Technology Tuesday

Today’s Technology Tuesday comes from Chris Baumgart, Imagine!’s Assistive Technology Specialist. Chris provides us the latest edition of a little segment he likes to call “Chris’s Corner.” Thanks, Chris! 

Chris’s Corner 

"That’s Chris in the Corner. That’s Chris in the spotlight" 

In this photo, Rae, one of the residents at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, is testing out a new prototype for an interactive journal that is modeled after the communication software Rae uses with her communication device. This interactive journal offers auditory prompts asking Rae a number of questions, including, “How are you feeling today?”, “What did you do today?”, “Who did you see today?,” and a number of other questions that give Rae an opportunity to practice some of her core communication skills. In addition, the journal gives Rae the opportunity to review her responses with others once she’s completed an entry, helping her to organize her thoughts at her own pace before communicating with others. It looks like there are still a couple ways we can optimize this journal before it’s ready to be released, so stay tuned for updates!

Check Out The Latest SmartHomes Newsletter

Imagine!’s latest SmartHomes newsletter is available online.

Check it out at here.

SmartHome Artwork On Display

Breadworks Bakery and Cafe in Boulder, located at 2644 Broadway, between North Street and Alpine Avenue, is currently displaying artwork created by members of Imagine!’s CORE/Labor Source art classes, including SmartHome residents Lana and Rebecca. The art will be up all weekend, and through Tuesday, September 30. Breadworks is open Monday - Friday 7 am - 7 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 7 am - 6 pm. Then, throughout the month of October, Ozo Coffee Arapahoe, located at 5340 Arapahoe in Boulder, will be displaying CORE/Labor Source artists’ work. Ozo is open Monday – Saturday from 6 am – 6 pm, and on Sunday from 7 am – 4 pm. Please try to find the time to stop in and check out the artwork at Breadworks or Ozo (or both) and thank the store employees for displaying the art.

Presentable

On Friday, October 10, Imagine!’s SmartHomes guru Greg Wellems will be presenting at the 2014 ANCOR Technology Summit & Showcase. Greg will be part of a panel discussing Assistive Technologies in the Workplace.

Get the details here.

Grandma’s Chili Is A Hit!

Yesterday evening, Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont resident Anthony shared his grandmother's famous chili recipe for dinner. Staff member John Boggs worked with him on putting together all the ingredients for a spicy chili delight! Great work Anthony and John. By all reports the dinner was delish!

Technology Tuesday

Today’s Technology Tuesday comes from Suzanne Phillips, communication Teacher at Imagine!’s Longmont CORE/Labor Source hub.

How is Longmont CORE/Labor Source taking technology OUT of the computer lab and into the classroom?

Today I want to tell you about the technology utilized in our cooking classes. We have several students with mobility issues. Some of these students cannot move their hands and arms more than a few inches. How can we make a valuable life skill such as cooking accessible for these individuals?

We bring in the Able Net Power Link 4. This device makes any (plug-in) electrical device switch accessible. Here’s how it works:

• Plug the Able Net Power Link 4 into an outlet. 
• Plug an electrical device into the Power Link. (In cooking class this could be a blender, food processor, electric egg beater, etc.) 
• Plug a switch into the Power Link. This switch now controls the “on/off” function for the electrical device. 
• Turn the electrical device “on.” The device will now turn on only when the switch is pressed, and will turn off when the switch is released. 

This technology makes participation in cooking classes possible for students with an extremely limited range of motion. These students can choose how long they would like to activate a device, blending/processing ingredients to various consistencies. This technology gives teachers the opportunity to create a hands-on cooking experience for all students, regardless of mobility. Check out the short video if you would like to see the Power Link in action, and stay tuned for more technology in the classroom updates!

Can’t see the video? Click here. 

Shelley's New Art Studio

Shelly, who lives in the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont, is excited to announce that her home art studio is officially up and running! Shelly now has the opportunity to paint to her heart’s content and add a new flare of color to her home. Shelly worked diligently the past few months to purchase and stock her supplies and personally selected a number of adaptive art tools online to accomplish this goal. Shelly is absolutely thrilled by this new creative addition and is choosing to paint as often as she can! We will keep you up-to-date as new and exciting pieces of art reach completion!!