Over 40 projects were displayed in the Moseley Center for the annual Maker Takeover, hosted by the Maker Hub on April 29. From motorized phoenix wings to 3D printed drones, attendees roamed through table displays to see unique pieces made by Elon students.
Elon second-year graduate student studying physical therapy, Nijayuana Gadson, was inspired by her grandmother to make a device that could help injured individuals with mobility assistance.
“I wanted to do something that was mobility-focused,” Gadson said. “Basically, a patient-centered tool to help somebody if they are recovering from an injury and they want to be more comfortable.”
Her device, called NexG8, took six months to complete. The device has a dual-base support that is not completely non-weight-bearing but can help individuals who need support.
“It was a big learning curve because as a physical therapy student, you don’t know anything about engineering,” Gadson said.
Gadson was part of the 2026 Kickbox cohort, a program that provides students with training and funds to complete their projects. She was paired with engineering students and faculty to aid with the construction process.
In the future, Gadson hopes to further develop her idea into a final product.
“I’m grateful to have the money to just go ahead and make a prototype, but next I want to go ahead and make a finished product,” Gadson said. “So, actually learning more about metals and learning more about the best way to make this the best device it could be.”
Seniors Amalie Keefe (left) controls Q, the quadruped robot, as Jacob Karty (right) watches during Maker Takeover on April 29 in Moseley Center. Q is the subject of research aimed at determining whether robotic dogs can become service animals.
Junior Sofie Crabbe has worked for the Maker Hub for two years and said the takeover allows students to show off their work to the Elon community.
“There’s some people who go really in-depth with it and put a lot of effort into it, and it’s really cool to see what the Maker Hub can do,” Crabbe said.
Crabbe said she views the Maker Takeover as a way to bring new people into the hub and show off what it can offer students.