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CREATE 2023-2024
2023-2024
CREATE celebrated it's tenth year with six schools and eight Member Agency partners creating eleven inventions.
First Place $15,000: New York Institute of Technology, Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner for Spectrum Designs Foundation
Second Place $10,000: New York Institute of Technology, SafeChef Cutlery System for AHRC Nassau
Third Place $5,000: The Cooper Union, "Be a Companion" Automatic Wheelchair Locking Device for CP Unlimited
Third Place $5,000: Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES, Automated Crimper for The Arc Otsego
Special thank you to our judges and speakers.
Judges:
- Andy Grosso, Founder, CREATE, Retired, NYSID VP Business Development
- Brenda Rotolo, Sr. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, New York State Education Department ACCESS-VR
- Carol Napierski, Vice President of Program Development & Grant Management, New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation
- Sairam Soundarajan, Program Participant, Transitions at the Arc Lexington
- Crystal Griffith, Director of Workforce Development & Education, The Business Council of New York State, Inc.
- Maggie Duffy, Senior Director, Government Relations, Elevance Health
Speakers:
- Michael Nizich, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, New York Institute of Technology
- Brandon Castellano, Engineering Student, New York Institute of Technology
- Pamela Curtiss, Assistant Director of Social Enterprises, AHRC Nassau
- Assemblymember John McDonald, 108th District
- Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, 76th District
The Cooper Union with CP Unlimited
"Be a Companion" Automatic Wheelchair Locking Device
CP Unlimited recently launched its “Be a Companion” program, employing individuals with disabilities as companions and wheelchair operators for program participants with physical disabilities living at the Caldwell Group Home. This project includes creating an attachable automatic locking device for manual wheelchairs, specifically designed to lock the wheelchair in position quickly in an emergency. This product will prevent accidents caused by operators losing control of the wheelchair. The device will be designed to activate through a physical trigger key used by the “companion,” automatically engaging a locking mechanism upon its operation.
CUNY City College with Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey
Career Compass
People who have disabilities experience multifaceted problems in relation to the job searching process. The purpose of this application is to offer a much easier way for individuals with disabilities to apply for jobs and also to largely increase the use of desktops/laptops and online services through the website's simple and attractive design. The Career Compass website is designed to be simple and preferable, allowing employers to post jobs easily and similarly allowing people with disabilities to apply for these jobs efficiently.
EmployAble
Determining where a job-seeker with disabilities fits in the employment market can be challenging due to the lack of traditional job skills and quantifiable data. EmployAble is an intelligent job observation app with interactive video analysis that will be web-based and compatible with iOS and Android smartphones. The app is designed to make observations of job training more quantifiable through AI so that employment specialists can use this data for their customized employment reports.
EmpowerEd
EmpowerEd is a web application crafted to bridge the gap between people with disabilities and job search/resume-building services that empower individuals with the tools they need to search and apply for jobs. EmpowerEd is more than just a digital platform; it represents a specialized solution using AI tailored exclusively to the unique requirements of people with disabilities.
Inclusify
Inclusify is a platform designed to address the barriers to employment that individuals with disabilities face by allowing users to create video resumes. This user-friendly app empowers individuals with disabilities to express their qualifications and needs visually, bridging the gap for successful job applications. Additionally, Inclusify includes tutorial videos to enhance users' interviewing skills and job application competencies.
CUNY City College with Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey and AHRC New York City
Prepare4Success
The core objective of Prepare4Success is to empower individuals with disabilities seeking employment in the janitorial sector through a virtual reality training program. This VR-based solution mirrors real-world janitorial tasks, allowing users to grasp, practice, and master skills in a controlled environment with a continuous evaluation mechanism. This is in partnership with AHRC NYC and Goodwill NY/NJ.
New York Institute of Technology with Spectrum Designs Foundation and AHRC Nassau
Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner
Spectrum Designs creates custom apparel using different methods. One such method is known as screen printing. The task requires a squeegee and a mesh-type screen to imprint various designs, such as an image or a logo, onto the shirt. Currently, the employees manually clean the ink application equipment after application using a chemical and a rag. The ink is messy, gets all over employees and other products, damages clothing, etc. The team is developing a high-technology apparatus allowing Spectrum Designs Foundation employees to clean the tools in a more sanitary manner.
SafeChef Cutlery System
AHRC Nassau in Freeport provides catering services for government customer events in New York State. This device is a user-controlled cutting system that limits the risks of cutting oneself during food preparation by preemptively alerting the user when they may make unwanted contact with the knife.
Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES/The Arc Otsego
Automated Crimper
The project is intended to respond to the NYS mandate that feminine products be available in all school bathrooms. Creekside Industries has identified a shortfall in the ability to keep up with the increased demand for products that are sleeved and ready to be put in dispensing machines. The team is developing a device to automatically crimp the plastic sleeves around tampons sold to customers in New York State.
SUNY Polytechnic Institute with The Arc, Oneida-Lewis
Screw Counting Device
The purpose of this design is to make the task of counting screws easier, which in turn is expected to increase employee efficiency and distribution of screw kits. Currently, the system in place involves heavy use of the hands to perform dexterous motions, which could lead to long-term problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome. To make the process more ergonomic, the new product will implement a new way of removing the screws from their original bag, automatically count the screws, and assist in packaging the individual screw kits. For safety, the new process will aim to reduce contact between the screws and the employee’s hands. This will help reduce scratches on the skin from the hardware.
University at Albany with Center for Disability Services
Mail Sorter
Individuals with disabilities pack several thousands of letters daily at the Center for Disability Services mail facility. An issue they face is that it often takes too long to package the letters due to the time it takes to sort the papers per letter. The team is developing a device that will sort the letters, reduce the packaging time by half, and be readily controlled by workers with disabilities. The mail sorter is designed to take a stack of paper that is folded in half and sort the stacks into a group of mail with the same recipient name.
2023-2024
CREATE celebrated it's tenth year with six schools and eight Member Agency partners creating eleven inventions.
First Place $15,000: New York Institute of Technology, Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner for Spectrum Designs Foundation
Second Place $10,000: New York Institute of Technology, SafeChef Cutlery System for AHRC Nassau
Third Place $5,000: The Cooper Union, "Be a Companion" Automatic Wheelchair Locking Device for CP Unlimited
Third Place $5,000: Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES, Automated Crimper for The Arc Otsego
Special thank you to our judges and speakers.
Judges:
- Andy Grosso, Founder, CREATE, Retired, NYSID VP Business Development
- Brenda Rotolo, Sr. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, New York State Education Department ACCESS-VR
- Carol Napierski, Vice President of Program Development & Grant Management, New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation
- Sairam Soundarajan, Program Participant, Transitions at the Arc Lexington
- Crystal Griffith, Director of Workforce Development & Education, The Business Council of New York State, Inc.
- Maggie Duffy, Senior Director, Government Relations, Elevance Health
Speakers:
- Michael Nizich, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, New York Institute of Technology
- Brandon Castellano, Engineering Student, New York Institute of Technology
- Pamela Curtiss, Assistant Director of Social Enterprises, AHRC Nassau
- Assemblymember John McDonald, 108th District
- Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, 76th District
The Cooper Union with CP Unlimited
"Be a Companion" Automatic Wheelchair Locking Device
CP Unlimited recently launched its “Be a Companion” program, employing individuals with disabilities as companions and wheelchair operators for program participants with physical disabilities living at the Caldwell Group Home. This project includes creating an attachable automatic locking device for manual wheelchairs, specifically designed to lock the wheelchair in position quickly in an emergency. This product will prevent accidents caused by operators losing control of the wheelchair. The device will be designed to activate through a physical trigger key used by the “companion,” automatically engaging a locking mechanism upon its operation.
CUNY City College with Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey
Career Compass
People who have disabilities experience multifaceted problems in relation to the job searching process. The purpose of this application is to offer a much easier way for individuals with disabilities to apply for jobs and also to largely increase the use of desktops/laptops and online services through the website's simple and attractive design. The Career Compass website is designed to be simple and preferable, allowing employers to post jobs easily and similarly allowing people with disabilities to apply for these jobs efficiently.
EmployAble
Determining where a job-seeker with disabilities fits in the employment market can be challenging due to the lack of traditional job skills and quantifiable data. EmployAble is an intelligent job observation app with interactive video analysis that will be web-based and compatible with iOS and Android smartphones. The app is designed to make observations of job training more quantifiable through AI so that employment specialists can use this data for their customized employment reports.
EmpowerEd
EmpowerEd is a web application crafted to bridge the gap between people with disabilities and job search/resume-building services that empower individuals with the tools they need to search and apply for jobs. EmpowerEd is more than just a digital platform; it represents a specialized solution using AI tailored exclusively to the unique requirements of people with disabilities.
Inclusify
Inclusify is a platform designed to address the barriers to employment that individuals with disabilities face by allowing users to create video resumes. This user-friendly app empowers individuals with disabilities to express their qualifications and needs visually, bridging the gap for successful job applications. Additionally, Inclusify includes tutorial videos to enhance users' interviewing skills and job application competencies.
CUNY City College with Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey and AHRC New York City
Prepare4Success
The core objective of Prepare4Success is to empower individuals with disabilities seeking employment in the janitorial sector through a virtual reality training program. This VR-based solution mirrors real-world janitorial tasks, allowing users to grasp, practice, and master skills in a controlled environment with a continuous evaluation mechanism. This is in partnership with AHRC NYC and Goodwill NY/NJ.
New York Institute of Technology with Spectrum Designs Foundation and AHRC Nassau
Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner
Spectrum Designs creates custom apparel using different methods. One such method is known as screen printing. The task requires a squeegee and a mesh-type screen to imprint various designs, such as an image or a logo, onto the shirt. Currently, the employees manually clean the ink application equipment after application using a chemical and a rag. The ink is messy, gets all over employees and other products, damages clothing, etc. The team is developing a high-technology apparatus allowing Spectrum Designs Foundation employees to clean the tools in a more sanitary manner.
SafeChef Cutlery System
AHRC Nassau in Freeport provides catering services for government customer events in New York State. This device is a user-controlled cutting system that limits the risks of cutting oneself during food preparation by preemptively alerting the user when they may make unwanted contact with the knife.
Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES/The Arc Otsego
Automated Crimper
The project is intended to respond to the NYS mandate that feminine products be available in all school bathrooms. Creekside Industries has identified a shortfall in the ability to keep up with the increased demand for products that are sleeved and ready to be put in dispensing machines. The team is developing a device to automatically crimp the plastic sleeves around tampons sold to customers in New York State.
SUNY Polytechnic Institute with The Arc, Oneida-Lewis
Screw Counting Device
The purpose of this design is to make the task of counting screws easier, which in turn is expected to increase employee efficiency and distribution of screw kits. Currently, the system in place involves heavy use of the hands to perform dexterous motions, which could lead to long-term problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome. To make the process more ergonomic, the new product will implement a new way of removing the screws from their original bag, automatically count the screws, and assist in packaging the individual screw kits. For safety, the new process will aim to reduce contact between the screws and the employee’s hands. This will help reduce scratches on the skin from the hardware.
University at Albany with Center for Disability Services
Mail Sorter
Individuals with disabilities pack several thousands of letters daily at the Center for Disability Services mail facility. An issue they face is that it often takes too long to package the letters due to the time it takes to sort the papers per letter. The team is developing a device that will sort the letters, reduce the packaging time by half, and be readily controlled by workers with disabilities. The mail sorter is designed to take a stack of paper that is folded in half and sort the stacks into a group of mail with the same recipient name.