Summer 2026
communicATor
The Official Newsletter of the Center for Innovative Design and Engineering
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Message from the Director | Summer 2026
Jul 23, 2026This year, the Center for Innovative Design and Engineering turns thirty. I've been thinking about how to mark a milestone like that, and I keep landing in the same place: it’s not the technology, it’s the people. When we started in 1996, as the Colorado Assistive Technology Program...Full story -
A Community That Gives Back
May 27, 2026Colorado's construction community raised $315,312 for Coloradans living with disabilities. Read how this annual tradition keeps changing lives through assistive technology.Full story -
When the Power Goes Out, Time Runs Out
Jul 15, 2026Xcel Energy will now cover up to $10,000 of a home battery system for medically vulnerable Coloradans in wildfire zones, closing a dangerous gap between planned power shutoffs and people who can't afford to lose power.Full story -
Turning the Page
Jul 16, 2026The goal was simple to state and harder to build: let a student advance the conveyor to the next book, or back up to a previous one, with a single tap of a switchFull story
Graduate Certificate Registration Deadline for the Fall Semester is August 1
Today's biomedical engineers operate at the intersection of engineering, technology, medicine and science to produce tomorrow's innovative technologies. There are over one billion people with disabilities or aging into disabilities worldwide. This number will double by 2050, and the professionals who answer that call will shape how the world defines independence, autonomy, and access for generations to come.
Call for Research Participants!
Research Participants Needed for Online Survey about Dynamic Seating
We are pleased to share an opportunity to participate in an important research project on Dynamic Seating led by Becky Breaux, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, in partnership with co-investigator Michelle L. Lange, OTR/L, ATP/SMS, and professional research assistant Sarah Walker, MS.
The purpose of this research is to better understand how and why people use Dynamic Seating on their mobility device(s), and its impact.
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Rosie and Iyla's AAC Journey
Jul 12, 2026When words don't carry far enough, technology fills the gap. See how sisters Rosie and Iyla (Eye-la) found new ways to be heard.Full story -
Student Spotlight
May 31, 2026Skyler spent years running sleep studies and EEGs before enrolling in CIDE's Assistive Technology and Inclusive Engineering graduate certificate. He grew up with twin brothers who use AAC devices, and now he's building the kind of adaptive technology his family never had access to.Full story -
CIDE Makes Forbes Accessibility 200
May 19, 2026We are honored to have been named to the 2026 Forbes Accessibility 200. This list recognizes the top 200 global innovators and impact-makers advancing accessibility across education, technology, mobility, and more.Full story
Bring Your Students to Tour Our Lab
CIDE’s Human Factors Testing Lab connects inclusive technology with real learners through guided tours of our research spaces. If you’d like to receive invitations to upcoming tours or coordinate a visit for your school or program, please share your information below.