Adaptive Switch

Congratulations – Alisha Bose receives Dennis Lang Award!

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Alisha has dark brown shoulder-length hair with bangs. She is wearing a navy blue sweater vest.

We’re thrilled to share that Alisha Bose, an undergraduate in the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab, has been honored with the Dennis Lang Award from the University of Washington Disability Studies Program.

Alisha graduated with a degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering and a minor in Disability Studies, and this award recognizes her outstanding academic work and spirited commitment to the field. The Dennis Lang Award celebrates the legacy of Dennis Lang, a co-founder of the UW Disability Studies Program, whose dedication and service were instrumental in shaping the program and its community.

Alisha received a merit-based monetary award and was recognized at the Disability Studies convocation on June 5. She’ll be starting the Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program at UC Berkeley this fall.

Congratulations, Alisha! Your work continues to inspire and advance the values of inclusion, equity, and excellence in disability studies.

Congratulations – Kate Bokowy earns Outstanding Research Award

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We’re excited to celebrate Kate Bokowy, who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington!

Kate was also recognized with the Department of Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Research Award for her impactful work in the Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab. Under the mentorship of Ph.D. student Mia Hoffman, Kate contributed to the development of the Switch Kit—a DIY toolkit designed to facilitate digital accessibility using accessible switches.

Congratulations, Kate, on your graduation and this well-deserved recognition!

Riley Bernas presents at the CNT 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

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This summer, the Steele Lab hosted undergraduate researcher, Riley Bernas, from the University of Connecticut. Riley was mentored by Mia Hoffman, Heather Feldner, and Kat Steele.

She finished up her 10-week summer Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) by presenting at the 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium with the Center for Neurotechnology (CNT).

Riley gave a podium and poster presentation titled “Quantifying low-cost switch access play-kit usage in clinical settings: A first glance.“

Way to go, Riley!

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.