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.

Community Attendance - Community members are most welcome to attend class sessions on campus, enrollment is not required. There will not be a Zoom participation option this year.

Tuesday, February 24th at 4:30pm PST

Abstract: Peter will talk about the difference between Universal, Adaptable, and Adaptive design. Peter was the first undergraduate using a wheelchair for mobility to live on the Stanford campus in 1976 when accessibility issues were just beginning to be addressed. Those experiences and the desire to participate in the same physical activities as every other college student who had professional and recreational interests shaped his career as a designer. Peter will share how his interests spawned the creation of Beneficial Designs, Inc to support the development of personal, activity specific and environmental technologies for people of all abilities. His experience in obtaining Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants to develop and functionally assess products, services, and the designs of outdoor environments, has provided many opportunities for he and his staff to change the way people with impairments of all kinds are able to participate in all aspects of life activity. His company works toward universal access through research, design, and education to enable persons of all abilities to participate in the physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of life.

Biosketch: Peter Axelson is a rehabilitation engineer who sustained a spinal cord injury in a 1975 climbing accident while in the Air Force Academy. He continued his education at Stanford University, where he began applying engineering and design principles to overcome daily living hurdles faced by people with disabilities. In 1981 he founded Beneficial Designs, Inc., an engineering design firm dedicated to designing, developing, and testing assistive technologies. His accomplishments include developing the first chairlift-compatible mono-ski with a shock absorber, working to establish wheelchair testing standards, improving seating systems for wheelchairs, and creating a system to assess trails that will improve access to outdoor trails for people of all abilities.

Peter is the founder and the Director of Research and Development of Beneficial Designs and spends much of his time traveling throughout the world attending meetings and presenting his work. He's also a pilot and avid mono-skier.

Thursday, February 26th at 4:30pm PST

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 was one of three primary inventors of Ekso 1, an electro-mechanical lower extremity exoskeleton and is currently a senior controls engineer at Ekso Bionics working on control algorithms and software for various research efforts focusing on the Human Machine Interface.

• Tuesday, March 3rd - Silhouette of ffilmmaker in fron of red circus tent Film Screening
• Thursday, March 5th - Wheelchair Fabrication in Developing Countries