17-year-old Caden Chau turns a $50 printer into 600+ assistive devices, reaching 400,000 worldwide

A Calgary teenager who started a youth-led project to improve accessibility with a second-hand 3D printer bought for $50 has been named one of Canada's top young changemakers of 2026. Caden Chau, a 17-year-old high school student, founded MakeAble to create custom, affordable assistive devices for people with physical disabilities and neurodivergent conditions. Over the past three years, the organisation has grown from his home in Calgary to reach people in Toronto and Vancouver. In recognition of his work, Children First Canada named Chau the winner of the Health for All Award for Health Equity at the third annual Future is NOW! Awards, held at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. The award recognises Canadians under 18 who develop practical solutions to major health and social problems.Scaling up custom assistive devicesMakeAble began when Chau bought a used 3D printer for $50 and started experimenting with digital design files. Working directly with occupational therapists and local community partners, Chau and his volunteer team have designed, printed, and distributed more than 600 custom assistive devices. These include hundreds of special sensory toys created with Alberta Chil...