The Eightfold Development Team - Together have over 60 years of automation, software and hardware design

Ke Wang, Founder & Software Developer

It was in 2005 that Ke became disabled after being struck by a SUV while standing at a bus stop. After years of hospitalization and rehabilitation, he realized that the existing devices for the disabled community fall short of meeting some of the most basic needs for himself and others alike. Fast forward to 2013, Ke started the SmartChair project at Eightfold Technologies to enable a new level of independence.

With over 20 years of developing and managing large scale automation projects in the high tech industry, Ke is leveraging his experience as Software Engineer at Engel and at Rockwell International, and as Manager of software development for the automation department at JDS Uniphase. In 2003, he founded Eightfold Technologies, initially a high tech consulting company where he and his partners took on and completed several notable projects such as the development and deployment of a full scale production tracking system for Smart Technologies, the maker of SmartBoards. To continue on the smart stream, it is today the home of the SmartChair.

Ke is the Software Engineer for the SmartChair and holds a Computer Engineering degree from McMaster University in Hamilton (Ontario).

Benoît Côté, Hardware Developer

Benoît Côté is a graduate of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Robotics Program at Algonquin College in Ottawa (Ontario), where he met Tony Awad. His passion is to improve the quality of life for people through the advancement of technology. As class peers, Tony took notice of Benoît’s remarkable talents and invited to him join Eightfold Technologies to develop the SmartChair.

From building the company’s existing lab environment, to printing custom 3D parts and developing circuit boards, Benoit is further advancing the SmartChair project.