Jen Quinlan shares an overview of her 2014 SXSW Interactive talk on how wearable technology can help people with disabilities. This presentation shares a story of how Glass helped a quadriplegic woman take a photograph for the first time in 20 years, challenges why wearables are relatively similar today yet our bodies are so different, profiles 9 innovative wearable products serving people with different abilities, and closes with key learnings any entrepreneur or business striving to serve people with disabilities with wearables will benefit from. As questions exist, please reach out to Jen Quinlan at @quirkyinsider on Twitter.

1. WEARABLES
HELPING PEOPLE
W/ DISABILITIES
#wearableshelp
Jen Quinlan | March 2014
The following deck is an adaption of a presentation Jen Quinlan
and J.P. Gownder, Forrester Research, led at SXSW 2014.

2. WHEN SMALL THINGS
ARE A BIG DEAL.
.#wearableshelp.

3. Wearables were put on the map by
Google Glass in 2013.

4. I feared it was all hype.
Just a new Silicon Valley toy.

5. But then I heard about Tammie Van Sant, a
quadriplegic woman that was a Glass Explorer.

9. "For 18 years, I wasn’t able to take
pictures whenever I wanted. I can’t
even describe how amazing [Glass]
is. I can answer the phone and
actually hear the person on the
other end and they can hear me.
When I get a text, I can read what
the text says on the little prism and
answer it."

10. With so much potential for how Glass can
positively impact a person’s life, what a
shame that these were the headlines
that got national coverage.

11. THERE IS NOT
JUST ONE
BODY TYPE.
.#wearableshelp.

17. PRODUCTS TO
INSPIRE
.#wearableshelp.

18. Created haptic GPS shoes for the
blind. Evolved into haptic shoe inserts
for consumer market.

19. POINT LOCUS
@David_Barter
Haptic vest for the blind
that improves navigation.

20. Tongue Driving System (TDS) project
for quadriplegic wheelchair navigation

21. A Glass app that helps people
interpret others’ emotions to improve
relationships and communication.

22. Gloves that improve communication
with non-ASL community turning signs
into voice via a mobile device and
connected gloves.

23. A connected chest wearable for children that suffer
from chronic seizures sends mobile alerts to
parents.

24. Smart fabrics in clothing, bedsheets and
undergarments provides less invasive means of
monitoring outpatient care.

25. Wrist wearable coupled with in-home
beacons enables independent living
with data monitoring. Sends alerts
when something looks “off”.

26. Manuel Dornbusch
#ifihadMYO I would use sign language to
substitute it for a keyboard in mobile use http:
//buff.ly/18fM6j9 #ifihadMYO
#ifihadMYO I would use it to control
prosthetic arms, so people can move
them as if they were their own arms –
David S.
Student project creating
navigation belt for blind inspires
arm band wearable platform
that is open for developers to
create products.

27. KEY
LEARNINGS
.#wearableshelp.

29. ●
●
●
●

33. BUILD THINGS THAT
MATTER.
.#wearableshelp.

34. Jen Quinlan
@quirkyinsider
jenniferjmarshall@gmail.com
.#wearableshelp.