Tuesday, February 17th
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Design Challenges in
Assistive Technology
Douglas F. Schwandt, MS
Mechanical Engineer
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Abstract: Doug will describe several examples of
rehabilitation engineering projects he has worked on, giving some personal
insight into the design process, relating experiences, and passing along some
helpful guiding advice he has received over the years.
Biosketch: Doug Schwandt began his career in
Rehabilitation Engineering with a Stanford ME210 (now ME310) design project, on
a student team creating the Handbike, the first arm-powered two-wheeled bicycle
for lower-limb disabled. After graduation, he continued the Handbike
development, and went on to design various other devices for the disabled with
the Design Development team at the Palo Alto VA Rehab R&D Center, including
finger-spelling hands, hyper/hypo gravity devices and specialty cycle
ergometers. Over the years, Doug has also consulted on various exciting and
challenging projects outside of the VA, including exercise concepts for
long-term space travel, MRI compatible fixtures and mobility devices, and
robots for physical therapy. No longer a VA employee, Doug continues to work as
a consultant to universities and companies as a free-lance consulting design
engineer, and part-time as a springboard diving coach.
- Contact Information:
- Doug Schwandt
- doug.schwandt -at- gmail.com
- dougschwandt (skype)
- 650/464-3578 (mobile)
- Lecture Material:
- Slides - 3.54 Mb pdf
file
- Audio - 58:35 -
13.4 Mb mp3 file
- Links:
- Mobility Engineering Inc. -
HandBike
- Bilenky's Cycle Works, Ltd -
ViewPoint
- NASA Ames Space Physiology Laboratory
- KineAssist
- Haptic Tactor
- Alter-G
Inc.
 |
Accessible Recreation: Tools
and Techniques for Snowboarding and Whitewater Rafting
Owen R. Edwards, MEng
|
Abstract: This presentation will introduce the
basic mechanics of snowboarding, some of the constraints imposed by
disabilities, and some adaptive equipment and teaching techniques that allow
people with disabilities to enjoy snowboarding. It will also touch on simple
ways that whitewater rafting trips can be made accessible to disabled
participants.
Biosketch: Owen Edwards has seven years'
experience teaching snowboarding and whitewater rafting, specializing in
working with people with disabilities. At Challenge Aspen, he helped develop a
national curriculum for adaptive snowboard instruction, and worked on the
industry-wide examinations for instructors at the beginner and intermediate
levels for the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI). He has
been Operations Manager and Guide Trainer for Environmental Traveling
Companion's rafting program, running one-day and expedition trips on rivers
across California for people with disabilities including blind and
visually-impaired participants, and people with traumatic brain injury, spinal
cord injury, and cerebral palsy. Owen has a Master's degree in Electronic
Engineering, and worked for ten years as a design engineer and project manager
on embedded software, DSP firmware, and semiconductor devices for telecoms and
consumer electronics products before moving into the field of accessible
recreation.
- Contact Information:
- Owen R. Edwards, MEng
- owen.r.edwards -at- gmail.com
- Lecture Material:
- Slides - 1.8 Mb pdf
file
- Audio - 58:35 -
13.4 Mb mp3 file
- Links:
- Challenge
Aspen
- Environmental
Traveling Companions (ETC)
- Disabled Sports USA Far
West
- Bay Area Outreach and
Recreation Program (BORP)
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