Proposal Number: 1264321<br/>PI: Reffeor<br/><br/>The objective of this project is to develop, disseminate and assess a cornerstone design learning strategy while teaching engineering students skills in developing specialized assistive devices for children with physical and mental disabilities. For this project cornerstone design is defined as comprehensive, project-based design education between the first year introduction classes and capstone design experiences that take place in the senior year. Projects will be implemented in the first and second semesters of the junior year as well as the first semester of the senior year. The prototypes and design documentation produced in previous classes will serve as design input for subsequent classes. However, each class will be required to interview users, care givers and physical therapists to refine the project specifications and to gain personal experience with the problems facing the users. Students will build a prototype of all or part of the required device in each course. Student teams in each course will give midterm and final presentations to professors and project stakeholders in order to solicit feedback on design alternatives under considerations and prototypes produced. The advantages of this approach include the delivery of a more refined and robust device to the user, student gain experience with preparing and working with design documentation and students will work through design iterations, a key component of complex design projects.<br/><br/>Intellectual Merit: Traditionally engineering design has been taught at the beginning and end of the engineering curriculum. First year students receive an introduction to design and senior students participate in capstone design classes. This project endeavors to develop a novel strategy of linking three existing courses to teach design skills to students to better prepare them for their capstone experience and their subsequent careers. In addition, students and faculty will work with users of assistive technology, caregivers and physical therapists to advance the field of assistive technology. The three course sequence allows teams to tackle difficult problems and develop innovative solutions because the time required iterations is built into the strategy.<br/><br/>Broader Impact: The ultimate goal of the project is to disseminate the results of the project and to facilitate other institutions in modifying and adopting the cornerstone design strategy to increase the pool engineers skilled in solving complex design problems. These well prepared engineers will use their skills in companies or as entrepreneurs to sustainably grow the economy.