Life in Action Editor’s Note: What’s your gadget?

Ian Ruder, Editor, Life in Action

A much wiser man than I once dubbed disability the grandmother of invention. If you live with a disability, or know someone who does, you know how true this is. And though no one knows for sure who invented the first wheelchair, I suspect it was a creative soul who was frustrated by his own lack of mobility. His innovative solution opened up a world of possibilities for other individuals in similar situations.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of years later, we can look back on a long history of revolutionary innovations that have not only improved the lives of people with disabilities, but have actually made many people’s lives possible. From simple inventions like appliance-holding cuffs, to the most complex ones, like the medical techniques that allow many people who sustain spinal cord injuries to survive, the promise of innovation is all around us.

I hope that this issue removes some of the mystery around innovating and inventing and gets you to realize that you have everything required to create the next life-changing gadget
or gizmo. No one knows the needs of people with spinal cord injuries better than people with spinal cord injuries. As one paraplegic I interviewed said, “Things that work for me work for a lot of people.” Indeed. If you have a problem, someone else likely does too, and if you have a solution, you can be sure they will be glad to know. Get your idea out there, and see what people think. Maybe it’s a hit, and you have the next iPad. Maybe you have the next iBot. Either way, you’re contributing to the rich history that has given so many options to the disability community. And who knows, you might get rich, too.