DIY Assistive Technology

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.

Spring 2024 CREATE Research Showcase

Katie Landwehr HuskyADAPT, News, Presentation , , ,

The Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE) hosted a Research Showcase and Community Day 2024 on May 20th. These events brought industry and community partners — leaders working and living in the disability and accessibility space — together with faculty and student researchers. Co-sponsored by HuskyADAPT. CREATE’s mission is to make technology accessible and to make the world accessible through technology.

Steele Lab members, Alexandra (Sasha), Mia, Kate, and Alisha,  presented posters at the CREATE Research Showcase to highlight design, development & research of technology to support individuals with disabilities.

Mia, Kate, and Alisha presented a poster on “The Switch Kit: bridging the gap in therapeutic toys for children with medical complexities“. This research involved the creation and evaluation of a therapeutic toy named the “Switch Kit,” designed for young children with medical complexities. The kit allows family members and clinicians to customize switches tailored to the unique needs of each child.

Alexandra presented a poster on “Camera-Based Interface for Hand Function Assessment”. Currently, hand function assessment (e.g., joint range of motion) in a clinical setting is done with low-resolution tools and oftentimes in a subjective manner that is time-consuming. With a camera-based interface, we wanted to improve the speed of collecting information about patient’s hand function, improve repeatability and objectivity, and enhance result presentation for both patients and clinicians.

Switch Kit Workshop at Kindering Redmond

Katie Landwehr 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.

UW CREATE Presents at the UWFB Meeting Spring 2024

Katie Landwehr HuskyADAPT, News , , ,

The Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE) presented at the University of Washington Foundation Board Meeting Spring 2024.

A group of people on a stage

Kat Steele, Associate Director of CREATE introduced the impact of the center over its first 5 years and trainees, including former CREATE postdoc Kim Ingraham, present our research on the impact of access to early powered mobility at the board meeting. Check out the presentation (starting at 59 minutes, link to video on YouTube HERE ).

During the Cocktail Hour Showcase, Heather Feldner and Mia Hoffman also shared their work with HuskyADAPT and the development of accessible design and play technology.

As highlighted through these presentations, CREATE’s mission is to make technology accessible and to make the world accessible through technology.

A person standing next to a table