Shoelace Assist

I teach a grade 8 computer exploratory and wanted to bring maker culture into the classroom. I asked my students to help me design a tool that would allow my father in-law, who suffers from ALS (a fatal degenerative muscular condition), to tie his own shoes despite the fact he no longer has use of his thumbs. The attached thing was the best product that the kids designed and printed, and what he currently uses.

I have since used this design to create a lesson sequence teaching the Engineerin