Video and Audio Streaming of the RESNA 2009 Student Design Competition

这笔资金是为了支持学生设计竞赛(SDC)，这将是6月23-27日在新奥尔良举行的2009年度RESNA会议的一部分。今天，美国有4000万到5600万人报告患有某种类型的残疾，随着婴儿潮一代进入晚年，这个数字可能会在未来几年里增加。RESNA是唯一一个专注于为残疾人提供技术的国际组织。该组织由1,000多名个人和机构成员(研究人员、临床医生、制造商、供应商、专业人员和技术设备的最终用户)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的技术标准委员会是美国国家标准协会(ANSI)的美国技术咨询小组，是美国驻国际标准化组织(ISO)的官方代表，负责为残障人士制定与辅助技术和其他产品有关的ISO标准。RESNA学生设计大赛培养创新和创造力，最终目标是生产有助于残疾人独立的技术。第一届SDC于1980年举行，作为首届RESNA会议的一部分。自那以后，超过200个设计被确定为获奖作品，这些作品是从来自115多所不同大学的学生提交的600多份作品中挑选出来的。SDC参赛作品仅代表学生的作品，包括设计文档；本科生和毕业生都有资格参加。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。一些过去的学生设计已经获得了专利，现在可以商业化使用。自2005年以来，NSF一直是该计划的支持者。今年的拨款将使SDC进一步扩大和加强，以便包括更多的参赛作品和支持更多的设计团队，特别是来自少数族裔、妇女和残疾人士的设计团队。大会网站上已经发布了参会邀请，并以电子方式分发给了大量设有工程和设计学院的学院和大学。一个由5名评委组成的团队将从最多10个团队中预选参赛作品，每个团队将邀请两名成员参加会议，费用由旅费和酒店资金支持，并提供免费注册。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。作为可持续发展大会的一部分，今年将举行第二次平台会议，5名入围者将在会上向大会与会者作报告。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/index.php.Broader Impact：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与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第二次用于提供SDC活动的视频和音频流，然后可以制作成播客或视频供RESNA网站使用。

This is funding to support the Student Design Competition (SDC), which will be part of the 2009 annual RESNA conference to be held June 23-27 in New Orleans. Today, between 40 million and 56 million people in the United States report some type of disability, and this number will likely grow in the coming years as the baby boom generation enters late life. 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 institutional members (researchers, clinicians, manufacturers, 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 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's Technical Standards Board is the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ANSI, the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), for the development of ISO standards pertaining to assistive technology and other products for persons with disabilities.The RESNA Student Design Competition fosters innovation and creativity with the ultimate goal of producing technology that can contribute to the independence of individuals 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 115 different universities. SDC entries are required to represent the work of students ONLY, including the design documentation; both undergraduates and graduates are eligible to take part. Many past participants in the event are now leaders in service, research, and educational areas related to technology for people with disabilities. Some past student designs have been patented and are now available commercially. NSF has been a supporter since 2005. 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 distributed electronically to a large number of colleges and universities with engineering and design schools. A team of 5 judges will pre-select entries from up to 10 teams, from which two members each will be invited to attend the conference supported with travel and hotel funds as well as complimentary registration. 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 this year for the second time as part of the SDC, 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/index.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 for the second time to provide video and audio streaming of the SDC activities that can then be made into podcasts or videos for the RESNA website.