17 June 2013
DJCAD lecturer to address prestigious conference
A senior lecturer at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design will deliver the keynote speech at the world's leading assistive technology conference in the United States this weekend.
Graham Pullin is Course Director of the Digital Interaction Design programme at DJCAD, part of the University of Dundee. He will fly out to Seattle later this week to take part in the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technonology Society of North America (RESNA) 2013 conference on Saturday, 22nd June.
Graham initially trained as a medical engineer working on rehabilitation robots before realising the potential for design in this context and re-focusing his career in this direction. He is author of the book 'Design Meets Disability', and his research explores a number of assistive technology projects, including looking at how design can improve communication aids for people who cannot speak.
"This is quite a special invitation for me, because I actually attended RESNA way back in 1991 while I was still working as a medical engineer," explained Graham.
"I will be talking about how designers can play a valuable role in the field of assistive technology, but that AT and disability studies practitioners need a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of the field of design. At the same time, design itself needs to become more inclusive if we are to fulfil its potential in this area."
Prior to joining the University, Graham ran a multidisciplinary studio of user-researchers, designers and engineers at the international design and innovation consultancy IDEO. He led projects out of London and San Francisco, from mobile phones for people in their 40s and 50s for Vodafone to concept hearing aids exhibited in the V&A Museum.
As an industrial designer and interaction designer, he won international awards for creating furniture for children with cerebral palsy and remote-controlled submarines.
Over 25 years involvement in both assistive technology and mainstream design informed and inspired 'Design Meets Disability', his manifesto which argues for more trained designers to be invited into disability-related design, in order to contribute not only their skills but also their sensibilities. This would be a healthily disruptive influence within rehabilitation engineering, and would influence design in return.
RESNA is a professional organisation dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of people with disabilities through increasing access to technology solutions.
RESNA advances the field by offering certification, continuing education, and professional development. It works to develop assistive technology standards, promote research and public policy, and sponsor forums for the exchange of information and ideas to meet the needs of a multidisciplinary constituency.
More information is available at www.resna.org/conference/.
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