NARBE Foundation | News and Updates

DIY Guide: How to Build Benny’s 2-Switch Kit  At the NARBE Foundation , our mission is simple: make accessibility open, low-cost, and available to absolutely everyone. We’ve heard from amazing communities in Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, and Mexico asking how they can replicate our setup. Because we can’t ship physical kits outside of the United States, we wanted to put the power directly into your hands. The best news? Our entire system is completely open-source.  Our switch kits cost about $60 to put together (In the U.S.), compared to $200 or more from other manufacturers. Benny's switch kit is a simple set of physical buttons that allows someone with limited mobility to control a web app using just one or two movements. Instead of a keyboard or mouse, a person can press a large button with their hand, foot, elbow, or any movement that works for them. Benny's Hub is a free website hosted by the NARBE Foundation , where people who use one or two switches can play games...

  We’re honored to have the NARBE Foundation featured on  Reclaiming AI , Chantelle’s Substack publication exploring ethical, human-centered uses of artificial intelligence. The article highlights how our foundation grew from a real caregiving need and how simple, adaptable technology can restore access, autonomy, and joy for people with complex communication and physical disabilities. Through Ben’s journey, the piece shows what’s possible when AI is used to support dignity, independence, and connection rather than efficiency alone. It reflects the heart of our mission: building open, accessible tools that meet people where they are and empower families to create solutions that truly work. Please check out the article here: https://substack.com/inbox/post/182996035?r=6u496x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true&triedRedirect=true If you’re on Substack, a restack helps this story reach more families, caregivers, and builders who care about acc...

The Founders of the NARBE Foundation was selected as guest speakers at the 2025 Assistive Technology Conference of New England. This video shares the story of how their family used creativity and AI to give Ben, a nonverbal adult living with TUBB4A-related leukodystrophy, a way to communicate and play again. It all began with a simple question: what do you do when the technology that exists is not enough? Ben has always been joyful, competitive, and playful. As his condition progressed, he gradually lost speech, mobility, and independence. Commercial assistive technology could not keep up. Eye tracking failed due to nystagmus, head tracking was unreliable, and none of the available tools brought him joy. Games had always been Ben’s greatest source of freedom, yet most assistive tools were designed for survival, not happiness. During the pandemic, Ben’s health declined rapidly. That crisis brought the family back together. Nancy and Ari moved across the country, rebuilt Ben’s care, reno...