Kenneth Stunnenberg is an Embedded Engineer at SpeakSee. After initially joining as an intern in February, he is now working closely with the other members of the Technical Development team.

What is your role at SpeakSee? (How does an average day look for you)

In my role at SpeakSee I work mostly in the research & development department and this is generally a project-based approach to the final products progress. My work usually pertains to the products hardware and software, I am currently testing for any bugs or inconsistency’s in the product and fixing them accordingly. My background is in electrical engineering and my work within the R&D department is mostly focused on study and application of the device’s electrical elements.

When did you first begin working for SpeakSee? (How did you first hear about the company)

Whilst I was finishing my bachelor’s degree, I was searching for a company to complete my internship period and I came across SpeakSee’s advert on a student internship portal. After making a shortlist of companies within Rotterdam that were working on something tech related, I decided that SpeakSee would represent the best opportunity for me because of the stage that they were in. As SpeakSee was in the development phase I have been able to gain an interesting experience in the ways that products can be altered as they approach the launch on to the market. After a conversation with some of the members of the team I knew that this is where I wanted to work, and I joined SpeakSee in February 2020.

What motivates you to make the world more accessible for those who are Deaf or hard of hearing?

I first learnt about the accessibility issues that people in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community face through my mother as she works for a hearing aid company. From this experience I have been able to understand the struggles that Deaf and Hard of Hearing people face, and it motivates me to work for a solution which can hopefully help to make the world more accessible in the future. I am glad that my work will hopefully add to the portfolio of products available for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities.

What has been your hardest challenge during your time with SpeakSee?

I think that the COVID-19 crisis has certainly impacted my time at SpeakSee. My internship was very much hardware related and the limitations that working from home provided meant that I had to be very calculated in the way I spent my time. In a normal situation I would have spent my entire time at the office and access to the soldering equipment would not have any limitations, but during this period we have had to plan a lot more to ensure that we minimise our office time as much as possible.

What has been your favourite moment during your time at SpeakSee? (A milestone or breakthrough moment maybe)

Achieving my bachelor’s degree and passing that at SpeakSee was a big moment for me and one which I am glad that I was able to achieve here. I also take a great deal of satisfaction in seeing parts of that assignment being used right now in our work. Joining the team full-time after my internship was completed makes me very proud and I am really looking forward to my future here and finally releasing the product out there for everyone to experience in the coming months.