Kurt Kohlstedt

3 weeks ago | 99percentinvisible.org | Kurt Kohlstedt

Last year, 99pi‘s Kurt Kohlstedt suffered a serious injury that initially rendered his right arm and hand both completely numb and paralyzed. Tests revealed severe damage to his right brachial plexus, an essential network of nerves between the arm and spinal cord. Kurt was told to expect a partial recovery spanning years, and has since regained limited use of his impacted limb.

1 month ago | 99percentinvisible.org | Kurt Kohlstedt

Introducing the KURTY Single-Handed Half-Board Keymap (or KURTY for short!), a free plug-and-play system enabling one-handed touch-typing on two-handed QWERTY keyboards. After a debilitating injury to my right arm and hand, I researched and tested adaptive keyboards, which had some crafty features but also deal-breaking downsides.

1 month ago | 99percentinvisible.org | Kurt Kohlstedt

As a design writer seeking a one-handed writing solution for myself, I expected to research and test various adaptive options, settle on one best suited to my needs, and then write about it. But as my search progressed, to my great surprise, I came to realize that it would be easier, faster, cheaper, and better all around to design a custom solution. Previously, we explored various assistive writing technologies, including one-handed keyboards.

1 month ago | 99percentinvisible.org | Kurt Kohlstedt

Last year, an accident left my right arm and shoulder numb and paralyzed. After extensive testing, doctors determined that I had severely injured my right brachial plexus — a crucial nexus of nerve pathways carrying signals back and forth between my spinal column and right upper extremities. It was made clear that I shouldn’t expect to recover full feeling or functionality. Of the many fears accompanying this pronouncement, the most visceral pertained to writing.

2 months ago | 99percentinvisible.org | Kurt Kohlstedt

Peripheral neuropathy feels paradoxical at times, as sensory nerve damage can lead both to extreme hypersensitivity on the one hand, as well as sections of complete numbness on … well, that very same injured hand. The impacts of such damage can be felt most persistently in the realm of apparel. Increased sensitivity (hyperesthesia) coupled with unusual pain responses to ordinary stimuli (allodynia) can make ordinary fabrics, seams, and tags feel unusually (and even unbearably abrasive).