As part of the xTalks speaker series, a group of instructors and students led a panel discussion on Tues April 17, 2019, focused on ways to get involved in assistive technology design at MIT.
Dr. Kyle Keane from Materials Science and Engineering started the discussion by introducing the concepts of disability, assistive technology, accessibility, and universal design. He pointed out that in addition to addressing the needs of people lacking accessibility, assistive technology pushes the engineering frontiers of human-robot interfaces by requiring a high level of care, precision, and delicacy. As a student minoring in design, I was especially impressed by the concept of universal design in assistive technology which Ronald Mace quoted as “the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.”
Dr. Keane also highlighted co-design as another important factor in understanding the specific needs of the individual client through the process of problematizing, solutioning, and experiencing. He specifically discussed humanistic co-design which focuses first on the person, on “what makes them tick”, and consequently addresses the technical challenges of the problem.
Dr. Julie Greenberg from IMES/HST discussed PPAT (Principles and Practices of Assistive Technology) – a project-based class where students work closely with a person with a disability in the Boston/Cambridge area in order to develop AT which enables them to live more independently. I was personally impressed to see how the learning goals of PPAT closely reflect those of MIT: understanding engineering principles, learning about the challenges people face, and experiencing the management of a team-based design/engineering project while working with a single identifiable client. Like Dr. Keane, Dr. Greenberg discussed the importance of weekly client meetings in PPAT projects as a means to developing a close relationship with the client and designing for their specific needs and preferences. Dr. Greenberg also pointed out the potential of scaling up projects after the class.
Anna Musser, former co-teacher of 3.008, and Jaya Narain, PhD Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, highlighted two more opportunities for students to get involved in assistive technology design both on campus and abroad. Musser discussed previous trips funded by MISTI-India where students participated in various workshops and projects while directly interacting with clients, such as children with recent cataract surgery.
Narain introduced ATHack, an assistive technology hackathon open to both undergraduate and graduate students with the goal of connecting the community through creation of inclusive technology. Like Dr. Keane and Dr. Greenberg, Narain emphasized the role of co-designers and specific small-scale projects in the hackathon. Pramoda Karnati, Junior in EECS/Biomedical Engineering, concluded the panel by sharing her experiences of participating in all three activities discussed.
Following the xTalk, panel participants presented various assistive technology devices in an Exploratorium and ATIC (Assistive Technology Information Center) showcase. I personally experienced the powerful results of universal design in a simple experiment where I tried and failed to button a shirt with a pair of thick gloves and then with the gloves still on, easily “buttoned” an identical shirt which had magnets hidden under the buttons. From my perspective, as a student interested in both design and service, the xTalk was very helpful in elucidating the value and application of assistive technology design while introducing various venues for the MIT community to get involved.
Sophia Fang '22 is first year MIT undergradate