Team-Based Design of Assistive Technology Devices

Project Summary The goal of this proposed educational program is to train and create a biomedical engineering workforce capable of identifying and addressing the assistive technology device needs of persons with disabilities. Training will revolve around the design and development of assistive technology devices that satisfy the needs

of persons with disabilities, are not abandoned by the user, and which demonstrate an understanding of the social, ethical, environmental, and technical challenges associated with the use of assistive technology devices. We propose a unique educational program aimed at enabling undergraduate Biomedical Engineering

students to design such assistive technology devices in a team-based environment. Implementing two undergraduate courses, a summer clinical immersion and several community immersion activities, we will achieve our goal by completing three specific aims: 1) To provide a multidisciplinary team-based design

experience, 2) To provide a unique holistic biomedical training associated with adoption and use of assistive technology devices, 3) To provide training in assistive technology device needs through clinical and community immersion experiences. This educational program will be offered in a partnership between the University of

Kentucky F. Joseph Halcomb III MD, Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and the Human Development Institute (a statewide extension network for persons with disabilities in Kentucky). Each cycle of the program will take one year and will start with a spring semester

course on social, technical, ethical, and economic challenges associated with design and use of assistive technology devices. With the Human Development Institute as a program partner, participating students will be able to complete several community immersion activities as a part of this course wherein they will closely

observe the interactions between practitioners, persons with disabilities and their family members. A summer clinical immersion will also be offered as a part of the proposed program wherein 12 undergraduate engineering students (10 from Biomedical Engineering) will complete 200 hours of clinical observation activities

at a local rehabilitation hospital (Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital). Participants will be trained to identify unaddressed assistive technology device needs during clinical and community immersion experiences. Trainees will then be coached to design and prototype biomedical engineering solutions for a select number of

the identified assistive technology needs. A special consideration will be given to user needs when guiding student teams in their projects. The proposed educational program will be led by a team of three program directors with complementary engineering, clinical, and community expertise who have piloted a successful run

of the proposed program during the 2019-2020 academic year. Participation of non-engineering students, students with disabilities and minority students will be encouraged. Finally, program evaluation will be led by the Evaluation Unit of the Human Development Institute.