Smart Suite lets families of children with disabilities learn how adaptive design, tech can improve their lives

The first thing Zoe Versteeg did after entering the living room was to adjust the hue-lighting color to match her lavender glasses. Her smile was as radiant as the room's lights. Zoe, a 13-year-old non-verbal child, uses eye-gaze technology to communicate and operate her wheelchair and smart devices. The Versteegs utilize many of these devices at their home near New Bothwell, as Zoe can control music and TV with eye-gaze technology, giving her a sense of independence.

Ten-year-old Braelynn Bodman also uses adaptive technology extensively at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children's new Smart Suite, which she was introduced to at the facility's official opening on August 26. Her mother, Maylia Bodman, noted that Braelynn is more tech-savvy than her mother and appreciated the independence the technology provides.

The Smart Suite, a $275,000 project funded by a $200,000 gift from the Moffat Family Fund and $40,000 in donations, features various adaptive and accessible features, including a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and computer/office space. The suite aims to provide families with a starter kit valued at around $500, enabling them to set up similar technologies in their homes to enhance their children's independence.