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Design, Technology , and Engineering benefitting individuals
with disabilities and older adults in the local community |
October 16, 2026 |
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Perspectives is the newsletter of the
Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.
Guest Speaker Schedule
This newsletter issue announces the
Guest Lecture schedule.
Perspectives in Assistive
Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - embarking on its
twenty-first year - that explores the design, development, fabrication,
and testing of assistive technology prototype devices that address a challenge
experienced by people with disabilities and older adults in their daily living
tasks. Class sessions consist 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.
Check out the course website for
more information.
Mid-October Update
Mid-October greetings to members of the Stanford's
Assistive Technology course community,
Course Plans
Important Dates:
- Tuesday, December
1st - Deadline for student team project suggestions
- Wednesday, December
2nd - Winter Quarter course enrollment opens
- Tuesday, January
5th - First class session of Perspectives in Assistive
Technology
Current Instructor Tasks:
- Investigate and
select color scheme for the 2027 course website -
completed
- Update 2026 course
website for 2027 - in progress
- Solicit, review,
approve, and post student team project suggestions - in progress (see
below)
- Check on
availability of Guest Speakers - completed
- Schedule Guest
Speakers - completed (see below)
- Hire Course
Assistant - completed (see below)
By the Numbers:
- 12 = Guest Lecturers
scheduled
- 28 = Prospective
Students
- 27 = Maximum number
of students working on team projects (assuming 9 teams of 3)
- 1 =
Course Assistant hired (see below)
- 8 =
Prospective Exhibitors for Assistive Technology Faire
Community Attendance - Community members are
welcome to attend class sessions on campus, enrollment is not required. There
will not be a Zoom participation option. |
Guest Speaker Schedule
Guest Speaker
Schedule - Here is the guest speaker schedule. All presenters have
confirmed their lecture dates.The course website will soon be updated to
include a webpage for each class session, including lecture abstracts and
presenters' photos & biosketches.
| Tue, Jan 5th |
Course Overview & Introduction to Assistive
Technology
David L. Jaffe, MS |
| Thu, Jan 7th |
Project Pitch Day
Project Suggestors |
| Tue, Jan 12th |
Creating Assistive Technologies - Understanding the
Problem
Gayle Curtis, MS |
| Thu, Jan 14th |
Bridging the Gap between Consumers and Products in Rehabilitation
Medicine
Deborah E. Kenney, MS, OTR/L |
| Tue, Jan 19th |
Perspectives of Stanford Students and Faculty with a
Disability
Students and Faculty |
| Thu, Jan 21st |
Overview of Digital Accessibility
Sean J.
Keegan |
| Tue, Jan 26th |
Recent Advances in Intracortical Brain-Computer
Interfaces
Frank R. Willett, PhD |
| Thu, Feb 28th |
The Design and Control of Exoskeletons for
Rehabilitation
Katherine Strausser, PhD |
| Tue, Feb 2nd |
Robots for Humanity
Steve B. Cousins,
PhD |
| Thu, Feb 4th |
Assistive Robotics
Monroe Kennedy III, PhD |
| Tue, Feb 9th |
Mid-term Student Team Project Presentations
Student
Teams |
| Thu, Feb 11th |
Field Trip to the Magical Bridge Playground
Olenka S.
Villarreal |
| Tue, Feb 16th |
Issues of Human Interface Design
Gary M. Berke, MS, CP,
FAAOP |
| Thu, Feb 18th |
Assistive Technology Faire
Various Vendors |
| Tue, Feb 23rd |
Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All
People
Peter W. Axelson, MSME, ATP, RET |
| Tue, Feb 25th |
From Idea to Market: Eatwell, Assistive Tableware for Persons with
Cognitive Impairments
Sha Yao, MFA |
| Tue, Mar 2nd |
Video Theater
Various Film Trailers |
| Thu, Mar 4th |
Wheelchair Fabrication in Developing Countries
Ralf
Hotchkiss |
| Tue, Mar 9th |
End-term Student Team Project Presentations
Student
Teams |
| Thu, Mar 11th |
StudentTeam Project Demonstrations
Student
Teams |
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Course Assistant
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Introducing Jize Dai
- Jize is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. His
research focuses on developing high-resolution 3D printing technologies and
using them to create medical devices that improve patient care. He is
passionate about making advanced manufacturing technologies more accessible and
translating engineering innovations into real-world healthcare solutions.
Outside of research, he enjoys hiking and dancing. |
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Student Project Solicitations
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In preparation for the upcoming Winter Quarter course
offering, I would like to continue to solicit projects suggestions from
community members. Here are some important project criteria to
consider:
- Team project suggestions must address a real challenge experienced by
an individual with a disability or older adult who lives in the local
community. The challenge, problem, or struggle must be one that is not
adequately served by existing commercial products. (Perform an internet search
to verify this.) It is important to identify and describe the
challenge rather than imagine a solution.
- The scale and complexity of the project must be such that it could be
pursued by a team of three students in the 10-week quarter, resulting in a
fabricated functional prototype.
- Refer to Project
Requirements webpage for more detailed information.
- Several new team projects have already been suggested. Their
tentative titles are:
- Portable etching
press case for Abby
- Wheelchair sun
shade for Danny
- Custom handgrips
for Danny
- Music making for
Danny
- Please submit a very brief description of suggested projects for
review and approval.
- Below is an example suitable project suggestion designed to guide
your project suggestion thinking:
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Example Project Suggestion
| Title: |
Improved Pooper Scooper |
| Background: |
The intended user is an older adult who relies on her
powered wheelchair and service dog for mobility. |
| Problem: |
Current products are bulky, difficult to operate, and
are not designed for wheelchair users. |
| Aim: |
Explore designs for a device that will allow a
wheelchair user to effectively clean up after their service dog while remaining
active in their community. |
| Design Criteria: |
Compact to facilitate storage
Aesthetic
design
Easy to retrieve and store
Integrated waste disposal bag
Easy
to dispose bag
Easy to clean |
Examples of reacher products for inspiration:
Examples of pooper scooper products that are too
bulky:
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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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