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L-R:  The Accessible SmartTech Research Group was very busy at the ACRM Conference this year, but took a moment to get the team together.  Shown L-R: Zijian Huang, Paola Esquivel, Julie Faieta, Gina Novario, Mark Zhang, Dan Ding, and Wei Deng
November 4, 2024

@ the 2024 ACRM Conference

L-R:  The Accessible SmartTech Research Group was very busy at the ACRM Conference this year, but took a moment to get the team together.  Shown L-R: Zijian Huang, Paola Esquivel, Julie Faieta, Gina Novario, Mark Zhang, Dan Ding, and Wei Deng

The American Congress of Rehabilitation…

Apples and Pumpkins for Fall
October 31, 2024

Fall AT Recommendations


October was not only the beginning of apple and pumpkin season, but it is also a month when practitioners of digital inclusion, digital equity, digital accessibility, and assistive technology take on an advocacy role for those with disabilities. October was …

L-R: Mr. Varun Shilesh, Dr. Mariana Pacheco-Basquets, and Dr. Gina Novario
October 23, 2024

Mainstream SmartTech for Health and Participation

L-R: Mr. Varun Shilesh, Dr. Mariana Pacheco-Basquets, and Dr. Gina Novario

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, twenty-eight Doctor of Occupational Therapy Students from the University of Pittsburgh attended the “Mainstream Smart Technology for Use and Participation” session presented by Dr.…

Vision Pro Accessibility - Dwell Control
October 16, 2024

Is the Apple Vision Pro Accessible?

One of the Wireless Tech Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) projects is to explore various mainstream SmartTech devices and evaluate how inclusive and accessible they are based on our own research. In fact, we recently completed work on an upcoming presentation about the new…

Photo of Moon Cakes
September 25, 2024

Moon Cakes and Farewell

A mooncake (月饼) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (中秋節), a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture. Last month we gathered together to celebrate the fortunes of the prior year and to light the way for coming year.

We were…

Photo of Cas Speanburg
September 23, 2024

12th Annual Wheelchair Wash

On Friday September 20th, members of the SmartTech Hub for Paralysis Care participated in the 12th Annual Wheelchair Wash and TuneUp. This event, sponsored by the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, was a great opportunity to not only get a quick clean, but also to handle small repairs and get…

Randy Huzenic speaking at a podium at the ASCIP Annual Conference in Chicago
September 13, 2024

Smart-er Clinical Practice

Representatives from the Smart Tech Hub for Paralysis Care were in Chicago last month for the annual Academy of Spinal Cord Industry Professionals (ASCIP) Conference. Randy Huzenic, along with Dan Ding, Lynn Worobey, and Drew Redpenning, presented “Smart-er Clinical Practice: How to Assess…

Pictured (l-r): Michelle Zorilla (IMPACT), Dr. Dan Ding, Dr. Lindsey Morris, Ben Ogilvie and Romão (ArcTouch), and Software Engineer Adit Shah.
September 6, 2024

Inclusive App Accelerator

Exciting developments are afoot as planning is already underway on a newly awarded National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) funded grant to form the Inclusive App Accelerator. This new grant will annually support the creation of innovative…

Photograph of Michael Huang speaking at the podium with a PVA flag behind him
September 5, 2024

Notes from the PVA Summit and Expo

Several researchers in the Accessible SmartTech Research Group were in Anaheim California this month for the Paralyzed Veterans of America summit and expo.  This annual summit is an intensive, three-day learning and sharing experience that provides the most…

Image of an Alexa Echo Dot - Image reads "Getting Started, Alexa Brief Mode"
August 22, 2024

New Smart Speaker Videos!

 

Not sure how to set up captions using Alexa? Have questions about smart speaker privacy?  Now you can find answers on our YouTube channel!  We have a growing set of no-nonsense easy to follow tutorials that can…

Photo of Palma Foschi Walko
August 16, 2024

Student Spotlight | Palma Foschi Walko

Palma Foschi Walko, OTD, OTR/L is a Research Assistant and a graduate from Johnson & Wales University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Before attending Johnson & Wales University, Palma earned an undergraduate degree in Biology and Italian from Bucknell University and has…

Colorful drawing of a smart home.   Image reads "Two primary considerations for transforming a home into a health care hub"
August 13, 2024

Home as a Healthcare Hub | FDA Listening Session

On April 23, 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new initiative, Home as a Health Care Hub aimed to help reimagine the home environment as an integral part of the health care system with the goal of advancing health equity for all people in the U.S.   As part of…

Photo of Dr. Dan Ding
August 9, 2024

Celebrating Success! Professor Dan Ding

We are delighted to share that Dr. Dan Ding, the Director of the Wireless Tech Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center and Smart Tech Hub for Paralysis Care Programs has been promoted to full Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh…

Photograph of Suria Nordin
August 2, 2024

The Best Smart Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities

Suria Nordin in her home office, using a variety of assistive technology and smart-home technology. (Note: Suria is also a member of our RERC Consumer Advisory Board!!)  Photo: Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation

Smart-home technology excels at helping all people live a more…

Photo of Kacey Roehrich
July 12, 2024

Student Spotlight | Kacey Roehrich

Kacey Roehrich graduated this spring with her master’s in rehabilitation technology from the University of Pittsburgh. She had previously earned her bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and a minor in interdisciplinary disabilities studies from the University of Maine.

During her…