The #HackAcessDublin mobility hackathon takes place from the 25-27 November in Google Dublin. This weekend-long hackathon aims to not only to use the electricity of Dublin’s startup community to solve the city’s accessibility challenges, but to inspire and empower people with mobility problems to view the various accessibility challenges they face as entrepreneurial opportunities. The events is sponsored by Spacefox, Smart DUBLIN, Dogpatch Labs and Nissan, and supported by members of Engineers Ireland’s Young Engineers Society. #HackAccessDublin is about leveraging the power of start-up energy and innovation to help make Dublin more inclusive to people with mobility problems (PMP). Creating a more diverse and open city is beneficial to everyone; not just those considered different to the mainstream. The event developed from a collaborative partnership between the founders of Great Life Distillery and Mobility Mojo: Janice Valentine and Stephen Cluskey, both of which are committed to creating a more inclusive city for PMPs. A hackathon brings people with various skills, backgrounds, talents and interests together with the intention of finding innovative solutions to the challenges provided. The process participants go through is extremely collaborative and creative and this creates a highly energetic and uplifting environment with all participants committed to making an impact in society. The event will bring together inspirers who will share their stories in the hope it may encourage others to hack the obstacles in their way. This will provide the inspiration for freely formed multi-disciplinary teams to brainstorm, make, create and develop innovative solutions to these problems. Over the weekend of 25-27 November, in Google, the foundations of a movement will be set. This movement is about mobility, equality and a rethink of how our cities and all the systems enabling life to flow within them, are designed. It is also about educating the general public about the real causes of disability – that it is the environment which disables, not individual differences in ability. The ultimate goal is to rid the world of disability.

Engineers to tackle accessibility challenges

How will this achieved? Challenges relating to accessibility will be hacked by mechanical engineers, designers, technologists in a hackathon that will culminate in a final Dragons’ Den-style pitch to a panel of judges, that will be embedded in an inspiring extravaganza of innovation, collaboration, positivity and start-up energy. This is more than a hackathon; it is also an inspiration event. The Sunday #HackAccessDublin Pitch will be open to the general public, who can get their ticket here. The team want to expose the general public to innovative and start-up approaches to solving problems that impact everyone in Ireland. The goal is that they see themselves as solution enablers, not just victims of societal challenges like disability. #HackAccessDublin will be an annual event, with the aim of turning a mobility movement into a mobility revolution. Each year, teams will look at different challenges relating to the city and accessibility. This inaugural year, teams will be tackling challenges relating to transport, plus one ‘wildcard’ challenge. Engineers, designers, technologists and anyone interested in innovation and entrepreneurship are invited to join the #HackAccessDublin team and their enablers at an Immersion Evening on Wednesday 26 October from 6-8pm in Dogpatch Labs. This will help you to gain insight into the challenges people with mobility problems face and the accessibility challenges in Dublin, brainstorm and discuss your ideas with assembled experts, get to know other participants and the #HackAccessDublin team and get a head start on solving the challenges during a Facilitated Ideation session. Learn more about the event via www.hackaccessdublin.ie and register to attend #HackAccessDublin via https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/hackaccessdublin-immersion-event-tickets-27578375664 Author: Colin Keogh, mechanical engineer and Young Engineers Society chair