News
Augmented Reality Is a Therapeutic Game Changer
“We need to design with, not for people with disabilities, and we need to design for the most extreme context".
Deana McDonagh quoted in the Speech Technology Magazine article written by Robin Springer, President of Computer Talk, a consulting firm specializing in implementation of speech recognition technology and services, with a commitment to shifting the paradigm of disability through awareness and education.
Technologies to Support Aging Among People with Long-Term Disabilities (TechSAge)
The goal of TechSAge is to meet the needs of people aging with long-term disabilities where they live, work, and play by conducting advanced engineering research and developing innovative technologies.
Delighted to have the TechSAge team visit the (dis)Ability Design Studio. (Laura Rice, Jon Sanford, Tracy Mitzner, Elena Remillard and Adam Bleakney.)
May 2024.
National Robotarium
People Centred :: Intelligence Driven
Located at the Heriot-Watt's Edinburgh Campus, Scotland. The interdisciplinary research spans engineering and energy, physical, social and life sciences, business and design, in areas as diverse as photonics to carbon capture to homelessness.
Deana McDonagh collaborated with Prof/Dr Julian Malins (Health and Care Technologies Global Research Institute) on an assisted living lab workshop on the 'Hospital Ward of the future'.
May 2024
Temple Grandin Visits (dis)Ability Design Studio
Dr Temple Grandin moderated a panel discussion at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology on Wednesday 17th April. Presenters included Dr Laura Hetrick, Dr Tracey Wszalek, Dr Dr Stephanie Ceman, Dr Maria Channell, Dr Nien-Pei and Dr Amy Cohen.
Afterwards she visited the (dis)Ability Design Studio for a smaller group discussion which was co-hosted by Dr Laura Hetrick.
17th April 2024
Photo: Dr Temple Grandin (left), Dr Susan Heft Sears (centre), Dr Deana McDonagh (right)
Disability Resources and Educational Services
Open House at DRES that provided an opportunity to show case PURE chair stages of development within the context of the Human Performance Mobility Maker Lab.
19th April 2024
Racing Gloves Exhibit
Coach Adam has created a micro exhibit based in the Disability Resources and Educational Services facility on the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign campus.
The History of the Racing Wheelchair Glove exhibit traces the evolution of the gloves used by athletes. Beginning in the late 1970s, wheelchair racing athletes began using gloves in order to improve their performances and to protect their skin.
Through the past four decades, gloves have evolved in response to the demands of the sport and to the available fabrication technology. Current models take advantage of the latest in additive technology, creating a fully custom and lightweight racing glove.
Writing Design Research Around the World: A pop up European Academy of Design Event
To promote excellent design research writing the European Academy of Design (EAD) ran a pop-up event.
The European Academy of Design ran its first Writing Design Research Around the World (virtually over a 16-hour non-stop duration) to promote excellent design writing. It started in China and concluded in America. We had 212 attendees, countries (including: Finland, Turkey, USA, Brazil, Chile, Australia, India, China, Hungary, UK, Korea, France, Spain, Portugal, Dubai). The organisers (Leon Cruickshank, Deana McDonagh and Heitor Alvelos) would like to thank the local hosts that made this remarkable event possible (Carlos Sena Caires, Sara Goldchmit, Kimberlee Wilkens and Mazia Mortati) and attendees. Each host country focused on elements of academic design publications (title, abstract, introduction etc.). The European Academy of Design provides a supportive community for all design related colleagues.Next year we will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. design researchers looking to improve and practice their academic writing.
April 2024
Collaborations in the Advancement of Research on Disability
The CARD Collaborative Working Group meeting took place at the (dis)Ability Design Studio in April 2024. This brought faculty together to share their research leading to collaborative opportunities.
The mission of CARD is to enhance the health and quality of life of people with disabilities through research that addresses critical gaps in disability-related knowledge and outreach that engages individuals with disabilities.
Disability and Design Course (ARTD 420)
Students from the course visited the (dis)Ability Design Studio to conduct a range of empathic modeling (e.g., vision impairment, mobility devices). The course has been developed to focus on a higher level of innovation through experiential learning based on transforming students' felt sense to felt experience to develop deeper empathic understanding of others.
The students are in the MRi exhibit while wearing retinitis pigmentosa glasses (tunnel vision). The Illinois MRI Exhibit at the Beckman Institute highlights the researchers who made this incredible technology possible, dating back to the middle of the 20th century. The physical exhibit, located off the Beckman Institute Atrium, features the first two human MRI scanners, interesting artifacts, and information shared on interactive screens. The exhibit covers the past, present, and future of MRI research at Illinois.
February 2024
Empathic Design Research Workshop
Keynote Speech on Empathy and workshop for the Industrial Design Society of America, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, 18th November 2023.
A Catalyst for Innovation: (dis)Ability Design Studio Debuts
To further develop creative projects such as these, a new lab centered on imagination and immersion is available on the UIUC campus. Dubbed the (dis)Ability Design Studio, the space empowers individuals who benefit from this unique thinking to become the driving voices behind these projects, giving them the capacity to design, engineer, research, and innovate, says Adam Bleakney, studio co-director, research affiliate, School of Art & Design lecturer, and head coach of the UIUC wheelchair track team.
(Dis)Ability Design Studio welcomes Everyone
The Beckman Institute will open the doors to the (dis)Ability Design Studio. The partnership between the Beckman Institute and the University’s Disability Resources and Educational Services will support the interdisciplinary design research focused on real-life experiences of people with disabilities.
Undergraduate Research Symposium 2024
Kaitlin Skurnak gave an oral presentation at the Illini Union, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign campus. Her presentation focused on the ballbot chair (Personalized Unique Rolling Experience) and the history of the development of the wheelchair. She concluded with the importance of balancing the functional needs of users with supra-functional needs and sense of embodiment.
25 April 2024
Beckman Institute Open House
The Beckman Institute Open House was held on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6. Guests of all ages can do hands-on demos and activities, solve a science scavenger hunt, and meet the people behind world-changing scientific discoveries.
The (dis)Ability Design Studio will be hosted experiential learning activities related to movement, smell and vision.
Colloquium for the School of Textile Design, Heriot-Watt University, Galashiels, Scotland
Presented to an audience of faculty members from the School of Textile Design on the (dis)Ability and Design Studio, focusing on the assistive technologies and a higher level of innovative design outcomes.
Invited by Prof/Dr Julian Malins, Executive Director of the School of Textile Design.
May 2024