News
SmartTech at AITA 2025
Researchers from the Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh presented two papers at the annual Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, Florida.
On Friday January 31st, Dan Ding and Lindsey…
ALS Association Visit
On Friday January 24th, representatives from the ALS Association visited our offices to meet Stretch, the new accessible robot from HelloRobot, that we are collaborating on testing.
We have teamed up with Hello Robot, a leading innovator in robots…
New partnership with Hello Robot and the ALS Association to advance practical robotic assistance for people living with ALS
Researchers in the University of Pittsburgh Accessible SmartTech Research Group have teamed up with Hello Robot, a leading innovator in robots that assist people, and the ALS Association to advance the development of Stretch: a…
IAA Launches AppXcelerate 2025 to Empower Individuals with Disabilities Through Mobile Technology
The Inclusive App Accelerator (IAA), a groundbreaking initiative funded by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), today announced AppXcelerate 2025, a new program to support the development of innovative mobile applications…
@ 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 DengThe American Congress of Rehabilitation…
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 …
Mainstream SmartTech for Health and Participation
L-R: Mr. Varun Shilesh, Dr. Mariana Pacheco-Basquets, and Dr. Gina NovarioOn 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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…