Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter course for students to learn about issues surrounding the design and use of technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults.

This three-credit course consists of twice-weekly presentations by guest lecturers and tours of local medical facilities and engineering labs. Students pursue team-based projects that address problems faced by users of assistive technology.

Lectures are open to all students and community members.

For students whose schedule does not permit working on a team-based project, one-unit lecture-only options are offered. ENGR110 is a certified Service Learning course that satisfies the optional course requirement for the BSME degree and is an approved course for the Program in Science, Technology & Society.

The course objectives are to:

• 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 team-based project experience that exercises team working skills and applies an engineering design process to tackle 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' critical thinking and communication skills, with specific emphasis on in-class discussions, report writing, and 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

Students can pursue further prototyping, fabrication, user testing, and iterative design for credit in the Spring Quarter as an independent study project (for graduate students) or a senior project in ME113 or CS194.

For more information, see the course syllabus.