SWITCH KIT

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Children with severe mobile disabilities often have a hard time engaging with other children and the world around them as many elementary toys and electronic devices are not made with mobility limitations in mind. Adaptable switch toys are toys that have been rewired and retrofitted with a single switch that allows for easy interaction. A child would simply need to tilt their head, move their hand, or tap their foot and a toy would come to life, or they could easily play computer games. This in turn provides motor coordination, cognitive stimulation and an over all quality of life for the child.

CONTRIBUTIONS

ASSEMBLY CREATION, MATERIAL PROPERTY TESTING

At the Steele Lab I worked on creating an adaptable switch kit. Premade switches are often expensive, and at the end of the day you can make almost anything into a conductor. I was tasked with using ordinary items like pipe cleaners, shampoo bottles, pool noodles, etc. to create a switch kit and switch guide that would then be implemented at the Seattle Childrens Hospital for therapy activities. I created assemblies, tested material properties, and learned code to help make online games switch adaptable.