Mott Family Network Donates Universal Gaming Carts

Wed, 06/15/2016 - 2:22pm by TimG

In a ceremony this morning in the Downtown Library Lobby, AADL accepted a generous donation of two Universal Gaming Carts with adaptive game controllers. The carts provide people with disabilities a way of inclusion into the gaming world, using gaming equipment designed to make it easier for people with movement challenges to play regular commercial videogames. Funding was made possible from Mott Golf Classic in partnership with Mott Family Network. The mobile gaming carts were assembled as an extension of the Mott Family Network’s Pediatric Gaming Project at Mott Children’s Hospital and named “Universal” rather than “Adaptive” Gaming Carts to make clear their inclusive approach. Mott Family Network envisions people with disabilities using these carts to play alongside non-disabled peers in healthy competitions and they will be used at future AADL tournaments. The carts were donated in the names of Jamie Mayo (Senior Rehabilitation Engineer in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the U-M Hospital) and Dr. Ann Orr (Special Education Professor in the College of Education at Eastern Michigan University), in honor of their time and dedication provided to families and patients with assistive technology needs. Mott Family Network is a non-profit, all volunteer organization funded by the Mott Golf Classic providing assistive technology to the U-M’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and its patients. Mott Family Network is in partnership with EMU and U-M. Through donations from Mott Golf Classic, student interns from both universities provide support for MFN initiatives. AADL is greatly appreciative of this donation and looks forward to welcoming a broader audience into the Library's regular gaming events. Mott Family Network Intern Jared Long contributed to this press release.