Women in Technology: Temple Grandin

A while back I pledged to write about a woman in technology I admired for Ada Lovelace day.

Temple Grandin is an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She has invented and designed numerous devices and techniques used to further animal welfare in the meatpacking industry.

Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a young age,and as she grew older she realized that not having a neurotypical brain was an advantage in the field of work she was pursuing: she notices things neurotypical people don't, but animals do. Small details such as shadows or flapping material that would otherwise spook an animal, but which many humans do not regard as important due to naturally percieving things through inattentional blindness.

Grandin developed a restraint device for cattle after noticing that many of the squeeze chutes the animals went through bruised, hurt or panicked them.

Being gently "held" while moved along the chute calmed the animals down and reduced accidents.

Grandin also built herself a "human Squeeze Machine:

When I saw the cattle in their squueze chute and got inspired to build a squueze machine for myself, at first I was thinking only about the calming effects of deep pressure. So I built it with just two hard plywood boards without any padding or cushions. All autistic children and adults like deep pressure. Some of them will put on really tight hats and belts to feel the pressure and a lot of autistic children like to lie underneath sofa cushions and have a person sit on top of the cushions. I used to do this when I was little. The pressure relaxed me.

-Temple Grandin, Animals in Translation







Grandin noticed that when she was in her squeeze machine she felt like being social. After experimenting with other scientists with the effects of a smaller squeeze machine on animals, she noticed that the action of a piglet or chick snuggling against the foam of the machine made them calmer. Grandin theorized that this was down to physical contact producing more Oxytocin.

This research is important for people with autism. A lot of autistic children can't stand to be touched. I was like that when I was a little kid. I wanted to feel the nice social feeling of being held, but it was just too overwhemling. It was like a tidal wave of sensation drowning me...the only way I can think of describing it is being in the ocean with waves washing over you that keep getting bigger and bigger. At first the waves feel good, and the sensation is soothing and relaxing. But as the waves get stronger and more powerful you feel like you're starting to drown and panic. When I first used my squeeze machine it was overwhelming too. I had to force myself to relax into it and let the good feeling wash over me. Today I think it's very important to desensitize autistic children to touch. It's not that autistic children don't want to be touched; it's that their systems can't handle it. A lot of occupational therapists have ways to work with an autistic child so that touch starts to feel much less intense and more normal. That's important.

-Temple Grandin, Animals in Translation


Some links if you'd like to know more:


Seeing in Beautiful, Precise Pictures- Radio program where Grandin speaks about her work.

Grandin's Restraint System for animal welfare- Goes into detail about the designs and methods used.

More Ada Lovelace Day Posts.

ALD09post

Women in Technology: Temple Grandin

A while back I pledged to write about a woman in technology I admired for Ada Lovelace day.

Temple Grandin is an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She has invented and designed numerous devices and techniques used to further animal welfare in the meatpacking industry.

Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a young age,and as she grew older she realized that not having a neurotypical brain was an advantage in the field of work she was pursuing: she notices things neurotypical people don't, but animals do. Small details such as shadows or flapping material that would otherwise spook an animal, but which many humans do not regard as important due to naturally percieving things through inattentional blindness.

Grandin developed a restraint device for cattle after noticing that many of the squeeze chutes the animals went through bruised, hurt or panicked them.

Being gently "held" while moved along the chute calmed the animals down and reduced accidents.

Grandin also built herself a "human Squeeze Machine:

When I saw the cattle in their squueze chute and got inspired to build a squueze machine for myself, at first I was thinking only about the calming effects of deep pressure. So I built it with just two hard plywood boards without any padding or cushions. All autistic children and adults like deep pressure. Some of them will put on really tight hats and belts to feel the pressure and a lot of autistic children like to lie underneath sofa cushions and have a person sit on top of the cushions. I used to do this when I was little. The pressure relaxed me.

-Temple Grandin, Animals in Translation







Grandin noticed that when she was in her squeeze machine she felt like being social. After experimenting with other scientists with the effects of a smaller squeeze machine on animals, she noticed that the action of a piglet or chick snuggling against the foam of the machine made them calmer. Grandin theorized that this was down to physical contact producing more Oxytocin.

This research is important for people with autism. A lot of autistic children can't stand to be touched. I was like that when I was a little kid. I wanted to feel the nice social feeling of being held, but it was just too overwhemling. It was like a tidal wave of sensation drowning me...the only way I can think of describing it is being in the ocean with waves washing over you that keep getting bigger and bigger. At first the waves feel good, and the sensation is soothing and relaxing. But as the waves get stronger and more powerful you feel like you're starting to drown and panic. When I first used my squeeze machine it was overwhelming too. I had to force myself to relax into it and let the good feeling wash over me. Today I think it's very important to desensitize autistic children to touch. It's not that autistic children don't want to be touched; it's that their systems can't handle it. A lot of occupational therapists have ways to work with an autistic child so that touch starts to feel much less intense and more normal. That's important.

-Temple Grandin, Animals in Translation


Some links if you'd like to know more:


Seeing in Beautiful, Precise Pictures- Radio program where Grandin speaks about her work.

Grandin's Restraint System for animal welfare- Goes into detail about the designs and methods used.

More Ada Lovelace Day Posts.

ALD09post