Senior Design Projects at SUNY Stony Brook to Aid Children with Disabilities

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0076310GeThis award provides opportunities for senior engineering students at SUNY Stony Brook to develop and deliver custom-made prototype assistive devices to improve the quality of life for a group of severely disabled children at nearby BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services of the State of New York) Forest Brook Learning Center. The five year program centers on a systematic approach to engineering design called "Total Design". The design approach requires the students to interact directly with their clients in order to develop the product design specifications based on the specific physical limitations of a physically challenged child and then carry out the design tasks systematically. Eight senior design projects are planned each year to develop prototype devices for the disabled. One of the areas emphasized in these projects is the development of "Adaptive Play Technology" for creating adapted devices and toys that are enjoyable, stimulating, and offer rewarding activities for the child. Another feature of the program is the participation of high school students from the "Young Scholar" program at SUNY Stony Brook. A summer workshop for local high school teachers is planned. The outcome of the program will include the prototype devices developed for the disabled children and a set of case study materials that high school Technology/Science educators could use to stimulate interests of high school students in engineering, and especially assistive technology for the disabled. The education outreach activity will be coordinated with the New York State Standards for Science and Technology. The case study materials will be subjected to the Peer Review process for possible inclusion in the web based American Association for the Advancement of Science MARCOPOLO collaboration.