July 29, 2020
Launch of new Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences
The University of Washington announced the establishment of the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE), which is fueled by a $2.5 million inaugural investment from Microsoft.
UW CREATE seeks to make technology accessible and to make the world accessible through technology. People with disabilities are dependent on technology and if accessibility is not embedded into the start of the development process then it can leave people behind.
Achieving accessibility involves expertise and innovation across a range of disciplines. As a result, the major challenge of developing technology to make a more accessible world is outpacing even the most talented individual researchers and small teams.
The center will build upon current projects in prioritizing and automating personalization, transitioning transportation to be accessible; augmenting abilities through wearable technologies; developing inclusive, intelligent systems and data sets; and “do-it-yourself” accessible technology production.