When mechanical engineering student Amir Saatchi visited the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County’s (CAPSLO) 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, he encountered Janie, a retired teacher looking for a new job. Saatchi noticed that Janie had a below-the-elbow limb difference and asked if he could design a custom prosthesis for her.
Saatchi is part of the Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM Club) at Cal Poly — a student group that creates affordable, open-source assistive technology to address the needs of people with disabilities. The Cal Poly club is part of a global affiliate that, combined, has made more than 200,000 products for those in need.
Tikkun Olam Makers on campus find blueprints for prosthetics online and use their resources to make adapted devices for people who may otherwise not be able to access them.
“The work that Tikkun Olam Makers does is incredibly niche and deeply necessary,” Saatchi said. “Many people face challenges completing daily tasks due to physical limitations, and it’s inspiring to see club members helping bridge that gap through assistive technology.”
The prosthesis project was originally developed by members of TOM’s global parent organization. The Cal Poly team took the base model and adapted it to fit Janie’s needs. Technical Director Edward Barba and President Noah Alloun of TOM designed the base, sourcing schematics from TOM’s open-source website. The team used a 3D printer to create the parts, many of which were already compatible with Janie’s arm.
“Several club members also designed new attachments specifically for Janie to help her write, type and lift objects,” Saatchi said.
Cal Poly’s chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers partners with local organizations including CAPSLO, San Luis Obispo Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), Cal Poly’s Preschool Learning Lab and the university’s Disability Resource Center.
“We actively reach out to these organizations to find ways we can help people,” Saatchi said.
The mechanical engineering student hopes to use his hands-on skills to help people in his future career, whether through work in the medical field or occupational therapy, or through creating assistive technology.
“I want to create things that help people,” he said.
He is doing just that by providing custom, affordable prosthetics for Janie and others.
“A few of my friends and I are currently creating a fruit picker for my grandfather, who isn’t disabled but struggles with fine motor skills due to his age,” Saatchi shared. “Our projects aim to support a broad range of needs, and we believe that TOM’s work can have a meaningful impact on many people’s lives.”
Learn more about Cal Poly’s Tikkun Olam Makers chapter here.
