Atlas logo

ATLAS

Assistive
Technology 
Laboratory
at
Stanford

 
 
Technology and design benefitting individuals with disabilities and seniors in the local community
February 20, 2013  
Welcome to this edition of  Perspectives,  the e-newsletter of the Stanford course, Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

What is the course? - Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter course at Stanford that explores issues surrounding the design, development, and use of assistive technology benefitting people with disabilities and seniors. More information can be found on the course website.

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.

Assistive Technology Faire - Thursday, February 21st at 4:15pm:

photo of a faire

Assistive Technology Faire


photo of reading aid

VisionEdge™ Reading Aid
Jasper Ridge Inc. - Michele Klein & Peter Borden
VisionEdge Reading Aid is a hands-free portable illumination system that slips on glasses or visors to provide constant bright lighting without glare. It uses advanced circuitry, proprietary optics, and a unique ergonometric design to meet the needs of people with low vision.


North Coast Medical logo

Products for Activities of Daily Living
North Coast Medical - Hazel Simin
North Coast Medical specializes in supplying products to the rehabilitation industry as a manufacturer, direct importer and wholesale distributor. They will bring a variety of devices that help people perform daily activities both at home and in the workplace.


photo of 6dot Braille labeler

6dot Braille Labeler, ProxTalker®, ProxPAD, and BrailleCoach
6dotTM - Karina Pikhart
The 6dot™ labeler embosses Braille into adhesive labeling tape. It has a built in Braille keyboard that can emboss Braille in any language. The ProxTalker® and ProxPAD are speech generating communication devices, while the BrailleCoach is a teaching support device for learning Braille.


photo of Lightwriter SL40

Lightwriter
Toby-Churchill - Jacob Faircloth
The Lightwriter speech generating device allows people independence and the ability to self-advocate for themselves through self-expression. As a text-to-speech device, the device requires some form of literacy and motoric function. Toby-Churchill assists many people living with ALS, Parkinson’s , CP, and Traumatic Brain Injuries.


photo of Parents Helping Parents devices

iPad apps, Livescribe Pen, Low-tech Reading & Writing Aids
Parents Helping Parents iTECH Center - Jan Tuber and Janet Nunez
Parents Helping Parents iTECH Center is the largest Assistive Technology Demonstration and Preview Center in the Bay Area. It offers students, parents, educators, and professionals the opportunity to gain "hands-on" experience with assistive devices, software, and "apps" before making a decision on which tools best suit their needs. Their Assistive Technology Specialists assist individuals in exploring and accessing both high- and low-tech options through a guided "Techsploration" in their Assistive Technology Lab. They also provide an extensive array of training offerings in their facility and in the community.


photo of TechTalk device

Magnifiers, Mobility Aids, Computer Hardware & Software
AT Exchange - Joe Escalante and Todd Teixeire
The AT Exchange is a free service of the AT Network that connects Californians to the assistive technology devices they need to live independently. They provide new and used low and high-tech devices for people with disabilities to borrow.


photo of Podna Rover

Podna Rover
Podna Designs - Elaine Levin
The Podna Rover is an innovative all-terrain mobility device for individuals who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while walking. The device offers confidence to outdoor travelers over gravel, uneven surfaces, and inclines. It features compliant wheels, a self-centering frame, a suspension to soak up bumps, and self-locking brakes.


photo of Pedal Adapter

Adaptive Equipment for Exercise
Scheiman Rebuild Fitness, Inc. - Tom Moran, Don Scheiman, and Stephen Baruch
Scheiman Rebuild Fitness products address the exercise needs of individuals who have physical impairments by creating adaptive equipment and devices. Some devices allow rehabilitation at home without additional equipment. Other devices are used with standard equipment found in rehabilitation centers and gyms. The company has developed products to help people recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) such as stroke, amputees who have lost part of an arm below or above the elbow, and people recovering from various injuries, particularly ankle injuries.


photo of a child in a wheelchair and a service dog

Service Dog Training
Service Dog Tutor - Jean Cary and Service Dog Ranger
Service Dog Tutor adapts pets to do specific service tasks for their owners. Clients include seniors and children who have mobility and balance challenges as well as cognitive disabilities.


photo of Vital Link alert product

Emergency Response Systems
Vital Link Medical Alert Systems - Timothy W. Harris
Vital Link Medical Alert Systems' products allow those who are elderly or disabled to live independently with help at the touch of a button 24 hours a day.


clipart of student at a computer

Literacy & learning software, contextual spellcheckers, notetaking smartpens and apps
Technology to Unlock Potential - Shelley Haven, ATP, RET
TechPotential is a "traveling assistive technology resource center" serving families, educators, and schools throughout the Bay Area with a focus on learning differences. It offers assistance with selection, training, application strategies, and technical support for technology tools to aid students with reading and comprehension, writing and composition, math, taking notes, getting organized, and staying focused. Assistive technology specialist, and former engineer, Shelley Haven specializes in matching students with technology according to their learning profile, tasks, and learning environments, and provides individual and group training.


Upcoming class sessions:



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

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