Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - recently completing 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. Students pursue team-based projects that address real challenges faced by people with disabilities and older adults living in the local community. Check out the course website.

Plans for next academic year's course

Important Dates:

• Monday, September 23rd - First day of Fall Quarter classes
• Thursday, December 5th - Winter Quarter course enrollment opens
• Monday, December 2nd - Deadline for project suggestions
• Tuesday, January 7th - First class session of Perspectives in Assistive Technology

Upcoming Instructor Tasks:

• Investigate and select color scheme for the 2025 course website - completed
• Update 2024 course website for 2025 - in progress
• Solicit, review, approve, and post student project suggestions - in progress (see below)
• Check availability of past and new guest lecturers & schedule their participation - to be accomplished

By the Numbers:

• 12 = Guest Lecturers anticipated
• 13 = Confirmed Team Projects (4 new & 9 renewed)
•  2 = Team Projects under consideration (others are being solicited)
•  9 = Prospective Students

Community Attendance - Community members are welcome to attend class sessions on campus. There will not be a Zoom participation option.

Student Project Solicitations

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

1. Team project suggestions 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 imagine a solution.
2. The scale and complexity of the project must be such that it could be pursued by a team of three students in the 10-week quarter, resulting in a fabricated functional prototype.
3. Refer to Project Requirements webpage for more detailed information.
4. Several new projects have already been submitted and approved. Their tentative titles are:
   • Laptop Storage for Abby
   • Laptray Artwork Easel for Abby
   • Enhanced Illumination & Visibility for Danny's Wheelchair
   • Obstacle Detector for Danny
5. Please submit a very brief description of suggested projects for review and approval.
6. Below is an example suitable project suggestion designed to guide your project suggestion thinking:

Example Project Suggestion

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