Mitch Sturgeon is a writer and disability advocate living in South Portland, Maine, with his wife, Kim. Mitch earned his chemical engineering degree and MBA from the University of Maine. In 2001 he was diagnosed with primary progressive MS, and by 2009 he left the traditional workforce and launched his disability advocacy blog, Enjoying the Ride. He later published his memoir, Enjoying the Ride: Two Generations Of Tragedy And Triumph. Mitch sits on the Board of Directors for 3i Housing of Maine, a group dedicated to Independent, Innovative, Integrated housing for adults with mobility impairments. He is a member of the Patient Advisory Council at the University of Buffalo's Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, a world-class MS research facility. Mitch employs technology such as a stair climbing wheelchair, robotic dining assistant, robotic arm, and voice-activated smart home technology to help him navigate a disabled-unfriendly world.
Fun Tech Fact Questions & Answers:
Q: Mainstream tech device you can’t live without? Why?
A: It's a three-way tie. I can't live without my iPhone, because with its voice access feature, it becomes the starting point for many of my smart home devices. I can't live without my PC, because with its Dragon NaturallySpeaking feature, it becomes the portal to the entire world for me. I can't live without my smart speakers, because they help me interact with the rest of my smart home devices.
Q: What was your first cell phone?
A: Cell phones started out as car phones, and the first car phones were affectionately called bag phones. My first cell phone was a bag phone that plugged into what we called our cigarette lighter in the dashboard. I think I'm dating myself.
Q: What mainstream tech is at the top of your Wishlist?
A: I have what I need right now, but I can't wait to see what comes next!
Q: What mainstream tech device would you be and why?
A: I would be an automatic door opener. That way I could keep out the bad stuff and let in the good.