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Breakthrough Devices For The Disabled Canes for the blind with built-in sonar that detects obstacles, sleds that enable paraplegics to slide down stairs in case of an emergency, bicycles for paralyzed children, a walker that climbs stairs: These are just some of the breakthrough designs by high school students competing in the 12th annual National Engineering Design Challenge in Washington, D.C., on February 20 and 21 during National Engineers Week, co-chaired in 2001 by IBM and the National Society of Professional Engineers. For tens of millions of Americans with some form of physical disability, even the smallest tasks can become formidable. This year, JETS, Inc., the not-for-profit educational organization that sponsors the competition, asked students to design and fabricate a product that will help make life easier for people with disabilities. The requirements include making the product appeal to a wide market and at a reasonable price so that it might eventually become mass produced. Fourteen regional winning designs are competing in Washington. On Tuesday, February 20, the first round of competition will take place at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill from 9 AM to 4 PM. Five finalists from that round will compete the next afternoon from 2 to 5 PM, with the national winner announced at 5 PM. The entries represent much more than good intentions. These are breakthrough devices that actually work, because not only does the competition call for new ideas, it also requires that students build a functioning prototype. Student teams develop the designs with the advice of their teacher and a volunteer engineer mentor from the local community. Competition organizers say that, besides contributing to the public good, the program also provides students with some of the most important lessons of engineering, including learning to work with others and benefiting from trial and error. "This program introduces high school students to engineering and technology through a hands-on project," says JETS executive director Howard Spiegelman. "Designs are aimed at human needs using the principle of universal design, so the program also increases the social understanding of young people. In this way, they directly relate to the critical role engineers play in society. And, this project may just be the nudge that encourages a young person to consider a career in engineering." Many in this year's competition sought to create devices that could aid those with limited use of their legs. Students from South Side High School in Rockville Centre, New York, are competing with the "Slide for Life," a sled-like carrier that lets paraplegics use the stairs during emergencies. While everyone knows that elevators should never be used in case of fire, this leaves those in wheelchairs no escape options during an emergency. Evacuation plans for the disabled at the World Trade Center, for instance, call for those who can't climb stairs to enter concrete-encased rooms on each floor and wait for the emergency to pass. South Side's slide, however, lets a paraplegic climb onto the sled -- which has wooden runners along the bottom -- and navigate stairwells without assistance. A hand break allows users to control downhill speed and casters let the person glide over landings. Expected cost is less than $50. Five students from Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami developed the "Hand-Rider," an outsized tricycle targeted to the approximately five million American children who are disabled, many of whom are paraplegics. To create their design, students deconstructed two regular bicycles and rearranged the parts into a single tricycle, powered by turning cranks where handlebars would normally be. West Perry High School in Elliottsburg, Pa., is entering the competition with a device for those who still maintain some mobility in their legs, but need a bit of assistance walking. For these people, the high schoolers created the "Walkabout," a double-axeled walker that has wheels at the end of four spokes on either side of the front legs. On level surfaces the mechanism rolls forward like a wheeled walker -- no breakthrough there. But, it's when the device hits the stairs that it offers something truly revolutionary: The walker ratchets forward and up to the next stair or forward and down, as necessary. It also works to get on and off curbs. The students estimate its manufactured cost at $40. For the hearing impaired, Gardner Edgerton High School in Gardner, Kansas, has built the Sound Activated Alert Module -- dubbed SAAM by the students. The device detects sound, converts it into an electrical signal, and then transforms it into vibrating pulses. In low-noise environments such as the home, the detector would pick up sounds such as a door knock, telephone ring, or a dog barking. In more cacophonous areas, such as a city street, sensitivity is lowered to detect only louder noises, such as sirens, whistles, or horns. Once in mass production, the students estimate each SAAM will cost about $20. For the blind, the Center for Advanced Research and Technology, a California high school in Clovis, has built a cane that senses how far away an object is. The cane sends out a signal that bounces off objects and returns to the cane in feedback modulated by distance. The feedback creates vibrations that let the holder know how far away an object is. The students built their prototype cane from PVC piping with an outer aluminum housing and a molded handle. A battery and circuitry are inside the length of the cane, with a transponder at the tip. JETS, Inc. promotes excellence in high school math, science, and technology, and each year asks students from across the country to create novel solutions to a societal problem. Previous competitions have called for child-safe shopping carts, a device to help the elderly get up from a chair, and page turners for disabled people. Students in the competition are vying for a $1,000 first prize. The top five teams will receive Certificates of Merit provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce National Medal of Technology. # # # Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week is celebrated annually by thousands of engineers, engineering students, teachers and leaders in government and business. In 1990, the National Engineers Week consortium expanded its scope and now includes more than 100 engineering, scientific and education societies, and major corporations dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation of technology and the engineering profession. Co-chairs for 2001 are the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and IBM. The national winning NEDC team receives a check for $1,000, provided by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Second-place team receives $500 provided by the North American Die Casting Association. Third-place team receives $250 provided by Viva Robotics. Top five teams receive Certificates of Merit provided by U.S. Department of Commerce National Medal of Technology. All 14 NEDC finalist teams receive $1,000 to offset costs of travel to Washington, D.C. Other awards to be given at the NEDC finals include a Manufacturing Engineering Award, provided by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Metrics Award, provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, plus other special awards including Best Working Model, Most Unique Solution, Most Effective Presentation, Most Cohesive Team, Most Marketable Solution and "Students' Choice" Award. JETS, Inc. is a national, not-for-profit education organization that promotes interest in engineering, science, mathematics, and technology among high school students. JETS' programs emphasize aptitude and learning experiences, higher-order thinking skills, creative thinking and ingenuity, teamwork, effective communications, academic rigor, and leadership skills. JETS' other programs include: TEAMS, a problem-solving program and competition that introduces high school students to an "engineering team" environment; NEAS+, an academic self-assessment survey for students considering engineering or technology as a career; and extensive career guidance and instructional materials. Visit JETS Online at www.jets.org. JETS gratefully acknowledges the NEC Foundation of America and Society of Manufacturing Engineers for their consistent and generous support. Thanks also goes to the following sponsors: National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Engineers Week, National Society of Professional Engineers, North American Die Casting Association, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Viva Robotics. And a special not of gratitude goes to our regional hosts who are the soul of this program: California State University-Fresno, DC Society of Professional Engineers, Florida International University, Johnson County Community College, Morris Hills Regional District, New York Institute of Technology, Ohio Society of Professional Engineers, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, University of New Haven, University of St. Thomas, Virginia Society of Professional Engineers/Virginia Commonwealth University. |
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National Engineers Week Foundation
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