deal me in
Gorge MakerSpace | White Salmon, WA
Project Invent 2020-2021
$500 Demo Day runner-up
Deal Me In is an assistive card playing device for those with physical limitations. The invention was inspired by Jose, a student with cerebral palsy who connects with others through card games. The Deal Me In team wanted to create something that could infuse more independence into Jose’s card playing experience, enabling him to select and play cards without the assistance of others. The device they designed does just that: a card holder displays up to six cards clearly, a card player uses servomechanism technology to let the user select and play a card by moving their head, and a slide and flipping device guides the released card to from the product to the table, flipping it to reveal the user’s choice.
Through Accelerate, the Deal Me In team has taken major strides towards making their product more manufacturable, pursuing adjustments and improvements with laser cutting, 3D printing, and Fusion 360. In addition, the team has begun gearing up for the possibility of bringing their invention to market, learning the application steps for provisional patents and the basics of business models.