The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology

Mission Statement

The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology (TCAT), housed by the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science at University of Washington, develops, translates and deploys open source universally accessible technologies, with a focus on benefiting populations with motor limitations or speech impairment.

TCAT’s academic mission is to engage undergraduate design and engineering students in participatory design and inclusive design practices.

Vision

The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology engages University of Washington students, faculty, and an engaged community in the creation of a sustainable social enterprise for the development, deployment and support of accessible technologies.

TCAT leverages novel tools, sensors, chips, interfaces, robots, actuators and open-source software that are inexpensive and readily available to facilitate rapid development and deployment of customized solutions to accessibility problems.

TCAT focuses on pedestrian access and access to transportation, universal access to collaborative work/play environments, and community engagement in the creation of access solutions.