| |
|
|
|
|
ATLAS |
|
|
Assistive
Technology
Laboratory
at
Stanford |
|
|
|
Technology and
design benefitting individuals with disabilities and older adults in the local
community |
February 26, 2014 |
|
|
|
Welcome to this edition of Perspectives,
the e-newsletter of the
Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive
Technology.
This issue invites you
to attend the next class session.
What is
the course? - Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a
Winter Quarter course at Stanford that explores the design, development, and
use of assistive technology benefitting people with disabilities and older
adults. Much more information can be found on the course website. Student enrollment in the course is
44.
Invitation to attend - You are invited to attend
all class lectures. They will be held in the
Thornton Center - Classroom 110 on Tuesday
and Thursday afternoons at 4:15 to 5:30pm and are free and open to the
public.
Next class session - Thursday, February 27th
at 4:15pm:
|
|
Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet
the Needs of All People
Peter W. Axelson,
MSME, ATP, RET
Beneficial Designs,
Inc. |
|
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. 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,
developing 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. |
Would you
like to support the course? - Funding in any amount for the course
and student projects is always welcomed. Monetary gifts support approved
project expenses, administrative costs, honoraria for guest lecturers, and the
end-of-term celebration. Refer to the Team Project
Support webpage for more information.
Please contact me if you have any
questions, comments, or suggestions about the course and thank you again for
your interest.
Dave
Do you
have a question or comment? - David L. Jaffe, MS, the course
instructor, can be reached by email
or at 650/892-4464.
To unsubscribe from this
newsletter, please email Dave. |
