Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is anything which aims to help users do things in their day-to-day lives. Assistive technology is broad, including things like mobility aids (e.g., wheelchairs, canes, or crutches), software (e.g., screen readers, communication aids), and more. Millions of people rely on some form of assistive technology on a daily basis.
Millions of people around the world rely on assistive technologies such as Alternative and Augmentative Communication devices to communicate with others. AAC devices are a form of assistive technology that support communication, ranging from low-tech tools like picture boards to high-tech systems including grid-based tablets and speech-generating devices. These technologies enable individuals with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, and other communication disorders to express themselves, participate in social interactions, and engage more fully in everyday life.
While AAC technologies are deeply transformative, there are still significant opportunities for improvement in terms of usability, personalization, and contextual relevance. In this section, students will have the opportunity to design and build innovative AAC technologies that reimagine how assistive communication tools can adapt to users’ needs, contexts, and environments and create solutions with the potential to transform lives and have a meaningful real-world impact.
Projects in this domain prioritize usability, adaptability, and real-world impact over specific technologies. Teams choose tools and platforms that best support stakeholder needs and real usage contexts.
PhD Student, Temple HCI Lab
Cindy is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science in the Temple HCI Lab. Her research focuses primarily on developing assistive technology for minimally-verbal autistic children. Outside of research she enjoys reading, rock climbing, and a multitude of fiber arts.
PhD Student, Temple HCI Lab
Katerina Orlovskiy is a PhD student at Temple University with a focus on Human-Computer Interaction and accessability. Her research focuses on improving accessability for individuals with limited verbal skills who rely on Alternative and Augmentative Communication devices to communicate. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies, hiking, and traveling!