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Candidate Team
Projects - 2015
Team Projects
are for suitable for 1, 2, or 3 students taking the course for three credit
units.
l - new or updated project description for
2015
v -
project to be "pitched" in class on Thursday, January 8th
Team Projects suggested this
year:
Team Projects suggested last
year:
Team Projects suggested in past
years:
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l Project title
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Background:
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Problem:
-
Aim:
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Design Criteria:
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Other:
- Links:
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l Art Tools Project
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Background: Abilities United
ensures that thousands of people with developmental and physical disabilities
fully participate in community life. They support children and adults, their
families and the community, and champions a culture in which all members of
society are included and appreciated for their distinctive
contributions.
Several participants who Abilities United
serve have significant range of motion and muscle / motor control challenges
but greatly enjoy art. The artists, all of whom also have a developmental
disability, have a unique way of expressing their unique artistic
interpretation of their subjects. Their joy of art and life is expressed in
works created with acrylic paint, watercolor, paper, and other
mediums.
-
Problem: Currently Abilities
United staff needs to provide several of its artists with personal full-time
assistance during art activities. Even with this level of attention, they can
only help the artists in a very limited way.
-
Aim: Explore designs that would
allow these artists to be more independent and increase their ability to
participate in art.
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Design Criteria: The design
should:
- be simple tools or
adaptations
- avoid creating a mess
- be easy to set up and put
away
- minimize the need for staff
assistance
- permit artists to pursue their craft
independently
-
Other: Artwork is available for
purchase.
- Links:
- Abilities United
- Palo
Alto's Abilities United teaches independent living skills
- Making
art, building lives
- Teacher
Tips to Adapt Art Projects for Special Ed
- Art
Supplies for the Special Education Classroom
- Working with Special
Needs Students in Art
- KinderArt
- Activities
for Disabled Adults
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l Out of Control Wheelchair Project
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Background: During interviews
performed in conjunction with the Intel's
Connected
Wheelchair project, every wheelchair user with a high-level spinal cord
injury reported having been involved in a dangerous event such as being thrown
from their wheelchair or being unable to straighten up after leaning forward
too far. While wearing a harness would prevent many of these incidents, some
users are not provided with one or choose not to wear one as they feel it
impedes their movement.
-
Problem: These dangerous events
may occur when there is no one around to assist the wheelchair
user.
-
Aim: Explore a dual design
solution that both addresses the limitations of current harnesses (including
lack of aesthetic appeal, difficulty to put on, and movement restrictions), and
detects and reports dangerous events.
-
Design Criteria: The harness
design should:
- be visually appealing
- be easy to put on and
remove
- be comfortable
- provide support without restricting
the user's movement
-
The dangerous event detecting device
should
- reliably detect wheelchair users
thrown from their chairs
- identify the forward leaning
posture
- avoid false positive
alarms
- provide a local alarm as well as a
means of wireless reporting
-
Other: An
Intel
Galileo (Arduino-compatible) microcontroller will be
provided.
- Links: Posture alarm
products:
- Lumo Back
- iPosture
- Prototyping
Fun with a Posture Alarm
- Wearable
Device Helps Perfect Posture - UpRight
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l Orthotics Projects
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1. Aesthetic Limb Cover
Project
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Background: "In 1989, at the age
of 8, I was struck by a semi-truck, resulting in massive trauma to my right
leg. Because the injury happened at such a young age, in addition to losing a
significant portion of the lateral side of my right leg, I experienced growth
deformities as I came of age. I am not an amputee as I still have my full limb;
however it has significantly less girth, has abnormal contours from muscle
trauma, sits at an abnormal angle, and has an abnormal rotation. Like me,
millions of people live with disfigured limbs resulting from congenital
diseases, growth deformities, and trauma." - Max
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Problem: While there are solutions
to address functional deficiencies in limbs, there are none that directly
address the aesthetic damage. The psychological impact of the visual appearance
of a disfigured limb can be catastrophic to those so affected. It can affect
their willingness to be seen in public, to participate to certain activities,
and otherwise live a normal life. Imagine someone with a disfigured leg wanting
to wear shorts on a hot day or go swimming but not doing so because they don't
want to deal with people staring at their limb.
-
Aim: Explore cover designs that
address these superficial deficiencies in my right leg - specifically the lack
of girth, the abnormal angle, and the abnormal shape - essentially hiding the
disfigurement. The limb covering itself can be noticeable, but not the
underlying disfigurement.
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Design Criteria: The limb cover
must:
- Look great. When wearing the device,
it must visually appear like a normally leg or as normal as possible given the
extent of the underlying limb disfigurement. The covering does not need to look
like actual skin it only needs to copy the shape and "pattern" of a leg. The
covering could have the aesthetic of an article of clothing.
- Be easy to put on and take
off.
- Not slide down or fall off of the limb
while in use.
- Allow the limb to "breath". A design
cannot result in the limb becoming excessively hot.
- Not restrict current function of the
limb (e.g. flexion and rotation). The cover must allow the user to walk and
move normally as any piece of clothing.
- Be able to be taken into the water and
still function (i.e. not fall off), not have functional issues, and can be
dried out without damage.
- Be washable.
- The design does not need to address
structural deficiencies of the limb (e.g stability or function).
- Preferably the specific design methods
employed should be transferable to other uniquely disfigured limbs, ie, the
product should be able to be replicated for different users with different
disfigurements.
-
Other: "Here is my opinion of good
aesthetics. If I could slip something on that would have my leg look roughly
like
this,
I would be ecstatic."
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2. Knee Extension Assistance
for Sports
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Background: "Despite my injuries,
I have maintained an extremely active lifestyle. I CrossFit, play tennis, run,
swim, cycle, and snowboard. This fall I competed in the San Diego Triathlon
Challenge, San Francisco CrossFit Virtuosity, Working Wounded Crossfit Games,
and the Men's Health SF Urbanathlon. I am always looking to push the boundaries
of my performance and finding orthotic equipment that will aid in this." -
Max
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Problem: "I sustained a massive
amount of damage from my accident. Among other injuries, two of my four
quadriceps were lost. As a result I have a difficult time extending my knee
(straightening it out). My knee flexion is significantly stronger than my
extension. My lack of extension strength is one of the key functional deficits
that prevent me from achieving higher levels of functionality. The extension
devices that do exist are designed for low level functional assistance such as
standing and slow walking. There is nothing available commercially for use in
high performance activities."
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Aim: Explore designs for a knee
extension assist mechanism that will attach to an existing knee brace for use
in heavy sports activities such as snowboarding, Olympic weightlifting,
cycling, running, and jumping.
- Design Criteria The design:
- can't be too bulky or heavy such that
performance gains are nullified
- must also accommodate walking and
sitting either while active or by being easily engaged / disengaged
- must be very responsive in its
application of assistance, providing aid to an already functional
limb
-
Other: Videos of Max:
- Links:
- GoodLeg.org
- Recofit
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l Enhanced Visibility Project
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Background: The WHILL Model A is a
mobility device meant to give wheelchair users a sleek alternative to standard
chairs, which often lack aesthetic appeal and thereby reinforce stereotypes of
weakness or helplessness.
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Problem: While the WHILL has
built-in lights that are designed into the rear wheel covers, they are
insufficient to provide adequate visibility at night.
-
Aim: Explore designs that will
enhance the night time visibility and safety of the WHILL.
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Design Criteria: The design
should:
- not alter or permanently deface or
damage the physical structure or operation of WHILL
- integrate with WHILL's
appearance
- provide forward illumination (as a car
headlight)
- enhance side and rear
visibility
- automatically operate based on sensed
ambient lighting
- include a manual override
- optionally include a light show
mode
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Other:
- Links:
- WHILL,
Inc.
- Ashley's
Passion to Redefine Accessibility
- TechCrunch Tokyo 2012
Winner Whill's Sleek Wheelchair Alternative Is Ready For
Pre-Orders
- WHILL
back light
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l Improved Hand Controls Project
-
Background: Hand controls are
mechanical or electromechanical devices that attach to the gas and brake pedals
and make it possible for drivers without use of their legs to operate the car's
accelerator and brake with their hands.
-
Problem: Hand control features
vary considerably between models available commercially. Dan, a driver and
double amputee, has two set of hand controls each with both appealing and
non-appealing features.
-
Aim: Explore hand control designs
that would combine the best features of Dan's hand controls.
-
Design Criteria: The design
should:
- fit in Dan's car
- be easy to install and remove by
Dan
- not permanently alter or damage the
car
- meet Dan's approval and
needs
-
Other:
- Links:
- Hand Controls for Cars
and Vans
- Kempf Dario
digital hand controls
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l Educational Design Kit for Children with
Disabilities
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Background: The Resource Area for
Teaching (RAFT) creates innovative hands-on Educational Activity Kits which are
used by 12,000 educators to help over one million K-12 students master
important educational concepts and work skills. These kits are particularly
popular with many educators because they seem to "open up" students with
physical, mental, or emotional disabilities and get them excited about learning
and participating.
RAFT would like to introduce an
Educational Design Kit, a new type of hands-on, open-ended, multi-subject kit
for teachers to use to stimulate learning, teamwork, and creative thinking in
their classrooms.
-
Problem: These Educational Design
Kits must be accessible to all children, both with and without disabilities, to
engage them in learning, teamwork, and creative thinking.
-
Aim: Explore ideas for an
Educational Design Kit that will engage children (grades 3 to 8) including
those with moderate sight, mobility, or dexterity limitations and evaluate
their effectiveness in a classroom setting.
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Design Criteria:
- Activities using the Educational
Design Kit must promote learning, teamwork, and creative thinking.
- The Educational Design Kit must be
appropriate for the intellectual and disability level of the
students.
- The kit must address at least two
subject areas such as science, math, art, language, engineering, programming,
etc.
- The Educational Design Kit can take
the form of a toy, product, game, story, work of art, etc.
- The materials comprising the kits must
be low cost and safe to use and can a variety of interesting surplus items
available at RAFT such as foam, cloth, wood, paper, corks, bottle caps, and
CD's as well as other readily-available items such as tape, paperclips, and
string.
- The kits themselves must be compact,
easy to store, setup, explain, use, and ship.
- The Educational Design Kit must
include a comprehensive instruction guide and educational plan for
teachers.
-
Other: Access will be provided to
teachers for their input and feedback and to children to test the classroom
effectiveness of the Educational Design Kit.
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l Hand Cycle Transfer Project
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Background: A hand cycle is a type
of land vehicle powered by the user's arms rather than the legs, as on a
bicycle. As such, these devices bring the joy of biking to people with
disabilities due to spinal cord injuries or other conditions that affect the
strength and function of the lower limbs. Most hand cycles are tricycle in
form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front
wheel.
The Bay Area Outreach and Recreation
Program (BORP) Adaptive Cycling Center in Berkeley has the country’s
largest and most diverse collection of hand cycles for use by people with
physical disabilities. The facility offers orientation and training to new
riders, independent use of hand cycles, and group rides.
-
Problem: Hand cyclists with
quadriplegia may experience biking challenges due to their reduced hand grip,
arm, and upper body strength.
-
Aim: Explore designs that would
help a hand cyclist with quadriplegia independently transfer to and from
his/her wheelchair to an Invacare Top End Force-3 hand cycle.
-
Design Criteria: The designs must
not permanently damage the hand cycle and must be safe for the hand
cyclist.
-
Other:
- Links:
- Bay Area Outreach and
Recreation Program (BORP) Adaptive Cycling
- Handcycling
- Handcycle
- Invacare
Top End Force-3
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l Emergency Events
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Problem: Individuals with
disabilities and older adults may be an increased risk for injury during and
after an emergency event due to their reduced mobility and sensory
capabilities.
-
Aim: Explore design concepts that
address the protection, detection, and evacuation of people with disabilities
and older adults prior to, during, and subsequent to an emergency event such as
an earthquake, power outage, fire, or flood.
-
Design Criteria: Consider concepts
such as:
- protection devices for wheelchair
users
- warning systems with indicators
appropriate for individuals with sensory impairments
- occupant detection and evacuation
systems for those with mobility and vision impairments
- building improvements and real-time
evaluation of structural health and damage that improve the survivability of
persons with disabilities and older adults
-
Other: A therapist must be present
when students work with a person with a disability (like a wheelchair user)
during activities like putting on a harness or transferring from the wheelchair
- to insure safety.
- Links:
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l Kitchen Helper Project
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Background: Individuals who have
severe arthritis or who have paralysis due to a stroke often have weakness in
their hands and arms.
-
Problem: This hand or arm weakness
can make it difficult for stroke survivors to perform kitchen-related
activities of daily living.
-
Aim: Explore designs to help these
individuals with kitchen activities such as food preparation and food
service.
-
Design Criteria: The design must
be able to move objects (dishes, food items, pots, pans) around the kitchen
(to/from refrigerator, to/from stove top, to/from sink, along kitchen surfaces,
and to/from breakfast table or dining room).
-
Other:
- Links:
- Kitchen
Aids for Stroke Survivors
- Making
Your Kitchen User Friendly for Everyone
- Kitchen
Modifications
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l PDA and Me Project
-
Background: "When I had a stroke
more than 15 years ago, my right half of the body lost its sense of feeling. I
don't know what my right side is doing. I have only one functional hand, my
left hand. My right hand and arm are not only dysfunctional, but they could
cause a disaster. It has sometimes caused not only injury, but also loss of
stuff I was carrying in my right hand." - Sachiko
-
Problem: "I'm far behind from the
current technology. I often thought about getting an iPhone or iPad, but I
don't know how to hold it AND operate it with one hand/arm. I resisted getting
into the iPhone-iPad fad, because using these gadgets requires two steady and
functional hands. Nobody at Apple Stores or magazine articles gave me any
answer so far. I'd appreciate if a student team could give me a hint /
hand."
-
Aim: Explore designs that would
enable Sachiko to handle and operate an iPhone or iPad with one
hand.
-
Design Criteria: The design should
not damage the iPhone or iPad.
-
Other:
- Links:
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l Baby Lifter Project
-
Background: Carol teaches at
Stanford. She has two herniated discs in her back. She had a percutaneous
lumbar discectomy procedure for this in her 20s. Her general diagnosis may be
tendinopathy or
flexible joint syndrome. In addition, she has some repetitive stress injuries,
severe tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, and some neck and shoulder irritation.
As a combined result of her conditions, she can only lift and carry a few
pounds.
-
Problem: Carol's inability to lift
and carry more than a few pounds affects her role as a mother to her daughter -
specifically in feeding, soothing, diaper changing, burping, lifting, and
transferring her.
-
Aim: Explore design concepts
addressing one or more of Carol's activities as a mother.
-
Design Criteria: The design
should:
- be safe for both Carol and her
daughter
- fit into her home, both physically
and aesthetically
- not require drilling into walls or
floors
- be able to be easily moved to where
ever it is needed
- accommodate a growing
child
-
Other:
- Links:
- Carol's research and comments - 50 Kb pdf
file
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l Pimp Out Aubrie's Scooter
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Background: Aubrie is a 2014
Stanford graduate in Product Design who has been using a wheelchair or scooter
since age eight. She now works at Google as an Associate Product Marketing
Manager.
-
Problem: Individuals, like Aubrie,
who use wheelchairs, scooters, or walkers have little opportunity to extend
their personal sense of fashion and aesthetics to these devices. This is
exacerbated by the fact that the equipment covered by health insurance or
Medicare is often the most "basic" version with a plain design. Whereas one's
choice of clothes, shoes, accessories, and jewelry are made on a daily basis,
users of these devices have to "wear" the same equipment everyday and for every
occasion.
-
Aim: Explore ways to add a
personal aesthetic to Aubrie's scooter
-
Design Criteria: The design
should:
- not alter or permanently deface or
damage the physical structure or restrict operation of her scooter.
- be able to easily be installed,
removed, changed, cleaned, and washed by Aubrie.
- not only work with Aubrie's scooter,
but also be flexible enough to be adapted to a number of popular / standard
wheelchairs, scooter, or walkers covered by insurance and Medicare.
- reflect Aubrie's persona and
aesthetic in the design. (Personas include casual / refined / elegant, modern /
contemporary, smart / sporty, premium / luxury, user's age and gender,
etc).
- consider fabrics, metal finishes,
colors, patterns, lights, textures, and text elements.
- consider a variety of usage occasions
such as home, work, outdoors, party, tailgating, etc.
- be inexpensive and easy to
fabricate.
- consider designs that would enhance
her scooter's visibility at night and while crossing streets.
-
Other: The team must meet with
Aubrie at Google.
- Links:
- Design
Flair for the Least-Stylish Devices
- Icon Wheelchairs
- Amazing
Halloween Costumes around a Wheelchair
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l Therapy Game for Stroke Survivors
-
Background: Two-thirds of stroke
survivors require some kind of physical or occupational therapy to improve
their range of motion and coordination. Commercially-available motion-sensing
computer interfaces such as the Leap Motion and Microsoft Kinect are being
increasing used in medical and therapy applications.
-
Problem: The lack of compliance
with a therapy regimen is a major barrier to physical improvement. Many stroke
survivors who experience hemiparesis find it difficult to comply with their
therapy regimen for a variety of reasons:
-
Since the benefits of therapy take a
long time to become apparent, stroke survivors might mistakenly believe that
the therapy is not working, become discouraged, and discontinue their therapy
regimen
-
Since the therapy takes place at home
rather than a clinic, there is a lack of encouragement and positive feedback
from a therapist
-
Hypothesis: Using a motion-sensing
computer interface to control a compelling video game such as Candy Crush or
Angry Birds may create a therapy program that is both engaging and fun, which,
in turn, can increase patient compliance with their therapy regimen and result
in improved outcomes.
-
Aim: Explore game designs that
employ a motion-sensing interface to create a compelling range-of-motion
exercise game, with a goal of increasing patient participation and therapy
compliance.
-
Design Criteria: The design must
be extremely easy for a stroke survivor to use at home on their own computer.
The game play must be engaging, rewarding, and addictive. The design should use
a motion-sensing computer interface such as the Leap Motion or Microsoft Kinect
controller. Desirable features include: 1) recording game use such as length of
playtime and metrics related to range-of-motion and 2) increasing game
difficulty with improvement.
-
Other: A Kinect Sensor Bar is
available for use on this project.
- Links:
- Visual Touch Therapy
- Correlates of exercise
compliance in physical therapy
- Kinect Physical
Therapy - Boat Driving
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l Within Reach Project
-
Background: June is an older adult
who increasing finds that items in her upper kitchen and closet shelves are now
out of her reach.
-
Problem: Currently available step
stool solutions do not meet her needs: some are too tall, others have a
stepping area that is too small, and most do not have hand-holds to provide
needed balance and stability during reaching. Finally many step stools are
heavy and bulky, making them difficult to move and position.
-
Aim: Explore designs to provide a
safe and stable means of accessing items on upper shelves.
-
Design Criteria: The solution must
be easy to move and position, offer a sense of security during use, have a
wide, non-slip surface, provide the proper height advantage, and be collapsible
for storage.
-
Other:
- Links:
- Rubbermaid Plastic
Step Stool
- Cosco
Rolling Commercial Step Stool
- Cramer
Stop Step 1020 Mighty Life Ladder
- Wall
Cabinet Lifts Allow Users with Disabilities to Lower Cabinets to Increase
Accessibility
- Step Stool
Caster
- Mobile Two-Step
Stepstool
- Bariatric
Step Stool with Two Hand Rails
- Wood
Designs WD21200 Step-Up-N-Wash
- Jonti-Craft
0552JC JontiCraft UpnDown Steps Kids Step Stool
- Kids Step Stool
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l Horseback Riding at Home Project
-
Background: The non-profit
organization, Ability Production, provides services, information, and resources
for individuals managing their spinal cord injuries as well as those
experiencing MS, Parkinson's, or recovering from a stroke and their support
communities who want to maximize their health and quality of life. The research
and experience shared by Ability Production can benefit anyone, with or without
a traumatic injury.
-
Horseback riding is an ideal activity for
maximizing and stimulating movement in a "compromised body". The benefits of
hippotherapy include improvements in balance, muscle strength, gait, posture
and symmetry, joint mobility, sensory processing, and motor
planning.
-
Problem: Most people are unable to
pursue adaptive riding due to lack of local access, the high cost, their
unfamiliarity with (or fear of) horses, inclement weather, or the difficulty of
traveling to a riding venue.
-
Aim: Explore designs for an
alternative to horseback riding that would provide similar benefits in a home
or clinic environment for people with compromised bodies.
-
Design Criteria: The horseback
riding alternative must:
- be "bouncy", but
stable (limited side-to-side and front-to-back movements)
- include support
"handles" for additional rider stability
- accommodate the
project suggestor, but consider designs to adapt the design for a range of
rider's sizes and abilities
- be portable through
its ability to be disassembled, transported, and reassembled
- allow rider access
from the side and rear
- accommodate riders
who would mount and dismount from/to a wheelchair
-
Design Suggestion: Explore "Peanut
Physioballs" as a seating alternative. They feature a unique design which
limits movement along one axis to create a more stable, reliable, and
consistent motion during use. Their round shape is advertised to provide
rolling movements that engage the body's core muscles and deliver a safe,
effective workout. The physioball allows up-and-down, side-to-side,
forward-and-back, and diagonal movements that stimulate the neurological
system; provide massage for the legs, gluts, and pelvic floor; improve postural
alignment; and engage lymphatic movement.
-
Other:
- Links:
- Ability Production
- Hippotherapy
for People with Disabilities
- American Hippotherapy
Association
- Physioball links:
- Balls 'n' Bands -
PhysioRoll
Peanut Ball
- Therapro -
Physio
Rolls (AKA Deluxe Peanut Balls)
- Walmart -
Sportime
Physio-Roll Exercise Ball
- Special Needs Toys -
Peanut
Balls
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l Music Project for Mrs N
-
Background: Mrs N is an older
adult residing in Silverado Senior Living in Belmont Hills, CA. She enjoys
living at the facility and is able to get around independently within the
facility using a walker. While she has a quick wit and happy disposition, she
experiences cognitive issues which impact her daily life.
-
Problem: Due to these cognitive
issues, Mrs N is unable to manage her music CDs or operate her CD player to
listen to them.
-
Aim: Explore design concepts that
would enable Mrs N to independently select, play, and enjoy her favorite music
- Beethoven - as this would greatly improve her quality of
life.
-
Design Criteria: The design must
be extremely easy for Mrs N to operate in her home without assistance. The
interface must be simple and uncomplicated. The design must be able to play the
music she has already purchased.
-
Other:
- Links:
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l Balance Buddy
-
Background: The Balance Buddy
project has been suggested by Sidekicks Ventures LLC, which is developing a new
line of home assistive products for older adults.
-
Problem: Falls are the single
largest health risk for older adults who live independently. They often have
balance problems requiring an unobtrusive but reliable device for helping them
maintain their balance and footing as they move around their homes.
When older adults begin to have balance
problems, typically between the age of 70 and 85, they often use canes or
walkers to maintain their balance and footing. Current commercial products can
be extremely cumbersome to use in the home. Canes are difficult because they
can be clumsy, topple over frequently, get in the way creating tripping
hazards, and offer limited help for moving easily around small spaces. Walkers,
although they provide steadier and more reliable help, are problematic because
they are large and difficult to maneuver in small spaces and are also
relatively ineffective on stairs. Both canes and walkers have the additional
problem that they often require one or two hands to hold them, which leaves the
user with a limited ability to use his or her hands for tasks in their home.
This problem is compounded when the user needs to carry objects around a room
or from one room to another.
-
Aim: Explore design concepts for
an easily managed device to help older adults who are having balance problems
in their homes.
-
Design Criteria: The device
should:
- provide reliable balance help for
people who are unsteady on their feet;
- be able to be set aside without
falling or moving;
- be light-weight and extremely easy to
maneuver;
- be used with just one hand, freeing
hands to the greatest extent possible for necessary tasks around the
home;
- allow the user to carry objects (such
as food) while moving around;
- make the user feel more confident and
comfortable in their home compared to current commercially available canes or
walkers;
- be easy to get into and out
of;
- provide stability while getting out
of a bed, a chair, or off the toilet;
- encourage its use.
-
Future Plans: The design needs to
be lightweight and relatively affordable to manufacture. It can employ
commercially available components or be an original design. Eventually the
device will feature an industrial design compatible with a broader line of home
assistive products, but for this project, the goal is to develop and test a
functional prototype for a new type of balance aid. As mentioned above, it
needs to roll or stand independently so that it doesn’t fall, or,
alternatively, be able to moved nearby where it can remain easily accessible
but not in the way of activity.
-
Other:
The project suggestor is available to facilitate user testing.
- Links:
- HurryCane
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l Prosthetics Projects
- Quick disconnect system for
lower extremity prosthesis
-
Problem: Many users of lower
extremity prostheses have difficulty sitting in smaller spaces, especially if
there is limited range of motion of the remaining joints or other
issues.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a
quick disconnect device that is strong, very thin, and applicable to various
types of prosthetic devices such that the components of a prosthesis can be
removed or detached for more comfortable sitting without having to actually
take the entire prosthesis off.
- Prosthesis sensor notification
system
-
Problem: Maintaining the fit
of a prosthesis throughout the day can be difficult for some people who have
fluctuating edema of their limb. Pressure on the limb from walking will often
change the volume of the limb such that the addition of a sock is necessary to
compensate for those changes. Some people have significant difficulty knowing
when to add a sock due to decreased sensation in the limb. This can lead to
problems with fit and function.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a
simple pressure sensor system, to fit unobtrusively inside a prosthetic device,
to alert the user when it is time to add a sock.
- Prosthetic swim ankle
joint
-
Problem: While there are
several prosthetic ankle (and foot) systems that are adaptable for swimming on
the market, they are expensive and don't survive very long without falling
apart in the water.
-
Aim: Explore simple, strong,
waterproof, and lightweight designs that allow a prosthetic foot to convert
easily from a normal walking position to one that is suitable for swimming
(full plantar-flexed position).
-
Other: A very experienced user
of these devices is available to work closely with the student
team.
-
- Other:
-
- Links:
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Projects employing inexpensive
voice-recognition technology
-
Background: Thirty years ago,
voice recognition systems were in their infancy. A typical system cost $3000
and required considerable user training to recognize just a few words. Today,
the cost of these devices has fallen sharply while the performance has improved
greatly.
-
Aim: Explore an application for a
person with a disability using an inexpensive voice recognition product.
Examples include enhanced computer control and accessibility for those with
limited manipulation abilities, control of household appliances (lights, TV,
music system), and operation of a hospital
bed.
-
Design Criteria: The device should
be appropriate for the user's abilities and be simple to configure and
use.
-
Other:
- Links:
- EasyVR Shield
- Voice Recognition
Module
- Speech
Recognition with Arduino
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Pooper scooper for canine
companions of wheelchair users
-
Problem: Wheelchair users who walk
their dogs need to clean up after them. Limited hand / arm strength and reduced
mobility can affect the dog owner's ability to successfully perform both the
collection and bagging portions of this task.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a pooper
scooper system that will be easy for pet owners with a disability to
use.
-
Design Criteria: The improved
scooper design can employ commercially available components, but must be simple
in design, lightweight, convenient to store on the wheelchair, easy to use by
pet owners with limited hand / arm movement, and inexpensive to
fabricate.
-
Other:
- Links:
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Creative Expression
-
Background: Most everyone has a
need and desire to be creative through activities such as writing, painting,
sculpture, pottery, jewelry, quilting, photography, singing, dancing, and
music.
-
Problem: Existing tools supporting
creativity are often lacking for people with disabilities. Movement
difficulties often prevent an individual from fully participating in their
chosen activity.
-
Aim: Explore ways to enhance
creative expression for people with disabilities. This could include the
creation of new activities or fabrication of new tools.
-
Suggestions:
- Convert the user's existing assistive
technology device into a creative "paintbrush"
- Use non-traditional inputs such as
residual movements or brain waves
-
Other:
- Links:
- Chris Chafe - Director of
CCRMA
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Designing Your Afterlife
-
Background: Death is the most
severe form of disability as one is no longer able interact with people or
physical objects in the living world. What remains are only frozen static
artifacts - images, writings, and the recollections of others. Gone are one's
personality, beliefs, expertise, humor, vision, memories, insights, and
intellect.
-
Problem: With one's death, it is
impossible to provide a full and accurate representation of whom they were,
what they believed in, and how they acted. The recollections of family and
friends fade and disappear with time, leaving the departed one's legacy at the
mercy of the living.
-
Aim: Explore ways to preserve
one's essence after death. In the technology extreme, this might manifest
itself as an interactive system that responds to queries, retells stories,
relates experiences, shares expertise, and expresses humor. The pre-dead user
would be able to create and program his / her eternal computer-based persona
before her / his demise.
-
Other:
- Links:
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Project employing the Microsoft
Kinect Controller
-
Background: Kinect is a 3D motion
sensing input device designed for the Xbox 360 video game console and Windows
PCs. It enables users to control and interact with computers wirelessly and
hands-free, through a natural user interface using full body gestures and
spoken commands.
-
Aim: Explore an application for a
person with a disability using the Kinect Controller product. Examples include
enhanced computer control and accessibility for those with limited manipulation
abilities, physical therapy coach, control of household appliances (lights, TV,
music system), operation of Bluetooth devices (iPhone), and implementation of
an on-screen keyboard.
-
Design Criteria: The device should
be appropriate for the user's abilities and be simple to configure and
use.
-
Other: For this project, Microsoft
will make available 1 or 2 "older" Kinect sensor bars which can be used with
the companion SDK for Windows.
- Links:
- Kinect for Xbox 360
- Gesture-Based Design
Engineering ( with video 3:27)
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Project employing the Leap Motion
Controller
-
Background: The Leap Motion
Controller senses and tracks the movement of hands and fingers in 3D: pointing,
waving, reaching, and grabbing. Advertised applications for this USB device
include control of a computer to: browse the web, read articles, flip through
photos, play music, draw, paint, design, play video games, and create
music.
-
Aim: Explore an application for a
person with a disability using the Leap Motion Controller product. Examples
include enhanced computer control and accessibility for those with limited
manipulation abilities, physical therapy coach, control of household appliances
(lights, TV, music system), operation of Bluetooth devices (iPhone), and
implementation of an on-screen keyboard.
-
Design Criteria: The device should
be appropriate for the user's abilities and be simple to configure and
use.
-
Other:
- Links:
- Leap Motion
- Leap Motion
Controller
- V2 Tracking Software
- Leap Motion
forums
- Gesture-Based Design
Engineering (with video 3:27)
-
- Applications:
- Four
Deaf Students Launch a Revolutionary Way To Communicate -
MotionSavvy
- Helping People
with Disability and Parkinsons Disease (video 5:00 in Spanish)
- Tiny
Device, Huge Potential: How Leap Motion Will Change Computing
- Using
the Leap Motion to enhance software accessibility
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Enhanced bed control for veterans
with spinal cord injury
-
Background: Veterans with spinal
cord injury at the Palo Alto VA Health Care System use electric beds equipped
with a pendant that controls their operation: head up/down, bed up/down, and
foot up/down.
-
Problem: The buttons on the
controller are difficult to activate as they are concave and require
considerable pressure.
-
Aim: Explore solutions that would
enable veterans to more easily operate their beds, including voice
activation.
-
Design Criteria: Solutions could
consist of a replacement bed control pendant or an overlay to the existing
pendant.
-
Other:
- Links:
- Bed manufacturer
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Enhanced access to touch screen
devices
-
Background: Touch screen devices -
tablets, phones, kiosks, and computers - are becoming increasingly popular in
everyday life, from personally-owned devices to those found in stores and
polling places.
-
Problem: Many people with limited
hand control have trouble getting their touch screen device to accept their
'tap' or interpret their gestures correctly. Sometimes the problem is caused by
dry hands or fingers, but more often it's related to a user's mild fine motor
problems. In one situation, this issue causes them to unintentionally slide
their finger across the screen when they desire to tap, resulting in the touch
screen device misreading this action as a swipe. Or they may inadvertently hold
their finger on the selection too long, leading to misinterpretation as a
precursor to selecting or copying a block of text.
-
Aim: Explore ideas that would
enable users to make their selections more accurately on their personal touch
screen devices.
-
Design Criteria: The solution
should be an external adapter that can be used with an unmodified touch screen
device. Light weight, low cost, and compact size are key
features.
-
- Links:
Back
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l Magical Bridge Playground Project
-
Background: Magical Bridge is
building the nation's first fully accessible and socially inclusive playground
designed specifically for children with disabilities as well as children of
parents who have a disability.
-
The City of Palo Alto has designated 1.3
acres of underutilized public land in Mitchell Park, located at 600 East Meadow
Drive in Palo Alto, for the site of the Magical Bridge Playground. The
playground will be adjacent to Abilities United and close to the
soon-to-be-built Mitchell Park Library.
-
Problem: Although most of the
park's design has been drafted, some aspects of the play areas could be
modified for better access. Replacement play areas are sought to update the
park with fresh attractions every few years.
-
Aim: Explore designs to address
the following issues, creating a safe, fun, accessible, and inclusive park
serving all children and their parents.
-
-
to enable a child using a wheelchair to move between
levels in the two-story playhouse
-
to speed up the flow of kids on the slide:
- design an attachment to
accommodate kids who can't get off the slide quickly or
- explore ways to permit parents to
assist their kids at both the top and bottom of the slide
-
to offer a new and innovative play and educational
experience incorporating multiple senses, actions, and outcomes that is
inclusive for kids with a disability
-
to provide signage appropriate to playground users with
visual impairments
-
Design Criteria: Designs should be
safe for everyone, accommodate everyone - including children and parents with
disabilities, durable, non-electrical, and magical.
-
Other Information: Students will
build and test a scaled prototype of their design.
-
- Links:
- Magical Bridge Playground
- CreARTE:
Art through the Fingertips
- Children
Power Playground Toys
- Fingerspelling
Alphabet
- Melo Sense Autism
Sensory Wall
- Creating
an automated art installation that runs like clockwork -
videos
- Interactive
Music Technology Shows Promise in Healthcare
- The
Rotary Club of San Jose is building a 4.1-acre play area that will be
accessible to all, regardless of age or abilities
- Rotary Playground
- Treequencer
-
photos
- video
- Skoog Music
- 3D
Talking Maps Provide Independence for the Blind
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Guide Robot for the
Blind
-
Background: Intellisight is
developing a system for guiding people who are blind and visually impaired
along a clear path. The design uses Lidar-type radar to sense the presence of
obstacles or other terrain features and warn the user.
-
Problem: Current orientation and
mobility solutions for individuals with visual impairments or blindness include
the Long Cane, guide dogs, Mowat Sensor, Trekker, and Mini Guide. While they
provide basic information suitable for getting around, they do not provide much
detail about the nearby environment.
-
A guide robot is under construction that
will provide a blind traveler with information beyond what is available with
current solutions. Intellisight is tackling the following portions of the
project: wheels, motors, motor controllers, power system, sensor array, and
computer hardware and software systems.
- The completed prototype will be able to
detect a clear path and provide object avoidance information as well as
detailed information about the local environment. It will be able to scan the
interior of a building to determine its room layout and employ GPS
information.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a
user-interface that facilitates the communication between the robot and the
user as well as the platform that supports the motorized computerized robot
device.
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l Customize the Wheelchair, Scooter, Walker
Project
-
US Market Size Background for
Wheelchairs:
-
- About 2 million manual wheelchairs are
in use today.
- 60% of manual wheelchairs (1.2
million) are used by individuals 65 and older.
- Wheelchair use by individuals 65 and
older is five times greater than the entire population.
- The number of citizens 65 and older is
expected to grow from 40 million in 2010 to 55 million in 2020, requiring an
additional 450,000 manual wheelchairs.
- 80 million baby boomers started
turning 65 this year (10,000 a day).
-
Problem: Individuals who use
wheelchairs, scooters, or walkers have little opportunity to extend their
personal sense of fashion and aesthetics to these devices. This is exacerbated
by the fact that the equipment covered by health insurance or Medicare is often
the most "basic" version with a plain design. Whereas one's choice of clothes,
shoes, accessories, and jewelry are made on a daily basis, users of these
devices have to "wear" the same equipment everyday and for every
occasion.
-
Aim: Explore ways to add a
personal aesthetic to wheelchairs, scooters, or walkers
|
Design Criteria: |
|
- The design should not alter or
permanently deface or damage the physical structure of the wheelchair, scooter,
or walker.
- The customization should be able to
easily be installed, removed, changed, cleaned, and washed by the
user.
- The design should work on a number
of popular / standard wheelchairs, scooter, or walkers covered by insurance and
Medicare.
- Consider different user personas and
aesthetics (e.g. refined / elegant, modern / contemporary, smart / sporty,
premium / luxury, male / female, as well as the age of user, etc).
- Consider fabrics, metal finishes,
colors, patterns, lights, textures, and text elements.
- Consider a variety of usage
occasions (e.g. in-home, outdoors, party, tailgater, etc).
- The design should be inexpensive and
easy to fabricate.
- Also consider designs that would
enhance wheelchair, scooter, or walker visibility while crossing
streets.
|
- Links:
- Design
Flair for the Least-Stylish Devices
- Icon Wheelchairs
- Amazing
Halloween Costumes around a Wheelchair
|
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top
Dog Leash Project
-
Problem: Wheelchair users who walk
their dogs need their hands to both control their pets and propel their
wheelchairs. A leash that is simply tied to the wheelchair can get caught under
the wheels and interfere with the brake mechanism. And a strong dog may be able
to tip the owner's wheelchair.
- Users of rollators (walkers) also
experience similar problems.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a dog
leash system that will be easy for users to attach to their wheelchairs or
rollators independently, prevent the leash from being caught under the
wheelchair or rollator, and avoid being tipped over by a strong
dog.
-
Design Criteria: The improved
leash design can employ commercially available components, but must be simple
in design, lightweight, easy to attach by pet owners with limited hand
movement, provide a reliable release, and be inexpensive to
fabricate.
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Household Tasks Project
-
Problem: Older adults often find
it difficult to perform everyday household tasks such as hanging curtains,
fixing household devices, cleaning windows, ironing, and making the
bed.
-
Aim: Explore device designs that
are capable of improving or restoring the ability of older adults to attend to
daily household tasks, especially the most basic ones such as making the bed
and ironing.
-
Design Criteria: The design should
be intuitive and safe to use, highly reliable, lightweight, and easy to handle,
clean, and store.
- Links:
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Shower / Bathtub / Sink / Toilet
Cleaning Project
-
Problem: For older adults to
remain in their current housing (as they desire), they must be able to
independently maintain the cleanliness of their house, including its shower,
bathtub, sink, and toilet. While there are numerous cleaning products on the
market, none adequately addresses the problem. [What are some of their
limitations?]
-
Aim: Explore design solutions for
the shower / bathtub / sink / toilet cleaning problem for an older adult with a
disability.
-
Design Criteria: The design(s)
must be economical, esthetically pleasing, easy and safe to use while
performing the cleaning task. The design will depend on the user's
abilities.
- Links:
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Projects for persons recovering
from stroke
1. Standing Straight
Project
-
Problem: Persons recovering from
stroke (CVA) often have a significant shift in their perceived center of
gravity. This causes them to shift their weight to their unaffected side, with
their head and / or trunk at a 20 degree angle, even though they think they are
sitting or standing straight. This has a significant negative effect on the
tone of their affected limbs, causing them to become more
spastic.
-
Aim: Explore designs for a dynamic
device that would aid the person to realize their true center resulting in
better limb rehabilitation.
-
Other: A similar device could be
used for people recovering from back injury, alerting them when they bend at
the back rather than keeping it straight during lifting.
2. Activities of Daily
Living
-
Aim: Explore designs for devices
that would help persons who have had a stroke, who have arthritis, cerebral
palsy, have limited arm or hand strength, or are amputees to perform activities
of daily living such as cooking, cleaning, or other common household
tasks.
- Links:
- Tablet Design - UC
Ergonomics
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Student-defined Team
Projects
- Meet with course instructor to discuss and
agree upon the specifics of the project. Interview, observe, and discuss
assistive technology problems with an individual with a disability or older
adult. Address their desire to participate in one of the following activities
by designing an adaptation to an existing device / tool or creating a new, more
useful one.
-
-
Activities of Daily Living - cooking,
showering or bathing, dressing, cleaning, housework, yard work, employment,
education, shopping, commuting, etc
-
Sports and Exercise - walking,
running, indoor and outdoor sports, etc
-
Leisure Activities and Hobbies -
collecting, model making, crafts, board games & videogames,
etc
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Other project ideas
- Project Coach:
- David L. Jaffe, MS
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