An Annual Review of Engineering Senor Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities, 2007

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Enderle, John Proposal Number: 0932904 The objective of this proposal is the continued publication for an additional one year of an annual review of completed senior design projects for persons with disabilities that have been supported by the NSF through the Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) program. The academic years to be funded include 2006-2007. Previous editions have been compiled annually since 1989. A total of 18 books have been published (1989-2006). Over 2,200 projects have been detailed in these publications between 1989 and 2006, involving over 6,000 students. The projects described are custom designed to address the specific needs of the persons with disabilities, serving over thousands of persons with disabilities. Publication in this annual publication is required of all senior design projects funded by the NSF for persons with disabilities. Each annual review begins with a title page, a table of contents and a forward describing the history of the program. Following the introduction and several chapters on best practices in design and assessment are the project description chapters. Each project description chapter is devoted to one of the participating schools in the RAPD program. The first project of each chapter is described with more detail than the projects that follow so that the analytic content of the project can be more fully described. Due to space constraints, the remainder of the chapter includes one- or two-page reports for each of the completed projects. For ease in reading, each report uses a consistent format: Introduction, Summary of Impact, and Technical Description. At the end of the book, an index is provided so that projects can be easily identified and cross-referenced. A WWW site was created at http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu to boost the dissemination of these publications. The entire site is fully searchable for ease in locating projects of interest for all published books. In the past, 600 copies of each edition have been printed using a soft cover and heavy weight glossy paper. Now, 25 copies of the book will be printed, along with 600 professional quality CDs. Intellectual Merit. The annual review of NSF funded projects to aid persons with disabilities serves as a handbook for future design projects to aid persons with disabilities and acts as a reference for individuals dealing with implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act and related legislation. The web feature of the publication makes it easy to locate projects or ideas for persons working in the field of rehabilitation engineering. The annual publication has also been used by the NSF to brief Congress on NSF funded projects that impact the lives of persons with disabilities. Broader Impact. The annual review of NSF funded projects to aid persons with disabilities has motivated universities to participate in this program because of the potential benefits to the students, individuals with disabilities, colleges and universities, and communities. Over 6,000 students have participated in the publications, including many from underrepresented groups. The books are broadly distributed throughout the US to those working with persons with disabilities. For universities participating in this program, the books provide substantial guidance to instructors and teaching materials for future design projects. It also has inspired all individuals to work more actively in the field of rehabilitation, leading to an increased technology and knowledge base to effectively address the needs of people with disabilities. The projects reported have had a tremendous impact on thousands of persons with disabilities.