Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities

0625023HefzyThis奖将支持高年级学生从机械，工业和制造工程（MIME）在托莱多大学（UT）设计和制造定制设备的残疾人由大托莱多（ACT）的能力中心确定。ACT是一个非营利性的独立生活中心，其使命是帮助残疾人在社区中生活，工作和社交。作为培训和教育的一部分，UT的高级工程专业学生必须完成一个名为高级设计项目的顶级设计课程。在本课程中，学生设计，构造和测试原始或定制修改的设备，以满足客户指定的目标。 美国国家科学基金会的资金将支持设计项目的用品，设备和制造成本的收购。每年将完成10个项目，并将提交关于这些项目的书面报告，供在国家科学基金会援助残疾人的工程高级设计项目年鉴中每年出版。 在每学期结束时，一个展览会将展示由学生沿着与最终报告建立的原型。当地媒体，包括电视、广播和报纸，对这一活动进行了报道。社区领袖、卫生保健提供者的代表、残疾人及其家属、高中教师、当地专业协会成员和UT社区参加了这次博览会。这些活动使大学预科教师、青年和其他非科学家的公众接触科学和技术，从而促进和影响教育和人力资源。

0625023HefzyThis award will support senior students from the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (MIME) at The University of Toledo (UT) to design and fabricate custom-made devices for persons with disabilities identified by the Ability Center of Greater Toledo (ACT). The ACT is a non-profit center for independent living with a mission to assist people with disabilities to live, to work, and to socialize in the community.As part of their training and education, senior engineering students at UT are required to complete one capstone design course called Senior Design Projects. During this course, students design, construct and test an original or a custom-modified device to meet objectives specified by a customer. National Science Foundation funds will support the acquisition of supplies, equipment and fabrication costs for the design projects. Ten projects per year are to be completed and written reports on those projects will be submitted for annual publication in the yearly NSF book for Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities. At the end of each semester, an exposition will display the prototypes built by the students along with final presentations. This event is covered by the local Media and includes television, radio and newspapers. Community leaders, health care providers' representatives, persons with disabilities and their families, high school teachers, local professional society members, and the UT community attend this exposition. These activities provide exposure to science and technology for pre-college teachers, young people, and other non-scientist members of the public, thus contributing to and impacting education and human resources.