The Student Scientific Paper Competition (SSPC) is a long-standing RESNA student program which is held each year at the Annual Conference. Full time students in either an undergraduate or a graduate academic program are encouraged to submit an original scientific paper describing their research in any area of assistive technology. All submissions are reviewed and scored by a panel of reviewers who are experts in areas relevant to its topic. Winners are eligibile to win more than $1,000 available in cash prizes, a free RESNA student membership, conference registration, and poster hall presentation opportunities. 

RESNA is pleased to announce the 2025 SSPC winners:

First Place: Measuring Early Intervention Provider’s Use of a Novel Switch-Accessible Play Kit

• Prize: $300
• Primary Author: Mia Hoffman
• Institution: University of Washington
• Abstract: Play is crucial for the development of young children, including those with developmental delays or disabilities. Switch-adapted toys can facilitate independent play but are often expensive and limited in availability. This study evaluates the use of a novel Switch Kit, developed to address these limitations, by early intervention providers. The Switch Kit includes an adapted MakeyMakey input device, an interactive media library created in Scratch, and low-cost, homemade switches. Five early intervention providers used the Switch Kit with their clients over 4-6 weeks. Providers reported positive perceptions of the Switch Kit, noting its effectiveness in engaging children and supporting play. Usage data showed that the Switch Kit was used in multiple sessions with various clients, demonstrating its versatility. The study highlights the potential of low-cost, open-source technology to enhance play opportunities for children in early intervention settings.

Second Place: User-centered development and open-sourcing of RoboCup, an assistive drinking device for wheelchair users

• Prize: $175
• Primary Author: Thomas Kutcher
• Institution: Rice University
• Abstract: Individuals with limited upper body dexterity struggle to drink water independently, often requiring frequent caregiver assistance to avoid the health consequences of dehydration. Existing static, non-robotic assistive drinking devices aim to address this need but fall short since they are intrusive, leaky, and offer poor value for cost. On the other end of the spectrum, advanced robotic options provide autonomous drinking support but are prohibitively large, overly complex for many users’ needs, and financially inaccessible to most patients. Our solution, called RoboCup, fills the gap for a cost-effective, unobtrusive, and user-friendly assistive drinking solution that can meet the needs of wheelchair users with limited upper body dexterity. This paper outlines the user-centered design process of RoboCup, whose design was refined via feedback from key stakeholders: a spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy patient, his caretaker, and physical therapists who work with wheelchair users. The final design successfully met all user-centered design criteria, addressing functionality, usability, and adaptability. Additionally, RoboCup earned positive feedback from stakeholders, with 100% of surveyed therapists agreeing RoboCup fulfills a medical need and would be incorporated into users’ everyday lives. To maximize its accessibility, RoboCup was also open-sourced as a DIY solution using only off-the-shelf and 3D-printed components. This approach highlights the importance of iterative, stakeholder-driven design and the potential for inclusive design in assistive technologies.

Second Place: Kicking it off: Do toddlers with disabilities activate leg muscles when driving with a joystick?

• Prize: $175
• Primary Author: Madeleine McCreary
• Institution: University of Washington
• Abstract: Self-initiated mobility is critical for cognitive, social, perceptual, and motor development in infants and toddlers. Children with developmental disabilities do not have the same access to self-initiated mobility as non-disabled peers. New devices like the Permobil Explorer Mini have minimized some of these barriers to self-initiated mobility. The Explorer Mini is operated with a joystick, which is a complex motor task that may be difficult for children with disabilities that have reduced selective motor control. Measuring leg activation during Explorer Mini use may provide insight into selective motor control, which can be tracked and quantified across visits. We recruited 13 toddlers (age: 22.2 ± 6.4 months) to attend 12 in-lab visits where they drove the Explorer Mini in an enriched environment. Leg activation was measured with quadricep EMG sensors and joystick position was tracked. We assessed leg activity in the 10 second window around when the joystick was moved from neutral and calculated integrated EMG and peak EMG. Children activated their legs while initiating joystick movement over half of this time. Counterintuitively, they activated their legs for longer as they gained experience with the device. This coupling of arm movement and leg activation may indicate altered motor control and inter-limb coupling while driving the Explorer Mini. When tracked over time, leg activation may be a useful metric to assess changes in selective motor control and inform clinical recommendations for device use.  

Third Place: Classroom Accessibility Mobile Application: A Preliminary Investigation of Interrater Reliability for Accessibility of Classrooms on a Midwest Undergraduate Institution Campus

• Prize: $100
• Primary Author: Sayeda Farzana Aktar
• Institution: University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
• Abstract: Ensuring classroom accessibility is critical for fostering equitable learning opportunities in modern educational environments. This study evaluates the interrater reliability of the "Classroom Accessibility" mobile application at a Midwest undergraduate institution’s (MUI) campus. Two trained raters independently assessed accessibility features, including lighting and sound, across ten classrooms. The evaluations yielded Cohen's kappa scores ranging from 0.6352 to 0.7309, with six classrooms (MAC_103 to MAC_113) achieving strong agreement (κ = 0.7309) and the remaining four classrooms showing moderate agreement (κ = 0.6352–0.6795). These results demonstrate the application's reliability while also highlighting variability in certain classroom setups that may require methodological refinement. These findings highlight the potential of the Classroom Accessibility application as a reliable tool for evaluating classroom accessibility while identifying areas for methodological improvement to enhance evaluation consistency.

Third Place: Assessing women Veterans’ satisfaction with their current mobility assistive technology

• Prize: $100
• Primary Author: Jessica Stanley
• Institution: University of Maryland
• Abstract: This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of women Veterans regarding their primary mobility device and the services they received through the VA Healthcare System. Women who had received a mobility device from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in the past five years were asked to complete the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) survey to examine satisfaction with their primary mobility device. Out of 4078 women invited to the study, 571 completed a sufficient portion of the survey for analysis (>75%). Results from the survey were separated by primary device type used. The QUEST item and average scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while open ended comments on the items were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Female Veterans communicated high levels of satisfaction for their device and the associated services among all primary device types (average scores > 4 out of 5). Despite this finding, around 80% of women communicated critical concerns about their device and the services they obtained. Concerns were related to four main themes: equipment issues, usability, physical and psychosocial impact of the device, and unmet service needs among all device types. Results demonstrate an opportunity for improvement in the manufacturing of mobility devices and the services provided by the VA. Gender-specific concerns should be considered in the production process of these devices and devices should be administered with the unique needs of women in mind.