An Annual Review of Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

0302351 Enderle The award supports the publication of an annual review of all student biomedical engineering design projects supported by the Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) program; some 18 awards are currently active. The major goal of the undergraduate design projects is to provide devices or software that are typically too expensive, or nonexistent, to aid specific individuals with disabilities, and to enhance the educational opportunities for students. The proposed project is a continuation of work directed b y the Principal Investigator under awards 9596084 and 9813338 and is to be accomplished in cooperation with a Co-PI from the College of Health and Human Services, Ohio University. The intellectual merit of the annual review publication of NSF-funded projects to aid individuals with disabilities has several components: - Serve as a handbook for future design projects to aid persons with disabilities - Motivate new universities to participate because of the potential benefits to the student, school, and the community - Act as a reference for individuals implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The integrated whole of the broad impacts of the annual review serves two purposes: - Inspire individuals to work more actively in the field of rehabilitation so as to increase the technology knowledge base and more effectively address the needs of persons with disabilities - Enhance the educational outcomes achieved through RAPD awards Six hundred copies of the book are printed for each edition using a soft cover and heavy weight glossy paper. Distribution of the 600 copies per edition is as follows: five copies to the Director of each Undergraduate Design Projects' award; one copy to each academic program with an interest in biomedical engineering; one copy to state and federal agencies involved with rehabilitation; and other individuals who have requested previous editions of the book. All editions of the Annual Review publication are available at http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu.