About

About the Centre

A hub for research, education and impact in the disability space at Monash, our Centre is leading the development and adoption of life-changing technologies.

The MATS Centre helps people living with disabilities to lead self-directed lives. Emerging technologies have the potential to break down many of the barriers people with disabilities face at school, university, work and in community and cultural activities.

Pillars

Our activities are built on three interrelated pillars:

  • COMMUNITY IMPACT

    First and foremost, on-the-ground partnerships with the community underpin all our projects ensuring we’re addressing real problems faced by real people – creating a lasting impact. Impact achieved through new assistive technologies and partnerships that drive their adoption.

  • EXCELLENT RESEARCH

    Adopt a holistic lens to assistive technologies, including the development of new technologies and understanding the barriers to uptake of assistive technology.

  • RICH, INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

    Work with Monash Disability Support Services to provide Monash students with cutting edge assistive technologies. Ensure all Monash graduates appreciate the need for inclusive design. Outreach and programs to increase the number of students with disabilities studying STEM.

Overhead photograph of MATS team members and VIP visitors in the maker lab at the MATS launch event

MATS Launch

On 10 December 2024, Monash University’s Provost, Prof. Susan Elliott AM, hosted The Hon. Kate Thwaites MP, Assistant Minister for Social Security, to launch our MATS Centre.

Along with our honoured guests, the ARTS and IT Faculty Deans and members of the external MATS Advisory Committee, over 100 people were in attendance to be part of this special milestone for the Centre and were treated to an informative and inspiring overview and tour of the Centre’s work. Dr Meredith Prain, National Head of Research and Centre of Excellence - Deafblind at Able Australia, and a person with lived experience of vision impairment, spoke about her positive experiences with collaborating with MATS researchers. The first recipient of a MATS PhD scholarship and the HDR representative for MATS HDR students, Jing Hu, delivered a speech through a text-to-Speech program. Jing's research focuses on Alternative and Augmented Communication in higher education, and she is being supervised by Assoc Professor Louisa Willoughby (MATS Deputy Director).

Both Meredith and Jing reminded us in their talks about how Assistive Technology (AT) research needs to be led by people with disabilities and that AT is much more than just the technology itself.

A recording of the MATS Centre Launch presentations can be viewed below.