Wireless RERC principal investigator, Helena Mitchell, Ph.D., was interviewed for the IBM thinkLeaders Blog, Innovating for people with disabilities: Why companies should invest in universal design. The article discusses many pathways to inclusion, including the Internet of Things, incorporating universal design principles into all mainstream devices, and advancing assistive technologies. Mitchell pointed out the importance of including people with disabilities in the design and development phases. “One of the problems Mitchell hears most often from companies is that they don’t know how to reach enough people with disabilities to test a product. She urges companies to partner with universities to design, create and test new products. University research departments often have long lists of potential focus-group participants who could serve as product testers. And, Mitchell continues, schools also have labs and R&D groups that are far cheaper to hire and staff than creating a private lab.”
