Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - now anticipating its twelfth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. It consists of semi-weekly classroom discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; tours of local medical, clinical, and engineering facilities; student project presentations and demonstrations; an assistive technology faire; and a film screening. Organization of the coming year's course is underway, with the first class session in January.

Student Enrollment - The class capacity has been reached after just two days of enrollment!

Would you like to attend one or more course lectures? - Although official enrollment is required for Stanford students to receive academic credit, all classroom lectures are open to the greater Stanford community. You need not be a Stanford student to attend, there is no signup required, and there is no charge. Here is the lecture schedule.

Ongoing request for additional student project suggestions - Project suggestions are continuing to be solicited. Refer to previous newsletter issues which described the benefits of and process for submitting a student project suggestion, addressed the broad requirements of those projects, explained the suggestion format, and focused on the specific activities that lead to a project suggestion. Also see the Call for Team Projects Suggestions webpage for more information.

You are strongly encouraged to submit project suggestions for students to pursue. Please do this as soon as possible so I'll have adequate time to consider all submissions, edit approved entries, and post them. The deadline is Friday, December 1st. If your project is accepted, you can "pitch" it to the class on Thursday, January 11th. If a student team selects it, you will then have the opportunity to offer them advice, direction, and expertise in person, by phone, and/or by email.

At this time, I am also soliciting student project suggestions related to automobiles or driving - real problems experienced by an individual with a disability or an older adult in the local community that affects their ability to drive or otherwise access transportation. Other suggestions that broadly relate to walking or moving are also welcome.

Please email your problem description and important features of what a solution should do - but not how to achieve them - that will be addressed by the students.