Podcasting the 2008 RESNA Student Design Competition

这笔资金是为了支持今年的学生设计竞赛(SDC)，这将是2008年RESNA年会的一部分，会议将于6月26日至30日在华盛顿特区举行。RESNA是唯一一个专注于为残疾人提供技术的国际组织。本组织由1,000多名个人成员和200多名机构成员--研究人员、制造商、临床医生、供应商、专业人员和技术设备和设备的最终用户--组成，其宗旨是改善残疾人的健康和参与主流社会。为此，RESNA通过一系列计划和活动支持那些从事研究、开发、教育、宣传和提供技术的个人，除了年度会议外，这些计划和活动还包括针对辅助技术从业者、供应商和康复工程技术员的认证计划，以及赞助的项目。RESNA是ANSI指定的为残疾人使用的产品制定自愿标准的国家机构。第一届SDC于1980年举行，作为首届RESNA会议的一部分。自那以后，从来自110多所不同大学的学生提交的600多份作品中，已有200多件设计被评为获奖作品。SDC参赛作品只能代表学生的作品，包括设计文档，但本科生和研究生都有资格提交参赛作品。许多过去参加这次活动的人现在是与残疾人技术相关的服务、研究和教育领域的领导者。复活节海豹突击队和美国瘫痪退伍军人组织等国家公认的残疾组织以及强生公司的一个子公司为过去的残疾控制提供了支持。NSF自2005年以来一直是支持者，今年的资金将使SDC进一步扩大和加强，以便包括更多的参赛作品和对更多设计团队的支持，特别是来自少数族裔、妇女和残疾人的设计团队。大会网站上发布了参会邀请，并向拥有工程和设计学院的主要学院和大学发出了邀请，其中包括历史上的黑人学院和大学。由5名评委组成的团队将从最多10个团队中预选参赛作品，这些团队将被邀请参加会议。在为期半天的环节中，参赛队伍将在评委和公众面前进行陈述，最终将选出5支队伍作为最终获胜者。评委将有机会向设计团队提问并提出建议和建议。将举行一次平台会议，5名最终入围者将向大会与会者发表演讲。所有被邀请参加会议的SDC团队将有机会在大会期间的海报会议上介绍他们的项目。欲了解更多信息，请访问http://www.resna.org/Conference/Conference.php.。更广泛的影响：一年一度的RESNA会议和学生设计大赛相结合，为在职和有经验的康复工程师和即将进入该领域的学生之间的互动创造了一个论坛。该活动以本科生为主要对象，将为参与者提供帮助他们在工程和设计职业生涯中取得成功的经验和技能，并将进一步鼓励、支持和指导不同学科的学生参与辅助技术和康复工程领域。为了帮助交流和传播关于这一影响残疾人生活的重要机会的信息，并进一步增加个人和大学参与者的多样性，国家科学基金会的资金将在今年首次用于播客SDC。

This is funding to support this year's Student Design Competition (SDC), which will be part of the 2008 annual RESNA conference to be held June 26-30 in Washington DC. RESNA is the one organization with an international focus that is devoted solely to technology for individuals with disabilities. Comprised of over 1,000 individual and 200 institutional members - researchers, manufacturers, clinicians, suppliers, professionals and end-users of technology devices and equipment - the organization has as its purpose to improve the health and participation of people with disabilities in mainstream society. To this end, RESNA supports those individuals engaged in research, development, education, advocacy and the provision of technology through a number of programs and activities, which in addition to the annual conference include a credentialing program for assistive technology practitioners, suppliers and rehabilitation engineering technologists, as well as sponsored projects. RESNA serves as the ANSI-designated national body for development of voluntary standards for products used by persons with disabilities. The first SDC was held in 1980 as part of the inaugural RESNA conference. Since then, over 200 designs have been identified as winning entries, chosen from more than 600 submissions by students from over 110 different universities. SDC entries must represent the work of STUDENTS ONLY, including the documentation of the design, but both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to submit entries. Many past participants in the event are now leaders in service, research, and educational areas related to technology for people with disabilities. Support for past SDCs has been provided by nationally recognized disability organizations such as Easter Seals and Paralyzed Veterans of America, as well as by a subsidiary of the Johnson & Johnson Company. NSF has been a supporter since 2005, and this year's funding will enable the SDC to be further expanded and enhanced so as to include more entries and support for more design teams, especially from minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities. A call for participation has been posted on the conference website, and also sent out to major colleges and universities with engineering and design schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. A team of 5 judges will pre-select entries from up to 10 teams, who will be invited to attend the conference. During a half-day session in which the teams will make presentations before the judges and public audience at the conference, 5 teams will ultimately be selected as the final winners. Judges will have an opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions and recommendations to the design teams. A platform session will be held in which the 5 finalists will make presentations to the general conference attendees. All SDC teams invited to the conference will have an opportunity to present their projects in a poster session during the general conference time. More information is available online at http://www.resna.org/Conference/Conference.php. Broader Impacts: The annual RESNA Conference and the Student Design Competition combine to create a forum for interaction between working and experienced rehabilitation engineers and students who are about to enter the field. Unique in its primary focus on undergraduates, the event will provide participants with experience and skills that assist them to be successful in their engineering and design careers, and will further encourage, support and mentor students in various disciplines to become involved in the assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering fields. In an effort to help communicate and disseminate information about this important opportunity to impact the lives of individuals with disabilities, and to increase participant diversity even further both with respect to individuals and universities, NSF funding will be used in part this year to podcast the SDC for the first time.