Engineering to enhance human mobility, play, and exploration
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.
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.
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.
Last week the Steele Lab celebrated National Biomechanics Day (NBD) on April 3, 2024 at the VA Puget Sound. Mia Hoffman, Sasha Portnova, and Katie Landwehr, 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. Steele Lab PhD student Mia Hoffman, and Ingraham Lab PhD student Annika Pfister were recently awarded a $1000 grant from the American Society of Biomechanics and National Biomechanics Day to host an outreach event for high school students focused on disability biomechanics.
Mia and Katie hosted a station on “Switch-Adapted Toys & Accessible Design”
Sasha, Annika, and Zijie hosted a station on “Myodino: Activate your Muscles”
Here’s a look at what some of our lab members have been up to this quarter – in the lab, around campus, and out in the community!
January:
Steele lab members, Mia, Kate, Alisha, and Katie volunteered at a UW GoBabyGo (GBG) Build Workshop. GBG is a community-based outreach program that works with families, clinicians and industry partners to provide pediatric mobility equipment to children with disabilities. The primary mission of GBG is to provide modified ride-on cars to these children to use as a powered mobility device for fun, function, and exploration.
February:
Lab members, Kate, Mia, and Megan volunteered at the Special Olympics Regional Alpine & Snowboarding Competition at the Summit at Snoqualmie.
Also in February:
As part of her duties as a TA this quarter, Mackenzie Pitts gave a Dynamics (ME230) lecture to a 200-person class. She crushed it.
March:
Mia Hoffman presented a poster on “Quantitative methods are more accurate than caregiver-reported measures for tracking a child’s mobility device use” at the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association Poster Competition.
Also in March:
The iconic UW Cherry Blossoms graced us with their presence. Photos captured by local photographer and lab member, Megan Ebers.
Lab members, Mia Hoffman, Kat Steele, Heather Feldner and Katie Landwehr led a “Switch Kit” Workshop at Kindering in Bothell, WA.
The workshop aimed to teach Speech-Language Pathologists how to use a new system we have designed with the MakeyMakey for inclusive play options in early intervention. The team also got to try their hands at making their own adaptive switches out of pool noodles! Stay tuned for more on this project.
