Level A = Adaptive Technology

Kenzo showed me all the adaptive technology he developed for encouraging people with handicaps to learn to weave.  I was blessing my father for encouraging me to take things apart and put them together, because there were a lot of things to bolt on the loom, tie together, and clamp to the loom.  One of the primary principles is to add weight to the back harness so that it falls back into place after beating the cloth.

It is hard to see, but there is a metal rod hooked to the harness that provides weight.

Two clips are added to the reed cap.  They keep the front harness in position so you can push the shuttle through the shed.

This isn't a very good picture, but Kenzo is holding a shuttle shelf.

The shuttle slides along the shelf, through the shed, and is stopped by the blue loop.

The shuttle pictured above can be pushed with a rod held in your mouth or can be pushed along with your foot if you do not have use of your hands.

This metal "box" is clamped to the shelf and helps the weaver wind a bobbin.

Picture above is a cone of yarn next to the bobbin winder.

Other adaptations include a reed hook that changes position for people with visual impairments, a special brake that can be pulled by a cord, two cones taped together that extend a person's range of motion for winding a warp, and a wheel with three prongs for winding the bobbins.  

Weaving with my feet was easier to learn than I thought.  I posted a video on Facebook.  

Hours later, Kenzo removed all the attachments.  I had to put them all back on and demonstrate how to use them.