Perspectives logo

Atlas logo

ATLAS

Assistive
Technology 
Laboratory
at
Stanford

 
 
Technology and design benefitting individuals with disabilities and older adults in the local community
January 22, 2014  
two columns of photos related to assistive technology
Welcome to this edition of  Perspectives,
the e-newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.
This issue invites you to attend the next class session and
encourages your participation in the course's assistive technology faire.

What is the course? - Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter course at Stanford that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology benefitting people with disabilities and older adults. Much more information can be found on the course website. Student enrollment in the course seems to have stabilized at 48.

Invitation to attend - You are invited to attend all class lectures. They will be held in the Thornton Center - Classroom 110 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 4:15 to 5:30pm and are free and open to the public.

Next class session - Thursday, January 23rd at 4:15pm:

photo of Katherine Strausser


The Design and Control of Exoskeletons for Rehabilitation
Katherine Strausser, PhD
Ekso Bionics - Senior Controls Engineer


Abstract: Robots once were a dream of the future, but they now creep into all aspects of our lives, whether it be vacuuming our house or exploring distant planets. Rehabilitation and mobility are no different. Exoskeletons can provide the motion and support that a user cannot, supplementing or replacing their muscles to enable natural motion. These devices can be used for mobility or for rehabilitation, but both uses come with challenges. I will discuss the design and control of robotic exoskeletons and the challenges faced when designing these devices.


Biosketch: Katherine Strausser holds a Bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master's and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a senior controls engineer at Ekso Bionics working on control algorithms and software for our various research efforts focusing on the Human Machine Interface. Her previous research was focused on the development of control algorithms for Ekso 1, an electro-mechanical lower extremity exoskeleton. She was one of three primary inventors of Ekso 1.


Upcoming class sessions:

Would you like to participate in the assistive technology faire? - This repeat event - scheduled for Tuesday, February 11th - will provide an opportunity for students and community members to get an up-close look at a variety of devices and learn about available services. If you are a vendor of assistive technology products or supply assistive technology services and would like to participate, please contact me. Everyone is welcome to attend the faire.

Would you like to 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.

Please contact me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the course and thank you again for your interest.

Dave

three rows of photos of individuals who participated in the course in 2013

Do you have a question or comment? - David L. Jaffe, MS, the course instructor, can be reached by email or at 650/892-4464.

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please email Dave.