Winter Quarter 2022

          
Perspectives in Assistive Technology
ENGR110/210

          

David L. Jaffe, MS
Lathrop Library Classroom 282
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:30pm PST

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Course Syllabus


Contents:

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Background Information on Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology (AT) is a general term that includes devices, services, and policies that benefits older adults and people with disabilities, the institutions and facilities where beneficial efforts take place, as well as the process that makes them available to this population. An AT device is one that has a diagnostic, functional, adaptive, or rehabilitative benefit. Engineers employ an AT process to understand the challenge, design, develop, test, and bring to market new devices. Other professionals are involved in evaluating individuals' challenges and engaging in AT device activities: prescribing them, supplying them, installing and setting them up, instructing their use, and assessing their benefit. These products promote greater independence, increased opportunities and participation, and an enhanced quality of life for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish (or had great difficulty accomplishing, or required assistance) through enhanced or alternate methods of interacting with the world.

There are an estimated 61 million Americans (25 percent of the population) with some level of disability which limits their ability to fully participate in society. As the nation ages, the number of people experiencing such limitations will certainly increase. New AT devices incorporating novel designs and emerging technologies have the potential to further improve the lives of people with disabilities and older adults.

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ENGR110/210

ENGR110/210 consists of semi-weekly lectures from experts in the field, including designers, entrepreneurs, clinicians, and users. Beyond these lectures, students can choose to engage in a team project experience that includes project selection, understanding the problem, and designing, fabricating, testing, and refining a functional prototype. These students interact with users of assistive technology, design coaches, and project partners. Other students can choose to pursue individual projects that do not require fabrication skills or experience, including developing a CAD design or to writing a comprehensive report on an assistive technology product or organization that works with a person with a disability or an older adult. Finally, there is a lecture-only option for students whose schedule does not permit working on a project.

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Expectations for Students

By taking Perspectives in Assistive Technology, students will:

  • Gain a full appreciation for and an understanding of the engineering, medical, and social aspects associated with the design, development, and use of assistive technology,

  • Learn about a wide variety of issues in technology development, including intellectual property rights and best practices in community engagement, and

  • Engage in a comprehensive design experience that includes working with users of assistive technology to identify challenges, prototype solutions, perform user testing, practice iterative design, and communicate results.

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Overview

The Winter Quarter ENGR110/210 explores technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults.

The course consists of online semi-weekly class sessions that features discussions, guest lectures, virtual field trips, a virtual assistive technology faire, a film screening, and student project presentations.

Enrollment is open to any student - undergrad or grad - from any discipline.

The course content is non-technical. There are no exams, quizzes, problem sets, or finals.

There is an opportunity to work on projects that address real challenges experienced by individuals in the local community. These projects are pursued individually or in a team. Students choose projects from pitches presented by people from the community who would benefit from a device that would enhance their function, improve their independence, and / or increase their quality of life.

Students can also suggest their own projects - typically one that benefits themself (as a student with a disability) or a family member (or friend) with a disability. Such projects must be approved by the instructor.

The flexible course structure includes project options as well as a lectures-only option. The team project option is 3 credit units, the individual project option is 1 credit unit, while taking the course as a seminar (just attending lectures, no project involement) is 1 credit unit CR/NC.

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Course Description

Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a one-quarter (10-week) course taught at Stanford during the Winter Quarter that explores the design, development, and use of technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. Students from diverse disciplines (mostly mechanical engineers) and from all academic years (approximately equally divided between upper class and graduate students) have enrolled in the course.

The course combines online discussions, presentations by guest lecturers, individual and team projects, site visits to medical and engineering facilities, an assistive technology faire, a film screening, and project presentations by students.

This course consists of twice-weekly presentations by guest lecturers who are experts in the greater assistive technology field, including product designers, entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians, and assistive technology users. Lectures are open to all students and community members (local individuals without a Stanford affiliation), including non-enrolled students interested in a particular lecture and individuals with disabilities. Over the years, guest lecturers have addressed a wide variety of issues in assistive technology such as disability and rehabilitation, research and development, service learning, design process and brainstorming, design software, intellectual property, technology licensing, personal perspectives, and human subjects in research.

Field trips to local medical facilities and engineering laboratories (VA Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Injury Services and Stanford Motion and Gait Analysis Laboratory) as well as the Magical Bridge Playground (a facility designed to be accessible and inclusive for kids and parents with disabilities) have been scheduled in past years.

The Assistive Technology Faire provides an opportunity for students and community members to get an up-close look at a variety of commercial devices. Users of assistive technology products as well as small companies and agencies serving individuals with disabilities and older adults bring assistive technology devices to display and demonstrate. The Faire will be also conducted virtually this coming quarter.

Beyond these lectures and tours, students can participate in a team or individual design project experience that addresses problems faced by users of assistive technology or research or research and write a comprehensive report on a facility that serves people with disabilities or older adults.

The course is taught by David L. Jaffe who holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University. Prior to coming to Stanford, he was a Research Biomedical Engineer at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System's Rehabilitation Research and Development Center. At the VA his interests were designing, developing, testing, and bringing to market microcomputer-based devices for veterans with disabilities including communication, mobility, and information systems.

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Course Description on Explore Courses - Winter 2022

ENGR 110: Perspectives in Assistive Technology (ENGR 110) (ENGR 210)

Seminar and student project course. Explores the medical, social, ethical, and technical challenges surrounding the design, development, and use of technologies that improve the lives of people with disabilities and older adults. Guest lecturers include engineers, clinicians, and individuals with disabilities. Field trips to local facilities, an assistive technology faire, and a film screening. Students from any discipline are welcome to enroll. 3 units for students (juniors, seniors, and graduate students preferred) who pursue a team-based assistive technology project with a community partner - enrollment limited to 30. 1 unit for seminar attendance only (CR/NC) or individual project (letter grade). Total enrollment limited to classroom capacity of 50. Projects can be continued as independent study in Spring Quarter. See course website at http://engr110.stanford.edu. Designated a Cardinal Course by the Haas Center for Public Service.

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Teaching Team

David L. Jaffe, MS - dljaffe -at- stanford.edu
      Course Lecturer

Bennett Lewis - blewis13 -at- stanford.edu
      Course Assistant
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Credentials

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Objectives

  • Expose students to the engineering, medical, and social issues facing engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, clinicians, older adults, and individuals with disabilities in the design, development, and use of assistive technology

  • Engage students in a project experience that exercises team working skills (leadership & organization) and applies an engineering design process to address difficulties experienced by individuals with disabilities and older adults

  • Provide an opportunity for students to interact with users of assistive technology in the local community along with health care professionals, coaches, and project partners

  • Enhance students' problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills, with specific emphasis on in-class discussions, report writing, and project presentations

  • Encourage students to use their engineering skills and design expertise to help individuals with disabilities and older adults increase their independence and improve their quality of life

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Course Laptop Policy

During in-person class session - To encourage learning, discussion, and respectful interaction between students, the teaching team, and guest lecturers, the use of digital devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc. is only permitted before and after class and during the short class session break.

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In-class Discussions

Each class session typically begins with a fifteen to twenty minute interactive discussion that promotes critical thinking, analysis, and questioning.

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Class Sessions

Presentations are given by guest lecturers who address a wide variety of issues in assistive technology such as disability and rehabilitation, research and development, service learning, brainstorming and need-finding, design software, intellectual property, technology licensing, personal perspectives, and human subjects in research.

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Field Trips

In-person trips to local medical facilities and engineering laboratories are scheduled during the quarter.

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One Credit Unit Lecture-only Option

For students whose schedule does not permit working on either a team or individual project in ENGR110/210, a one credit unit lecture-only option is offered. As there are no assignments or exams, the grading is Credit / No Credit - no letter grades are given for this option. Students enrolled with the one unit option must attend at least 15 class sessions, including the first class session, Introduction to Assistive Technology.

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One Credit Unit Individual Project Option

Individual Projects differ from Team Projects that they (Individual Projects) address simpler problems, have less complex solutions, do not require a fabrication component, may not involve a user, may not require following an engineering design process, or result in a lower level of prototype functionality (such as producing a CAD design instead of building a working physical prototype). For example, a project may focus on investigating a service related to assistive technology.

Optionally, two students may work collectively on an Individual Projects, sharing these tasks: obtaining background information and brainstorming. However each student is required to pursue, present, and report on different solutions.

Students enrolled in the Individual Project option are required to attend at least 15 class sessions, including:

Individual Project Assignment
Students are asked to choose and pursue a specific project activity, present their work, submit a final comprehensive final project report that encompasses their efforts for the entire quarter, and reflect on their experiences.

Project ideas come from various public and private sources in the community, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System's Spinal Cord Injury Center, local assistive living facilities, senior centers, as well as from foundations like the Muscular Dystrophy Association, or from individuals.

Funding to support the course and student projects come from Stanford sources, company partners, foundations, etc.

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Three Credit Unit Team Project Option

Students work in teams of no more than three to address problems faced by individuals with disabilities and older adults in the local community with the goal of fabricating, testing, and presenting a functional prototype device or software application. Team project activities include selecting team members; considering project choices; selecting a project; meeting with project partners, assistive technology users, design coaches, and the course instructor; understanding the problem; identifying the need; searching for existing commercial products; brainstorming and identifying appropriate project design alternatives; selecting a project design to pursue; fabricating a prototype; testing and analyzing the performance of the prototype; iterating the fabrication and testing steps; presenting and demonstrating the project; writing a report; and reflecting on the course and team project experience.

Mid-term Team Project Assignment
In the first half of the quarter, students form into teams, select a team project, contact the individual who suggested the project, interview an individual with a disability or an older adult who would benefit from the project, gather information on existing products and research, determine the magnitude of the need, brainstorm and evaluate potential solutions, choose top-ranked designs, start fabrication, present their findings, and submit a report of the team's progress.

End-of-term Team Project Assignment
During the second half of the quarter, teams choose a specific design concept and continue to fabricate / test / refine prototypes. The embodiment of the chosen design will be in the form of detailed sketches, drawings, and a functional, testable prototype. Teams present their design in class and submit a final comprehensive end-of-term project report that encompasses their work for the entire quarter and individually reflect on their course and team project experience.

Project ideas come from various public and private sources in the community, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Health Care System's Spinal Cord Injury Center, local assistive living facilities, senior centers, as well as from foundations like the Muscular Dystrophy Association, or from individuals.

Funding to support the course and student projects come from Stanford sources, company partners, foundations, etc.

Students working on team projects use the Product Realization Lab facilities to fabricate their prototypes. There is no fee for its use.

Students who wish to work on a team project and have a limitation in the total number of units they can take in the Winter Quarter may enroll for one or two credits, but are expected to complete all the 3-unit course requirements.

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Assignment Dues Dates

Assignment Date
Team Mid-term Project Presentations Tuesday, February 8th
Team Mid-term Project Reports Tuesday, February 15th
Individual Project Presentations Week of March 1st
Team End-of-term Project Presentations Tuesday, March 8th
Team End-of-term Project Demonstrations Tuesday, March 10th
Individual and Team Final Project Reports Tuesday, March 15th
Individual Reflections Tuesday March 15th
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Over-enrollment

The course enrollment is strictly capped at 30 students taking the course for 3 credit units - which equates to 10 three-student teams. This limit is imposed by the desirability of having 7-minute student team mid-term and -end-of-term presentations in the 90-minute class session. (There is no cap on the 1 credit unit options.)

In the event that the cap is reached, students can choose to be added to a Wait List. If a previously enrolled student who enrolled for 3 credit units drops the course, his/her spot is given to the first individual on the Wait List (with priority given to graduating seniors). Please note that there is no guarantee that any students already enrolled for 3 credit units will indeed drop the course although 11 students have done so last year.

Here are all the enrollment options for students to consider:

  1. Wait List Option - As described above, students can take their chances with the Wait List. If a spot opens up, I will notify the student. Please note that seniors are given preference on the Wait List. If no spots open up, students will be required to choose one of the following options.

  2. Individual Project Option - Students may enroll in the course for 1 credit unit and work on an individual project for a letter grade and are required to attend at least 10 class sessions.

  3. Seminar Option - Students may enroll in the course for 1 credit unit and are required to attend at least 10 class sessions for CR/NC with no project participation.

  4. Taking the Course Twice Option - Please note that students may enroll in the course (as ENGR110) for either of these 1 credit unit options in the current year and take the course (as ENGR210) for 3 credit units in a subsequent year with credit given for lectures already attended. This option would not apply to graduating seniors. (Three students have exercised this option.)

  5. Independent Study Option - Students may enroll in ME191 (Independent Study) in a subsequent quarter and work on an individual project for a letter grade and a negotiated number of credit units.

  6. Next Year Option - Students who will be around next year may sit in (without enrolling) on lectures they find interesting and enroll in the course the following year with credit given for the lectures already attended.

  7. Sit in on Class Session Option - Students may choose not to enroll in the course, but are most welcome to sit in on any class sessions that interest them.

 
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Excuses

A student who has missed a course event (class session, field trip, or deadline) or has knowledge he/she will miss a course event should not provide a reason for his/her absence as this requires the instructor to make a judgment on the validity of his/her reason. Instead, the student should ask how to make up the missed event.

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Missed Class Session Policy

  • All enrolled students are encouraged to attend all ENGR110/210 lectures.

  • Enrolled students taking the course for 1 credit unit must attend at least 15 class sessions including the first lecture, Introduction to Assistive Technology.

  • One Excused Class Session for Student Project

  • Making Up Missed Class Sessions

    • Missed class sessions may be made up by first reviewing the material from the missed class session: view the video (taking notes), following along with the PowerPoint slides, reading any handout material, viewing any photos and other videos, and browsing any weblinks posted on the lecture webpage.

    • Next arrange to meet with the instructor to discuss the missed class session. Be prepared to lead the conversation on the class session's content with questions, comments, observations, thoughts, and reflections. Consider "What one item did you hear, see, or learn that was new, surprising, interesting, or provided a new perspective?" The meeting should take about 20 minutes.

    • After the meeting, the student will be credited with "attending" the class session.

    • Missed class sessions should be made up at the earliest earliest opportunity (ideally within a week) as it may be more difficult to find the time to review the material and meet near the end of the quarter.

  • Grade Impact for Missed Class Sessions

    If one or more required class sessions are missed and are not made up by the deadline for grade submission, the student's grade will be affected as follows:

    • For students taking the course as Credit / No Credit, the following options are available for student who have not attended at least 15 class sessions:

      • Receive No Credit for the course.
      • Request to receive Incomplete for the course. If subsequently the missed class sessions are made up, the grade will be changed to Credit.
    • For students taking the course for a Letter Grade, the following options are available for students who have missed one or more class sessions:

      • Deduct one incremental letter grade (ie "A" becomes "A-", etc) for each missed class session not made up.
      • Request to receive Incomplete for the course. If subsequently the missed class session(s) are made up, a letter grade reflecting the student's performance will be recorded.
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Privacy Policies

  • For Community Members working on projects with students:

    1. Descriptions of projects with community members with disabilities or older adults will include only the community member's first name and no contact information. The community member will be asked to approve the project description before it is posted on the course's public website.

    2. Only when a student or a student team decides to work on a specific project will the community member's contact information be provided. In addition, the student or team's contact information and photo(s) will be emailed to the community member.

    3. The instructor will not identify the full name of community members in reports, presentations, or press interviews.

    4. The instructor will not forward or disseminate surveys or questionnaires to students that require them to provide the name of the community member with whom they worked.

    5. The instructor will direct students to use only the first name of the community member with whom they worked in their reports and presentations.

  • For Students with Disabilities:

    1. The instructor will not provide names of students with disabilities to others.

    2. If an opportunity for students with disabilities arises, the instructor will email the information to these students so they can respond as they wish.

  • For Students:

    1. Student's and team's Project Reports and Presentation Slides will not be disseminated or posted on the course website without permission.

    2. Students' Individual Reflections will be redacted of student names, project names, and names of the community members with whom they worked.

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Other Course Issues

These statements are in response to comments and suggestions provided by students in their evaluations or Individual Reflections.
  • Intra-team dynamics & Relationships with project suggestor

    Please contact the instructor if you experience any kind of problem or unresolved disagreement with another member of your team or your project suggestor.
  • Student announcements

    Starting in Winter Quarter 2023, Canvas will be used as a secondary source of course information supplementing email messages and postings on the course website.
  • Lectures on specific projects

    While there will be presentations and discussions about the engineering design process for assistive technology devices, there will not be in-class presentations covering specific projects. A team can learn more about their project from the project suggestor and the course instructor. Questions about materials and fabrication techniques can be addressed by the PRL Course Assistants.
  • Other course issues

    Contact the course instructor if you have any questions or concerns about the course, your project, the presentations, or deliverables. Please communicate problems promptly so they can be resolved: do not wait until the course concludes and do not first disclose issues on your Individual Reflection or the Registrar's Online Evaluation Form.
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Grading

Individual Projects (1 credit unit)





End-of-Term Presentation 40%
End-of-Term Report 40%
Individual Reflection 10%
Participation * 10%

Team Projects (3 credit units)

Mid-Term Presentation 10%
Mid-Term Report 10%
Prototype Design & Functionality 20%
End-of-Term Presentation 20%
End-of-Term Report 20%
Individual Reflection 10%
Participation * 10%

* Participation includes meeting with instructor, actively listening, posing questions to the guest speakers and the course instructor, engaging in class discussions, verbalizing thoughts and analyses, and submitting Weekly Project Reports.

There is no provision for "extra credit" to enhance a student's grade.

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Letters of Recomendations and Employment References

Students: Please strive to make your qualifications, skills, and abilities evident.
    Letters of Recommendation:
  • Be aware that the course instructor is not a professor, nor does he have a PhD. Make sure this is ok with the agency or institution to which the Letter of Recommendation is being sent.

  • For Mechanical Engineering students seeking a Coterminal Degree, a cummulative grade point average of 3.7 is highly desirable. If this average is met, a Letter of Recommendation is a simple formality for the instructor to complete. The student must waive his / her right to inspect the contents of the Recommendation. Submit a filled-out, signed, and dated Recommendation Form (Coterminal Application for ME Program - page 6) to the instructor - no envelope is needed.

  • For students seeking a Coterminal Degree in CS, the recommender is asked to write candidly about the candidate's:

    • qualifications,
    • potential to carry on advanced study in the field specified,
    • intellectual independence,
    • capacity for analytical thinking,
    • ability to organize and express ideas clearly, and
    • potential for teaching.

    In addition, the recommender is instructed to describe specific examples of attributes such as motivation, intellect, and maturity.

  • For students seeking to apply to MIT's Media Arts and Science graduate program, the recommender is asked to respond to these questions:

    • What particularly qualifies this applicant for study at MIT?
    • What are the applicant's accomplishments in research or independent projects?
    • How does the applicant compare to other students you know who have attended MIT?
    • Can the student clearly communicate ideas in written and spoken English?
    • Do you have any reservations about the applicant's ability to succeed at MIT?
  • For students who desire a Letter of Recommendation for a university application or job employment, a declaration must be made at the start of the quarter and the student must meet with the instructor three times during the quarter (beginning, midway, and end) to provide the instructor an opportunity to follow the student's progress throughout the course.

  • Requests for a Letter of Recommendation must be made at least a month in advance of the due date.

  • Please review this webpage, "Getting a Letter of Recommendation" by Scott D. Anderson, a Lecturer in the Computer Science Department of Wellesley College.

    Employment References:
  • The instructor must be made aware of a request for a telephone-based employment reference.

  • The student must specify what student project tasks he / she has engaged in.

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Students with Disabilities: Access and Accommendations

Stanford welcomes everyone and is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities as they are a valued and essential part of the Stanford community.

Students who experience a disability should register with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate students' needs, support appropriate and reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Academic Accommodation Letter for faculty.

Students who already have an Academic Accommodation Letter should share it with the course instructor at the earliest possible opportunity. The instructor and OAE will identify and resolve any barriers to access and inclusion that might be encountered in the course experience.

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ENGR110/210 Lecture Schedule - 2022

Week

Lecture Date

Description

Assignments

Deliverables

1

Jan 4th

Course Overview & Introduction to Assistive Technology
David L. Jaffe, MS

Assignment - Project Report & Presentation handed out

This is a required class session for all students

 

Jan 6th

Project Pitch Day
Project Suggestors

 

Project Selection due Tuesday, January 11th

This is a required class session for students working on projects

2

Jan 11th

Class Discussion
Creating Assistive Technologies - Understanding the Problem

Gayle Curtis, MS

   
 

Jan 13th

Class Discussion
Bridging the Gap between Consumers and Products in Rehabilitation Medicine

Deborah E. Kenney, MS, OTR/L

   

3

Jan 18th

Class Discussion
Perspectives of Stanford Students and Faculty with a Disability

Cricket Bidleman, Mary Cooper, Tilly Griffiths, Gene Kim, Kevin Mintz, Bhavya Shah, Erik Sibley

   
 

Jan 20th

Class Discussion
Improving Home Environments for Older Adults

Matteo Zallio, M.Arch, PhD

   

4

Jan 25th

Class Discussion
Designing Beyond the Norm to Meet the Needs of All People

Peter W. Axelson, MSME, ATP, RET

   
 

Jan 27th

Class Discussion
From Idea to Market: Eatwell, Assistive Tableware for Persons with Cognitive Impairments

Sha Yao

   

5

Feb 1st

Class Discussion
Issues of Human Interface Design

Gary M. Berke, MS, CP, FAAOP

   
 

Feb 3rd

Class Discussion
Accessible Making: Designing Makerspaces for Accessibility

Kat M. Steele, PhD, MS

   

6

Feb 8th

Mid-Term Student Team Project Presentations

 

This is a required class session for students working on projects

 

Feb 10th

Class Discussion
Assistive Robotics

Monroe Kennedy III, PhD

   

7

Feb 15th

Class Discussion
VA Palo Alto Health Care System

B. Jenny Kiratli, PhD & Jeffrey P. Jaramillo, MSPT

   
 

Feb 17th

Class Discussion
Assistive Technology Faire

   

8

Feb 22nd

Class Discussion
The Design and Control of Exoskeletons for Rehabilitation

Katherine Strausser, PhD

   
 

Feb 24th

Class Discussion
Designing Exoskeletons and Prosthetic Limbs that Enhance Human Performance

Steven H. Collins, PhD

   

9

Mar 1st

Class Discussion
Field Trip to the Magical Bridge Playground

Olenka Villarreal

   
 

Mar 3rd

Class Discussion
Wheelchair Fabrication in Developing Countries

Ralf Hotchkiss

   

10

Mar 8th

End-of-Term Student Team Project Presentations

 

This is a required class session for students working on projects

 

Mar 10th

Student Project Demonstrations, Course Evaluation, and Celebration

 

This is a required class session for students working on projects

Project End-of-Term Reports
and
End-Quarter Reflection due Thursday, March 17th

11

Mar 15th

Final exam week - no class

   

Updated 09/02/2022

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