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DIY: Big Index

This is the index of all the plans, specs and diagrams for build-your-own devices GOAT has catalogued. The full write-up for every device — instructions, materials and photos — lives in our catalogue at a11yhood.org, and each entry here links straight to it, plus to the scanned book page it came from at the Internet Archive.

Devices are labelled with terms including: 1) a 2-level ISO-9999 code, 2) the source of the product, and 3) free tags chosen by the cataloguer adding the product.

337 build-your-own devices catalogued by GOAT, indexed from 16 scanned books. Click a book title to see the devices inside it. Every entry links to its full write-up on a11yhood.org — instructions, materials and photos live there — and to the original book page on archive.org. 985 device tags, 197 ISO 9999 codes.

Catalogued by GOAT team.

Browse by Archive Source

Aids and Adaptations: A Collection of Designs Compiled by the Occupational Therapy Department64 devices
Aids To Make You Able37 devices
Clothes for Independent Living11 devices
Construction Manual for the Kentucky Portabraille and the Kentucky Pocketbraille1 device
Designing and Constructing Adaptive Equipment on Your Desktop68 devices
  • Abduction Spreader (Butterfly)
    book page
    children, clinical measurement, hip abduction, lacing, muscle tone, plastic bottle craft, positioning, postural support, sponge padding, therapy device
  • Adjustable Chair
    book page
    adjustable, bolted construction, children, plywood, postural support, seating, trunk control, woodworking
  • Adjustable Corner Chair
    book page
    cardboard, children, postural support, recycled materials, corner seat, floor seat, carpet, no power tools
  • Aquatic Stabilizer Bar
    book page
    aquatic therapy, buoyancy aid, diy flotation, low cost, pe equipment, plastic jug craft, pool exercise, stability, swimming, water therapy
  • Arm and Shoulder Rests
    book page
    children, plywood, woodworking, school chair, arm rests, head support, side support, chair adaptation
  • Balance Beam
    book page
    balance beam, balance training, classroom equipment, diy furniture, gross motor skills, pe equipment, perceptual motor integration, physical education, wood, woodworking
  • Ball and Suction Cup Page Turner for Hand Use
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, grasping aid, hands-free reading, page turner, sponge ball, suction cup
  • Barrel Chair with Tray
    book page
    children, hinges, plywood, recycled materials, seating, tray, paper barrel, trunk support, leg abduction
  • Battery Interrupter
    book page
    adaptive switch, assistive technology, battery interrupter, cause and effect, circuit board, diy electronics, electronics, soldering, switch access, toy adaptation
  • Bean-Bag Chair
    book page
    children, floor seat, foam, sewing, sailcloth, polyethylene pellets, bean bag, relaxation, washable cover
  • Beeper Ball
    book page
    audible toy, beeper ball, foam ball, group activity, inclusive play, low cost, sound localization, sports adaptation, visually impaired, wiffleball
  • Book Holder
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, book holder, hands-free reading, low vision, reading stand, cardboard easel
  • Bowling Ramp
    book page
    bowling, bowling ramp, chute, diy equipment, inclusive play, pe equipment, recreation, sports adaptation, woodworking
  • Box Chair
    book page
    children, postural support, woodworking, box seat, padding, seat belt, sitting balance, feeding
  • Cardboard Chair and Table
    book page
    cardboard, children, glue, low cost, play table, postural support, recycled materials, seat belt
  • Cloth Helmet
    book page
    adjustable straps, children, cotton fabric, elastic, fall prevention, head protection, helmet, safety equipment, sewing, sponge padding
  • Colored Acetate Sheet Filters
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, classroom aid, low vision, acetate filter, color overlay, contrast aid
  • Contact Switch
    book page
    adaptive switch, cause and effect, contact switch, diy electronics, electronics, pincer grasp, pressure switch, pull switch, soldering, switch access
  • Crawling Shoe Toe Protector
    book page
    children, crawling, diy adaptive equipment, durability, floor mobility, inner tube rubber, low cost, plastic bottle craft, shoe protector, toe protection
  • Cutout Working Table
    book page
    classroom furniture, cutout table, diy furniture, durable furniture, plywood, positioning, school furniture, table-top activities, trunk support, woodworking
  • Cylinder Chair
    book page
    cardboard, children, cylinder, hand function, recycled materials, seating, trunk support, foam padding
  • Door Knobs
    book page
    adaptive equipment, assistive technology, door knob, fine motor, independent living, lever adapter, foam grip, home accessibility, dowel handle
  • Dowel and Magnet Page Turner on Headband
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, hands-free reading, head movement, head pointer, headband, magnet, page turner
  • Dowel Pencil Holder
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, grasping aid, pencil grip, writing aid, dowel
  • Elbow Restraint
    book page
    behaviour management, children, elbow splint, low cost, plastic bottle craft, positioning, self-injury prevention, sewing, supervised use, sweatshirt sleeve
  • Equilibrium Board
    book page
    balance training, children, diy furniture, gross motor skills, pe equipment, plywood, woodworking, balance board, rocker board, vestibular input
  • Floor Corner Seat
    book page
    children, corner seat, floor seat, plywood, postural support, trunk control, woodworking, glue and nail
  • Floor Hockey Sticks
    book page
    group activity, inclusive play, pe equipment, sports adaptation, floor hockey, team sport, foam craft, diy sports equipment, foam puck
  • Foot Rest Boxes
    book page
    children, glue and nail, plywood, wheelchair accessory, woodworking, foot rest, foot position, softwood battens
  • Gad-About Chair with Adjustable Table
    book page
    children, plywood, postural support, woodworking, casters, mobile chair, tray table, weatherproof
  • Graduated Stairs with Handrails
    book page
    children, diy furniture, gait training, gross motor skills, pe equipment, physical therapy, stairs, woodworking, handrails, stair climbing
  • Head Strap for Mounting Pointer or Page Turner
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, hands-free, head pointer, head strap, page turner mount, webbing
  • Junior Wall Bars
    book page
    balance training, children, physical therapy, wall-mounted, wall bars, muscle strength, home exercise, wooden dowel, gross motor development, mobility training
  • Keyboard Extender
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, armrest, assistive technology, typing aid, keyboard extender, webbing strap, typewriter
  • Knickerbocker Corner Seat
    book page
    children, corner seat, postural support, trunk support, webbing, woodworking, alternative positioning
  • Lap Trays
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, custom fit, lap tray, occupational therapy, work surface, wheelchair tray, communication mount
  • Large Knobs for Puzzle Pieces
    book page
    adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, grasping aid, playtime, toys, puzzle knobs, wooden knobs, leisure activity
  • Lever Switch
    book page
    adaptive switch, cause and effect, diy electronics, electronics, lever switch, microswitch, soldering, squeeze switch, switch access, touch panel
  • Magnetic Letters
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, classroom aid, concept development, fine motor, magnet, magnetic letters, tactile learning
  • Mercury Switch
    book page
    cause and effect, diy electronics, electronics, encapsulation, head control, headband switch, mercury switch, movement monitoring, positioning feedback, switch access
  • Mouthstick Page Turner
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, hands-free reading, mouthstick, oral motor, page turner, suction cup
  • Mouthstick Pencil Holder
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, mouthstick, oral motor, pencil grip, writing aid, hands-free writing
  • Parallel Bars
    book page
    adjustable height, balance training, gait training, metalworking, parallel bars, pe equipment, physical therapy, standing practice, woodworking
  • Pushbutton Switch
    book page
    adaptive switch, cause and effect, diy electronics, electronics, pushbutton switch, single-switch access, soldering, switch access, thumb press, toy adaptation
  • Raised Corner Seat
    book page
    adjustable height, children, corner seat, plywood, pommel, postural support, raised seat, woodworking
  • Rolling Block
    book page
    children, diy toy, fine motor skills, low cost, woodworking, rolling block, group games, tabletop game
  • Sarong Pencil Holder
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, grasping aid, pencil holder, velcro strap, writing aid
  • Sawhorse Bench
    book page
    children, woodworking, bench, plywood, postural support, trunk support, sitting balance, straddle seating, hip abduction, therapy seating
  • Scooter Board
    book page
    casters, children, diy equipment, gross motor skills, mobility aid, pe equipment, scooter board, upper body strength, woodworking
  • Sit-Up Seat
    book page
    cardboard, diy furniture, hip flexion, plastic, positioning seat, sensory play, sitting balance, toddlers, trunk support, wastebasket chair
  • Skis and Foot Rest for a Standard Chair
    book page
    chair adaptation, foot support, low cost, plywood, positioning, school chair, sitting balance, softwood, stability, woodworking
  • Splinting Material Pencil Grasp
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, pencil grip, writing aid, splinting material, custom fit, moldable grip
  • Sponge Ball Pencil Holder
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, pencil grip, sponge ball, writing aid, grasp strength
  • The "Dolphin" Pointer
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, communication aid, hands-free pointing, dolphin pointer, pointing board, lexan
  • Thigh and Wrist Cuff
    book page
    children, denim, hip abduction, lapboard tie, plastic bottle craft, positioning, restraint cuff, sewing, wheelchair accessory, wrist stabilization
  • Three Even Stairs
    book page
    balance training, children, diy furniture, gait training, gross motor skills, pe equipment, stair climbing, stairs, woodworking
  • Toy Fence
    book page
    child safety, diy furniture, playtime, plywood, toddler, toy fence, play barrier, folding fence, play area
  • Toy Hanger
    book page
    children, sensory play, toy hanger, plastic tube, floor play, developmental toy, tummy time, diy toy mount, playtime
  • Tricycle Adaptations
    book page
    adaptive equipment, children, coordination, diy adaptation, gross motor skills, mobility, pe equipment, tricycle, velcro
  • Velcro Lap Tray Mount
    book page
    communication board, diy adaptive equipment, interchangeable trays, lap tray, low cost, no chair modification, quick-release mount, tilt-up tray, velcro, wheelchair
  • Vest for Trunk Support
    book page
    children, denim, postural support, sewing, trunk support, wheelchair accessory, positioning vest, hands-free activity, zipper closure, tie straps
  • Washer Attached to Hand or Arm Band Used as Page Turner
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, hands-free reading, magnetized washer, page turner, velcro strap, wrist band
  • Waterbed Trampoline
    book page
    balance training, children, preschool, waterbed, trampoline, playground equipment, leg strength, outdoor equipment, diy playground
  • Weighted Pen
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, writing aid, weighted pen, hand tremor, writing stability
  • Wooden Runner Lap Tray Mount
    book page
    bolted construction, communication board, drilling, durable mount, interchangeable trays, lap tray, slide-on mount, wheelchair, wooden runners, woodworking
  • Wooden Slide
    book page
    balance training, children, gross motor skills, outdoor equipment, physical education, playground equipment, plywood, scooter board, wooden slide, wheeled equipment
  • Wrist Hold-Down
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, fine motor, magnet, velcro strap, wrist support, writing aid, paper stabilizer
  • Wrist Strap Pointer
    book page
    academic aid, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, velcro, wrist strap, pointer, leather strap, hands-free pointing, communication aid
Good Junk + Creativity = Great Low-End Technology!2 devices
Home Made Aids for Handicapped People23 devices
How to Make It Cheap Manual Vol 136 devices
Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, Volume I19 devices
Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, volume 222 devices
Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, volume 319 devices
Manual of Methods For Construction of Inexpensive Rehabilitation Equipment15 devices
Please Help Us Help Ourselves! Inexpensive Adapted Equipment For the Handicapped1 device
Self Help Devices For The Physically Disabled8 devices
An Ultra-low Cost Approach to Adaptive Equipment for the Handicapped6 devices
Open-source projects5 devices
  • nvda
    book page
    accessibility, blind, Python, screen-reader
  • OpenXamp
    book page
    diy, electronics, emg, kicad, open source, biosignal amplifier, ecg
  • OpenXhand
    book page
    3d printing, diy, emg, open source, rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, stroke, exoskeleton, wearable robotics, grasping aid
  • OpenXstim
    book page
    electronics, diy, spinal cord injury, C++, open source, transcutaneous stimulator, electrical stimulation, tens, nmes, fes, muscle stimulation, nerve stimulation
  • OpenXwalk
    book page
    cerebral palsy, diy, exoskeleton, mobility aid, movement disorder, open source, pediatric, walking aid, wearable robotics, gait trainer

Device tags

These tags describe various attributes of a device. 985 tags in use — click one to filter the list above.

Tags used twice149 tags

Plus 636 more tags used by a single device each — type one into the search box above to find it.

ISO codes

First and second level codes for each device listed, based on ISO 9999.

Second level codes59 codes