Summit on AI-Enabled Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies
From Innovation to Impact: The Center for Community-Driven Accessibility Technologies is designing the future of AI in disability & rehabilitation. We're connecting lived experience, research, and industry to build a community-driven AI agenda.
About the Summit
This collaborative, full-day working conference is designed to bridge the gap between technological innovation and the everyday realities of end-users in the disability community. Guided by a co-design philosophy, we aim to bring together people with disabilities, healthcare professionals, academic researchers, tech industry leaders, and state/federal stakeholders.
The summit will focus on solutions while addressing the dual nature of AI in disability care—exploring its power to transform assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering while confronting critical risks surrounding trust, privacy, and reliability. Together, we will identify critical implementation gaps, foster cross-sector research partnerships, and author a post-conference strategic report setting a community-driven agenda for ethical, accessible AI to guide development of assistive and rehabilitation technologies.
- Date: Monday, November 16, 2026
- Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
- Location: Wood Dining Room, Iacocca Hall, Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA
- Cost: FREE to attend
Who Should Attend?
We are assembling an active, multi-sector working group. We invite participation from anyone with a personal or professional stake in the future of AI-enabled assistive technologies, including:
- People with Disabilities & Advocates with real-world lived experience.
- Clinicians & Healthcare Leaders who deploy tools in rehabilitation and daily care.
- Engineers & Tech Pioneers building smart tech centered on user trust and accessibility.
- Policy Leaders & Funders leading the way for ethical standards and systemic adoption.
Summit Agenda
Listen to short, dynamic talks by leaders from across sectors, who identify the current challenges, opportunities, and priorities at the intersection of AI and rehabilitation and accessibility technologies.
Explore how AI-enabled technology can support home environments, transition-age youth, and employment / career development.
Discuss developments in AI-driven mobility technologies, public transportation accessibility, smart environments, and policy implications.
Examine AI reliability, accessibility, bias mitigation, trust, privacy, scam prevention, and standards development, with the goal of ensuring strong ethical guardrails on AI-enabled assistive technology.
Explore current developments in assistive and rehabilitation technologies, including:
- Research poster and research center tables
- Industry exhibits
- Advocacy, resource, and service organization tables
Multiple opportunities to share your insights in real-time throughout the day. Participate in collaborative working groups and ideation activities focused on shaping research priorities, policy integration, and joint funding initiatives.