Professor Tom Chau inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame

Professor Tom Chau, a leading innovator in pediatric rehabilitation and assistive technology, has been inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in the Builder category at the 32nd Annual Induction Luncheon held in Toronto today. 

The Canadian Disability Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to enriching the quality of life for people with disabilities. 

Dr. Chau is a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering  and Senior Scientist and the Raymond Chang Foundation Chair in Access Innovations at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. His career has been defined by the development of groundbreaking technologies that enable children and youth with severe physical impairments to communicate and interact with their environment. 

Among his notable contributions are the Virtual Music Instrument, a computer vision-based tool that allows children of all abilities to engage in music creation, and the Hummingbird, a device that translates vocal cord vibrations into digital signals for communication. His lab has also pioneered brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), including the first ultrasonic BCI and an auditory-tactile BCI, which have expanded communication options for individuals with no functional vision or motor control. 

In 2019, Dr. Chau’s work led to the establishment of Canada’s first pediatric BCI clinic at Holland Bloorview, providing clinical access to these technologies for children and families. 

Dr. Chau has received numerous accolades for his contributions, including the Governor General’s Innovation Award (2018), the Jonas Salk Pioneer Award (2016), and appointments to the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2023. 

Over his tenure at the University of Toronto, Dr. Chau has mentored more than 60 graduate students from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, fostering a new generation of researchers in biomedical engineering and assistive technology.