2018 RESNA Conference, Crystal City
A summary of a few special features of the 2018 conference include the following:
- Pre-conference courses were instructed by exceptional faculty. These covered a number of topics from mainstream RESNA content areas such as our Fundamentals Course to speciality topics including complex mobility interventions, single subject research design, brain computer interface, electrical device design and fabrication, math instruction accessibility, AAC strategies for early intervention, hands free computer access, and redefining aging in place.
- The conference plenary sessions were extrordinary. On Day 1 we heard from our colleagues in the UK when Lord Chris Holmes presented, with a conversation from Natasha Layton representing ARATA, our sister organization in Australia, and Evandro Guimareas from Brazil. On Day 2 our new NIDILRR Director Bob Jaeger and Research Director Ruth Brannon provided an important update on NIDILRR programs, priorities and leadership. Dr. Jaeger highlighted his background and affiliation with rehabilitation engineering and the importance of the field to people with disabilities. Lastly, on Day 3, Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden presented the Distinguished Colin McLaurin Lectureship providing an overview of the filed of computer access and a forecast into the future of personalized computer access.
- 66 Instructional Workshops were held to one hour this year to enable a larger number of sessions. These ranged the full scope of AT and RE topics, representing the breadth and depth of the field RESNA represents.
- Our Developers Showcase and reception was more robust than ever. The noisy environment depicted the dramatic interactions among our members, attendees, and developers of new products. We registered more developers in the showcase than ever before. This event continues to represent the best of what RESNA offers - interdisciplinary interactions between designers and inventors, with practitioners and end user experts.
- RERCs, Tech Transfer Centers, and NIDILRR were very present and active at RESNA this conference. The NIDILRR RERC Project Director’s meeting was held immediately prior to the conference and three RERCs were embedded within the conference itself. The AAC and ICT RERCs held their State of the Science conferences within the RESNA conference. The NIDILRR Aging RERC (TechSAGE) collaborated with the AgeWell team and developed and ran a technology-in-aging track.
- Exhibitors this year were dynamic. The exhibit hall was modest in size, but vigorous with in-depth conversation evidenced by the high volume level evidenced during devoted exhibit sessions.
- Lastly, but not least and essential to our field were the 53 scientific posters and platform papers. The poster sessions were exceptionally well attended and the substance of the papers often late breaking. These are the papers that are documented and published in the RESNA scientific proceedings.
Read well.
Roger O. Smith PhD, OT, FAOTA, RESNA Fellow 2016-2018 President