Dr. Tom Chau, a distinguished senior scientist at the Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and professor at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada — one of the country’s highest civilian honours. Presented by the Governor General, the Order recognizes individuals whose outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation have made a lasting impact on Canadian society.

Chau received the honour for his pioneering contributions to pediatric rehabilitation engineering and his commitment to creating technologies that support children with disabilities to communicate and participate fully in life.

“I am deeply honoured by this appointment. I give thanks to God for his uncountable blessings that have facilitated our research over the years and for the many children, families, students, colleagues, donors and collaborators who have generously supported, mentored and encouraged me along the way. May this recognition embolden us all to continue striving towards the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families,” said Chau.

Pushing the boundaries of access innovation

For more than two decades, Chau has led research into what he calls “access innovations” — technologies and techniques that allow children and youth who are non-speaking or have limited motor control to interact meaningfully with their environment. These include systems powered by brain activity, muscle twitches, vocal cord vibrations and subtle facial gestures.

“We discover the unique abilities of each child and develop technologies to cater to those strengths,” Chau said. “Whether it’s brainwaves, humming or blinking, our goal is to support each child to express themself as a precious, unique and unrepeatable individual.”

Chau is the founder of the PRISM Lab (Paediatric Rehabilitation Intelligent Systems Multidisciplinary), a research group at Holland Bloorview. Since its launch in 2004, the lab has become a hub for applied engineering innovation and student training. His team has developed a range of groundbreaking tools, including the Hummingbird — a wearable device that translates vocal cord vibrations into switch outputs that can interface with communication devices and computers.

In addition to his research contributions, Chau served as vice president of research and director of the Bloorview Research Institute from 2012 to 2022. He currently holds the Raymond Chang Foundation Chair in Access Innovations and continues to mentor graduate students across multiple faculties at the University of Toronto.

A legacy of impact and inspiration

Holland Bloorview’s leadership says the honour reflects not just Chau’s scientific impact, but his long-standing commitment to empowering children with disabilities and the teams who support them.

“Tom’s work has reshaped how we think about communication, innovation and inclusion,” said Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO of Holland Bloorview. “His vision and deep respect for children and families have transformed lives and inspired new ways of thinking across the health-care and research systems.”

One of those families is the Devans, whose daughter Oviya first connected with Dr. Chau’s work through the Hummingbird.

“Dr. Chau believes that communication is every child’s human right,” said Ramya Raghavan, Oviya’s mother. “Because of his staunch belief in this fundamental idea, so many children like Oviya have a voice. Non-verbal with multiple motor challenges, Oviya struggled for years to make herself understood. The Hummingbird has given her a means to access communication, directly impacting her life and that of our family. We are forever grateful for Dr. Chau’s amazing innovations and the hard work he puts into bringing these ideas to life.”

This latest recognition adds to an already extensive list of accolades, including the Governor General’s Innovation Award, the Order of Ontario, the Meritorious Service Cross and Canada Research Chair appointments in pediatric rehabilitation engineering.

Chau’s work continues to influence not only scientific discovery, but also how communities understand and support children with disabilities.

“Every child has a really special mission that only they can achieve,” he said. “With families and clinical colleagues, our lab tries to help make that possible.”