Ken Hackbarth

Ken Hackbarth is the President and Founder of Volksswitch, LLC, an organization dedicated to democratizing assistive technology through 3D printing. He brings nearly three decades of systems architecture experience at AT&T Bell Laboratories and its subsequent divestitures, combined with graduate degrees in Evolutionary Biology (M.S., University of Arizona), Systems Engineering (M.S., University of Arizona), and Special Education with an assistive technology concentration (M.Ed., Bowling Green State University). He created the Volksswitch Keyguard Designer — a free, open-source, browser-based tool used by hundreds of SLPs, OTs, and AT specialists worldwide to design and 3D-print custom AAC keyguards without engineering expertise. He has presented at ATIA, Closing the Gap, OCALICON, CATE, CSUN, and other assistive technology conferences, and recently completed a qualitative study with 20 expert practitioners on the clinical and economic outcomes of 3D-printed keyguard programs.

ASHA Financial Disclosures

Ken Hackbarth receives compensation as President and Founder of Volksswitch, LLC. The Volksswitch Keyguard Designer, referenced and demonstrated in this session, is provided free of charge and as open-source software. The presenter has no financial relationship with manufacturers of commercial keyguards or 3D-printer hardware referenced in this session.

ASHA Non-Financial Disclosures
None