[NFBC-Info] Perspectives: The Newsletter of Stanford's Assistive Technology Course - Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People (by Zoom)

[David L Jaffe]

View this newsletter in your browser<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/Newsletter/lecture04a-2022.html>
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Design, Technology , and Engineering benefitting individuals with disabilities and older adults in the local community
January 24, 2022
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Perspectives is the newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People (by Zoom)

This issue announces the next class session (by Zoom)
and solicits vendor participation in the course's Assistive Technology Faire.

Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - now in its sixteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. It consists of semi-weekly in-person discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; a tour of an accessible inclusive playground; student project presentations and demonstrations; and a Assistive Technology Faire.

Course News

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Next class session by Zoom - Tuesday's class session will be held online due to the COVID status of the Guest Lecturer, Peter W. Axelson. Subsequent class sessions will be held on-campus.

Next Class Session (by Zoom) - Tuesday, January 25th at 4:00pm PST

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Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People
Peter W. Axelson, MSME, ATP, RET
Beneficial Designs, Inc. - Director of Research & Development

Abstract: Peter will talk about the difference between Universal, Adaptable, and Adaptive design. Peter was the first undergraduate using a wheelchair for mobility to live on the Stanford campus in 1976 when accessibility issues were just beginning to be addressed. Those experiences and the desire to participate in the same physical activities as every other college student who had professional and recreational interests shaped his career as a designer. Peter will share how his interests spawned the creation of Beneficial Designs, Inc to support the development of personal, activity specific and environmental technologies for people of all abilities. His experience in obtaining Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants to develop and functionally assess products, services, and the designs of outdoor environments, has provided many opportunities for he and his staff to change the way people with impairments of all kinds are able to participate in all aspects of life activity. His company works toward universal access through research, design, and education to enable persons of all abilities to participate in the physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of life.

Biosketch: Peter Axelson is a rehabilitation engineer who sustained a spinal cord injury in a 1975 climbing accident while in the Air Force Academy. He continued his education at Stanford University, where he began applying engineering and design principles to overcome daily living hurdles faced by people with disabilities. In 1981 he founded Beneficial Designs, Inc<http://www.beneficialdesigns.com>. an engineering design firm dedicated to designing, developing, and testing assistive technologies. His accomplishments include developing the first chairlift-compatible mono-ski with a shock absorber, working to establish wheelchair testing standards, improving seating systems for wheelchairs, and creating a system to assess trails that will improve access to outdoor trails for people of all abilities.

Peter is the founder and the Director of Research and Development of Beneficial Designs and spends much of his time traveling throughout the world attending meetings and presenting his work. He's also a pilot and avid mono-skier.

Upcoming In-person, In-classroom Class Sessions

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  *   Thursday, January 27th - From Idea to Market: Eatwell, Assistive Tableware for Persons with Cognitive Impairments<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/lecture04b.html>
  *   Tuesday, February 1st - Issues of Human Interface Design<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/lecture05a.html>
  *   Thursday, February 3rd - Accessible Making: Designing Makerspaces for Accessibility<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/lecture05b.html>

Assistive Technology Faire

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You are invited to participate as a vendor in the Assistive Technology Faire - This tenth annual course event is scheduled for Thursday, February 17th and will provide an opportunity for students and community members to get an up-close look at a variety of assistive technology devices and learn about available services. Users of assistive technology products as well as small companies and agencies serving individuals with disabilities and older adults are encouraged to join in on this event. Browse to the Call for Assistive Technology Faire Participants webpage<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/faire.html> for more information about the event and how to register. Please let me know if you prefer to participate as a vendor in-person on-campus or by Zoom.

Here is the line up<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/lecture07b.html> and slides<http://web.stanford.edu/class/engr110/Newsletter/Faire-2021.pdf> from last year's virtual Faire.

Please contact me with your ideas, questions, comments, and project suggestions - or just to say hello. Please continue to stay safe & healthy.

Dave Jaffe - Course Instructor

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