Second Life has long held a deserved reputation for assisting people with a wide range of disabilities to share in virtual activities, make friends and connections, and thrive in ways not always available to them in the physical world. As a core part of this, Virtual Ability Inc (VAI) has been continuously active in Second Life for almost two decades.
In doing so, VAI has gained international renown for its annual conferences and symposia – some of which I’ve tried to support through these pages – and is recognised throughout Second Life for its unstinting work to support all those with disabilities who participate in the platform and the rich diversity of opportunities it offers.
More than just a “virtual place,” Virtual Ability is a true community, where individuals who physically live across the globe come together for conversation, learning, social activities, expeditions, and fun. Some take courses; others teach. Some mentor, others are mentored. Members create or build virtual architecture, write books or poetry, perform in plays, DJ, dance, play games, raise virtual gardens and virtual animals, or experience adventures of every type… all in a virtual world, from the comfort of their own computer. Community members bring extremely diverse backgrounds and experiences to the group and many are also active in other virtual world groups.
– From the VAI website
Now, through the generosity of Linden Lab with the donation of L$250,000 (one of four such donations given to deserving organisations announced during SL23B Golden Ticket Giveaway event), VAI has launched Mobility Without Limits, a contest a contest for creators to build wheelchairs that improve accessibility, mobility, expression, and roleplay for Second Life residents, and which offers generous Linden Dollar prizes of up to L$50,000 to winning entrants.
The Contest
The contest invites Second Life creators to design innovative, full-permission wheelchairs that enhance mobility, self-expression and role-play for residents. Linden Dollar prizes totalling the L$250,000 awarded to VAI by Linden Lab will be presented to winning entrants across four categories of design:
- Everyday Mobility – practical chairs for daily use. This includes traditional-looking wheelchairs such as those typically found in hospitals, clinics, or care facilities. It may include full-sized or lightweight chairs, elderly-friendly, or other chairs with a standard appearance.
- Racing and Sports – wheelchairs used in competition or recreation such as marathons, basketball, tennis, etc. They are typically sleeker or more streamlined than traditional chairs. These chairs will be judged higher if they have items such as custom racing animations, speed effects, and/or sports-related accessories.
- Fantasy and Sci-Fi – for whimsical but usable designs. Potential examples include steampunk, cyberpunk, elven, magical floating chairs, drone/jetpack chairs, retro. Creativity is encouraged!
- Mobility for Every Avatar – for designs created specifically for avatars whose size or proportions require something beyond a standard wheelchair, including tinies, dinkies, larger avatars, or fantasy and other unique body types.
Wheelchairs should preferably be wearable objects to ensure maximum opportunities for use. However, vehicle-style wheelchairs are not excluded from entry.
Judging
Entries will be judged by a volunteer panel that includes residents who regularly use wheelchairs in-world, experienced Second Life creators, accessibility advocates, and event organisers from the Virtual Ability community.
The judges will evaluate each entry across the criteria of functionality, creativity, appearance, and script/animation integration. Wheelchairs that are easy to use, exhibit appropriately integrated animations, adjustable seating and avatar positioning, adjustable colouring and styling of wheels, cushions or accessories, and compatibility with different body types will score higher.
Winning entries will receive in-world Linden Dollar prizes, and the winning wheelchairs will be provided by Virtual Ability to anyone in the SL community.
Prizes
Within each of the four categories, prizes will be awarded as follows:
- First prize: L$30,000
- Second prize: L$15000
- Third prize: L$5,000
- Special grand prize across all categories: L$50,000.
Note that all prizes will be made only in Linden Dollars via in-world transfer to the wheelchair’s named creator (as shown via the viewer’s Edit floater).
Requirements for Entry and How to Enter
Requirements
All wheelchairs submitted must be original and created specifically for this contest. Use of pre-fabricated parts in a design is allowed, so long as the wheelchair is substantially new, the builder has transferable rights to all components, and the submitted wheelchair has the permissions listed below.
Collaborative entries are allowed, but any prize awarded will only be paid to the avatar identified as the wheelchair’s creator. It is up to the members of any collaborating groups to ensure the disbursement of winnings among themselves; Virtual Ability Inc., will not be party to any disputes arising there from.
Entries should be made in-world via an Inventory folder bearing a suitable name and containing:
- A notecard bearing the following information:
- The entrant’s avatar user name or names (please do not use Display Names).
- The name of the wheelchair.
- The contest category being entered.
- The following language, which represents an agreement to the contest terms and conditions:
I hereby provide a non-exclusive, unrestricted, unconditional, unlimited, worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, and cost-free right and license to Virtual Ability whereby they may use, copy, display, distribute, or modify my contest entry and all its components in support of Virtual Ability’s accessibility, educational, and community programs, or for any purpose Virtual Ability wishes, free of charge. I confirm that I, the creator, retain all intellectual property rights to my work beyond this license.
- A full permission (copy, modify, and transfer) version of the wheelchair, plus any in-world accessories designed to be used with it (if applicable).
- Any required HUD for use with the wheelchair (the HUD and all scripts used within the wheelchair and accessories can be no-modify, but must allow copy and transfer).
In addition, and if entrants so wish, they can include an optional second notecard with brief information about themselves as a wheelchair creator, and which may also include items such as links to their stores (in-world or Marketplace), etc. For winning entrants, these cards will also be included with the relevant wheelchair when it is distributed to residents.
How To Enter
- Completed entry folders should be passed in-world to the avatar VirtualAbility Gumbo.
- All entries must be received no later than Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
- Winners will be announced by Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Further information
- Full information on the contest, including requirements for entry as noted above and a FAQ addressing likely questions on the contest can be found on the VAI contest page.
- All enquiries or feedback on the competition should be made to Eme Capalini or Pecos Kidd in-world. If you are an active Discord user, contact either Eme or Pecos for an invite to the contest-specific VAI Discord channel and post comments there.
- Please note that feedback and enquiries cannot be addressed through this blog.
Commenting on the gift of L$250,000 and the contest, VAI’s President, Gentle Heron said:
On behalf of the Virtual Ability community, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Linden Lab for their generous L$250,000 donation announced at the recent SL23B Golden Ticket Giveaway event. One of Virtual Ability’s core values is giving back to the Second Life community. We are delighted to announce that we will pay Linden Lab’s generosity forward and use their donation to fund Mobility Without Limits. By funding prizes that will go directly to Second Life creators, we hope to help strengthen the broader virtual world community while expanding the range of mobility options available to residents.
We are honoured to be recognised in the work we have to help make Second Life more welcoming and accessible for everyone, and to be able to continue to be part of this remarkable world.
– Gentle Heron, President, Virtual Ability, Inc.
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