Perspectives is the newsletter of the Stanford course,
Perspectives in Assistive Technology.

Special Issue Soliciting Student Project Suggestions - Part 2

What are the project requirements? The previous newsletter described the benefits of and process for submitting a student project suggestion. This issue addresses the broad requirements of those suggestions.

• Deliverable: Project suggestions must involve the design and fabrication of a device (or the development of software) that addresses problems or challenges experienced by older adults, individuals with a disability, or those who care for them, including family members, therapists, and other health care professionals. Non-engineering issues such as health care insurance, legislation, and policy can not be pursued.

• Creativity: In pursuit of their projects, student teams are required to fully understand the problem, search for existing products, identify the need, brainstorm concepts, choose a design (or designs), and fabricate, test, analyze, and report on their creative solution.

• Originality: Student teams' designs must not be a copy of an existing commercial product (perform an internet search to confirm this) or a physical representation of another's design concept.

• Feasibility: Projects' aims and specifications should be realistic. Project solutions that can only be achieved by employing magic, violating the laws of physics, defying gravity, creating a perpetual motion machine, or disrupting the space-time continuum are examples of infeasible projects.

• Suitability: Unsuitable project suggestions include those involving advertising, engaging in market or data analysis or research, performing surveys, creating websites, compiling databases, or pursuing long-term studies.

• Overlap: Project suggestions must focus on real problems that are inadequately addressed by commercial products and could include diagnostic and rehabilitation therapy equipment as well as personal devices. Projects that assist family members or health care professionals in caring for individuals with disabilities and older adults are also welcome.

• Scale and Complexity: Project suggestions must be of appropriate scale and complexity to be completed (design, fabrication, and testing of a functional prototype) in one academic quarter (about 8 weeks).

• Size: Project solutions must be of an appropriate physical scale. The prototype should fit on a desktop as there is insufficient space on campus to work on larger items such as cars.

• Work Location: A majority of the project fabrication effort should occur on campus rather than in the residence of the older adult or person with a disability.

• Expertise: Project suggestions must be compatible with the skill level and expertise of students in the course who typically have mechanical engineering backgrounds, although some may have product design, electrical engineering, computer hardware, and/or software experience.

• Cost: Estimated parts and fabrications costs must be modest - no more than a few hundred dollars.

• Lower Cost: Fabricating a ready-to-be-manufactured, lower cost version of an existing product is not a suitable project goal as a student team's final prototype is a very long way from a potential commercial product and parts typically represent less than 10% of a product's retail price.

• Proprietary: Project solutions must not require access to or modification of proprietary software, such as adding functions to a cellphone.

• Participation: An older adult, a person with a disability, a family member of a person with a disability, or a health care professional must be available locally (within 25 miles) to work with the student project team to further illustrate the problem, offer advice during the quarter, and test the students' prototypes.

• Risk: Project prototypes must not pose any risk of harm to the user or student team. The device must also be minimally invasive and must not provide physical therapy or cause changes in physical anatomy (without the consent of the instructor and presence of a therapist or physician).

• Damage or Modification: Project work must not damage or alter any Stanford or private property. Examples of prohibited activities include drilling into walls, rewiring the installed infrastructure, home improvements, and vehicle modifications.

• Duplication: Project suggestions should not be a duplication of a candidate project already described in the current candidate project list.

• Support: Project suggestions supported by a monetary gift to the course will be given preference. See Call for Project Support.

What is the deadline for submitting project suggestions? - Please email suggestions to me as soon as possible so I have adequate time to consider all submissions, edit approved entries, and post them - not later than Friday, December 1st.

Upcoming Local Event

Presentation at Avenidas Please plan to attend my upcoming presentation at Avenidas where I will be speaking about the critical role that older adults and people with disabilities play as they work with teams of Stanford students to design and fabricate prototype devices that address real problems and challenges, as well as soliciting project suggestions for teams to pursue in the course. When: Friday, August 4th from 11:00am to 12:30pm Where: Avenidas, 450 Bryant Street - just off of University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto How: No RSVP is required to attend this free presentation.

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.

Email questions, comments, or suggestions - Please email me if you have general questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the course. Thank you again for your interest.

Dave