Rad Mad in the Time of COVID

Rad Mad in the Time of COVID

May 5, 2020

With the shutdown in place due to the coronavirus, to say that we live in strange times is an understatement.

Before and After pictures of our Lab meetings as we moved from the live meetings (with lunch) to the new normal of “faces in boxes” zoom gatherings:

Lab Meetings before the Shelter-in-Place (with lunch)
Lab Meetings before the Shelter-in-Place (with lunch)
The now all too familiar picture of “callers in boxes” phenomenon of Zoom
The now all too familiar picture of “callers in boxes” phenomenon of Zoom

In addition to the public health stresses, the shutdown has brought about challenges unique to college campuses as many students had to relocate back to their home or other places in the middle of the semester – all this at almost a moment’s notice. These disruptions have significantly impacted the amount of time many of the URAP’ers (Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program) in the Lab could dedicate to their respective projects in the lab.

What the Rad Mad Disability lab has done this semester can almost be split into what had was started and planned at the beginning of the semester and what the teams have been able to do to the limitations of the shutdown.

The RadMad Lab had started off the beginning of the semester brainstorming on project ideas and forming teams to take on different projects. Two of our teams from last semester Sense-Able Input P3 and Sense-Able Output Apple Pi came together as a single team Sense-Able Computing. Team Propaganda formed last semester continued as on the documentation and social media front. Two new teams were formed this semester to tackle new problems – Radical Mapping and Light Sensitivity. The shutdown has impacted some teams more than others due the physicality of the project or access to campus resources.

  • Team Light Sensitivity: Tyler Johnson, Sumbal Ghafoor, Brian Liu.
  • Sense-able Computing: Christian Leycam, Irlanda Gonzalez, Kitty Gu, Karen Nakamura (Student) and Ewan Seo.
  • Team Radical Mapping: Nate Tilton (Lab Manager), Kate Allison, Everett Woolsoncroft and Raga Kavari. 
  • Team Propaganda: Hari Srinivasan

The lab did manage to visit the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Imparied in San Francisco, on 3/4/2020. This was a mere few days before the social distancing measures came into effect in the Bay Area.

Rad Mad Lab Team at Lighthouse
Rad Mad Lab Team at Lighthouse
Lighthouse was able to give valuable feedback and input on all the projects. The lab teams were later able to do follow up zoom calls with Lighthouse for additional input and direction.
Lighthouse was able to give valuable feedback and input on all the projects. The  lab teams were later able to do follow up zoom calls with Lighthouse for additional input and direction. 

The team also spent time looking at the features at Lighthouse which made it not just accessible but aesthetic and interesting for the Blind.

Braille Signage
Braille Signage
Water fountain with a Braille Math Book as the Back splash
Water fountain with a Braille Math Book as the Back splash
Desk with a Cane Holder
Desk with a Cane Holder

This strange and unusual semester winds down to a close now. The team will be back in fall with some new members as we continue to work on projects started from previous semesters.

Till then Rad Mad Lab wishes everyone a safe and healthy summer.