting-edge digital fabrication tools accessible to all who need them.

The program operates on a “critical making” methodology, where hands-on prototyping and community-driven collaboration transform abstract ideas into tangible solutions. Participants gain access to professional-grade equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, digital cutting machines, and other fabrication tools—resources that would typically be cost-prohibitive for individuals and small communities.

Key Features

People-First Design Philosophy

The MIT Sundays program is built on the foundational belief that assistive technology must be designed with—not for—its users. This participatory approach ensures that devices are not only functional but also practical, affordable, and seamlessly integrated into daily routines. Caregivers are recognized as essential partners in the design process, providing invaluable insights that bridge the gap between theoretical solutions and real-world usability.

Do-It-With-Others (DIWO) Approach

Rather than the traditional “do-it-yourself” model, MIT Sundays embraces a collaborative DIWO ethos. This approach recognizes that the most meaningful innovations emerge from collective wisdom, shared experiences, and mutual support. Participants learn from each other, building not just devices but also relationships, understanding, and a shared sense of purpose.

Open-Source Commitment

All designs created through MIT Sundays are shared openly under Creative Commons licenses, contributing to a global library of accessible assistive technology. This commitment to open-source principles ensures that innovations developed in Singapore can benefit communities worldwide, while also positioning Singapore as a regional leader in inclusive technology development.

Process Over Product

A distinguishing feature of MIT Sundays is its emphasis on the journey of co-creation rather than solely on the final device. The program values the learning, skill-building, community-strengthening, and empowerment that occur during the design process. This philosophy recognizes that sustainable change comes not just from creating individual devices, but from building a community of informed, capable, and connected individuals who can continue to innovate and support each other.

No Experience Required

MIT Sundays welcomes participants of all skill levels. No prior technical knowledge or maker experience is necessary. The program provides guidance, mentorship, and a supportive environment where lived experience and creative thinking are valued as highly as technical expertise.

Accomplishments

Since its inception in 2020, the Make Inclusive Tech program has achieved remarkable impact:

Metric	Achievement
Workshops Delivered	100+ public participatory design sessions
Open-Source Designs	140+ designs available globally
Active Volunteers	40+ dedicated community members
Strategic Partnerships	13 partners across government, international networks, and community organizations
Geographic Reach	4 locations across Singapore (as of October 2025)

Notable Projects and Innovations

Inclusive Games Collection: The program has developed a suite of tactile games designed for persons with visual impairments and other disabilities. These include adaptations of classic games like Tic-Tac-Toe and Match Four (inspired by Connect Four), created in collaboration with occupational therapists to serve both recreational and therapeutic purposes.

BrailleRAP Singapore: The program successfully assembled Singapore’s first makerspace-built BrailleRAP, an open-source Braille embosser that provides low-cost Braille printing capabilities. This achievement demonstrates the program’s capacity to replicate complex assistive technology at a fraction of commercial costs.

Custom Assistive Devices: Over 140 unique assistive device designs have been co-created, ranging from simple adaptive tools to complex prosthetic components. Each design is documented and shared through platforms like Printables, Thingiverse, and Cults3D, making them accessible to makers worldwide.

Global Recognition: The program has been featured on international platforms including Careables (an EU Horizon 2020-funded initiative), presented at conferences such as FOSSASIA and Open Hardware Summit, and showcased at prestigious venues like the ArtScience Museum.

Expanded Reach: Four Locations Across Singapore

As of October 2025, the Make Inclusive Tech program operates at four strategic locations across Singapore, dramatically expanding its accessibility and community impact:

Impact of Four-Location Model

The expansion to four locations represents a four-fold multiplication of the program’s outreach capacity. This geographic distribution ensures that:

• Reduced Travel Barriers: Participants can access workshops closer to home, reducing time, cost, and physical strain associated with travel—particularly important for persons with disabilities and elderly caregivers.
• Increased Community Diversity: Each location serves distinct communities with unique needs, perspectives, and cultural contexts, enriching the collective knowledge base and design solutions.
• Enhanced Collaboration Opportunities: The multi-location model enables cross-pollination of ideas between different communities while maintaining the intimate, supportive atmosphere that makes each location special.
• Greater Resilience and Sustainability: Multiple locations provide redundancy and flexibility, ensuring the program can continue to serve communities even if individual locations face temporary challenges.
• Stronger National Presence: The island-wide distribution establishes MIT Sundays as a truly national initiative, reinforcing Singapore’s commitment to disability inclusion and positioning the country as a regional leader in participatory assistive technology development.

Partnership Ecosystem

The success of MIT Sundays is built on a robust network of collaborators:

Primary Collaboration: SG Enable’s i’mable public education initiative provides strategic direction and support, aligning the program with Singapore’s national disability inclusion goals.

Venue Partner: NLB MakeIT at Libraries provides the physical infrastructure, equipment, and institutional support across all four locations, making professional-grade fabrication tools freely available to the public.

International Networks: Partnerships with Careables, Global Innovation Gathering, e-NABLE, and BrailleRAP connect MIT Sundays to global communities of practice, enabling knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation.

Community Partners: Organizations including Engineering Good, SPD, ArtScience Museum, and BuildingBloCS provide specialized expertise, outreach channels, and connections to disability communities.

Looking Forward

With the expansion to four locations, the Make Inclusive Tech program is poised to become a cornerstone of Singapore’s disability inclusion landscape. The program continues to demonstrate that meaningful assistive technology innovation doesn’t require massive budgets or corporate laboratories—it requires committed communities, accessible tools, and a genuine commitment to co-creation.

As MIT Sundays grows, it carries forward the vision that every person, regardless of ability, deserves access to technology that is affordable, personalized, and designed with their full participation. Through this expansion, that vision moves closer to reality for communities across Singapore.

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Join the Movement

Whether you’re a person with disabilities, a caregiver, a maker, or simply someone who believes in the power of inclusive innovation, there’s a place for you at MIT Sundays. Visit us at any of our four locations and discover how your ideas can make a difference.

Learn More:

• Website: salvage.garden
• All Links: linktr.ee/salvagegarden
• Instagram: @salvagegardenmakerspace