Perspectives is the newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

Next On-campus Class Session

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

Course News

In-person, In-classroom Instruction Resumes - Community members are welcome to attend class sessions on campus in Lathrop Library Classroom 282. Participants must attest to being vaccinated or receiving a negative COVID test result and wear a mask.

Parking Information - Please note that open parking on the Stanford campus begins at 4:00pm, the same time as the class session begins. So, your parking options are: To arrive on campus at 4:00pm to take advantage of the open parking and miss a few minutes of class. To arrive on campus a bit earlier than 4:00pm to be on time for the start of the class, incurring a small risk of getting a parking citation. Download and use "Zone Parking" or the ParkMobile app to pay for less than an hour of visitor parking. See this webpage for more information and links. Note: Individuals with state-issued disability parking placards (from any state) can park free in any marked space on campus.

Next On-campus Class Session - Thursday, January 20th at 4:00pm PST

Abstract: As the world's population ages and new services and technologies proliferate, older adults are facing increasing difficulties understanding and using these new technologies. While Assistive Technology has the potential to improve their quality of life and increase their independence, older adults may find it difficult to identify truly beneficial solutions.

This lecture will offer an overview of the main challenges that older adults face and provide critical knowledge on successful design techniques through numerous examples and a discussion of guidelines for shaping inclusive environments.

Biosketch: Matteo Zallio is an award-winning designer, UX researcher, and adjunct professor. As a creative designer he worked with different research institutions, non-profit organizations and companies, in the field of education, health and wellbeing, mobility and transportation, performing user research, need-finding, concept brainstorming, and prototyping of people-centered solutions.

A passionate researcher, eclectic inventor and UX design strategist, Matteo has developed an extensive track record understanding people’s needs and incorporating complex technical requirements into prototypes with the goal to improve people's lives through inclusive futuristic solutions.

He was the founder and CEO of the startup Dean Design Lab and was previously appointed as UX design researcher at the Autonomous Systems Laboratory at Stanford University, Fulbright research fellow at Stanford University, Center for Design Research, adjunct professor at INSEEC, San Francisco, postdoctoral UX researcher at Technological University Dublin, and spent his life researching and designing people-centered experiences.

During his career he served as chairman of the Irish National Mirror Committee for the standard ISO TC 314 “Ageing Societies” and is an expert representative for the standard ISO TC 215 WG2 “Health Informatics” and ISO TC 314 “Ageing Societies”, as well as reviewer for academic journals and judge for international scientific panels and design competitions.

Matteo is currently a Marie Sklodowska-Curie senior research fellow at University of Cambridge, Inclusive Design Group, working on an international EU-funded project with IWBI (International Well Building Institute) to develop accessibility and inclusivity metrics to improve life within smart environments and UX Design consultant.

His passion to give back and share his experiences lead Matteo to become a coach and mentor at Open IDEO, SF-InnoDays 2019, Lead the Future, and an expert member of several European innovation partnerships, coaching hundreds of students, researchers and professionals.

Upcoming Class Sessions

Tuesday, January 25th - Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People (by Zoom) Thursday, January 27th - From Idea to Market: Eatwell, Assistive Tableware for Persons with Cognitive Impairments Tuesday, February 1st - Issues of Human Interface Design

Assistive Technology Faire

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 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 and slides 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