Dr. Kyle Keane, Senior Lecturer in Assistive Technologies at the University of Bristol, reflects on a career dedicated to advancing assistive technology through collaboration, while adapting to his own accelerated eyesight loss and early-onset blindness. He’ll interweave anecdotes from working around the world with local communities to increase access to opportunities for individuals with disabilities and his ambitions for future initiatives.

In 2012, after completing his PhD in Computational Physics, he decided to take a position at Wolfram Research, where he focused on enhancing accessibility in scientific computing. In 2015 he started as a Lecturer and Research Scientist at MIT, where he taught “Principles and Practices of Assistive Technology,” fostering a hands-on, community-led approach to the design and engineering of new assistive technologies. This experience evolved into a remote hackathon and short course in India, which later incorporated an incubator model. Supported by a vast community of partners, Dr. Keane helped replicate these initiatives in Saudi Arabia, and seeded similar initiatives in South America, Asia, and Europe.

Dr. Keane works with multiple assistive technology companies from around the world, ranging from early-stage startups to well established corporations, and has worked with local, national, and international governmental agencies. These experiences underscore the complexities of multi-stakeholder, cross-cultural collaboration in building open innovation ecosystems.

Join us as Dr. Keane shares his insights on the power of partnership and the pursuit of inclusive innovation ecosystems.

Join us online on YouTube Live, or in the building on Friday 6th December 2024 at 1pm for the talk and to take part in the Q and A discussion afterwards. 

The Pervasive Media Studio is a partnership between the Watershed, University of the West of England and University of Bristol. The lunchtime talks are partly supported by MyWorld, a project led by the University of Bristol to support creative industries in the region. Watershed is supported by Arts Council England.

Address:
Watershed, 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX

Directions:
The Lunchtime talks take place in the Pervasive Media Studio Event Space. To access the Studio, please go to the Main Watershed Box Office entrance and go upstairs to the Café Bar. Walk across the cafe bar, turn right and walk towards the double doors. Go through into the corridor and walk all the way down until you reach the Studio. A member of staff will sign you in, and check your ticket, if you have booked.

The Studio is wheelchair accessible, and the events space has a hearing loop. The last talk of every month is BSL interpreted. 

For more information on accessing the studio take a look here.

*Please note this is a hybrid event and will be live streamed so please be aware you will be in the live broadcast and recording when watching in the Studio.