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Design, Technology , and Engineering benefitting individuals
with disabilities and older adults in the local community |
Newsletter - February 17,
2025 |
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Perspectives is the newsletter of the
Stanford course, Perspectives in Assistive Technology.
Week 7 Class Sessions
This newsletter issue describes Week 7's
class sessions.
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Perspectives in Assistive
Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - entering its
nineteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of
assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults.
It consists of semi-weekly in-person discussions; lectures by
notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; a
tour of an accessible inclusive playground; student project
presentations and demonstrations; and an Assistive Technology Faire.
Students pursue team-based projects that address real challenges faced by
people with disabilities and older adults living in the local community. Check
out the course
website. |
Week 7
Course News
Guest Lecturer
Schedule - The schedule of guest lecturers has been finalized. For
more information about each presenter and their topic, browse to the course
lecture schedule webpage. Community members are
welcome to attend class sessions on campus. Maps and direcrions. Masking is not required.
There will not be a concurrent Zoom broadcast. |
Week 7 Class
Sessions
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Tuesday, February 18th at 4:30pm
PST
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Issues of Human
Interface Design Gary M. Berke, MS, CP,
FAAOP Stanford Medical
Center |
Abstract: Gary will present challenges of human
interface design, using prosthetic limbs as the springboard for
discussion.
Biosketch: Gary M. Berke is a prosthetist
and an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in
Stanford's Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery as well as the owner of Berke Prosthetics and Orthotics in
San Mateo. He is also the Chief Clinical Officer for
Medical Creations in Denver, a start up in
the prosthetic space. He has worked and lectured both nationally and
internationally on prosthetic care and has authored multiple publications. He
has a keen interest in investigating cost effective technologies that enhance
the lives of those who use prostheses and orthoses daily. |
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Thursday, February 20th at 4:30pm
PST
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Assistive Technology
Faire |
Confirmed 2025 Vendor
Participants:
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Silicon Valley
Independent Living Center SVILC Assistive Technology Specialist - Joe
Escalante Silicon Valley Independent
Living Center (SVILC) is a cross-disability, intergenerational, and
multicultural disability justice organization that creates fully inclusive
communities that value the dignity, equality, freedom and worth of every human
being. SVILC maintains a
lending
library of assistive technology so consumers may borrow a device free of
charge and try it before buying it, use it to compare similar devices, or to
use while a personal device is being repaired. |
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PocketDot PocketDot, Inc. - Divya Adil & David
Madey PocketDot is a Braille display
that provides visually impaired and blind individuals with private and
convenient access to texting, web browsing, and othe textual communication with
teir mobile phones. |
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BeeLine
Reader BeeLine Reader, Inc - Nick
Lum "BeeLine Reader is a
software tool that improves reading ability by displaying text using a color
gradient that wraps from the end of one line to the beginning of the next. (Example) This gradient pulls the
readers eyes through the text, making reading easier. This approach is
especially helpful for readers with dyslexia, ADHD, and various vision
impairments. Thanks to the
Schwab Learning
Center, BeeLine Readers tools are available for
free to all Stanford
students." |
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SignUp
Mariella Satow
SignUp Media is an app that overlays
a sign language interpreter on streaming platforms, providing full media
accessibility to the Deaf community. Available with a simple one-click
installation for movies and TV shows on Netflix and Disney+. |
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Amazon Accessibility
Amazon Accessibility Team - Mark Tamura, Susan Lin, Gyana
Dash, Bofei Wang, Sneha Veeranki and Jared Penner
"Amazon's vision is to be Earth's most
customer-centric company. Our goal isn't simply to make things accessible, but
to make products, services, and experiences that are delightful for customers
with disabilities."
Customers can
use Fire tablets with
Bluetooth refreshable braille displays,
customize their reading
experience on the Kindle application, and navigate and interact with their
Fire tablet with
Switch
Access. They can enjoy Fire TV's rich set of
accessibility features, including the award-winning
VoiceView
screen reader,
audio
support for compatible hearings aids for private listening,
Text
Banner which adds a compact and customizable written banner that appears in
a fixed location on the screen, and more. |
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Robot MOMO
Whydots - Youngseop
Yoon (CEO), Jelie Meow, Danny Lee MOMO
is an AI-powered robotic companion for children with developmental
disabilities. It enhances emotional comprehension, social skills, and cognitive
development. MOMO uses AI to facilitate personalized conversations tailored to
each child. It helps children recognize and express emotions through
interactive content, and encourages empathy through fun activities such as
storytelling and games. MOMO has penguin-inspired design and a touchscreen
interface. It uses customizable materials to ensure comfort and accessibility.
The robot is user-friendly and suitable for children aged 3 and above.
Validated through clinical studies, MOMO is suitable for use in both home and
institutional settings, supporting balanced development for
children. |
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Lotus
Ring Lotus -
Dhaval Patel (Founder and CEO) For
people with limited mobility, Lotus is a patented wearable ring to control
objects at home by pointing. With Lotus, control anything a wall switch
controls, like lights and fans - and even the TV - from wherever you are in the
room. No rewiring, no apps, no internet. |
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Third Arm
Salisbury Robotics Lab - Prof. Kenneth
Salisbury "We will be
demonstrating a wearable 3rd arm designed for holding objects relative to the
wearer. Prototypes and the final version will be available for
examination." |
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Duet: Brainwaves to
Music Stanford Computer Science - Sophia Zhang
& Justin Wu "Duet is a
mind-controlled music composer. Users can put on an EEG device, and Duet will
live-generate music based off of their emotions. It can help
nonverbal/physically disabled people express themselves through music straight
from their brain." |
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Jeeves
Harmony Robotics -
Sandeep Dutta "Jeeves is an assistive
robot that carries up to 80 lbs. with ease, autonomously navigates the user's
home - including scheduled trips to specific spots - follows the user around
through gesture-driven operation, features a touchscreen-responsive controller,
and offers many more capabilities. This everyday helper transports belongings -
including laundry, groceries, and dishes - helps locate items at home, serves
as a mobile storage unit, learns and adapts to the user's routine movements,
and offers much more. Jeeves supports a more self-sufficient and independent
lifestyle for individuals with special needs, wheelchair users, older adults,
and many others. In care facilities, Jeeves facilitates round-the-clock
resident monitoring and assists with the transport of food and essential care
items to residents." |
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Brava Smart
Oven Brava Home, Inc. - Travis Rea, VP Sales &
Marketing and Zac Selmon, Head of Product "Brava's Smart Oven enables safe, independent cooking with a
fast, light-based technology. With new and evolving features designed
specifically for assistive technology users, Brava is ideal for the blind/low
vision, intellectual and developmental disability and/or limited mobility
communities. It simplifies meal prep with automated features, guided recipes,
and a comprehensive mobile app. Continuous software updates enhance
functionality and accessibility, ensuring Brava meets diverse needs and
constantly improves the cooking experience for individuals seeking culinary
self-reliance." |
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Upcoming In-person Class Sessions
Please contact me with your ideas, questions, comments,
and project suggestions - or just to say hello. Please continue to stay safe
& healthy.
Dave Jaffe - Course Instructor
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To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please email
Dave. |
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