Celebrating Our Research Trainees at the 2025 UW Undergraduate Research Symposium

The University of Washington Undergraduate Research Symposium is an annual, day-long celebration of undergraduate achievement in research, scholarship, and creative expression. This year, we are proud to highlight the outstanding contributions of our lab’s research trainees who shared their innovative work with the broader academic community.

Alisha Bose delivered a compelling podium presentation titled “How Does Clinical Presentation Impact Gameplay in Early Intervention?” Her research explores how different clinical profiles may influence the way children engage with therapeutic play, contributing valuable insights to the field of accessible design.

Katie Leija presented a poster on “Impact of Powered Mobility Device Seat Design on a Young Child’s Exploration,” examining how adaptive seating affects mobility and interaction in young children using powered mobility devices.

Spencer Hensley shared his work through a poster presentation titled “Effects of Mobility Aids on Muscle Activity in Kids with DS,” which investigates how different mobility aids influence muscle engagement during play in children with Down syndrome.

We are incredibly proud of Alisha, Spencer, and Katie for their dedication and creativity. Their projects reflect the core mission of the Neuromechanics & Mobility Labengineering to enhance human mobility, play, and exploration. Through their work, they are helping to advance inclusive design and accessible technology that empowers individuals of all abilities.

  • A person stands at a podium giving a presentation. Behind them, a large screen displays the title slide: “HOW DOES CLINICAL PRESENTATION IMPACT GAMEPLAY IN EARLY INTERVENTION?” by Alisha Bose.
  • A person stands next to a research poster titled “Impact of Powered Mobility Device Seat Design on a Young Child's Exploration,” featuring the University of Washington logo.
  • A person stands beside a scientific poster titled “Effects of Mobility Aids on Muscle Activity in Kids with DS.”

APTA CSM 2025 Conference Recap

Neuromechanics & Mobility Lab member, Mia Hoffman, attended the 50th Annual American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting (APTA CSM) in Houston, TX on Feb 13-15, where thousands of PTs, PTAs, and students came together to learn, connect, and celebrate 50 years of innovation in physical therapy.

Mia, alongside IMPACT Collaboratory members Heather A. Feldner, PT, MPT, PhD and Tiffany Li, SPT, presented a workshop on “Co-Designing a Switch Accessible Digital Play Environment for Children in Partnership with Clinicians and Families“.

Three women stand together at a conference center. The women in the center is holding a bag containing the "switch kit" supplies.

Riley Bernas presents at the CNT 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

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

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

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.