The multidisciplinary make-a-thon that puts users at the heart of the product design
Hackcessible is a make-a-thon that brings together students from across disciplines: engineering, product design, coding, health and
social care and others to collaborate with disabled people and create workable products that support their needs.
Hackcessible 2025 running period:
October – December 2025
2025 Applications Open Now
Inviting Students to Join upcoming Hackcessible Projects!
Why Participate as a Student?
•Engineer real solutions for accessibility
•Win Prizes for Best Solution
•Receive funding for product development
•Get featured by RS Components (UK’s leading electronics distributor)
•Meet other students passionate about Assistive technology
•Network with Industry professionals
HOW TO JOIN A PROJECT:
Sheffield students: Hackcessible Sign-up Form
Steps to Join:
1. Sign up using the ‘Hackcessible Sign-up Form’
2. Attend the Opening event on 15th Oct and and meet your Challengers
3. Choose your Project during the Opening event
4. Meet your team at the Opening event
Previous Challenges
Hackcessible Challenges 2024-25
Other Hackcessible Challenges
Pictured is 11-year-old Xavier, whose Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy means he requires adaptations to his drum kit. Xavier’s goal is to be able to use the drum kit pedals while sat in his wheelchair. The students’ task was to explore how the pedals could be operated or positioned to allow them to be controlled effectively, as well as explore ways of supporting Xavier’s arms in a playing position.
Chris posed the challenge of developing a support for his French horn to enable him to continue his professional playing career. See how the team approached the development of a solution and the end result!
After a particularly nasty fall, Pauline soon discovered that she had sustained a brachial plexus injury. (That’s an injury to the bunch of nerves that carry signals from the spinal cord to the arm and hands!) As a result, she found herself unable to extend her left hand at her wrist- as well as experiencing complete numbness throughout the hand and fingers. This was a dangerous situation to be in as Pauline, as without pain, she couldn’t tell which positions she could leave her hand in and which were causing her further damage. Pauline needed a mechanical engineering project that was adapted to her specific injury and could help her exercise her hand safely as she recovered.
Vicky is a euphonium player with a visual impairment. Her challenge was to find a way to make sheet music more accessible.
The winning team wrote a program to scan sheet music, edit it into a more accessible format and allow Vicky to navigate it using foot pedals all while being able to access the music from her phone or tablet. The future for the work done by Team Vicky could greatly benefit visually impaired musicians all over the world and make a real difference in their lives.
Hackcessible 