Happy New Year Everybody! Did you know that we publish a new blog post about assistive technology (AT) devices and services each and every week -usually on Tuesdays- and that you can sign up with your email address to get it delivered directly to your inbox? Enter your email today so that you don’t miss…
The holidays are around the corner and, if you are like most of us, chances are you have procrastinated on at least some of your gift-buying! Well, don’t panic! Here are a few good AT gift lists we found on the internet to help get some last minute presents for the loved ones in your…
Here at Ability Tools, we are always looking for good deals on Assistive Technology (AT) products to tell our readers about. During the holiday season it is a great time to find sales on those more expensive AT products, as sales are widespread and most stores participate in the giving spirit by giving consumers at…
On December 2nd, the National Institutes of Health announced that it will fund the development of three exciting new robots! These robots, actually called co-robots, are designed to work cooperatively with people with disabilities and are part of the National Robotics Initiative. Funding for these NIH projects will total approximately $2.2 million over the next…
Recently, Ability Tools, a program of California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), assisted with the disaster relief efforts related to the Northern Valley Fires. Deployed to the Napa county shelter as part of the state’s Functional Assessment Service Team, Ability Tools collaborated with state partners to quickly assess the needs of fire survivors with…
With the advent of the 3D printer, many AT “challenges” have arisen around the globe, inviting people with disabilities, engineers, and interested members of the public to create assistive technology solutions for people with disabilities. This is exciting to see, and, as one of our staff members who was able to participate in an AT…
Have you heard about Magic Wheelchair? This autumn, an outstanding costume design for a young man that uses a wheelchair has been all over social media. Have you seen it? The cool news is that this is not just an amazing Halloween costume, it actually was created by a nonprofit called Magic Wheelchair, whose…
By Aimee Sterk, LMSW, MATP Staff, from Michigan Assistive Technology Program My relationship with my husband had it roots in cars. Stickshifts and Safetybelts was our dating theme song. We spent a lot of time in our cars–he lived 45 minutes away–and we liked to go on drives together. We very much appreciated his bench-seated…
by Kim Lathrop, Administrative Assistant, CFILC As an individual with extreme physical limitations (I was born without arms or legs) I have become more than acquainted with assistive technology and special mechanisms made with the intentions of making my life easier. I say ‘intentions’ because the people who are behind the creating/making process are usually…
What is AT? Assistive Technology (AT) is any object, device or tool used to make life easier. Specifically, Assistive Technology is any device, gadget, hardware or software used by a person with a disability to do things for themselves that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to do because of their disability. Assistive Technology helps…