In the News
Wirecutter Series Article on Smart Home Devices
During research for her New York Times Wirecutter recommendations, Rachel Cericola interviewed Todd to get insights into the best technologies to assist the mobility impaired to achieve more independence. Along with capturing his feedback on options for different types of devices to guide her recommendations, Rachel also shares Todd's overall thoughts on the subject in the article.
Give it a read by clicking the button below:
Western Digital Blog: Innovation for Independence
Writer David Silverberg, who focuses on how technology has the power to impact the world in positive ways, interviewed Todd for Western Digital. He shares his insights from that discussion in this blog post. In it, Todd gives his thoughts on how people aren't binary like ones and zeros but are a collection of data that makes up their stories, as well as how smart home technologies will continue to grow into our collective futures.
Give it a read by clicking the button below:
Pushing Through During the Pandemic
Todd's April column in New Mobility magazine reflects on personal techniques to weather the pandemic storm.
“In response to the pandemic, I have changed my lifestyle dramatically. I haven’t gone into a grocery store since March 13, 2020; I haven’t cut my hair since March 3, and I’ve kept isolated from friends and family to a degree I couldn’t have imagined just over a year ago. That’s all intentional. It’s all on purpose. It’s me being cognizant of what’s around me and wanting to show others around me that I care about their health and mine."
Check out the full article at the link below.
Permobil’s Reach for More Site
Working to build community around solutions for mobility, wheelchair producer Permobil created a new site called Reach for More. Adding a personal side to the page, Todd is featured in 3 videos with another to be added soon. The page has a scroll-down style to it with different “Chapters” as you descend, so keep scrolling until you hit Chapter 4. There is a full screen video intro as well as 2 other clips to choose from below it.
You can watch the video here https://hub.permobil.com/reach-for-more#reach-more
Just A Recording with Patrick Moen
Conversations with individuals that think differently, work differently, and challenge the status quo. With successes and valuable learning lessons we each forge our own path. Everyone has a story and that story is a beautiful one because it is theirs. Whats your story?
Patrick talks with Todd on the May 28th episode (episode 15) entitled Becoming the Quadfather - with Todd Stabelfeldt.
You can watch the video on Youtube at https://youtu.be/6WPpTHbTuV4
or
Check out the podcast at the link below.
Switch Control Changed My World
Todd's January column in New Mobility magazine discusses how revolutionary Switch Control for iOS has been for him and how it has allowed him more technological independence.
“For the first 26 years of my life as a quad, I couldn’t take full advantage of texting or email. I couldn’t scroll through a list of messages and click on the one that I wanted. I couldn’t search through texts to find the one I needed to respond to. I had to rely on someone else to do all of those things for me.
Then Apple introduced Switch Control in iOS 7 for the iPhone in 2013."
Check out the full article at the link below.
Todd Against the Machine
Just released in January, Todd debuted his first column in New Mobility magazine entitled Todd Against the Machine. Each quarter, Todd will be providing new insights into the world of technologies for wheelchair users focused on those that help people do various tasks.
“We all have a machine that whirs around us and a life that sometimes grinds us down. It might be a flat tire on Tuesday, a fall that lands you in urgent care on Wednesday, a job, or the bills … we all face the fight.” That’s how Todd explains ‘the machine’. Check out the full article at the link below.
KNKX Radio Interview
“It’s no ordinary ride: Stabelfeldt has quadriplegia, and his “whip” is a tricked-out wheelchair, an F5 Permobil equipped with a tongue-operated interface for navigating and controlling devices.”
"I so enjoyed getting to know you a little bit. Listening back to and editing the audio, I'm struck again by the irrepressible force of Todd's will to live, love and succeed. Thank you for sharing your story with us." GABRIEL SPITZER / KNKX
Check out the full interview or transcript below.
GeekWire Summit 2017 Health Tech Podcast
‘The Quadfather’ has a message for techies — accessibility ‘should not be an add-on’
On today’s show, we share Stabelfeldt’s talk from the 2017 GeekWire Summit and also sit down with him and his wife, Karen, to learn more about their life and the impact technology has had on their story.
In pursuit of independence, Todd Stabelfeldt urges techies at GeekWire Summit: ‘Make my life real’
The message is this. When you’re building your app or website or digital device, the principal of universal design should be central to that process. That means making sure that the technology is accessible and usable for everyone whatever their age, size, ability or disability.
Todd Stabelfeldt: Titan of Tech
Innovator Todd Stabelfeldt’s virtual fingerprints are on a host of hands-free technology, from running his business, C4 Database Management, to running his house, dubbed 'The Quadthedral'.
Spotlight Article: Seattle Business Magazine, September 2017 Edition
Todd Stabelfeldt champions the cause of the mobility impaired.
Dream the accessible dream: Developer pushes the boundaries of innovation in pursuit of independence
The unfolding story of the technologies enabling Todd Stabelfeldt has evolved over the decades. Dream the accessible dream shares Todd’s technological evolution from the very first technology implemented to the latest advances that have transformed the way he lives.
Innovating for people with disabilities: Why companies should invest in universal design
An exploration of how the technology industry grapples with the barriers of innovating for disabilities and has trouble embracing universal design. In support of it, included stories of Todd’s use of technologies bolster the contention that restoring independence restores dignity and hope.
TECLA User Todd's Internet Enabled Home - The Quadthedral
Assistive device company Tecla provides a snapshot of how Todd’s myriad of technologies work together in his customized home. This ranges from what technologies he uses to control his lights to automatically opening his doors and blinds.
The QuadFather visits the CSNE
University of Washington-based Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering invited Todd to speak at a practitioner and end-user roundtable with virtual attendees from MIT. In sharing his experiences, he provided useful, unique and profound takeaways to the attending students, faculty and staff.
Apple's iOS 10, Siri & HomeKit bring accessibility to a quadriplegic man's entire home
Three Apple technologies are key to Todd’s accessibility: Switch Control, HomeKit and Siri. Todd’s implementation and user experience specifics demonstrate how designing products with disabled users in mind is in the spirit of caring.
How Technology Creates Independence: The Story of Todd Stabelfeldt
Minneapolis-based Accessible 360 shares Todd’s story of independence. In this preamble to the NBC Tech News article on Todd’s smart home, Accessible 360 embraces how inspirational Todd is in his use of tools that assist him in daily life.
A new Apple video shows an insanely cool house you can control with your voice
Business Insider shares thoughts on the video Apple shot at Todd’s home while he had a gathering of friends. The focus is on how incredibly useful the smart home technologies are with an emphasis on the specific Apple technologies used.
The iPhone setting that changed this man's life
Switch Control is the key technology explained in terms of how it enables communications and use of various apps. CNN shares various scenarios with details on how it has enables independence for Todd in many ways.