Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - now entering its eighteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. It consists of semi-weekly in-person discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; a tour of an accessible inclusive playground; student project presentations and demonstrations; and an Assistive Technology Faire. Check out the course website.

Important Dates:

• Wednesday, November 29th - Winter Quarter course enrollment opens
• Friday, December 1st - Deadline for project suggestions
• Tuesday, January 9th - First class session of Perspectives in Assistive Technology

Course Organization Activities:

• Projects - New student project suggestions are continuing to be solicited (see below), reviewed, and posted.

• Community Attendance - Community members are invited to attend class sessions on campus - masking may be required.

The course website has been updated for this coming academic year. Major changes have been made to the color scheme, syllabus, and project assignments.

Introducing Henry Ojeaburu - Henry is a Coterminal student in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Biomechanics and Mechatronics. He is particularly interested in novel robotics and biomimetic robotics for use in disaster resilience, medicine, and environmental uses. His current research is focused on exploring alternative energy storage methods for renewable energy at the grid scale. Outside of class he enjoys watching movies, cooking, going on bike rides, and playing video games.

The schedule of guest lecturers has been finalized. For more information about each presenter and their topic, browse to the course lecture schedule webpage. Community members are welcome to attend class sessions. Masking during class sessions may be required for everybody.

In preparation for the upcoming Winter Quarter course offering, I will continue to solicit projects suggestions from community members. Here are some important project criteria to consider:

1. Community members are strongly encouraged to submit project suggestions for students to pursue. They must address a real challenge experienced by an individual with a disability or older adult who lives in the local community. The challenge, problem, or struggle must be one that is not adequately served by existing commercial products. (Perform an internet search to verify this.) It is important to identify and describe the challenge rather than to imagine a solution.
2. The scale and complexity of the project must be such that it could be pursued by a team of three or four students in the 10-week quarter, resulting in a fabricated functional and tested prototype.
3. Refer to the Call for Projects Suggestions and Project Requirements webpage for more detailed information.
4. Some projects have already been submitted, approved, and described. Their tentative titles are:
   • Accessible storage for Abby
   • Enhanced visibility for Abby's wheelchair
   • Rain shield for Abby
   • Water bottle & phone holder for Abby's mobility devices
   • Treats for Nathan
   • Accessible dog kennel for Danny and Korey
   • Poop Management for Danny's Service Dog Korey
   • Laptray for Danny
   • Projects with the Magical Bridge Playground (2)
5. Submit your suggestions 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 I accept your project suggestion, you will be invited to "pitch" it to the class on Thursday, January 11th. If a student team selects it, you will have the opportunity to offer your advice, direction, and expertise in person, by phone, and/or by email.
6. Below is an example suitable project suggestion designed to guide your project suggestion thinking:

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

Examples of reacher products for inspiration:

• Grabber Reacher Tool for Elderly
• Extra-Long Grabber-Reacher Tool

Examples of pooper scooper products that are too bulky:

• Zeening Pet Pooper Scooper
• LeadAllWay Foldable Dog Poop Scooper