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

Happy New Year!

This issue invites you to attend the first class session and
encourages your participation in the course's Assistive Technology Faire.

First class session of the eleventh season - Tuesday, January 10th at 4:30pm:

Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview of the course and a brief introduction to Assistive Technology including a definition of terms, demographics, goals of rehabilitation, perceptions of disability, the needs of people experiencing disabilities, political correctness, and numerous examples of commercial assistive technology products, research efforts, and students' projects.

Biosketch: David L. Jaffe holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Prior to coming to Stanford, he was a Research Biomedical Engineer at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System's Rehabilitation Research and Development Center. At the VA his interests were designing, developing, testing, and bringing to market microcomputer-based devices for veterans with disabilities including communication, mobility, and information systems. He has worked on several VA assistive technology research projects including an powered wheelchair interface for individuals with quadriplegia, an electro-mechanical fingerspelling hand that served as a communication device for people who are deaf/blind, a system that explored virtual reality techniques to train individuals with gait deficits to improve their walking, and a project that employed a computer-based simulation system to assess and improve the driving ability of individuals after brain injury.

In addition to organizing this course, ENGR110/210 Perspectives in Assistive Technology, he contributes to other Stanford courses including defining the quarterly course projects in ME218 Smart Product Design, coaching project teams in ME113 Mechanical Engineering Design ME294 Medical Device Design, and BioE141 Bioengineering Capstone Design as well as mentoring students working on assistive technology projects throughout the year.

Attend a lecture - The schedule of guest lectures has been finalized. Class sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:50pm starting Tuesday, January 10th and are open to the greater Stanford community. You are most welcome to sit in on any class sessions that interest you. You need not be a Stanford student and there is no required signup, enrollment, or charge. The class will meet in a large, tiered, accessible classroom on campus in the Thornton Center, adjacent to the Terman Fountain and near the Roble Gym, the same venue as last year. Here are the parking options, maps, and directions to the classroom.

Participate in the Assistive Technology Faire - This fifth annual course event 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 bring assistive technology devices and information to display, demonstrate, and discuss. Please browse to the Call for Assistive Technology Faire Participants webpage and contact me if you would like to be a part of this event as a user or vendor of assistive technology products or services. Everyone is welcome to attend the faire. The Faire starts at 4:30pm on Tuesday, February 14th just outside the classroom, Thornton 110. Here are Dave's photos from last year's Faire.

Join the Fun at the Avenidas Block Party - Join the fun and help us kick off Building for the Future, an exciting community project. Free and open to all. Bring your family & have fun! This event will be held on Saturday, January 14th, from 11am until 2pm at Avenidas located at 450 Bryant St. in downtown Palo Alto.

Support the course - Funding in any amount for the course and student projects is always welcomed. Monetary gifts support approved project expenses, administrative costs, honoraria for guest lecturers, and the end-of-term celebration. Refer to the Team Project Support webpage for more information.

Email questions, comments, or suggestions - If you have general questions, comments, or suggestions about the course, email David L. Jaffe, MS, the instructor. Thank you again for your interest in the course.

Dave