Perspectives is the newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

Activities for Student Project Suggestions

This issue introduces the activities leading to suitable student project suggestions.

This course relies on your involvement,
so please suggest a project based upon an identified problem or challenge.

Introduction to Student Projects

Previous newsletters described the benefits & process, and requirements for submitting a student project suggestion. This issue introduces the specific activities leading to a suitable suggestion.

Project Activities

What specific activities lead to a suitable student project suggestion?

Pick a field, user group, and technology. For these project suggestions, the field is Assistive Technology, the user group is people with disabilities or older adults, and the beneficial technology is mechanical, electronic, mechatronic, or robotics systems - or software.

Employ ethnography, observation, discussion, and interview techniques. For this activity, meet with one or more people in the user group as well as family members and caregivers to observe and discuss challenges they face. A good approach this is to give them an opportunity to tell a story - such as what their day is like - rather than answer specific questions.

Identify a specific challenge related by a user or family members or a caregiver as well as resources and technologies that might be brought to bear on the challenge including advocacy groups, community organizations, and existing products that did not solve the problem adequately.

Target challenges include difficulties in performing tasks such as working, learning, moving, communicating, accessing home products including computers, and daily living activities such as cooking, cleaning, creative expression, and pursuing happiness. Project suggestions that explore design concepts that improve diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation are also welcomed.

Verify that the project suggestion meets the project requirements.

Perform an internet search to confirm that there are no existing products that adequately address the specific problem or challenge.

Compose and email a few sentences - text format is ok - describing your suggestion for an initial review. Note that both the problem and features of a solution should be highlighted, but not how a device should appear, be built, or solve the problem as those are tasks for the student team to address.

Review of Project Solicitation Process and Activities

Briefly, what is the process for considering and submitting project suggestions? - As detailed above, first identify a specific challenge or problem experienced by a person with a disability or older adult. Then perform an internet search to confirm that the problem has not already been adequately addressed. Then carefully review the project requirements to make sure the idea complies with all the criteria. Finally submit a short email - text format is ok - that identifies the user or population affected and briefly describes the nature of the problem. Include desirable features of a solution, but do not specify how the device should appear, be built, or solve the problem - as those are tasks for the student team to consider. It is ok if the problem affects just one individual. Refer to the current candidate project list as a guide.

What happens after a project suggestion is submitted? - Submitted project suggestions will be read, reviewed, and considered. Those that meet all the project requirements and receive my approval will be accepted as candidate team projects. A project Problem Statement describing the project will be composed for posting on the course website and disseminated as a handout to students on the first day of class.

Project Suggestion Submission Deadline

What is the deadline for submitting project suggestions? - Please email suggestions to me as soon as possible so I have adequate time to consider all submissions, edit approved entries, and post them - not later than Saturday, December 1st. Feel free to contact me before the deadline to discuss your ideas and suggestions.

Opportunity to Learn about Powered Clothing

Learn about Powered Clothing The Avenidas Generations Lab is recruiting older adults to provide input to improve Seismic's line of powered clothing. Seismic is an apparel company, located in Menlo Park, that seeks to transform people's relationship with clothing that enhances one's ability to move through life. Their goal is to hape human potential through a new integration of apparel and robotics called Powered Clothing™. Powered Clothing™ enables everyone - from older adults to athletes to people with a wide range of physical disabilities - to achieve their full mobility potential. To learn more, schedule a one-hour appointment through Avenidas with Eric Gee by email or phoning him at 650/289-5409. Older adults will be paid $25 to attend an initial orientation and selected individuals will be paid for each hour of future participation. The initial orientation includes: Watching a video that introduces Seismic and Powered Clothing™ Learning about enrollment opportunities for Seismic's user testing program Be measured and fitted for a Seismic garment (selected individuals) Ideal Powered Clothing™ users are those who: Experience difficulty with activities such as standing up from a seated position, climbing stairs, bending, etc Are active, engaged individuals Have a body mass index (BMI) less than 30

Upcoming Local Event

Inclusive Housing Community Advocacy Workshops The Kelsey seeks to develop a solution for the disability housing crisis in the Bay Area that is financially sustainable, rooted in partnership, built for scale, and fully inclusive. It is envisioned to consist of mixed ability, mixed income housing communities where people of all abilities and backgrounds live, play, and serve together. The Kelsey team is working to unlock new capital for disability and affordable housing; leveraging existing public, private, and nonprofit partners; and creating housing models that are sustainable and replicable. Lindsay Johnson, Director of Policy and Partnerships, reports, "The Kelsey recently received a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to conduct an eight-month organizing and pre-development process to design, enable, and build inclusive communities. Part of this process includes engaging diverse local stakeholder teams to work towards new solutions. We would love to have community members of Stanford's Perspectives in Assistive Technology course who have an interest in disability or housing advocacy join our Silicon Valley team. Your attendance and participation is invited at our next workshop meeting in August. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with your questions." When: Wednesday, August 29th from 8:30am to noon Where: To be determined Peninsula location Registration: Brief survey and registration Information: The Kelsey website The Kelsey Overview Brochure: Together We Can Do More

Email questions, comments, or suggestions - Please email me if you have general questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the course. Thank you again for your interest.

Dave