Enabling Technologies Laboratory: Student Design Program

Wayne State University, Detroit MI

Investigators

Abstract

0204099 Erlandson This grant continues the successful Design Projects' activities supported by award 9707720 in which students design and build custom projects for individual persons with disabilities. The objectives of the program are to enhance engineering education, provide students with insight into careers in rehabilitation, improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, and serve the community. The projects meet special needs of individual disabled persons not addressed by commercial devices. Students from four engineering disciplines participate in the Design Projects activity: Mechanical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Industrial Engineering; Biomedical Engineering. (ETL) student project devices and systems are being used daily at schools and businesses throughout southeastern Michigan. ETL is part of a consortium of eight Regional Educational Service Agencies, representing eight counties in southeastern Michigan (termed Region IV) and the majority of ideas for student design projects come from teachers working at schools within that Region. Descriptions of completed design projects are found in the Annual Review of Design Projects at http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu.