Undergraduate Design Projects for Developing Assistive Technology for Recreational Applications

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0314095LambertThe Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at San Diego State University (SDSU) has partnered with the Interwork Institute in the College of Education, the Disabled Businesspersons' Association (DBA), and the American Institute of Marine Studies (AIMS) to design and implement assistive technology in aquatic-related recreational applications as part of the undergraduate senior design project course sequence. The broad goal of this partnership is to develop technology solutions to allow physically challenged individuals to safely and independently participate in various aquatic recreational activities. The senior undergraduates in the SDSU ME program are required to work in teams on a sponsored design project during their last two semesters. Five projects each semester are to be focused on improving access to a specific recreational activity, primarily sailing, to specific individuals with disabilities. In addition, the usual team structure is to be expanded to include students enrolled in the Certificate of Rehabilitation Technology program co-sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Interwork Institute, and to work directly with disabled sailors in the "Challenged American" program sponsored by DBA and AIMS to make modifications of their sailboats and enable a broader range of physically challenged individuals to participate in aquatic recreation. The sailors and other athletes with physical disabilities are in the best position to identify necessary modifications of their sailboats and enable a broader range of other physically challenged individuals to participate in aquatic recreation. The project partnership builds on a successful relationship between the SDSU Colleges of Education and Engineering in the area of assistive technology. Ten undergraduate senior design teams are to be formed each year to develop assistive technology to improve access for the disabled to aquatic recreational activities. By teaming the undergraduate engineers with members from the rehabilitation technology program as well as the disabled users, a multidisciplinary approach is pursued that is expected to yield more robust and effective designs. This type of longer-term, team-based design project is the capstone learning experience for mechanical engineering students, providing a critical part of their development into competent professional engineers.