Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - preparing for its thirteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. It consists of semi-weekly classroom discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; tours of local medical, clinical, and engineering facilities; student project presentations and demonstrations; an Assistive Technology Faire; and a film screening.

Mid-term Student Team Project Presentations

Human-Computer Interaction Seminar - Addressing Situationally-Induced Impairments and Disabilities in Mobile HCI by Jacob O. Wobbrock, University of Washington - "In this talk, I present the conceptual and historical foundations for situationally-induced impairments and disabilities, including the rightly controversial aspects of this notion. I distinguish situation, context, and environment, and define a space of impairments that broadens accessibility to include everyone, not just people with disabilities. Having established the foundations for this work, I then tour a handful of my projects in which mobile devices are given enhanced situation- and user-awareness (without adding custom sensors), resulting in new capabilities and improved interactions. By the end, I hope to have convincingly motivated the need for our mobile devices to become much more situationally-aware, better supporting users as a result."

You are invited to participate in the Assistive Technology Faire - This seventh 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.

"Save the Date" for Stanford's Inaugural Disability Studies Conference - Mediations: Disability, Technology, and the Arts- This day-long conference will host research presentations alongside workshops. In addition to academic panels and discussions, the venue will be filled with artwork and exhibitions by the local Stanford disability community. In the spirit of infrastructural and cultural accessibility, Mediations: Disability, Technology, and the Arts is open to public participation, and presenters are encouraged to prepare to speak to both colleagues and non-specialists. Conference participants should look forward to a unique experience that brings together critical discussion and public engagement.

• Tuesday - February 19th - Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People
• Thursday, February 21st - Field Trip to the Magical Bridge Playground
• Tuesday - February 26th - Designing Exoskeletons and Prosthetic Limbs that Enhance Human Performance