Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Category: General
RESNA Announces 2026 Developers’ Showcase Winners
Los Angeles, CA — April 14, 2026 — The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) proudly announced the winners and participants of the 2026 RESNA Developers’ Showcase, held in conjunction with the Abilities International Professional Conference and Expo in Los Angeles on March 27th. The annual showcase highlighted cutting-edge assistive technology innovations designed to improve independence, safety, and quality of life for people with disabilities and older adults.
The Developers’ Showcase brought together innovators, clinicians, researchers, and entrepreneurs who demonstrated emerging products and prototypes while engaging directly with conference attendees, including AT professionals and consumers. Audience members were able to cast votes throughout the event for their favorite innovation, and award recipients were announced during the conference’s closing ceremony.
OmniCuff Wins Denis K. Anson Innovation Award
The Denis K. Anson Innovation Award, given to the innovation that receives the highest number of audience votes, was awarded to Will Muter of Reachable Technology for OmniCuff, a modular magnetic-mechanical assistive hand system. OmniCuff is designed to enable functional independence for individuals with impaired hand grasp by allowing users to attach, stabilize, and manipulate everyday tools without requiring active grasp. The award comes with a $500 prize, courtesy of the Denis K. Anson Award Fund, named after longtime member and RESNA Fellow Denis Anson. Denis passed away in October 2025 and was known for his pragmatic approach to innovation in assistive technology. This is the first year of the award.
Developed through an iterative, user-centered co-design process, OmniCuff has been trialed by more than 200 individuals and is currently being evaluated in multi-site clinical studies focused on functional independence and user satisfaction.
“It is an honor to receive this award, and particularly meaningful given the legacy of Denis Anson,” said Will Muter. “Thank you to RESNA and the conference attendees who voted.”
The IMPACT Center Recognizes Wheelchair Innovation
The IMPACT Center at the University of Pittsburgh, the event sponsor, presented the 2026 AT IMPACT award to R. Lee Kirby, MD, FRCPC (Dalhousie University). Dr. Kirby was honored for his work on a novel self-deploying rear anti-tip device (Arc-RAD) for manual wheelchairs, which aims to improve safety without limiting participation or advanced wheelchair skills.
“The Arc-RAD is designed to allow wheelchair users to successfully navigate curbs and other barriers without tipping over,” explained Dr. Kirby. “Conventional anti-tipping devices have significant limitations and many users take them off their chairs, thus exposing them to potentially dangerous situations.”
The AT IMPACT Award celebrates visionary innovators whose groundbreaking product or service shows great promise in unlocking human potential, enabling individuals to soar beyond the limitations of assistive technology and enhance their independence and well-being. It honors those who redefine what’s possible, merging innovation with compassion to create a more inclusive and limitless future.
“We felt that the Arc-RAD was a simple, elegant design that could potentially solve a lot of problems for wheelchair users,” said Julie Faieta, Director of the IMPACT Center. “We’re eager to help Dr. Kirby make his vision a reality and bring this device to market.”
Other innovations included in the Showcase were:
- Hinged Tub Transfer Bench, presented by Randall Wesley (Jesse Brown VA Medical Center), designed to reduce space requirements and improve ease of use in bathing environments.
- Exsel, presented by Dan O’Crowley, ATP, RET, a low-profile sit-or-stand mobility system that combines elements of powered mobility devices and wheelchairs into a portable, affordable solution. Dan is based at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice (IDRPP) with the Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP).
Advancing Assistive Technology Innovation
“The RESNA Developers’ Showcase continues to be a powerful platform for elevating innovative ideas and fostering collaboration among developers, clinicians, and users,” said James Lenker, PhD, OT/L, RESNA President and RESNA Fellow. “We congratulate this year’s winners and thank all participants for their commitment to advancing assistive technology.”
Please email execoffice@resna.org if you are interested in contacting the developers directly about their designs.
About RESNA
The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to promoting health and well-being for people with disabilities and older adults through increasing access to technology solutions. RESNA supports the development, dissemination, and implementation of assistive technology through education, advocacy, and research.
For more information about the RESNA 2026 Developers’ Showcase and award recipients, visit www.resna.org.