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ATLAS |
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Assistive
Technology
Laboratory
at
Stanford |
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Technology
and design benefitting individuals with disabilities and older adults in the
local community |
March 1, 2016 |
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Perspectives is the newsletter of the
Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive
Technology.
This issue invites you
to attend the next class session.
Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter
Quarter Stanford course - now in its tenth year - that explores the design,
development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with
disabilities and older adults. The schedule
consists of semi-weekly classroom discussions; lectures by
notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; tours
of local medical, clinical, and engineering facilities; an assistive
technology faire; and a film screening.
Next class
session - Thursday, March 3rd at 4:30pm
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Wheelchair Fabrication in Developing Countries
Ralf Hotchkiss
Whirlwind Wheelchair International |
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Abstract: Ralf
Hotchkiss will track the design of the Whirlwind Wheelchair from its beginning
thirty years ago to the present and on into the future. From the first design
breakthroughs of barefoot blacksmiths to the high tech testing and
manufacturing methods of today, surprise breakthroughs in basic wheelchair
design have come from the backyard inventors of some forty developing
countries. These inventors, along with several graduates of the Stanford
d.school, form the Whirlwind Network of wheelchair riders and designers. Their
goal is not only to make wheelchairs available in the poorest of countries; it
is to radically improve the durability and rough-ground mobility so that
wheelchair riders can live and work in environments that they can only dream of
visiting today. Ralf will show unfinished designs that open wide opportunities
for new developments, and he will make a plea for the innovative designers of
Stanford to enter into one of today's most fulfilling areas of invention and
international development work. |
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Biosketch:
Ralf Hotchkiss is an inventor and the lead designer of the Whirlwind
Wheelchair International, a non-profit located in Berkeley. Its mission is "to
make it possible for every person in the developing world who needs a
wheelchair to obtain one that will lead to maximum personal independence and
integration into society". At SFSU, Ralf taught Engineering 620: Wheelchair
Design and Construction, a class in which students built a complete
wheelchair in a Third World appropriate shop. Ralf is a graduate of Oberlin
College and a 1989 MacArthur
Foundation Fellow. |
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Suggest a project -
Good assistive technology project suggestions are sought for Stanford's
Mechanical Engineering capstone course (ME113) for the upcoming Spring Quarter.
Your suggestions should be based on an observation or experience of a real
challenge faced by individuals with a disability or older adults.
Projects will involve the design and fabrication of a
functional solution to the problem, as well as student team presentations and
reports.
This is a great opportunity for individuals,
organizations, or companies to interact with teams of talented, enthusiastic
seniors, benefit from their fresh perspective, and gain access to university
expertise and resources. Students benefit by having the opportunity to apply
their studies of solid and fluid mechanics, manufacturing, and mechanical
design to a real world problem.
Your first step is to visit the
Project Solicitation webpage for a list
of project requirements and a description of how best to convey your ideas. If
your suggestion is accepted, you will have the opportunity to offer the student
team advice, direction, and expertise in person or by phone and/or
email. |
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Attend a lecture -
Course lectures will be held on Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:50pm and are open
to the greater Stanford community. You are most welcome to sit in on class
sessions that interest you. You need not be a Stanford student and there is no
required signup, enrollment, or charge. The class will meet in a large, tiered,
accessible classroom on campus in the Thornton Center, adjacent to the Terman
Fountain and near the Roble Gym, the same venue as last year. Here are the
parking options, maps, and directions to
the classroom. |
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Did you miss a
lecture? - Course lectures are posted on YouTube. To find the links,
browse to the Lecture Schedule webpage,
scroll down and click on the lecture of interest. Near the bottom of the page
you will see the Lecture Material section which has links to the slides,
photos, weblinks, and lecture video. |
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Remaining class
sessions: |
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Would you like to support the
course? - Funding in any amount for the course and student projects
is always welcomed. Monetary gifts support approved project expenses,
administrative costs, honoraria for guest lecturers, and the end-of-term
celebration. Refer to the Team Project Support
webpage for more information.
Do you have a question,
comment, or suggestion? - If you have general questions, comments,
or suggestions about the course, David L. Jaffe, MS, the instructor, can
be reached by email or at
650/892-4464. Thank you again for your interest in the course.
Dave
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To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please email
Dave. |
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