applauded .”
He found many willing collaborators . A month later , they reconvened to present their results , one of which was a rudimentary collision-avoidance system for wheelchair users .
Slattery hopes to one day host up to 100 hacking teams at the Baltimore Convention Center , an event that will include speakers , digital / engineering wizards , even employers . He ’ s also working with volunteer architects to build another disabledaccessible home , the first of what he hopes will be many such houses .
“ Yes , you need money ,” he says . “ But more than that , you need a community .”
Slattery ’ s new community now includes people far from his field of economics , people who are helping him build a new normal for himself , Matthew , and potentially thousands of other families .
NAME : Ed Slattery
INNOVATION : Collaborating with hackers to design products and houses for people with disabilities
AGE : 60
HOME : Lutherville
OCCUPATION : Founder and Principal , FANN ( Finding A New Normal )
HOBBIES : Gardening , hanging out with his children
FUN FACT : Planted a green roof on his house and is building an Adirondack herb dryer
BALTIMORE SOCIAL INNOVATION JOURNAL