ATU752 – Adaptive Art with Breanna Emmett

Hi, my name is Breanna Emmett, and I am the Art Specialist at Noble, Inc. and this is your Assistive Technology Update.

Hello and welcome to your Assistive Technology Update, a weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist individuals with disabilities and special needs. I’m your host, Josh Anderson, with the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. Welcome to episode 752 of Assistive Technology Update. It is scheduled to be released on October 24th, 2025. On today’s show, we are super excited to welcome Breanna Emmett. She is the art specialist for the Adult Day program at Noble, Inc. here in Indiana. And she is here to tell us about adaptive art.

We’re also super excited to have Breanna on because we are actually entering into a partnership where INDATA will assist by having some assistive art devices there in their new art studio so that all individuals can participate in art therapy and making their own art and in all kinds of other activities. So we’re very excited not just to have her on the show, but also for the upcoming partnership. We also have a story about the future of assistive technology and how AI might shape this future and help to make things more accessible for all individuals. And then we’re also joined by our friends from BridgingApps with An App Worth Mentioning.

As always, listeners, we thank you so much for listening to the show today. But don’t forget, this is not our only podcast. We also have Assistive Technology Frequently Asked Questions, or ATFAQ. Our sister podcast features myself, Brian Norton and Belva Smith as we all sit around and try to answer your questions about assistive technology. We also include feedback from our listeners because sometimes, believe it or not, we don’t know all the answers. And if you know any of us personally, I’m sure you definitely do believe that. You can check out ATFAQ on our website, Easter Sealstech.com, or wherever you found this podcast. It should be there as well.

And for you folks looking for a transcript of today’s show, it is available over at Easter Sealstech.com. Our transcripts are generously sponsored by InTRAC. You can find out more about InTRAC at Indianarelay.com. While you’re checking out the transcripts over there at Easter Sealstech.com, also take a look at our tech tips, blog posts and everything else that we have to offer there on our website. Also, don’t forget listeners, we always want to hear from you. You could shoot us an email at Tech@Easter Sealscrossroads.org, or call our listener line and leave a message at 317-721- 7124. We always love hearing from you, and once again, thank you so much for listening. Now let’s go ahead and get on with the show.

Our first story today comes to us from over at Atos, and the title is The Future is Assistive: How AI and Accessibility Will Shape the Next Decade of Work. This is written by Neil Milliken. He’s their Vice President, Global Head of Accessibility and Digital Inclusion. And the story just talks about where accessibility may go in the next 10 years, thanks to artificial intelligence, machine learning and some other tools that make it a little bit easier to create inclusive digital workplaces. Kind of starts off with just talking about over the last decade, seen some pretty remarkable advances, but looking ahead, kind of the excitement around what the next 10 years might bring. It starts off by talking about multimodal interfaces.

We talk a lot on here just about multimodal access, the different ways that we’re able to access our devices and the world kind of around us. And we love having guests on to talk about the different things they’ve created or different things they’ve made in order to make it a little bit easier to access the technology that we all rely on pretty much every day. This talks about the accelerated advances in natural language processing that AI’s allowed in order to make it a little bit easier to switch effortlessly between voice, touch, gesture, eye, head movement, and all these other tools that individuals use to communicate, to collaborate and to really be able to work in a digital world without just using a normal old mouse, keyboard or touch screen.

What really gets exciting on this, and it talks about a little bit more of course, and I’ll put a link so that you can go read it yourself, but it talks about how these advancements allow the system to really adapt to human needs, instead of the individual having to learn and adapt to the systems around them. So basically, the system itself kind of figuring out exactly how you access things and then tailoring everything for that. And the writer is definitely very excited and talks about this being a great example of the benefits of hyper-personalization.

Now, if we really think universal design is kind of a way that we always kind of talk, that if you make it accessible for everybody, but at the same time, sometimes just because of our needs or the needs of the individual, you need hyper-personalization to really be able to access things in the best manner that you can and for the most productivity. So very cool, it goes on to talk about intelligent agents. We can always think about this sometimes, and I’m sure people have different feelings, but that little thing that pops up as you’re on a website, saying, “Oh, can I help you?” Or when you call in and you end up talking to this chat bot. So there are definitely some things out there that perhaps we don’t like, but there’s also some really helpful ones, if we think about the ones that help us clean up our inboxes in our mail or maybe help us make appointments on our calendars and things like that.

But this talks a little bit more about maybe a more personalized kind of assistant, one that, as it says here, understands your working style, anticipates your access needs and proactively helps without being intrusive. It talks about down here, for example, for employees with cognitive disabilities or neuro divergent colleagues, the agents could make customized reminders, interpret the tone of complex information, prioritize tasks and do all these different things kind of tailored to that individual. They could automate repetitive tasks, make work interactions feel less overwhelming and a lot of other things just to really help folks along in their day.

And some of these tools are there, but you have to access them, you have to go in and kind of do them. So this is talking about maybe having those intelligent agents that can do some of this work for you. And not only that, but actually know you and know what your access needs or maybe what some of the barriers that you’re experiencing are in order to collaborate with you and be able to assist you in your day. Next thing it talks about is ambient computing. This is the idea that computing power becomes invisible or embedded in the environment, responding natural to your presence and needs. Basically, this is kind of like if you think, I know some intelligent personal assistants such as the Amazon Echo devices, things like that, you can usually have words where you might say, “Hey, I’m home,” and it adjusts the thermostat, it maybe draws the blinds, turns on some music.

This basically would just know that you’re there and would be able to go ahead and enable some different tasks for you. So from an accessibility standpoint where it kind of talks is just that essentially, AT would not need expensive third party software, high technical training or interventions, it’s just there supporting you. Learning about your needs, kind of changing in order to assist you. And they actually mentioned Professor Greg Vanderheiden on here and he’s been on the show and actually discussed some of these things with us on the show. So if you want to go back and listen to that for kind of a more in-depth conversation about artificial intelligence and where he sees it going. And I love that he is mentioned here in this article as well.

Literally just sums the whole thing up with just an assistive revolution, technology that sees people first, and just talks about the incredible opportunity coming up over the next decade for these AI-powered technologies to really be able to break down barriers and make inclusive workspaces for all individuals. What do you think out there, listeners? I mean, I know there’s a lot of dangers and pitfalls and worry and other things about artificial intelligence, but there’s also, I feel like, some real opportunities. And I’m looking forward to see where it all goes. I mean, one thing I think I definitely see in some of the devices, especially those enabled with artificial intelligence is not just in access, but in access in the way of making things a little bit less expensive, making our devices a little bit easier to use.

Maybe I don’t need as much training to access it, it can figure those things out on its own. Maybe I don’t have to pay as much for a device that can do some things because it can be built in or enabled on a device I already own or on a consumer good, or something like that. Anyway, we’d love to hear from you and what you might think the future might hold for artificial intelligence and accessibility. But we’ll put a link to this story over the show notes. And coming up next on the show, we welcome back BridgingApps with An App Worth Mentioning.

This is Ale Gonzalez with BridgingApps, and this is An App Worth Mentioning. This week’s featured app is called ActivityTracker Pedometer. ActivityTracker Pedometer is an easy-to-use activity tracker that helps individuals track their steps, distance and calories burned, providing detailed activity statistics over time. It also offers customizable goals and integrates with other fitness apps like Apple Health for a comprehensive view of your fitness journey. A favorite feature is the daily screen display with large icons and visible step rings that change color and closes when the goal is achieved. It can be especially beneficial for individuals with special needs or disabilities by promoting physical activity in a personalized and achievable way.

It can track progress towards goals, offering motivation and helping users maintain or improve mobility, balance and overall health. For people with cognitive impairments or those who need gentle encouragement, step trackers can also provide reminders to stay active. Additionally, caregivers can use the data to monitor activity levels and tailor support to the individual’s needs. ActivityTracker Pedometer is currently available for both iOS and Android devices and is free to download. Users can purchase the pro version to access additional features for $19.99. For more information on this app and others like it, visit Bridgingapps.org.

Listeners today, we are getting artsy on Assistive Technology Update. We’re super excited to welcome Breanna Emmett, Art Specialist from Noble, Inc. to the show. We here at INDATA are super excited to partner with Noble to offer some adaptive supports and assistive technology to their art program participants through a demonstration and loan program. But I think that I’m even more excited to learn more about art and the importance of art in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Breanna, welcome to the show.

Yeah, hi. Thanks for having me.

Yeah, I am excited to talk about everything, but before we get all artsy, can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself?

Yeah, I am an Art Specialist with Noble Inc., and I am in charge of our Therapeutic Arts program.

Awesome. And I guess, tell us about your art program at Noble, but I guess we should probably start with what is Noble?

Yeah, Noble is a non-profit based in Indianapolis, and we serve people with developmental disabilities.

Nice, nice. Let’s talk about your program itself. Can you elaborate on the art program and what kind of, well, things it’s able to offer?

Yeah, the goal of our art program is to provide a creative space for the clients we serve to participate in the arts, to learn more about art, to engage in their own creativity and self-expression in both a recreational and a therapeutic way. We offer two different studio spaces and we do different sections. We offer open studio, which is where the art studio is open and anyone who wants to come in and just do their own individual projects can work on that.

Oh, nice.

And we also have planned activities, so if someone is like, “I want to make some art,” but they don’t really know what they want to do, I have planned activities for them and I run through them kind of in a class setting. So yeah, we do a lot.

Awesome. I know folks work on art a little bit by themselves, but then also kind of in a group. So can you tell us a little bit about maybe some individual versus the collaborative pieces?

Yeah, we do offer our open studio time, so that’s where people can come in and work on their individual projects. But we also do a lot of collaborative artwork, which is really fun because we kind of set it out where each person’s responsible for their individual piece of an artwork or a part of it, and then we put it together and it becomes this great team building piece that we’ve all kind of put our hands into. And at the end of it, we have this amazing artwork that we can all look at and be like, “Wow, we made that together.”

Oh, that’s super cool. Give me an example of what that… I mean, I guess it’s hard to describe since there’s no pictures here.

Right.

But if you can describe, what does that look like?

Yeah, one of my favorite collaborative artworks that we have done was this puzzle art. We had quite literally, everyone had their own piece that they’re responsible for. It was like these large puzzle piece cutouts and everyone did it in a way that also incorporated their name into it. And we put it all together and it was making this large puzzle together that everyone had their own spin on what their piece was. And then when we laid it out, it all connected together and it was kind of showing the picture of our Noble art community.

Oh, that’s super cool, that’s super cool. And yeah, just what a great piece to really show each individual’s artist skill, talent and what they’re interested in, as well as everybody all together, so super cool.

Yeah.

What are some of the barriers that the individuals you work with maybe face when trying to make art or be expressive or really express themselves through art?

Yeah, we have some physical barriers that I see, whether that comes from underdeveloped motor skills, physical disabilities or underlying medical conditions. We also see mental barriers that come from, sometimes people struggle with staying on task and staying focused, or if sometimes a project is a little too complicated, we can see some mental barriers there. But my job in the art program is to identify those barriers and say, “How can we eliminate those and how can we get the results that we’re looking for?” We never want to say, “You can’t do this because X, Y and Z.” It is always, “How can we help you and what resources can we provide you?”

Oh, most definitely, most definitely. And let people be able to get that creativity out of them.

Yeah.

Because it’s definitely in there for everyone. It’s just, yeah, how do you get it out and what’s the best means to do it? Well, talking about that, you talked about doing different kinds of projects, having different things. And I know that art can mean a lot of different things and include a lot of different media. What kinds of art do participants work on?

Yeah, we do a lot. We do acrylic painting, watercolor. We’ve worked with clay and sculpture. We have some very talented jewelry makers in our program, which is always really cool to see people who like knitting and weaving and embroidery, so we do a ton.

Kind of everything.

Yeah.

I feel like whenever you say art program, everybody just thinks of everybody painting on easels and it encompasses so much more, I love it. Why is art important for individuals with disabilities? Or I guess, really for anyone?

Oh, yeah. I think engaging in art is such an important part of the human experience. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t engage in arts in any way, whether that comes in visual arts, storytelling, music. And especially for people with disabilities, art offers a creative outlet to express yourself and for that emotional release. Sometimes when in a therapeutic sense, when we are feeling emotions that are really hard to articulate or express, it can be hard to say those with words.

But when it comes to making art, there’s something really powerful about turning an abstract feeling into a concrete thing, something physical. And it’s really beautiful to see. And there’s also an aspect of building confidence, that feeling of working on a project and seeing it through and finishing it and then sharing it with people. That does so many good things for someone’s confidence.

Oh, yeah. Well, I feel like especially with art, it’s not as structured as some other things. I mean, I guess there’s techniques and that kind of stuff, but there’s no one right way to make a painting, no one right way to sculpt something or no… And I guess probably just having that freedom a little bit probably opens it up to more individuals and lets them be able to express themselves.

Yeah, and that’s something I try to focus on in our art program, is there’s no wrong way to do it. The only wrong way is if you don’t like it, then we’ll keep working on it and make it something that you like. You are the only person you have to please here.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Awesome, awesome. Well, you are opening a new space next week, and that is kind of how I was lucky enough to get to meet you and ended up having you on the show. I guess, let’s talk about the new space. What all does it include?

Yeah, our new art space, we’re calling it Noble Art. It’ll include an art studio, a gallery, retail space, two large rooms for the day program, a teaching kitchen, a dining area and different therapy rooms, as well as a nurse’s office. So it’s going to have everything we need to run our day program and to keep expanding our art program as well.

Nice. And for our listeners that are local, it is in kind of the Speedway area right off the kind of revitalized main drag?

Yes.

Kind of area. And it’s a very cool, I was lucky enough to get to see the space. Now granted, when I saw it, some of the walls I don’t think we’re even roughed in, but very, very cool space and we’re really kind of excited about it. What are you most excited about with the new space?

Oh, I am definitely most excited for the retail space. We’ve participated in different community art shows and we have a couple public spaces where we have our clients’ artwork on display. But to have a designated space for showing off our art and for sharing it with the community, I am so excited for it and I know our clients are, too. It’s really amazing.

I know, that’ll be awesome to… I mean, anyone, I have no artistic talent so I don’t really know what this feels like, but I mean, to be able to have your stuff hanging in a gallery is really super-duper cool. And then you’re also throwing a kickoff party next week to celebrate. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Yeah, yeah. Our kickoff party is on October 30th. It’ll be from noon to 4:00 PM. It’s an open house style, so anyone in the community can come in and see what we’re doing and learn more about what Noble does and what Noble Art will be about. See our art studio and our gallery space, and we’re going to have a bunch of artwork already set up and on display so people can kind of see what our clients are working on.

Awesome, awesome. You’ve been doing this for a little while, so could you tell me a story about maybe someone you’ve worked with, experience in your art program that really maybe just kind of sticks out or sticks with you?

Yeah, there is a client who kind of started around the same time that I did at Noble. And I remember when I first met her, she was very shy and just getting used to being at the day program and having all these new people that she was interacting with. But she told me right away, she’s like, “I’ve been doing art since high school, this is something I really love.” And slowly I would see her come into our art studio and she’d still be very shy and closed off. And the more I worked with her and the more she did all these group projects with people, she would just really open up and she would be just so excited to learn more things and to grow as an artist.

And eventually, especially recently, she has been selected by people in the community to work on special commissions and to do special projects. The joy that she has, she’ll talk to me and she’ll be like, “I can’t believe they wanted me to do this.” And I’m like, “Yes, you, you’ve worked so hard for this and you’ve dedicated yourself to improving as an artist. You absolutely deserve this.” And I think about where she started and where she is now, and that is just such an amazing thing to see and to witness and be a part of.

Oh, definitely, definitely. And my next question was going to be, why do you do this? But nevermind, you just answered that.

Great, yeah.

To be able to have that feeling. I guess another kind of question, Breanna, is how did you get into this line of work? What made you decide this is what you wanted to do?

Yeah, I have always had this value that I say anyone can be an artist. You don’t need any formal education to engage with arts and to create things. That’s what drew me to Noble, was being able to support people who maybe have those barriers of, “I can’t be an artist because X, Y, Z.” And that’s something I’m really passionate about, is just helping people build their confidence as an artist and help them pursue the things that they want to do.

And then I guess for our listeners, maybe for some of the folks out there, either folks with disabilities who haven’t really tried to expand into art, maybe for some of our providers who maybe think an art program would be something good to get in, what’s kind of one piece of advice you could give them? Maybe where to start or maybe just something to keep in mind if they’re kind of looking to either start an art program or maybe just kind of dabble in the arts if it’s something they’re interested in.

Yeah, for anyone that is looking to get into the arts, I would say just focus on having fun with it. Being creative is such a fun thing and it’s such a beautiful thing to be able to create things and take supplies and turn it from one thing into something beautiful and something that you have a personal connection to. And I know a lot of people can get in their heads about, “Oh, it has to be perfect.” No, it doesn’t. It just has to exist and you just have to have fun with it. Let go and see what you create.

Awesome, awesome. Just full disclosure, my wife was an art education major, has never worked in that field ever since then. But when she’s very stressed and everything, I will take the kids away and she will, I don’t know, she’ll sew fabric flowers or make a painting or a drawing or a sketch or something else and it grounds her, it kind of brings her back. So it’s a great stress reliever and a great way to really just, I don’t know, get some of those emotions out and other kinds of things, and can be great for folks of all different abilities. Well, if our listeners want to find out more about Noble, your Art Program or maybe even the big event next week, what’s some good ways for them to do that?

Yeah, you can find out more at ww.mynoblelife.org/art. And you can also reach out to r.davis@mynoblelife.org or b.emmit@mynoblelife.org.

Excellent. We’ll put that all down in the show notes so that folks can learn about it and everything. And like I said, if you do happen to be here locally in the Indiana, Indianapolis area, definitely go check out that open house on the 30th because that would be a great way to be able to see the program. And even after that, go in and check out their retail space. Or if you’re heading to the 500 or something, I’m sure they’ll have something special out there because they are not far from the track.

And if you’ve ever been to Speedway, the track kind of expands into half of the city by the time the race gets here, so they might have some cool events going on at that time as well. Breanna, thank you so much for coming on, for talking about art, for partnering with us and letting us be a part of the program and be able to help folks really be able to access art and all the great things it can do for them.

Yeah, thank you for having me.

Do you have a question about assistive technology? Do you have a suggestion for someone we should interview on Assistive Technology Update? If so, call our listener line at 317-721-7124. Send us an email at Tech@eastersealscrossroads.org, or shoot us a note on Twitter @InDataProject. Our captions and transcripts for the show are sponsored by the Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation or InTRAC. You can find out more about InTRAC at RelayIndiana.com.

A special thanks to Nicole Prieto for scheduling our amazing guest and making a mess of my schedule. Today’s show was produced, edited, hosted and fraught over by yours truly. The opinions expressed by our guests are their own and may or may not reflect those of the INDATA Project, Easter Seals Crossroads, our supporting partners or this host. This was your Assistive Technology Update. I’m Josh Anderson with the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. We look forward to seeing you next time. Bye-bye.