Assistive Tech Today Podcast

Learn more about today's guest: Cristen Carson Reat is the Co‑Founder and Program Director of BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston focused on helping people with disabilities use apps and mobile technology to reach their full potential.

With over a decade leading BridgingApps, a strong background in nonprofit program development, and formal training in assistive technology from California State University–Northridge, Cristen brings practical, real‑world insight to the assistive technology community.Why BridgingApps Matters (Personal Note from the Podcast) During our conversation, we talked about the BridgingApps website and its impact over the years. It’s a resource I’ve personally used and recommended to customers at Enabling Devices for nearly 15 years as an outstanding way to discover and evaluate assistive apps for the iPad.

BridgingApps has consistently helped professionals, families, and individuals cut through the noise and find tools that truly make a difference.linkedin.com/in/cristen-carson-reat-55509232Company: BridgingApps.Org“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.

I’m Vinny Livoti, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.

From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-livoti-46912767

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community."

"The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent."

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

#assistivetechnology #adaptivetechnology #accessibility #inclusión #specialeducation #occupationaltherapy #specialneeds #speechtherapy

Learn more about today's guest: We’re picking up right where we left off—this time with Dr. Rachel Khasky Levy, partner to Katie Seaver and co‑founder of the Babel(e) Group.

After exploring how AI can give more people a voice, Vinny sits down with Rachel to dig into the how it actually shows up in the real world. From AI‑powered speech recognition to practical communication tools, this conversation zooms out to look at the full ecosystem of products Babel(e) supports—and why thoughtful implementation matters just as much as innovation.

Dr. Rachel shares her perspective as a co‑founder and customer success leader, walking through the different technologies they sell, support, and stand behind, and how each one fits into the broader goal of improving access for people with speech differences.

This episode is about bridging ideas and impact—where cutting‑edge tech meets day‑to‑day communication needs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rachel-khasky-levy-89635b1b

Company info: https://www.thebabelgroup.com

This story starts long before AI — at a kitchen table.In this episode, I sit down with Julius Hoffmann, Co‑Founder of SLPractice, to explore the deeply personal journey behind one of the most thoughtful AI tools in speech, language, and special education today.

Julius grew up watching his mum — a speech and language therapist with over 30 years of experience — spend countless nights hand‑crafting therapy resources. She didn’t rely on generic worksheets. Instead, she created activities tailored to each child’s interests, because she believed therapy only sticks when children actually enjoy it — and when families feel motivated to continue practice at home.

Looking back, she credits much of her clients’ progress to deep personalisation and consistent home carryover. Research agrees: interest‑based content increases engagement, particularly for neurodivergent children, and children who practise several times a week make significantly stronger gains than those seen just once weekly.But there’s a problem — time.

In 2025, Julius and his co‑founder Will interviewed over 100 speech and language therapists and heard the same challenges again and again: overwhelming caseloads, 12‑month waitlists, and families and schools stretched too thin to keep up with home practice.

Drawing on years of experience building technology, they realised that Generative AI could finally bridge this gap — not by replacing therapists, but by removing the most time‑consuming parts of the job. The result was SLPractice: a platform that allows therapists to create personalised, engaging therapy resources in minutes and share them digitally, so home practice actually happens.Built alongside a growing community of practitioners, SLPractice continues to evolve through constant feedback, new games, and real‑world use — all with one goal: empowering therapists to do their best work in a system under pressure.

This episode is for speech and language therapists, educators, founders, parents, and anyone interested in human‑centred AI — and what can happen when technology is built from lived experience.

🎧 Listen in to hear how one family story turned into a platform helping move the field forward.

Learn more about today's guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliushoffmann

Website: https://www.slpractice.com

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community.""The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent.

"Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

#assistivetechnology #adaptivetechnology #accessibility #inclusión #specialeducation #occupationaltherapy #specialneeds #speechtherapy

🎙️ Episode DescriptionIn this episode, I’m joined by my old friend Noah Kravitz, a longtime technologist, writer, and podcast host whose career spans education, mobile tech, immersive technology, and AI.

I first started following Noah during his time as Editor‑at‑Large at TechnoBuffalo, where he became a familiar face covering the fast‑moving world of mobile technology and smartphones.

After years in tech journalism and content strategy, our paths later crossed through The Tabula Project, a crowdfunded educational platform designed to let teachers easily create and share lesson plans on nearly any tablet—without fuss or training.

We also talk about Chronic Solutions, a company Noah co‑founded with his dad, focused on exploring virtual and augmented reality applications for mental health and wellness, grounded in research from psychology and neuroscience.

Today, Noah is the host of the NVIDIA AI Podcast, one of the world’s leading AI podcasts, and we dive into Claude AI and how artificial intelligence is reshaping the technology landscape, creativity, and work.

If you’re into tech, education, or the evolving world of AI and immersive experiences, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about today's guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahk

Host of the NVIDIA AI Podcast: https://ai-podcast.nvidia.com

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

Learn more about today's guest:

In this episode, we sit down with Jenny Opalinski — Medical Speech‑Language Pathologist, Founding Partner of The Wellness Shift, Director of Relations at Aspire Respiratory Products, Co‑Creator/Co‑Host of Humanity Rx, and author of the “Calming Tricks for Big Feelings” children’s book series.

We dive deep into the real state of healthcare today — the burnout, the emotional load, the human stories behind the bedside, and the urgent need for systems that support both patients and the professionals who care for them.

Jenny shares her decade of experience in TBI, trach/vent care, and Respiratory Muscle Strength Training (RMST), helping us understand why breathing is more than a vital function — it’s a science‑backed tool for healing, recovery, and resilience.

We explore:✨ The hidden mental health crisis among healthcare professionals✨

Why respiratory strength training is transforming patient outcomes✨

Life‑changing stories from Humanity Rx

✨ The origins of The Wellness Shift and what real wellness in medicine should look like✨

How her children’s book series teaches kids emotional regulation skills we all wish we had earlier

✨ What needs to change for healthcare workers to actually healIf you're a clinician, parent, caregiver, or anyone interested in human‑centered wellness, this conversation will shift the way you look at healthcare, breathwork, and what it means to support people at every stage of life.

Explore More of Jenny’s Work: Aspire Respiratory Products (EMST150 & RMST tools)

Website: www.emst150.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-opalinski-ab5b26145

Email: [email protected]

The Wellness ShiftWebsite: https://wellnessshift.net

Instagram: @the_wellnessshift_

LinkedIn: @thewellnessshift

Humanity Rx PodcastPodcast: https://humanityrxpodcast.buzzsprout.com

Instagram: @HumanityRxPod

LinkedIn: @HumanityRx

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community.""The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent.

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

#Healthcare, #Burnout, #TheWellnessShift, #HumanityRx, #RespiratoryStrengthTraining, #SLP #MentalHealthInHealthcare #Wellness #Breathwork, #speechpathology

How can AI give more people a voice? In this episode, Vinny sits down with SLP and Babel Group co-founder Katie Seaver to explore how artificial intelligence is changing the future of communication access. With decades of AAC experience and years working in AI innovation, Katie explains how new speech recognition systems can learn and adapt to individuals with speech differences—making voice technology more accessible for people who are non-verbal or have speech impairments.

Learn more about today's guest: linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kseaver

Company: https://www.thebabelgroup.com

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.

I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”

To find out more about my work: https://linkedin.com/in/vincent-livoti-46912767

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community."

"The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent."

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

A one time use 10% discount code: ATTODAY26Link: https://enablingdevices.com

In today's episode, we sit down with Nicole Zenn Coonin, a speech-language pathologist and consultant for Control Bionics. Control Bionics offers a suite of dedicated speech-generating devices and AAC accessories designed to give a voice to those with complex communication and physical needs. We discuss the evolution of assistive technology and how the tools Nicole uses with her patients have transformed over the years.

More about today's guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-zenn-coonin-m-s-ccc-slp-942853b4

Control Bionics: https://www.controlbionics.com

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.

I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community.""The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent.

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

"A one time use 10% discount code: ATTODAY26 Link: https://enablingdevices.com

In this episode we discuss with special guests Israel Montano Speech Language Pathologist aka Mr. Speechy and the founder of SLP AI Tools. An AI assist software to help SLP’s transforms their workflow.

To find out more about Israel's work: linkedin.com/in/mr-speechy

His software website: https://slptools.ai

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion. I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”

To find out more about my work: https://linkedin.com/in/vincent-livoti-46912767

A one time use 10% discount code: ATTODAY26

Link: https://www.enablingdevices.com

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community.""The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent."

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

In this episode special guest Rich Cicero (IT Director for United Cerebral Palsy of Westchester) and I discuss how AI is changing how assistive technology is used and implemented.

To find out more about Rich's work: https://cpwestchester.org

Rich's personal AI created music: https://hyperfollow.com/chichi67

To find out more about my work: https://linkedin.com/in/vincent-livoti-46912767

A one time use 10% discount code: ATTODAY26

Link: https://enablingdevices.com

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community."

"The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent."

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67

In this episode we discuss with special guest, bilingual Speech Language Pathologist Natalie Gonzalez how assistive tech has changed over the last decade.

To find out more about Natalie's work: https://linkedin.com/in/natalie-gonzalez-134704ba

To find out more about my work: https://linkedin.com/in/vincent-livoti-46912767

A one time use 10% discount code: ATTODAY26

Link: https://enablingdevices.com

“Welcome to Assistive Tech Today Podcast — where innovation meets inclusion.I’m Vinny L, an assistive technology specialist with over twenty-four years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults with special needs through technology.From product design and development to education, consulting, and hands-on demonstrations, this podcast is dedicated to exploring today’s cutting-edge assistive and adaptive technologies.

This is Assistive Tech Today Podcast — empowering lives through technology.”

"Please note: Many people in the neurodiverse community prefer identity‑first language and describe themselves as “Autistic,” which is also the language our guest typically uses. At the same time, there are individuals, families and professionals who grew up with or prefer using person‑first language (“person with autism”). We want to acknowledge these differences and honor the full range of perspectives within the community."

"The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this program belong solely to the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of any agency, company, or entity they represent."

Video and audio editing by Chichi67: https://www.hyperfollow.com/chichi67