{"id":1331,"date":"2019-01-27T00:38:33","date_gmt":"2019-01-27T00:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/volksswitch.org\/?page_id=1331"},"modified":"2025-09-26T19:28:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T01:28:38","slug":"in-the-news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/index.php\/in-the-news\/","title":{"rendered":"In the News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

27 Oct 2025 – ISAAC 2025 Virtual Conference<\/h4>\n

I’ll be providing a 20-minute version of my “Revolutionizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Generative Artificial Intelligence.”<\/p>\n

22 Oct 2025 – Closing the Gap Conference 2025<\/h4>\n

I’ll be giving two presentations at Closing the Gap.\u00a0 The first is titled “Print, Fit, Communicate: Creating Personalized Keyguards with Free Tools and a 3D Printer<\/a>,” and I’ll be co-presenting with Gemma White.\u00a0 The second is titled “Revolutionizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Generative Artificial Intelligence<\/a>.”\u00a0 Gemma and I will also have a table at the Maker Fair event.<\/p>\n

16 Oct 2025 – Keyguard Design Workshop<\/h4>\n

Gemma White and I will discuss the benefits of highly customized keyguards and then demonstrate the creation of one of Gemma’s designs using the Volksswitch keyguard designer.\u00a0 The free workshop<\/a> will be hosted by the New York Metro chapter of Makers Making Change.<\/p>\n

26 Sept 2025 – Colorado Assistive Technology Expo 2025<\/h4>\n

Volksswitch will have a booth at the Colorado Assistive Technology Expo 2025.\u00a0 We’ll be showcasing a variety of keyguard designs, along with some of our other 3D-printed accessories.\u00a0 \u00a0For fun, we’ll be bringing a 3D printer to live-print a keyguard or two.<\/p>\n

The Center for Innovative Design and Engineering (CIDE) is proud to present the fourth annual Colorado Assistive Technology Expo\u2014a free, one-day, in-person event featuring over 30 assistive technology (AT) vendors, providing opportunities for networking, collaboration, and hands-on learning.\u00a0 Experience new tools, products, and features to increase independence for all.\u00a0 \u00a0More info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

17 Sept 2025 – Designing Custom Keyguards for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired<\/h4>\n

Join Mariel Knauss, SLP at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, and Ken Hackbarth, founder of Volksswitch, for a practical and insightful session on designing custom keyguards for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Mariel will share why keyguard customization matters for this population, discuss design features that support effective access, and provide real-world examples from her clinical work. Ken will then demonstrate how to use the Volksswitch keyguard designer to create 3D-printable keyguards tailored to individual needs. Whether you’re a practitioner or maker, this session will equip you with strategies and tools to improve access and usability through thoughtful design.<\/p>\n

Register for this and other seminars from The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

UPDATE: You can now watch the recording of our presentation here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

25 June 2025 – 2025 knAAC Awards Selection<\/h4>\n

Volksswitch’s 3D-printed keyguard designs and designer have been selected for an award as part of the 2025 knAAC Awards<\/a>, OpenAAC’s formal recognition of hard work across the AAC community.<\/p>\n

In case you are not familiar, here is a brief summary<\/a> of the knAAC Awards. Selections are chosen based on community votes and the participation of a panel of judges. The awards help to highlight the important contributions happening all over the world of AAC.\u00a0 Volksswitch was selected for the Alternative Access AAC Product of the Year<\/strong> award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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5 June 2025 –\u00a0Conference for Assistive Technology and Education (CATE) 2025<\/a><\/h4>\n

At this virtual conference, I presented the ideas from my ATIA Journal article<\/a> “Revolutionizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication with Generative Artificial Intelligence”.\u00a0 In brief, I argued that integrating generative AI with existing technologies, such as text-to-speech, facial recognition, and eye tracking, will enable a new generation of AAC devices to significantly enhance real-time conversational abilities for individuals who are non-speaking. I will highlight key technological advancements, implementation strategies, and the anticipated impact on the communication capabilities and social integration of AAC users.<\/p>\n

You can watch my presentation here<\/a>.\u00a0 Please note that CATE will remove the video on August 31, 2025.<\/p>\n

10 April 2025 – 3D-Printed Assistive Technology and Keyguard Design Workshop<\/h4>\n

I provided a full-day workshop for members of Region 4 in the Houston, Texas, area. The day began with an introduction to 3D printing and 3D-printed assistive technology, followed by instruction on using the Volksswitch keyguard designer, which included several hands-on exercises. I concluded with my thoughts on when 3D printing is a reasonable technology for implementing assistive technology designs and when it’s not.<\/p>\n

If you’d like to host an in-person workshop on one or more of the Volksswitch assistive technology designers and the concept of 3D-printed assistive technology, contact us via the form on the Contact Us page.<\/p>\n

7 Nov 2024 – Custom Keyguard Design Workshop<\/a><\/h4>\n

During this free virtual workshop, Gemma White and I walked through the process of starting with an app screenshot and creating a custom keyguard using Volksswitch’s Keyguard Designer. We also covered the various customization and mounting options. The audience included speech therapists, occupational therapists, assistive technology professionals, and 3D design engineers.<\/p>\n

23 & 25 Oct 2024- Closing the Gap 2024 Conference<\/a><\/h4>\n

I presented two topics: MAKING Assistive Technology and 3D-Printed Keyguards – Your Gateway to 3D-Printed Assistive Technology.\u00a0 On the 24th, I staffed a table at the Makers Day event, where I displayed 3D-printed keyguards and demonstrated the keyguard design process.<\/p>\n

11 & 12 Jun 2024- Viva La Vida with A.T. Conference 2024, Austin, Texas<\/a><\/h4>\n

I’ll be presenting two topics:<\/p>\n