Abilitease

05/28/2026

If you are a 3D printing enthusiast, maker, etc you need to be part of the MakeGood journey!

SIGN UP to be a maker and change a life at 3d-mobility.org!

05/27/2026

A few weeks when I was in San Diego I wanted to go visit Mother Earth Brew Co in Vista, California. Upon arriving there was plenty of ADA parking, wide entryways and a spacious brewery with a cool vibe.

There was a lower table that was perfect for me to pull up in my wheelchair, enjoy a cold pint of Cali Creamin, watch the baseball game and strike up a conversation with the locals. They also had a hot honey x Cali Creamin collaboration that I was able to try…delicious!!!

If you are in Vista come down to Mother Earth Brew Co and support a local brewery and enjoy some tasty beers!

[Video Description: In this video Mark is touring the Mother Earth Brew Co in Vista California and enjoying a pint of his favorite beer.]

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05/21/2026

When designing assistive technology for hand dexterity challenges I have come to learn that not every disability is the same. This means that the way individuals perform daily tasks using an adaptive tool may also vary.

One of the greatest attributes of additive manufacturing (3D printing) is the ability to customize your design and turn around a timely new product based on customer feedback.

For example, earlier this year we designed a tab extender that snapped onto a Bard Flip-Flo valve. This valve is designed to open/close tubing attached to a bag or dwelling catheter, but it is hard to operate if you struggle with hand dexterity. The adaptive tab snapped onto the Bard valve, creating a longer tab with a loop for easier operation.

The customer was able to use the adaptive enclosure to open/close her valve, but the tab was very noticeable under her clothing. We changed the design and curved the tab so that it was more parallel to the tubing and more discreet under clothing.

When designing it’s not just about solving a problem. You want the user to feel comfortable using the adaptive tool in their environment.

The adaptive Bard Flip-Flo valve cover is available now in our online shop! Please check out our adaptive product line by clicking on the view shop button or visiting us at www.abiliteaseadaptive.com and support a disabled owned business. You can also access the link above in our bio.

[Video Description: In this video Mark talks about additive manufacturing and how it benefits product customization. He uses an example of a Bard Flip-Flo valve cover that he made and changed the angle of the adaptive tab.]

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05/21/2026

Today I delivered a toddler mobility trainer to the Physical Therapy department at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Downtown LA.

The therapists were able to have a child sit in the chair and they provided some valuable feedback.

Providing affordable open source mobility options to children in need is a privilege.

[Video Description: In this video Mark is showing a toddler mobility trainer that he delivered to the Orthopaedic Institute for Children.]

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05/18/2026

On Sunday the family worked on cleaning the garage and getting our dedicated maker space up and running. It was a lot of work, but I’m proud of what we built. This will make the projects flow so much better. It also helps to have the workhorse Bambu Lab 3D printers and the high quality colorful filament from Cookie CAD!

[Video Description: In this video Mark is showing his new maker space in the garage.]

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05/01/2026

I recently got to try the adaptive f***y pack by Lindsay De Long from EOT Wellness (). It goes around your waist or as a crossbody, but as a wheelchair user I preferred it sitting on my lap.

The bag has rubber reinforced zipper pulls that keep their round shape and are easy to operate. There is a shallow front pocket that is great to access my wallet or chap stick.

The main compartment has two pockets where I can separately store my catheters and ostomy supplies. There is also plenty of room for a bottle of water, snacks, or anything else I need to carry.

The bag has removable straps that can be used to mount the bag to a walker or wheelchair.

There is an easy access pocket on the back side of the bag which is great to store my phone and my keys. It also has an opening for corded ear buds or headphones.

The primary strap on the bag has a really cool magnetic fidlock that is easy to open/close. I didn’t think I would use the strap, but then remembered how often I drop my bag because of the spasticity in my legs.

I ended up putting the strap around my legs and securing the bag on my lap. With the magnetic clasp it made this task very easy to do.

This adaptive f***y pack was designed by a licensed occupational therapist that understands the needs of the users as well as the caregivers. And it’s only $29.99 on Amazon!

Please check out the adaptive F***y pack at the EOT Wellness store on Amazon. You can also access the link to the product above in our bio.

[Video Description: In this video Mark shows the different features of the adaptive F***y pack from EOT Wellness.]

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03/19/2026

As an individual with a spinal cord injury, part of my routine involves taking medication daily and/or as needed. I get my prescriptions from CVS Pharmacy and I have used the same standard push/turn safety caps for years. With my limited hand function it can be very difficult to open the pill bottles with that style of safety cap.

The other day when I was picking up my prescription at CVS I asked the pharmacist if they had an easy open cap that would work with the prescription bottles I use. They provided some snap on caps that weren’t too difficult to snap on the bottle, but I had to use my teeth to open them.

I decided to design and 3d print a cap with a similar snap feature on the lid, but I wanted to incorporate a loop so I could use my thumb to open/close the lid. I also created a flat portion above the loop where you can add pressure to snap the cap onto the bottle. With the loop it is easier to transport the bottle and pick it up if you drop it.

Is this something you would use? So far it works well with the CVS prescription bottles, but I will look and see how it can be made more universal.

[Video Description: In this video Mark shows how he has difficulty opening up his prescription bottles. He designed an adaptive top that works with the CVS pharmacy prescription bottles, making it easier to open all of his prescriptions.]

Please check out our adaptive product line at www.abiliteaseadaptive.com and support a disabled owned business. You can also access the link above in our bio.

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03/16/2026

This past weekend I went to a 10 year old birthday party at a bowling alley with my son Andrew. I wasn’t planning on bowling, but I was excited to visit with friends and watch my son bowl some strikes!

I noticed there was a ramp at the edge of the lanes so I proceeded to go down it thinking I could roll to where the party people were gathered. Unfortunately, there was a step down to the other lanes so I couldn’t get to the birthday party.

I soon realized they had made the first few lanes accessible by raising the floor, but it created a step that prevented access to the rest of the lanes.

I was able to sit up top and talk to people as they walked up/down the stairs, but it wasn’t the same as being down by the seating and the food. Feeling excluded like this sucks and I deal with it everywhere. It starts by bringing awareness and then working towards a viable solution.

[Video Description: In this video Mark shows how he rolled down an access ramp at a bowling alley and soon realized they had an additional step, preventing access to the other lanes.]

Please check out our adaptive product line at www.abiliteaseadaptive.com and support a disabled owned business. You can also access the link above in our bio.

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02/10/2026

As a quadriplegic with limited hand dexterity it can be difficult to secure a cord plug in my hand and push it into an electrical outlet. It can also be difficult to pull it out without wrapping the cord around my hand and possibly damaging it over time. If the outlet is low or too high it adds a layer of complexity with my poor balance and spasticity.

I have seen 3D printed adapters for a specific cord plug that are zip tied to the plug itself. These are great, but they are limited to that specific cord and plug. We found a plug adapter (3 pin) that handles basic appliances as well as refrigerators, giving the user the flexibility to attach it to any cord they want to use.

We built an enclosure for the plug adapter that provides easy to hold handles for someone that struggles with hand dexterity. This gives the users enhanced independence and confidence to plug in their device in different locations.

The plug adapter holder is available now in our online shop! Please check out our adaptive product line by clicking on the view shop button or visiting us at www.abiliteaseadaptive.com and support a disabled owned business. You can also access the link above in our bio.

[Video Description: In this video Mark demonstrates how to simplify plugging and unplugging a cord in an electrical outlet using an adaptive enclosure that was designed to fit over a plug adapter.]

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02/06/2026

In the morning I typically like to have a hot cup of coffee or tea. Because of my limited hand function I can’t hold or pick up a mug full of liquid. If the mug happens to contain hot liquid I’m always concerned about possibly burning my hand.

We developed an adaptive tool (I.e. Lug-A-Mug) that attaches to the handle of most standard sized mugs, allowing you to pick up and carry a hot beverage without having to touch the mug with your hand.

Since I heat up the water for my tea in the microwave, the Lug-A-Mug allows me to place the mug in the microwave and remove it without struggling.

Also, I like to enjoy my tea in the morning outside so I use the Lug-A-Mug to secure my hot beverage and transport it to the backyard. This gives me independence for an activity that I truly enjoy.

Please check out our adaptive product line at www.abiliteaseadaptive.com and support a disabled owned business. You can also access the link above in our bio.

[Video Description: In this video Mark demonstrates how he uses the Lug-A-Mug adaptive tool to transport his hot cup of tea to the backyard without having to touch the cup with his hands.]

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