Living Through Touch – Smart, Haptic Communication for Inclusion, Accessibility, and Participation
Monday, 17 May 2021
Tuesday 18 May 2021
Wednesday 19 May 2021
all times in CEST time
Accessibility: We will provide simultaneous interpretation in International Sign Language, Brazilian Sign Language and closed captioning on Zoom.
Monday 17 May 2021
12:00-12:45 – Opening Session
- Nasrine Olson (SUITCEYES Project Leader, University of Borås): “Welcome and Introduction”
- Mats Tinnsten (Vice Chancellor, University of Borås): “Official opening remarks”
- Matilda Ernkran (Minister of Higher Education and Research, Sweden): “The role and importance of research in achieving societal goals such as Equality”
- June Lowery-Kingston (Head of Unit “Accessibility, Multilingualism & Safer Internet”, DG CNECT, European Commission): “Union of equality”
13:00-13:45 – Session 2: Sensing
Raymond Holt (University of Leeds) and Panagiotis Petrantonakis (CERTH):
“Computer vision; object, face, scene detection and recognition; active object search and navigation”
14:00-14:45 – Session 3: Perception
Myrthe Plaisier and Astrid Kappers (Eindhoven University of Technology):
“Psychophysics and user studies for optimizing haptic feedback”
15:00-15:45 – Session 4: Informing
Sándor Darányi, Nasrine Olson, Riitta Lahtinen, Russ Palmer:
“Haptograms as an adaptation of social haptic communication, user participation, and the design process”
16:00-16:45 – Session 5: Learning
Arthur Theil, James Gay, Oliver Korn (Offenburg University of Applied Sciences):
“Game-based learning and communication with the Tactile Board”
17:00-17:40 – Session 6: Wearing
Nils-Krister Persson, Li Guo, Amelie Olesen (University of Borås):
“Textile as communicative interfaces – design considerations”
Tuesday 18 May 2021
12:00-12:45 – Session 7: Related Research – Development, Well-being and Life-Long Learning in Individuals with a Dual Sensory Loss
- Astrid Kappers (Eindhoven University of Technology): “Welcome and Day Two Opening”
- Marleen Janssen (University of Groningen): “Introduction Special Issue Frontiers in Education and Layered Communication”
- Saskia Damen (University of Groningen): “Social Validity in Communication Research on Congenital Deafblindness”
- Andrea Wanka (Heidelberg University of Education): “CHARGE Syndrome: Communication and Identity Building”
13:00-13:45 – Session 8: Related Research II – Development, Well-Being and Life-Long Learning in Individuals with a Dual Sensory Loss
- Walter Wittich (University of Montreal): “Importance of research on assistive technology and deafblindness; several studies”
- Moa Wahlqvist (Örebro University): “Health issues in Usher Syndrome”
- Lisa van der Mark (University of Leiden): “Tactile communication and the Protactile movement”
14:00-14:45 – Session 9: Networking
- Chair: Jan Nolin (University of Borås)
- Frank Kat (Head of Deafblind International): “Within the challenge, lays the opportunity”
- Sanja Tarczay (President of EDBU): “Nothing about Deafblind without Deafblind”
- Anna Corbett (Senior MSI Practice Adviser-Sense): “No one left out of life”
15:00-15:45 – Session 10: Bridging the Gap – Research results to useable products – Technology companies and haptic communication solutions
- Chair: Myrthe Plaisier (Eindhoven University of Technology)
- Gilles Pepin (CEO, Humanware Canada – Implementation of Research and Development): “From a research project to a successful commercial product”
- Dick Lunenborg and Eric van Heuvelen (Bartimeus Fablab): “How to develop meaningful technology for people with deafblindness”
16:00-16:45 – Session 11: Bridging the Gap – Research results to useable products – Available Accessible Technology – User and Developer Perspectives
- Chair: Myrthe Plaisier (Eindhoven University of Technology)
- Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand (CEO of Swedish MedTech): “How does a product reach the market? A short overview of the major obstacles”
- Richard E. Ladner (Professor Emeritus in Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington): “How Can Remote Protactile Communication Be Supported?”
- Danielle Bragg (Senior Researcher, Microsoft Research): “Building Systems in Support of Sign Language Users and Low-Vision Readers”
- Jarek Urbanski (CEO of Harpo): “Small business involved in scientific research – possibilities, expectations, practical achievements”
17:00-17:40 – Session 12: Bridging the gap from research to product development – Panel Discussion
Chair: Jarek Urbanski (Harpo)
Gilles Pepin (Humanware Canada)
Dick Lunenborg (Bartimeus Fablab)
Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand (Swedish MedTech)
Richard E. Ladner (University of Washington)
Danielle Bragg (Microsoft Research)
Wednesday 19 May 2021
12:00-12:45 – Session 13: Setting Policies
- Raymond Holt (University of Leeds): “Welcome and Day Three Opening”
- Chair: Sarah Woodin (University of Leeds)
- Jose Smits (Netherlands), Eleni Strati (Greece), Sabrina Weller (Germany), Moa Wahlqvist (Sweden): “Policy Study Results”
13:00-13:45 – Session 14: Perspectives, Policy and Decision Makers – Panel Discussion
Chair: Sarah Woodin (University of Leeds)
Lina Nordquist (Member of Parliament / Sweden – L, Social and Healthcare Policy Spokesperson)
Alison Wellwood (Sensory Impairment Policy Manager, Assisted Communication Team, Policy & Delivery Division, Directorate for Mental Health & Social Care, Scottish Government)
Jonathan Reid (Sensory Coordinator – Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland “the ALLIANCE”; Coordinator for the Nordic Cognition Network in relation to Deafblindness)
June Lowery-Kingston (Head of Unit “Accessibility, Multilingualism & Safer Internet”, DG CNECT, European Commission)
14:00-14:45 – Session 15: Setting Policies – Panel Discussion
Chair: Elena Maceviciute (University of Borås)
Jose Smits (Netherlands)
Eleni Strati (Greece)
Sabrina Weller (Germany)
Moa Wahlqvist (Sweden)
15:00-15:45 – Session 16: Beyond SUITCEYES – Proactive initiatives by the community
- Chair: Mauricio Fuentes (LDQR, France)
- Linda Eriksson: “What can the deafblind community take away from SUITCEYES?”
- Femke Krijger: “Working with loss and potential; the benefits and thresholds of inclusive, innovative projects”
- Lisa van der Mark: “Thoughts of a deaf-born deafblind researcher on Deafblind related research”
16:00-16:45 – Session 17: Beyond SUITCEYES – Advisers – Experiences from SUITCEYES and Path Forward
Riitta Lahtinen (The Finnish Deafblind Association, Finland) and Russ Palmer (TouchCom)
Maria Alvarez (Invectra Consulting, Sweden)
Ann-Britt Johansson and Rolf Lund (EIKHOLT, Norway)
Thomas Ragnarsson (SPSM and NKCDB, Sweden)
Henrik Hildemar (Mo Gård, Sweden)
Otto Carlander (Otrolica AB, Sweden)
Ole Mortensen (CFD, Denmark)
17:00-17:40 – Session 18: Open Discussion
“What is next? Symposium conclusion, lessons learned, panel discussion”
Accessibility: We will provide simultaneous interpretation in International Sign Language, Brazilian Sign Language and closed captioning on Zoom.
