The Importance of

Design inSpecial Needs Tools

•Industrial Designer

•President, owner & designer of

Snug Vest

Lisa Fraser

•Inflates to provide Deep

Pressure Therapy

•User controllability

encourages

independence

•Looks fashionable to

reduce stigma

•Certified clinical Speech

Language Pathologist

•Over 30 years of experience with

kids with ASD

•Professor at the University of

Texas in Dallas

•Autism Expert for Robots4Autism

Pamela Rollins

•Engages kids to teach

social skills

•Demonstrates human

characteristics to mimic

real situations

•Robot “cool” factor

reduces stigma

User Controlled TherapyEase-of-useAesthetics

•Builds trust with therapists

•Teaches individual to be self-reliant

•Over-protection can decrease

independence later in life

User Controlled Therapy•Demonstrates

human

characteristics

to mimic real

situations

Ease-of-use•User trials and ergonomic studies is essential

throughout the product development process,

resulting in easy-to-use products.

•Simple products minimize user errors and

potential safety hazards.

AestheticsIt is important it blend in to the

environment. While it’s necessary to

provide the intended therapy, negatively

standing out can have a different and

negative longterm impact

Thank you!