SINGAPORE, 29 May 2026 — For children with disabilities, small adaptions can make a difference in how they play, learn, and interact with the world around them. Even simple actions such as pressing a button can be challenging. Engineers from DSO National Laboratories (DSO) are applying their engineering expertise to help make play more accessible for these children.
A team of 20 DSO engineers set out to modify more than 70 off the shelf toys, enabling children with disabilities at Rainbow Centre to play more independently. A key highlight of the initiative was the team’s decision to design and 3D print customised adaptive switches in house. These adaptive switches are specially designed controls that enable children with physical and motor challenges to operate toys more easily and independently. Commercial alternatives can cost tens to hundreds of dollars each, making them expensive to procure, repair, or replace in classroom quantities. They also lack the flexibility to meet individual needs such as larger activation surfaces or varied tactile responses.
By custom engineering the switches through 3D printing, the team developed a highly cost-effective solution that enables each switch to be tailored to the unique needs of every child. The ability to customise the size, colour, and sensitivity of each switch is crucial in making personalised assistive technology more accessible and affordable.
Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law & Ministry of Social and Family Development, attended the Modified Toys Handover Ceremony at Rainbow Centre and saw first-hand how thoughtfully adapted toys can help younger persons with disabilities develop crucial skills through play.
For the engineers involved, the project was a highly rewarding effort, involving months of close collaboration with students and teachers to understand their challenges and apply practical, user focused engineering to co-develop meaningful solutions that made a real difference for the children.
"While our main focus is on national defence, being able to give back to the community by using our engineering skills to help these kids play has been a really meaningful experience for us," said Mr Wong Jit Chin, Team Lead, DSO National Laboratories. "Instead of assuming what they needed, we built a few prototypes with different types of tactile feedback and let the kids try them out to choose what they preferred. Honestly, seeing their reactions is the most rewarding part of the whole project.”
“The use of switches has enabled Chloe to communicate and engage more independently. Through her Bluetooth switch and communication system, she can express her needs and preferences—from choosing music to indicating discomfort. She especially enjoys toys that move and make sounds, and DSO’s adapted toys and customised switches now allow her to play and control them independently. We are grateful for this collaboration and hope to see more opportunities that continue to support her through purposeful play,” said Madam Patricia, Parent of Mah Ruo Han Chloe.
Although the project has ended, its outcomes will continue to benefit children through sustainable and scalable solutions. By providing the design files and instructional videos, Rainbow Centre can continue to print, repair, and replace switches on demand at approximately one-fifth the cost of commercial alternatives. This makes the solution significantly more affordable and accessible, enabling families to obtain customised adaptive switches for use at home rather than relying solely on school equipment loans. The modular design also allows the switches to be adapted for other communication and assistive devices, su
About DSO National Laboratories
DSO National Laboratories (DSO) is Singapore’s largest defence research and development organisation. For the past 5 decades, DSO has been undertaking indigenous development of advanced defence and weapon systems that provide the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) with the superior technological edge in the battlefield. While its primary focus is to support the SAF, DSO also extends its defence R&D capabilities to support homeland security.
With more than 1,800 defence engineers and scientists, DSO develops cutting edge technologies and solutions to enhance Singapore’s defence and national security capabilities. For more information, please visit www.dso.org.sg.
About Rainbow Centre Singapore
Rainbow Centre, Singapore envisions a world where persons with disabilities live Good Lives. Through practical education, meaningful support and effective training and partnerships, we create opportunities for our clients to fulfil their potential and participate in society. Registered as a charity in 1992, Rainbow Centre, Singapore is an Institution of a Public Character, and a registered society, with the Constitution of Rainbow Centre as its governing instrument.
