[bioundgrd] Fwd: 6.811J/HST420J/2.S994: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology (PPAT)

[Janice Chang]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Traci Anderson <tanderso at mit.edu<mailto:tanderso at mit.edu>>
Subject: 6.811J/HST420J/2.S994: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology (PPAT)
Date: September 3, 2015 at 9:24:51 AM EDT

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6.811J/HST420J/2.S994: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology  (PPAT), jointly being offered by MIT EECS, MechE, and IMES/HST, is centered around a design project in which student teams work closely with a person with a disability in the Cambridge area to design a device, piece of equipment, app, or other solution that helps them live more independently.  Over the course of the term, each team meets with its "client," iterates through multiple prototypes, and learns about the challenges and realities of designing technologies for people with disabilities.

Register online, then come to the first class meeting of Fall 2015:

    *Wed, Sept. 9th at 2pm* in room 32-144.

See ppat.mit.edu<http://ppat.mit.edu/> or email ppat at mit.edu<mailto:ppat at mit.edu> for more information.

Past projects have included an iPhone app for detecting clothing colors and patterns to help a blind person dress independently; a custom "no-spill" spoon for a person with a spinal cord injury to eat more easily; a bicycle with sensing and a haptic interface designed for a blind rider; an Android-based task reminder and sequencing system for a person with a brain injury causing deficits in working memory; a blind-accessible modification to an otherwise inaccessible home appliance; a customized mouse event handler for someone using only his eyes to control the mouse; and tablet apps to control various aspects of the user's environment.

We seek students from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines. Any experience in design is helpful, but not necessary.  Three person teams are formed so that  students complement each other's skill sets. Along with the project, the course includes guest lectures from clinicians in rehabilitation, human-computer interface experts, product designers, and people living with physical or cognitive impairments, as well as lab exercises in which students use and evaluate various assistive technologies.

This course is a good fit for students interested in public service, user-centered product design, working closely with a client with a disability (potentially in consultation with their caregivers and/or clinicians), and tackling difficult, real-world problems.  In past terms it has received an average rating of 6.5 (out of 7) overall.



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