Accessibility

World Congress of Biomechanics 2026

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  • Ally, Katie, and Mackenzie stand together after giving podium presentations. Ally stands to the left, and is wearing a brown sweater and has blonde hair. Katie stands in the middle, wearing a white shirt with grey suit jacket and has brown hair. Mackenzie stands to the right wearing a grey t-shirt and dark brown hair.
  • Kat and Mia stand with Elizabeth Condliffe and Erin Mannen. All women are wearing professional clothing and standing behind the presenter's table.
  • Mia stands to the right of a powerpoint slide during her presentation. The powerpoint slide depicts young children using mobility devices
  • Ally, Mackenzie, Mia, Ally, and Maddie stand on a beach at sunset.

Members of the lab road tripped to Vancouver, Canada for the World Congress of Biomechanics.

Dr. Kat Steele chaired multiple sessions and gave a presentation, “Evaluation and Optimization of Gait Dynamics Using Exoskeletons.” She and Dr. Mia Hoffman also co-hosted a special session, “Rigor, Repeatability, & FUN in Pediatric Biomechanics.”

PhD student Ally Clarke gave an oral presentation “Mediolateral Forces and Walking Stability in Children with Cerebral Palsy.” PhD student Mackenzie Pitts orally presented “Comparing Split Belt Treadmill Adaptation Rates Between Children with Cerebral Palsy and Typically Developing Peers Using Bayesian Models.” Research Scientist Engineer Katie Landwehr-Prakel had her first oral presentation, discussing “Impacts of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation on Muscle Activity and Heart Rate Responses During Walker-Based Exoskeleton Use in Children With Cerebral Palsy.” Dr. Mia Hoffman gave two presentations: “Sit, Stand, Activate! Quantifying Muscle Activity During Mobility Aid Use in Young Children With Developmental Disabilities” and “Quantifying Play Interactions: Implementation of a Digital Switch-Accessible Play Kit for Young Children Receiving Early Intervention Services.” PhD student Maddie McCreary gave a poster presentation, “Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Amplitude on Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy.” Dr. Kat Steele was honored as a 2026 ASB fellow.

Successful road trip!

Congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman – 2026 Graduate School Medal Recipient!

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Huge congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman, recipient of the University of Washington’s 2026 Graduate School Medal – awarded to doctoral graduates whose research and civic engagement drive real social change.

Mia’s dissertation grew out of a simple question: how could a toddler with cerebral palsy play alongside her sibling? That question led to the Switch Kit, a low-cost, customizable system that helps children with motor disabilities engage in play, co-designed with families, clinicians, and speech-language pathologists. Her leadership of HuskyADAPT helped bring adapted toys to families across Washington State.

Mia earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, co-advised by our own Dr. Kat Steele and Dr. Heather Feldner, and was also named to this year’s Husky 100. She’s headed to Ohio State for a postdoctoral fellowship, and eventually hopes to launch her own lab focused on mobility, accessibility, and play.

Congratulations, Dr. Hoffman – we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Read the full feature from the UW Graduate School.

Mia has long straight blonde hair and is wearing a white and black striped blazer on a balcony

Introducing Dr. Mia Hoffman!

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Congratulations to Dr. Mia Hoffman on earning a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering!

Dr. Hoffman’s PhD dissertation was titled “Pathways to self‑initiated mobility: Adoption and use of mobility aids by young children with developmental disabilities.” Her work advanced understanding of how early mobility supports can promote exploration, participation, and development for children with disabilities.

Congratulations and best of luck as Mia moves forward as a President’s Postdoctoral Scholar at The Ohio State University, working with Dr. Jill Heathcock in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Medicine!

Congrats to Mia Hoffman, Named to the Husky 100

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We were excited to celebrate Mia Hoffman, who was named to the University of Washington Husky 100, recognizing students who made an exceptional impact during their time at UW.

Mia was honored for work focused on accessibility, mobility, and play for children with disabilities, combining impactful research with community‑engaged advocacy. As a member of the Neuromechanics & Mobility community, Mia exemplified leadership, innovation, and a commitment to inclusive design.

Congratulations, Mia, on this well‑deserved recognition!

  • Studio portrait shows Mia Hoffman standing in a black blazer and blue dress against a gold gradient background; the Husky 100 logo is visible at the bottom of the image.
  • Person stands in a classroom in front of gold “100” balloons and purple balloons, posing for a photo to celebrate Husky 100 recognition.
  • Five people stand together in a conference room, smiling for a group photo in front of gold “100” balloons and purple balloons, celebrating Husky 100 recognition.

Reimagining Mobility Aids: Mia Hoffman Presents at APTA Pediatrics 2025

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  • 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.