Friday 18 September 2015

Hack-a-toy: Engineers modify toys to suit special needs kids

For the past two months, engineers from DSO National Laboratories have been modifying toys, dismantling and rewiring them, and putting in bigger buttons so that special needs kids can use them. 
By Nadia Jansen Hassan, Channel NewsAsia, 17 Sep 2015

Engineers from DSO National Laboratories, an organisation that is known for developing defence technology and solutions for the Singapore Armed Forces, have been working on something rather unusual for the past two months.

They have been modifying toys, dismantling and rewiring them, and putting in bigger buttons so that special needs kids can use them.



DSO worked with special needs school Rainbow Centre for the project. They worked on 50 toys, all of which were donated to the centre, and students had the opportunity to try them out on Thursday (Sep 17).

Said Mr Lee Tong, a senior researcher at DSO: "We probably did underestimate the amount of effort that it takes to modify 50 toys. We actually had to involve or call out to the rest of DSO to come and help out on an ad hoc basis."

Principal of Rainbow Centre (Margaret Drive School), Fauziah Ahmad, added: "When they play with the toys, it's just a very simple movement for us. But for them, it's really a big thing. And it's a cause and effect thing that came out from these toys ... when you see them, how they enjoy playing with it. It wouldn't happen if you use the normal toys."

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