Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - entering its seventeenth 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 field trip to an accessible inclusive playground; an Assistive Technology Faire; and student project presentations and demonstrations. Course website.

Student Enrollment - The student enrollment for the course has dropped by 19 (to 44) as students re-evaluate their schedule. In addition, 7 students are on the Wait List, hoping that a Team Project vacancy opens for them - which is very likely. It appears that there will be 9 teams of 4 students working on team projects.

Guest Lecturer Schedule - 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 on campus starting with the first one next week on Tuesday, January 10th. Maps and direcrions. Masking may be required. There will not be a concurrent Zoom broadcast.

Tuesday, January 17th at 4:30pm PST

Abstract: When we look at the drivers of effective innovation, we see two complementary themes emerging: First, new technologies or methods that open the way to new solutions, and second, new insights or experiences that yield a better understanding of the problem. With a design thinking approach, we begin by building empathy with the user and the situation, then we use ideation, prototyping, and iteration to explore, formulate, and test solutions.

In this class session we will look at ways to gain understanding of user needs, goals, and values around a problem, as well as the constraints and requirements of the situations around them. One goal for this session is for students to identify a set of questions to explore through interview and observation with real users of assistive technologies. Teams may also get some good ideas about the people they might approach for both inspiration and insight.

Biosketch: Gayle Curtis is a UX design consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area, specializing in user interface architecture and design strategy for online ventures and interactive products. Recently he was Principal Interaction Designer at Yahoo!, where he also developed a practice area in strategic ideation and disseminated it through workshops in the US and Asia. At Stanford he has held Lecturer appointments in Human Computer Interaction (CS) and Product Design (ME). Gayle is a graduate of the MS Engineering Product Design Program at Stanford.

Thursday, January 19th at 4:30pm PST

Abstract: Occupational therapists (OTs) are critical players in the transdisciplinary rehabilitation team. An OT's job is to help people, who because of illness, injury, or aging, have experienced a decrease in their ability to function independently in the areas of daily living, work, play, and leisure. Treatment by an OT often includes the prescription of assistive technology. This talk will focus on the aspects necessary to effectively fit the technology to the individual and support the use of this technology in the home environment, and the impediments to providing this. She will be joined by a panel of stroke survivors: Albert A. and Michael W. who will discuss their challenges and the assistive technology devices they have used.

Biosketch: Deborah Kenney has been an occupational therapist working with stroke survivors and hand patients for the last 28 years. She currently splits her time, as a researcher, between Stanford and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. She has collaborated on numerous design / development research projects with both engineers as well as with graduate, medical, and undergraduate students. Her work includes testing and integrating technology into the rehabilitation setting with individuals with Parkinson's Disease, CVA (stroke), spinal cord injury, hand and orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation, and balance problems related to aging. Ms. Kenney currently works with researching problems of hand rehabilitation and treatment related to post surgical pain and thumb arthritis and continues to develop novel treatments for post-stroke survivors privately in the community.

• Tuesday, January 24th - Perspectives of Stanford Students and Faculty with a Disability
• Thursday, January 26th - The Design and Control of Exoskeletons for Rehabilitation

You are invited to participate in the Assistive Technology Faire - This eleventh annual course event is scheduled for Tuesday, February 28th and will provide an opportunity for students and community members to get an up-close look at a variety of assistive technology devices and learn about available services. Users of assistive technology products as well as small companies and agencies serving individuals with disabilities and older adults are encouraged to join in on this event. Browse to the Call for Assistive Technology Faire Participants webpage for more information and contact me to register as a vendor.

Eleven vendors have committed to participate this coming year. Here is the line up and slides from last year's virtual Faire.