Tobii’s North American division in Boston, USA, started life in the 1980s as a division of Boston Children's Hospital, the leading pediatric institution in the United States and the prime pediatric affiliate of the Harvard Medical School.
A new way of developing AAC products
The hospital’s Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) division developed several cutting-edge products over a span of several years. In a somewhat unique working method the IAT division’s research and engineering operation worked side-by-side with the clinicians, teachers, and patients with disabilities at Boston Children's Hospital to produce important products that truly addressed patient needs.
In 1995, the increased level of activity and industry interest in state-of-the art technology solutions for people with disabilities proved the catalyst in creating a separate, independent business for the special needs industry.
A new company for new communication solutions
The mission of this new company, Assistive Technology, Inc. (ATI), was to concentrate on developing, promoting, selling, and servicing innovative products for the disabled.
ATI grew into a comprehensive business operation with new products and a significant company infrastructure to service and support the customer. ATI released 15 breakthrough products, including MiniMerc, Mercury II, L*E*O, LinkPLUS, and LinkCLASSIC.
In December 2007, ATI merged with Tobii Technology of Sweden, a world leader in hardware and software eye tracking solutions. From its Boston office, Tobii maintains fully-staffed customer service, technical support, funding, and manufacturing/repair departments. The team also continues working on relationships with educators, clinicians, and those with disabilities to develop true user solutions.