In the News

7 Nov 2024 – Custom Keyguard Design Workshop

During this free virtual workshop, Gemma White and I will walk through the process of starting with an app screenshot and creating a custom keyguard using Volksswitch’s Keyguard Designer. We will also cover the various customization and mounting options. The target audience includes speech therapists, occupational therapists, assistive technology professionals, and 3D design engineers. All skill levels are welcome to attend.

23 & 25 Oct 2024- Closing the Gap 2024 Conference

I’ll again be presenting two topics: MAKING Assistive Technology and 3D-Printed Keyguards – Your Gateway to 3D-Printed Assistive Technology.  On the 24th, I will have a table at the Makers Day event where I will be displaying 3D-printed keyguards and demonstrating the keyguard design process.

11 & 12 Jun 2024- Viva La Vida with A.T. Conference 2024, Austin, Texas

I’ll be presenting two topics:

  • MAKING Assistive Technology – When people think about “making” assistive technology, they typically imagine an individual with a disability paired with a nerdy craftsman. The craftsman learns of a need of the individual, disappears into his or her workshop for several weeks, and then reemerges with a custom solution. The craftsman then rides off into the sunset – job well done! The image would be comical if weren’t, in fact, the most common story. Unfortunately, this story ignores everything we know about the world of disability and the domain of product development. An effective process for making assistive technology will mirror the way that commercial businesses make things. In this session I’ll define a “maker” as well as “effective” making. I’ll examine our assumptions about who can be a maker and what skills are required to produce assistive technology that meets the needs and desires of as many people as possible. Finally, we’ll look at some cases of successfully “made” assistive technology along with the tools and services that support these efforts.
  • 3D-Printed Keyguards – Your Gateway to 3D-Printed Assistive Technology – in this session I’ll be  promoting 3D-printed keyguards as the best path to 3D-printed assistive technology. At its core, my proposition is that each 3D-printed keyguard that you print will save you enough over the cost of a commercial keyguard that the cost savings accrued by 5 to 10 3D-printed keyguards will justify the purchase of a 3D printer.  Once you have access to a 3D-printer the world of 3D-printable assistive technology designs opens up to you.  this 90 minute session will give me the opportunity to talk more about the process of creating a custom keyguard using the Volksswitch keyguard designer than the typical 60 minute session of the past.

7 Jun 2024 – Conference for Assistive Technology and Education (CATE) 2024

At this virtual conference sponsored by the University of Colorado, Denver, I’ll be reviving my presentation titled 3D-Printed Keyguards – Your Gateway to 3D-Printed Assistive Technology promoting 3D-printed keyguards as the best path to 3D-printed assistive technology.

22 Mar 2024 – The “near-term” future of AAC

In a bit of a departure from the typical work of Volksswitch.org, I authored an article in Volume 18 of the ATIA journal Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits.  The entire issue can be obtained here and you can download just my article “Revolutionizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Generative Artificial Intelligence” here.  In the words of the editors:

Ken Hackbarth speculates on the rapidly approaching revolution in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) due to the developments in generative AI. He suggests that we “…are on the verge of a disruptive revolution that will reshape most aspects of life and open doors for AAC users that have been, until now, largely closed.” The new generation of AI-powered AAC devices will enable real-time conversations for individuals with complex communication needs based on the contextual prompts. In addition, advancements in text-to-speech, facial recognition, and eye tracking capabilities may transform AAC devices, making them more intuitive and personalized. The author urges the AAC companies, users, service providers, and researchers to adapt quickly, comparing it to transformations seen in the camera industry with the advent of digital imaging. It is imperative to start integrating the existing and emerging technologies to enhance the AAC industry.

8 Mar 2024 – Custom Keyguard Design Workshop

Join Makers Making Change’s New York City Chapter for this virtual workshop as we learn how to create 3D design files of custom keyguards. A keyguard is a physical overlay or barrier placed on a touchscreen device to assist users in accurately selecting desired areas of the screen. These overlays can help individuals with motor or cognitive impairments by providing physical boundaries around the selectable elements on the screen, reducing accidental selections, and improving accuracy during communication. Keyguards in AAC apps can be customized to fit the specific layout of symbols or buttons, allowing users to interact with the app more effectively and independently.  The workshop will be led by Gemma White, an SLP with over 20 years of experience working with AAC. She graduated from the University College London as a Speech Therapist in 2000. Gemma has served on the AAC SIG12: PDC and is a member of RCSLT UK. Gemma developed applications and shared her clinical expertise presenting for Apple, and numerous CE courses for SLP’s, AT professionals, including for multidisciplinary at ATIA and ASHA. She is currently the Clinical Coordinator at WIHD Assistive Technology Program and Speech Department, NY.

16 Nov 2023 – OCALICON 2023

At OCALICON 2023 I again shared the promise of our 3D-printed Bliss Tactile Symbols for use by children with autism and other individuals with complex communication needs.  If you’d like to watch the presentation, go here.    You can download a copy of the slides with notes from here.

20 June 2023 – AAC in the Cloud

Gemma White has done it again!  Watch her presentation on masked keyguards by clicking on the image below:

3-D printers are becoming more available and accessible in our communities. By harnessing free OpenSCAD software and a number of free downloadable files you can make AAC accessible and print a scaffolded system to develop robust AAC usage.

1 June 2023 – Closing the Gap Solutions Magazine

Anitha Muthukumaran, Shannon Paige, Heather Williams, and I submitted an article to the Closing the Gap Solutions Magazine and it was published in their June/July  edition.

 

If you have a Closing the Gap membership you can find the article here.  If not, you can download a PDF of our article here.

21 April 2023 – Guest Presentation for N.O.A.T Members

I gave a presentation called:  “3D-PRINTED, DIY ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY” to members of the Network of Assistive Technologists organization.  The presentation focused on 3D-printing as a technology and public domain, DIY assistive technology opportunities.  I wanted to raise the awareness among assistive technology professionals and therapists about the availability and cost effectiveness of DIY (especially 3D-printed) solutions. I also wanted to raise the awareness of the quality, ease of use, and cost effectiveness of modern 3D printers. Finally, I talked about one of the most fruitful opportunities for customized and personalized AT – 3D-printed keyguards.

Here are the slides with notes – PDF
Here’s a recording of the presentation.

16 March 2023 – 38th CSUN Assistive Technology Conference  in  Anaheim, CA

 I presented at CSUN 2023 AT conference in Anaheim, California regarding  “Next-Gen Tactile Symbols – 3D-Printed Blissymbolics“.  

Here are the slides and videos – PDF, audio recording

4 February 2023 – The Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference in Orlando, FL  

Shannon Paige, Heather Williams and I presented at ATIA 2023 in Orlando, Florida.  Shannon and Heather are both SLPs.  We’ll, again, be presenting  “Next-Gen Tactile Symbols – 3D-Printed Blissymbolics“.  

Our presentation – PPTX, PDF, audio recording
Heather’s script – PDF

ATIA 2023 – Gemma White’s poster presentation

Gemma White has picked up our keyguard designer and taken it to the next level:

Gemma’s session description: “Using 3-D printing to create custom keyguards with masked cells produces a keyguard that has had benefits for teaching AAC. A large grid size when introduced early is AAC best practice but can often appear overwhelming to students and teams. Use of masked keyguards provides physical support to develop consistent motor plans and reduces the visual field. Examples of assistive technology for AAC applications and devices that have been created using masked keyguards will be demonstrated.”

Gemma’s handout.

And you can visit Gemma’s Etsy store here.

20 Oct. 2022: A Twitter Mention!

Jennifer Schubring (@jjschubring) tweeted at 1:58 PM on Thu, Oct 20, 2022:There are two #ATMakers that I have the utmost respect for. Bill Binko from AT Makers & @lessonpix and  @KenHackbarth from Volksswitch. I attended Ken’s session on 3D printing Bliss Tactile Symbols today.  I will not print another Project Core 3D symbol again. #ATChat #CTG2022

20 October 2022 – Closing the Gap 2022

Anitha Muthukumaran, Andrea Newall, and I presented at Closing the Gap 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Anitha is a TVI (teacher of the visually impaired) and Andrea is an SLP (speech-language pathologist).  The title of our presentation is “Next-Gen Tactile Symbols – 3D-Printed Blissymbolics“.  The presentation represents the work of a team of volunteers which is documented here on this website.  This is the slide deck along with the notes.  And here’s and audio recording of the presentation and following discussion.

5 August 2022 – Talking With Tech podcast interview

On August 5th, Chris Bugaj of the Talking With Tech podcast interviewed Christine Baudin, her son Michael, and me about the work we recently did to create a set of “ready-to-print” keyguard designs as well as the value of 3D printing and the process for designing 3D-printable keyguards.

11 April 2022:  Assistive Technology Conference of New England 2021-2022

This special conference spans six months with two or three afternoon workshops held virtually each month.  I provided a three-hour workshop titled: 3D-Printed Keyguards – from Soup to Nuts.  Here’s a recording of the workshop:

And here’s the PowerPoint slide deck with notes.

The workshop lasted over 3 hours.  You can jump to particular topics with these (slide #’s) and times:

  • Starting to print the example keyguard (6):  0:08:10
  • Why a 3D-printed keyguard? (7):  0:12:05
  • Types of keyguards (9):  0:16:05
  • Designing our example keyguard (10):  0:20:50
  • Tablet info (17):  0:34:40
  • Tablet Case info (18):  0:36:05
  • App info (21):  0:44:30
  • Grid info (26):  1:07:35
  • Hybrid features: Rectangular cut (31):  1:23:30
  • Hybrid features: Outer arc (35):  1:32:35
  • Hybrid features: Engraved text (39):  1:39:10
  • Hybrid features: Case additions (42):  1:49:30
  • Test keyguard fit with screenshot (45):  1:57:00
  • Mounting options (47):  2:08:30
  • Creating the STL file (50):  2:17:45
  • Advanced Grid-based concepts (51):  2:22:05
  • Managing multiple keyguard designs (62):  2:46:45
  • Free-form keyguards (66):  2:56:35
  • Laser-cut keyguards (68):  3:06:50
  • Keyguards for Chromebooks and iPad keyboards (71):  3:20:25

1 April 2022: Jennifer Schubring’s (Building AAC) 3D-printed Keyguard Journey

Jennifer has written a detailed blog post recounting her experience purchasing a 3D-printer, learning how to use it, and taking advantage of the technology to save tons of money building her own keyguards.

23 June 2021: Gemma presents at AAC in the Cloud

We’ve been working with Gemma White off and on for the last four months, helping her develop her 3D-printable keyguard design chops.  Gemma is an SLP and is the Assistive Technology Program Clinical Coordinator at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.  Gemma devoted a large portion of her presentation at AAC in the Cloud to the keyguards she was able to design and provide to her clients…

18 May 2021: Presentation to IT group at Virginia Tech

Scott Chandler had heard my CSUN presentation and commented: “ I thought Ken Hackbarth’s session “3D-Printed Keyguards – Your Gateway to 3D-Printed AT” at CSUN was the most delightful and surprising session at the conference: just truly outstanding and unlike anything else at CSUN or axe-con. It really changed my thinking and sparked my interest in a topic outside my wheelhouse.“.   He asked if I could make my presentation for a group he had at Virginia Tech…

9 – 14 Mar 2021: CSUN Assistive Technology Conference

Another virtual conference in the time of Covid!  It was very much like the Closing the Gap presentation below but only 30 minutes in length so a lot of content had to be sacrificed.  If you’d like a more in-depth discussion of the topic, watch the Closing the Gap 2020 presentation.

Here are my presentation notes.

December 2020: Makers Making Change Interview

I don’t have a lot of practice smiling so the picture is a little hideous.  But if you can make it past the picture, my interview with Makers Making Change can be found here: 100th Assistive Device in the Library: Interview with Maker Ken Hackbarth.

28 Oct – 11 Nov 2020: Closing the Gap 2020 Virtual Conference

Closing the Gap went virtual in 2020 due to Covid-19.  You can now watch my presentation for free and download a compilation of the slides with notes.

15 Sep 2020:  New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit

In the time of Covid-19 the New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit was held virtually using Zoom.  I had my slides in slideshow mode and ready to go, webcam and microphone selected and tested.  My PowerPoint slides were “shared” and I dutifully told Zoom that I wanted to share audio for my embedded recordings… Then with one minute to go before the start of the presentation, my internet died!  Thankfully, the cable modem started rebooting immediately and I was able to reconnect to the conference 5 minutes later.  It took another 5 minutes before my heart to return to my chest…

Send me an email message (ken@volksswitch.org) for a copy of the slides.  You can watch the recordings for other NJATS presentations by going here.

30 Jan 2020: The Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference in Orlando, FL

Volksswitch.org again presented a session promoting 3D-printed keyguards as THE pathway to 3D-Printed assistive technology. It was wonderful to present to approximately 70 attendees. As a reward for their attendance and to encourage them to explore 3D-printed keyguard designs on their own, each attendee was given an Easy Measurement Tool. You can download a copy of the presentation by clicking here. As stated on the last of the wrap-up slides, if you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us via our Contact Us form and we promise to get back to you.

15 Nov 2019: The Assistive Technology Conference of New England in Warwick, RI

Volksswitch.org presented a session promoting 3D-printed keyguards as the best path to 3D-printed assistive technology. At its core, our proposition is that each 3D-printed keyguard that you print will save you enough over the cost of a commercial keyguard that the cost savings accrued by 5 to 10 3D-printed keyguards will justify the purchase of a 3D printer.

Click here to download a copy of the slide deck.

30 Nov 2018 : The Assistive Technology Conference of New England in Warwick, RI.

Volksswitch.org hosted a poster session titled: “The Special Synergy of 3D Printing and Assistive Technology”.  In essence, assistive technology devices have always been expensive, functionally conservative, and aesthetically bland. This is the unavoidable result of the selection of traditional mass production manufacturing methods by companies trying to serve a market that is small in size and incredibly diverse in its needs. The hallmarks of mass production are: huge set-up costs and small per-item costs. Any changes in design require significant investment, up front, that have to be cost justified. The market for assistive technology is small and it has no “sweet-spot” – every individual with a disability is an amalgam of unique needs and desires. AT users are required to accommodate their device rather than the other way around. 3D printing promises to turn this story on its head. 3D printing has little or no setup cost and each item produced can be entirely unique. Best of all, high-quality 3D printers are very affordable and the material used to make functional products is almost free. 3D printing can put highly customized and personalized assistive devices in the hands of individuals at almost no cost.

Click here to download a document containing the highlights of the session.

Also, the folks at TechACCESS of Rhode Island created this video of one of our keyguard designs being 3D printed:

Finally, here’s a close-up of the table and some of the 3D printed devices that we brought to the conference: