Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - preparing for its fourteenth 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.

Perspectives in Assistive Technology is being organized for its 14th "season". Here are some highlights of this effort:

Course Changes:

1. A new 2 credit unit project option has been created. It will support two students working on the design of an assistive technology service, mobile application, or other software development. (No mechanical fabrication is required.)

2. The 1 credit unit project option has been updated to cover one student working to address a simple challenge that has a less complex solution, may not involve a user, or result in a lower level of prototype functionality (such as producing a CAD design or a low-resolution device instead of a refined working physical prototype).

3. The deadline for team formation and project selection has been changed to the Tuesday of Week 2 to free up more time at the beginning of the course for team building, connecting with the project suggestor, and initial prototyping.

4. The mid-term team project presentations have been moved to the Tuesday of Week 6 to provide additional time at the end of the course for final device fabrication and end-of-term presentation preparation.

Classroom: The course has been assigned Lathrop 282 - the same classroom as last academic year. As you may recall, Classroom 282 has a capacity of 150 people in a flexible and accessible environment, including tables & chairs on wheels, mobile monitors used by Assistive Technology Faire vendors, nine large wall-mounted monitors, and a movable presentation lectern.

Guest Lectures: Expect the same set of excellent guest lecturers as last year with one new presenter.

Team Projects: Several new candidate projects have already been accepted with two more in progress and many more to be solicited in the next few months.

Connections: New connections have been made with community members with a disability and two local organizations who work with older adults, hopefully leading to new project suggestions.

Student Evaluations: The course has received excellent student evaluations of 4.6 out of 5.0. This represents the best results since the course has been offered. Thanks go to the hard-working students, guest lecturers, and community members.