A collage of images related to COVID-19 maker challenges, including 3D printers, masks, and protective equipment

We can do this!

In 2020, Challenge America teamed up with the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem to join the fight against COVID-19. We put on five Maker Challenges focused on addressing the immediate needs of different subsets of the essential workforce - first responders, custodial services, nursing home staff, caregivers, and disaster relief workers. Teams of subject matter experts worked directly with these end users to create innovative products designed to help them cope with the challenges of the pandemic.

Our Story

To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Challenge America and VHA Innovation Ecosystem partnered to develop innovative solutions to the unmet needs of injured Veterans and their families. Through Challenge America: Makers For Veterans (CAMVETS), we have worked with engineers, designers, software programmers, and other subject matter experts to create seventeen working prototype solutions in the last year alone, four of which have earned provisional patents. 

At the onset of COVID-19, our always-visionary partner, Danielle Krakora, proposed we adapt our program to meet the needs of essential workers on the frontlines of the pandemic. It was humbling to see so many organizations, companies, and individuals rally to the cause and witness this effort reigniting our CAMVETS program with all new innovations. 

Three smiling people sitting at a table in a cozy café, with plates of food including a sandwich and a dessert, cups, and a laptop on the table, and others working in the background.

Impact


An illustration combining a yellow lightbulb with circuit lines and a gear with arrows, symbolizing innovation, technology, and engineering.

50 Projects


An orange ribbon with the word 'SUPPORT' written in white and two dark blue hearts on each side, set against a dark blue background.

420 Volunteers


A digital illustration of four human icons around a gear, with arrows indicating communication or process flow between the icons.

150 Organizations represented

  • A transparent cube-shaped enclosure with blue and red neon lights, containing electronic components inside.

    Tessellation Sanitation Station

    Rebranded as Team HermTac, this solution earned top marks as the winner of the iEx Design Award. This innovative solution uses concentrated UVC lighting to create a Tessellation Sanitation Station, capable of sanitizing luggage and other objects in just seconds.

  • Microscopic image showing irregularly shaped blue structures with green cross markers and red lines across the image.

    Traffic Monitoring & Mobile Reporting

    Rebranded as Team Rona Busters, the team developed a traffic monitoring system complete with a mobile dashboard allowing real-time traffic reports as well as cleaning reports by zone.

  • A gray plastic toy knife with a blue handle featuring black grip ridges, and an embossed hexagonal logo with 'res3D' on it, against a plain gray background.

    Sanitized Door Opener

    Rebranded as Team Can't Touch This, this solution features a retractable door opening and touchpoint device that includes a sanitization process each time it retracts.

  • A robotic device with a vertical metal strip marked with measurement units, connected to a green circuit board and a black base, with a remote control nearby.

    Raman Light Inspection System

    Team Virus Detection developed a Raman Light Inspection System to quickly detect COVID-19 on surfaces. This portable system accurately distinguishes viruses instantaneously.

  • Components for a bathroom door solution, including a light switch, an Arduino microcontroller with wiring, a sensor, a LED floodlight, and a motion sensor, with the text 'Bathroom Door Solution' at the bottom.

    Automated UVC Decontamination System

    The team designed an automated system for decontaminating surfaces in hotel rooms, to include the surfaces of cleaning carts commonly used for housekeeping tasks.

  • Screenshot of a website titled 'COVID-19 Communication Curriculum (CCC)' with a navigation panel on the left and a central section showing a cleaning staff member with a mop, bucket, and caution wet floor sign.

    S.A.F.E. Training

    After discussing the challenge with in depth, the team pivoted to focus its energy on developing training materials for housekeeping staff. Their student-centered design incudes online quizzes and discussion prompts

  • Interior of a bus showing a fluorescent light fixture, window with visible street outside, and ceiling panel.

    Articulated UVC Decontamination System

    The team built on its experience in the first challenge to develop a UVC decontamination system capable of sanitizing busses of varying sizes, The system deploys from the bus ceiling to maximize light exposure to all surfaces.

  • A mechanical clamp attached to a cylindrical metal rod, with additional small components and a lever for adjustment.

    Automated UVC Railing Decontamination

    Rebranded as Team Off The Rails, the team developed an automated railing decontamination system, complete with articulating arms and safety features that prioritize human railing use over cleaning tasks.

  • A blue ultraviolet light tube glowing in the dark.

    UVC Cruiser Decontamination

    Winner of the Feasibility Award, the team proposed a UV-C Led light solution mounted to the partrol car ceiling that allows officers to easily toggle on and off the device for disinfecting.

  • A woman wearing a blue shirt is using a respiratory mask with a transparent corrugated tube for breathing, likely inside a workshop or medical setting with tools and supplies scattered on a table in the background.

    Nebulizer Filtration System

    The team created an aerosol containment mask that features patient comfort, nebulizer compatibility, exhaust filtering, reuse, and mist disposal/decontamination.

  • A woman with blonde hair wearing a black face mask with a filter cartridge in front of a brick wall.

    Break-Away Cordura Mask

    Winner of the iEx Design Award, the team designed a cordura mask that allows police to easily customize its appearance. The mask also features a magnet breakaway system to avoid injuries during altercations.

  • Diagram of a mechanical assembly with numbered parts, including a base, arm, and component holders.

    Cruiser Laptop Mount

    The team developed a low-cost 3D printed laptop mount with articulating keyboard platform that minimizes space requirements while maximizing flexibility for different working environments.

  • 3D rendering of a modern office cubicle with transparent glass walls and a black L-shaped desk with multiple monitors and office accessories.

    Office Space Divider System

    The team developed a low-cost solution using PVC pipe and parts commonly found in hardware stores to create protective zones that adapt easily to most office environments.

  • Two firefighters in gear inside a fire station, wearing yellow helmets with black and red accents, and beige firefighting uniforms, engaging in conversation.

    Hero Peer Support

    The team designed a virtual peer-support community that connects first responders to local and national resources, provides real-time information on government guidelines, and offers ease of use.

  • Close-up of a small black cooling fan with a blue label, mounted on a gray metal assembly, with a red wire connected to it.

    Goggle Fan

    The team developed a lightweight 3D printed goggle clip and fan device to safely circulate air and mitigate fogging.

  • Technical drawing of a linear actuator with a cylindrical shaft, mounted on a blue structural base, and a side view showing the length of the shaft.

    Articulating UVC Light Decontamination

    The team proposed a low-cost solution using 3D printed pieces and off-the-shelf parts to create an overhead UV light with shadow detection capabilities to maximize  light exposure throughout the decontamination process.

  • Diagram displaying a mobile app, thermal kiosks, and web platform for health screening. The mobile app shows symptom input for workers, the thermal kiosk provides contactless temperature screening, and the web platform monitors team health data with charts.

    AI Biosensor Platform

    Winner of the iEx Design Award, this team has developed an AI Biosensor platform, including a mobile app and thermal kiosk, that conducts early detection of elevated body temperature and infection symtpoms.

  • Technical illustration of a partially transparent digital model of an airplane cockpit seat with a headrest, backrest, and seat base.

    Separation Station

    To create barriers among passengers to prevent contagion, the team developed two designs: one as a protective foam add-on seat with a transparent hood covering and a separation station with a curtain roller track to pull across a transparent curtain around a wheelchair or seat.

  • Yellow and blue plastic toolbox with compartments, open on a table, with a black and yellow handle.

    Forward Triage Case

    Together with their VA end user, the team developed a lightweight customized case to accommodate the equipment and telehealth connection needed to do remote COVID-19 (and other) testing in VA Community Living Centers.

  • A black table with a clear acrylic sign that says "Thank you!" in blue letters, positioned in front of a bright LED light and a small transparent acrylic stand on a beige carpeted floor.

    Senior-Friendly Communication Station

    The team created both a hardware and software solution to facilitate virtual communication with loved ones: a lap desk to hold the tablet in place with a shield to prevent users from disconnecting the call and highly senior-friendly mobile app to store contacts and make calls.

  • An engineering diagram of a gymnastic rig setup with metal pipes, wooden platform, and support components.

    Portable Parallel Bars

    To allow the nursing home residents who are in isolation to continue with their physical therapy, the team designed adjustable, portable parallel bars that can easily be moved to different rooms for rehab.

  • A blue sterilizing container with a yellow and white electric device and a label that reads 'Self sanitizing' in blue text.

    UVC Toothbrush Container

    To promote proper oral care as the key to pneumonia prevention in nursing homes, the team proposed a 3-headed toothbrush with a breathable container using UVC light to disinfect the toothbrush regularly.

  • A person holding a smartphone with the screen displaying instructions to take a selfie video, with a gradient orange and pink background.

    Symptom Monitoring App

    The team used Okaya software to set up a mobile-based check-in system with automated alerts and workflows to monitor employee and visitor symptoms.

  • Person wearing a belt with colorful blocks attached, standing indoors near a door and staircase.

    Sanitizer Tool Belt

    To help staff have easy access to essential sanitizing products, the team developed an innovative toolbelt design using 3D printed compenents designed to store sanitizer solution, wipes, gloves, and other essential items.

  • Book cover titled 'Team Memory Boost: Move and Groove With Pictures' featuring a colorful, abstract, spherical shape on a gradient background.

    Move & Groove with Pictures

    To foster mental health, Team Memory Boost developed a choose-your-adventure game, complete with photographs, music, and movement.

  • A human head model with a neural network diagram above it, representing thinking or AI concepts.

    Ventilated Face Shield

    Team Foggy Goggles settled on a novel shield design, complete with 3D printed and off-the-shelf compoentents, including a small fan to promote ventilation and minimize the risk of fogging.

  • A metallic case with several compartments, and a detachable monitor displaying a person's face, possibly a robot or automated device.

    Telehealth Case

    Through this continuation project, Team Hermtac managed to equip their mobile telehealth case with full data connectivity to conduct home visits and forward triage regardless of wifi or LTE access. This project won the IEx Design Award for best overall design.

  • A person with a white sock on their foot is sitting on a leather chair in a kitchen. The person is holding a crutch with a purple foam grip, and a smartphone is attached to the crutch, capturing an image of their own leg.

    Filming Stand

    During the pandemic, in-home care providers have relied on video visits to assess safety conditions and patient progress. Winners of the Innovation Award, the team designed software enhancements to simplify the VA Video Connect experience and a camera on rail device to allow providers to see the “big picture”.

  • Medical equipment including a disposable gauze pad with a blue letter 'L', a purple lanyard with a retractable badge reel, and a blue plastic container with a textured lid.

    Mask Stash Bag & Sanitizing Container

    Winners of the Business Value Award, Team Mask Stash designed both a nylon mesh case with a dirty and clean side for mask storage between use and a silicone collapsible case for in-place sanitization of N95 masks.

  • Diagram of a proposed solution called 'Flexi-Band,' a blue curved band with multiple button closures, a curved slot for holding a cannula tube, and indicating features like a silicon band for flexibility and comfort, with a red circle stating an estimated production cost of $1.3 per piece.

    Flexi-Band

    Winners of the User Experience Award, the team designed a 3D printed flexible band that goes behind the head and holds both the mask straps and nasal cannula up off the ears to prevent pressure-related injuries.

  • A question card asking, 'Have you fallen in the past 12 months?', with a pain scale below it. The scale ranges from 0 to 10 and is labeled from 'No Pain' with a green smiley face to 'Worst Pain Possible' with a red sad face, including intermediate levels labeled mild, moderate, severe, very severe.

    Mask Communication

    To improve communication between providers and patients wearing masks, the team proposed an interactive application that uses customizable voice recordings and visual aids.

  • A website homepage with a banner featuring an American flag. The site is titled "T.I.G.H.T." with the tagline "Together In Good and Hard Times." There are options to sign in or register, and buttons for different user actions. Text below discusses supporting wounded warriors.

    TIGHT App

    The team developed the TIGHT (Together in Good and Hard Times) application to connect wounded warriors with Veteran volunteers to visit them regularly and make them feel less isolated.

  • A DIY watercraft made from PVC pipes, with a white water tank, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a yellow floating device, and black straps, assembled on a wooden surface.

    Mobile Hand-Washing System

    Team Handwashing on the go developed a modular prototype of an in-vehicle hand washing station that stores clean water, used wastewater, and soap in order to protect in-home caregivers and their patients.

  • A Department of Veterans Affairs Compassion Box and various gift items, including cause boxes, wellness products, tools, and wellness brochures, arranged on stairs and a table.

    Caregiver Compassion Box

    Addressing the isolation caregivers feel as a result of caring for our wounded warriors, the team proposed a Caregiver Compassion Box consisting of quality items that align with the caregiver’s interests.

  • Person wearing glasses and a colorful face mask showing a smartphone screen with a Siri shortcut demo app titled 'My Shortcuts'.

    Siri Shortcuts for Home Visit Notes

    The team developed a voice-to-text automated workflow for iPhones using the Siri Shortcuts application. This solution results in no typing, writing, or sanitizing multiple devices/tools.

  • A children's water play center with a blue and yellow structure, featuring a small slide, a splash pad area, and a frog-shaped water feature.

    Pandemi 800 Ventilator

    Winner of the iEX Design Award, PANDEMI VENT 800 is a  $300 Open Source ventilator built using highly available commodity hardware, a novel low-cost sensor package, and 3D printed parts. It includes all basic features of a ventilator, in addition to a centralized monitoring station and a resuscitation automated assistance breathing mode.

  • Screenshot of a disaster relief volunteer management software interface displaying a map with volunteer needs and locations, with a mobile view showing specific volunteer request details for debris removal.

    Mobile Site for Volunteer Management

    Winners of the User Experience Award, The Acumen Solutions team designed a disaster relief management application to allow organizers to manage volunteers, donations, healthcare, and social media communications. It also features a community portal for volunteers to sign up to help.

  • An indoor gymnasium with a blue tarp hanging from the ceiling, set up as a makeshift climbing or obstacle course. There is a silhouette of a person walking past the setup, which includes a plastic container with clothing items, a set of poles or tripods, and instructions for assembling a structural frame with step-by-step diagrams.

    Modular Barriers & Mitigation Protocol

    Winners of the Feasibility Award, Team Safe Haven II designed a physical prototype featuring a modular, easy-to-assemble barrier to create private spaces that are easy to sterilize. Their procedural solution featured check-in protocols and updated floor plans to facilitate distance, ventilation, and user movement.

  • Flowchart showing volunteers or service providers supporting clients or evacuees, who then utilize motel or healthcare services.

    Aid Station

    Winners of the Business Value Award, Team Aid Station, a collaborative effort between companies Medi-Code and InstaMD, worked on a mulit-interface application that would allow the Red Cross to replace their Excel spreadsheets to more efficiently coordinate volunteers, service providers, and clients (evacuees) in one place.

  • A digital health monitoring system showing a computer screen and smartphone with data charts, and a close-up of a small black device labeled 'Smartlution' linked to the digital system.

    Okaya

    Winners of the Innovation Award, the Okaya digital assistant application allows disaster relief managers to monitor the mental state of first responders and workers in the field. Depending on their state, it also recommends mental health resources to first responders and inhabitants tailored to their particular needs. The application can function with or without connectivity.

  • Two smartphones displaying health assessment apps, showing mood, anxiety, sadness levels, and health categories like mental health, environment, relaxation, and entertainment with icons and checklists.

    Mental Health Toolkit App

    Team Mental Toolkit designed a mental health application that allows responders to enter and customize their own wellbeing plan, reminders, and tools to support them before, during and after an incident. It also helps them to monitor and effectively assist someone in crisis.

  • A model of a tiny house with solar panels on the roof, divided into two sections labeled "Recycle" and "Make". The "Recycle" section contains recycling equipment, and the "Make" section contains fabrication tools.

    Configurable Micro-Factory

    Utilizing shipping containers, the micro-factory is a transportable manufacturing (and recycling) system that can be delivered to disaster zones to provide the tools, technology, and machinery needed to make, repair and recycle critical items on site from accessible raw materials.

  • Diagram of a personal protective tent showing its components, including a collapsible tent, a white tent, and detailed features like filter vents, zippers, antimicrobial material, and a rollable base.

    Personal Protective Tent & Biocence Mist

    Team Tent Dividers devised a multi-stage approach to protect all personnel and equipment by 1) misting FDA approved BIOCENCE on all hard and soft surfaces and 2) providing modular personal protective tents with a replaceable filter system and made of antimicrobial materials.

  • Flowchart illustrating transportation and communication from start to finish, including icons for internet, satellite, cloud storage, communication network, construction workers, airplane, helicopter, ships, ambulance, car, train, truck, and various vehicles.

    Transportation Logistics Coordination Site

    The team proposed a centralized communication and coordination system to aggregate needs and optimize transportation across multiple disaster relief agencies and organizations. The solution builds on Auxilia to identify what organizations need on the ground, adding a new application for fulfillment, tracking, and prioritization.

  • Prototypes of a tent with a fly and a full enclosed design, accompanied by cleaning and maintenance supplies including bottles of Ozium air sanitizer, a coiled hose, a water filter system, and hardware components.

    Tent & Disinfection Protocols

    In order to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 spread in a congregate shelter for evacuees, the team - composed of all women Veterans and one military spouse - explored different options for physical barriers, check-in, and sanitization. Their multifaceted solution included equipment maintenance, client check-in guidelines, tent assignments and rules, and facility engagement procedures.

  • Hand-drawn schematic of a laundry and water heating system, showing a water generator, water tanks, a pump, a grey water tank, a washing machine, a dryer, and a powder washer, with labels and notes.

    Mobile, Stand-Alone Laundry System

    The team endeavored to design a mobile, compact, stand-alone laundry system that can be used during disaster relief efforts. The system can be transported easily on a trailer and contains its own water supply (fresh water storage tanks), own grey water container (storage tank), and own power supply (8000W gasoline generator).

Support COVID-19 & future Maker Challenges

Help us share these amazing innovations

Your support will directly assist the maker teams in their efforts to refine these designs to commercialize their products, making it possible to share them with the essential workers who so desperately need them. Please give today!

Donate

Our Parters & Sponsors

Connect with our team