Outreach

Reimagining Mobility Aids: Mia Hoffman Presents at APTA Pediatrics 2025

Katie EarlyMobility, News, Outreach, Presentation , , , , ,
  • Two presenters stand in front of a large projection screen displaying the session title “Reimagining Mobility Aids: Collaborative Innovations Between Engineering and Physical Therapy” at the APTA Pediatrics 2025 Conference. The slide includes names, credentials, and affiliations for Mia Hoffman and Bethany M. Sloane. The background shows patterned carpet and a dark curtain framing the screen.
  • A selfie-style photo taken from the front of a large conference room, showing two presenters in the foreground and a large seated audience in the background.
  • A presenter stands beside a podium with a laptop and water bottles, holding a microphone and a small device while speaking. The podium has “Broadmoor” signage, and the background shows a patterned carpet and plain wall.
  • Two presenters stand at the front of a conference room. One is holding a microphone and a colorful book while speaking to the audience. The other stands near a podium with a laptop. The room has patterned carpet and neutral walls.

Mia Hoffman of the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab, along with Bethany M. Sloane, Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Washington’s Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE), presented a session at the APTA Pediatrics 2025 Conference titled “Reimagining Mobility Aids: Collaborative Innovations Between Engineering and Physical Therapy.”

The session explored how interdisciplinary partnerships can transform traditional mobility aids into creative, user-centered solutions. Real-world examples included 3D-printed joystick adaptations, sensor-integrated systems, and community loaner programs. Attendees engaged in design thinking activities and left with practical tools to reimagine mobility for young children.

National Biomechanics Day 2025

Katie News, Outreach , ,

On April 23, 2025, the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab celebrated National Biomechanics Day (NBD) at the VA Puget Sound. Katie Landwehr-Prakel, alongside fellow biomechanics researchers with the Ingraham Lab, and Center for Limb Loss and MoBility (CLiMB) hosted over 75 students from a local high school. NBD is a world-wide celebration of Biomechanics in its many forms for high school students and teachers.

Katie, Siena, Annika, and Zijie hosted a station called “MyoDino: A Muscle Powered Dinosaur Game”. While discussing how muscle activity is measured in our research, students could play a “no-internet” Google chrome dinosaur jumping game on a computer, controlled by a stick-on arm surface EMG sensor.

Switch Kit Workshop at Boyer Clinic

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Steele Lab members, Mia Hoffman, Riley Bernas, and Katie Landwehr led a “Switch Kit” Workshop at Boyer Clinic in Seattle, WA.

The workshop aimed to teach Pediatric Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Educators how to use a new system we have designed with local families and clinicians for inclusive play options in early intervention. The Boyer Team also got to try a variety of adaptive switches Mia, Kate, and Alisha made.

Stay tuned for more on this project!

  • A diverse group of individuals enthusiastically raising their hands to high five and connect their hands to activate a DIY switch.
  • A conference room filled with people seated and standing around a large table while engaging with games and music on an iPad via DIY switches.
  • In a conference room, two women engage in hands-on work with DIY adaptive switches and an iPad.

Switch Kit Workshop at Kindering Redmond

Katie News, Outreach , , , ,

Steele Lab members, Mia Hoffman, and Katie Landwehr led a “Switch Kit” Workshop at Kindering in Redmond, WA.

The workshop aimed to teach Pediatric Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Educators how to use a new system we have designed with local families and clinicians for inclusive play options in early intervention. The Kindering Team also got to try a variety of adaptive switches Mia, Kate, and Alisha made. Stay tuned for more on this project.

A woman standing next to a table with toys and a projector screen. The slide says "Co-designing a Switch Kit for Digital Play"
People of different backgrounds gathered around a table, interacting with toys and an iPad.

Engineering Discovery Days 2024

Katie News, Outreach , , , ,

The University of Washington College of Engineering re-launched Engineering Discovery Days this spring. Discovery Days has been a signature outreach event for over 100 years, providing fun and enriching hands-on experiences for students, teachers, and families from across the state. Discovery Days is also an opportunity for our community of UW Engineering students, staff, and faculty to share their passion for engineering with the next generation of innovators.

The UW Biomechanics Faculty put together an exhibit titled “Biomechanics Assemble! From Exoskeletons to Cytoskeletons” with the goal of demonstrating how we study movement and forces in humans and cells at UW.

Two people stand outside, one with a robotic leg, holding a sign reading, "The Human Body: The Ultimate Machine." Both wear "Engineering" shirts. Trees and an event tent are in the background.
A person wearing an exoskeleton suit stands facing a small group of people in a room with various individuals and equipment.
Two people engaged in a discussion while one is wearing a 3D printed prosthetic hand.
Two people fist bumping. One person is wearing a 3D printed prosthetic hand.
A person in a lab wearing an exoskeleton, ready to teach students about biomechanics research.
A woman instructing a child how to use a 3D printed prosthetic hand to pick up a small bottle
A group of students standing around while one is wearing a 3D printed prosthetic hand
A group of students standing around while one is wearing a 3D printed prosthetic hand

The Steele Lab along with the Ingraham Lab hosted two booths. Each booth featured hand-on activities and games for students to engage with.

The first booth features an ensemble of exoskeletons and assistive devices, including the Biomotum Spark and 3D printed prosthetic hands.

The second booth featured two games for students to engage with, including “Myodino” using Delsys EMG sensors, and “UltraLeap Ring Sorting” VR game using the UltraLeap hand tracking technology.

In this lab, we think the human body is “The Ultimate Machine” and we were so excited to share HOW we study the human body at Discovery Days 2024.

A woman showing a young student how to play the game "MyoDino" by activating forearm muscles
A man placing an EMG sensor on the forearm of a young student
A small group of people standing around watching a student play MyoDino on a laptop
A small group of students standing around looking at a laptop as a woman explains how to play the "UltraLeap Ring Sorting"
A small group of students standing a laptop while a student plays the "UltraLeap Ring Sorting"
A small group of students standing a laptop while a person wearing an exoskeleton plays the "UltraLeap Ring Sorting"