The SITE program will augment the current senior design sequence at the University of Utah and will focus on new opportunities to expand our efforts. This new emphasis area is to help bridge the gap between technology, scientific contributions and the deaf and blind community's needs. This effort includes providing assistive technology and devices that will support the development and education of persons with vision and hearing impairments. To accomplish this, we will meet the following six main objectives: Objective 1: Engage senior engineering students and community partners in design projects focused on solving challenges faced by persons with disabilities. Objective 2: Cultivate a partnership between engineering students and community organizations serving, educating and rehabilitating persons with disabilities. Objective 3: Support annual senior design projects that enhance the quality of life of students who are deaf and blind by providing technology and assistive devices that accelerate learning, encourage physical activity and support additional independence at home and work. Objective 4: Disseminate information and increase awareness of the senior design course sequence in the community to gain support for additional projects to address the needs of persons with limiting conditions, disorders and disabilities. Objective 5: Evaluate and improve the performance of prototype devices in the community through partnerships with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Department of Special Education and other community partners. Objective 6: Produce technology and devices that can be commercially manufactured and distributed to a greater population through partnerships with the Technology and Commercialization Office (TCO) at the University of Utah. Intellectual Merit The proposed plan will provide a mechanism to further the development of an active collaboration between undergraduate engineering students and community organizations who educate, train and care for individuals with vision and hearing impairments. The Engineering Design Capstone Course Series at the PI's institution has demonstrated the ability to generate new technology and devices to address challenging problems. SITE will support training of undergraduate mechanical engineering students and provide technology for the deaf and blind community. Partnership with, and support of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind will also serve to enhance the experience of students involved with SITE. Teams of 4-6 engineering undergraduates supported by faculty and community mentors will be selected to solve specific problems and produce functioning prototypes after two semesters. These projects will contribute towards innovation and technology advancement in the field of disability research, specifically suited to aid persons with vision and hearing impairments. The projects will further aid community organizations and their efforts to enhance and accelerate learning to provide children with special needs with new technologies that encourage physical activity, improve life skills training, and enhance education efforts. Broader Impacts Both teaching and learning will be advanced through establishing teams of engineering students and community partners to practice solving real-life challenges for persons with disabilities. All projects will be designed to teach teamwork and enhance cooperative learning by interacting with other students and professionals working with persons living with disabilities. SITE projects will be designed to improve quality of life and promote the integration of persons living with disabilities into communities where they live.
