Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk for a myriad of health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and musculoskeletal disease. For people with physical disabilities, these health benefits are potentially even more profound. They are at a greater risk for obesity than the general population, and often have difficulty finding suitable ways to engage in physical activity. When engaging in physical activity, participants report feeling that they are no longer viewed as being disabled. Additionally, adapted physical activity may result in a number of psycho-social benefits, including reduced feelings of isolation, increased self-image and self esteem, and extension of the athlete?s social support network. At Cal Poly, the College of Engineering has partnered with the Kinesiology (KINE) Department in its successful Adapted Activity Program. Jointly we will work in collaboration with the Central Coast Assistive Technology Center (CCATC), a non-profit organization that works directly with clients who have physical and sensory disabilities, to address the special exercise needs of persons with disabilities. Multidisciplinary teams of students will work on capstone projects to design, build, and test assistive devices to aid adapted physical activities. Proposed projects in this grant will enhance the ability of the Adapted Physical Activity Programs to serve those in the community. Development of this athletic equipment fits perfectly into Cal Poly?s Learn By Doing educational philosophy. During their senior design capstone experience, students are required to design, build, and test a system based on user requirements. The projects serve these educational objectives while at the same time providing the opportunity for multidisciplinary experiences and projects with real-world meaning. The PI?s of this proposal have many years of experience in undergraduate design, assistive technology, and service-learning. The project benefits from the strong on-going relationship between the PI?s and the CCATC. Finally, effective programs, such as the KINE Department?s Adapted Physical Activity, and the assistive devices designed by Cal Poly?s undergraduate students will serve as exemplars in addressing the national crisis of obesity in the United Sates.
