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

Field Trip to the Magical Bridge Playground

This issue invites you to attend a field trip to the Magical Bridge Playground and encourages your participation in the course's Assistive Technology Faire.

Next class session - Tuesday, February 4th at 4:45pm at the Magical Bridge Playground

Abstract: Of the 34 existing public parks in Palo Alto today, not one has been built with everyone’s unique physical and cognitive needs in mind. Most of the playground designs are similar and do not reflect the many different types of people living in the community - those with autism, visual and hearing impairments, cognitive challenges, and even older adults. The urgent need to create a playground that would surpass ADA standards was the drive behind the vision for a new kind of playground - one designed for everyone. The $4 million needed to create such a place was raised privately in less than two years. Created by a team of inclusion experts and located in Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park, the Magical Bridge Playground broke ground in June 2014. Now that it is completed, it is the nation's most innovative inclusive playground.

Biosketch: With an undergraduate degree from Pomona College and MBA from Golden Gate University, Olenka Villarreal spent 18 years working with start-up and technology companies in Silicon Valley. When her second daughter was born with disabilities in 2003, she turned her focus on improving the quality of life of those with disabilities. Olenka serves on the Board of Directors for the Palo Alto Unified School District's Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, on Life Services Alternatives in San Jose, and is Vice President of Friends of the Palo Alto Parks. In June 2014, Olenka was presented with the prestigious Jefferson Service Award in recognition of her efforts to make the Magical Bridge Playground a reality.

You are invited to attend this field trip - Drive to the Mitchell Park Library at 3700 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto by 4:45pm, park in the lot, and meet up with the class in front of Ada's Cafe. From there we will make our way to the Magical Bridge Playground. Directions.

Same classroom! - The course will be held in classroom 282 in the Lathrop Library located at the corner of Lasuen Mall and Serra Mall, adjacent to Memorial Auditorium and the Oval. It seats as many as 150 people in a flexible and accessible space. Here is a webpage with maps, directions, and photos.

You are invited to participate in the Assistive Technology Faire - This eighth 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 will start at 4:30pm on Thursday, February 20th in the Lathrop Library, Classroom 282. Here is the program, slides, and Matteo's, Krystina's & my photos from last year's Faire.

Upcoming class sessions:

• Thursday, February 6th - The Design and Control of Exoskeletons for Rehabilitation
• Tuesday, February 11th - Mid-term Student Team Project Presentations
• Thursday, February 13th - Improving Home Environments for Older Adults

Ongoing local event:

SOMArts proudly announces the second exhibition in the 10th Curatorial Residency season. Curated by Vanessa Chang and Lindsey D. Felt, Recoding CripTech reimagines enshrined notions of what a body can be or do through creative technologies, and how it can move, look, or communicate. Working with a broad understanding of technology, from prosthetic tools to the built environment, this multidisciplinary community art exhibition explores how disability - and artists who identify as such - can redefine design, aesthetics, and the relationship between user and interface. Exhibiting artists engage with technology in manifold ways from conception to production and beyond. As the term "crip" reclaims the word for disability culture and recognizes disability as a cultural and political identity, so too do artists hack technologies to make them more accessible and inclusive. When: Running through Tuesday, February 25th Where: SOMA Arts Cultural Center - 934 Brannan St., San Francisco Information: More information

Other

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 Course and Project Support webpage for more information.

Email questions, comments, or suggestions - Please email me if you have general questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the course. Thank you again for your interest.

Dave