Academic Programs

Description

This course provides students with an overview of assistive technologies for people with disabilities and those aging into disability. Students will have hands-on experience with existing technologies in the areas of seating and wheeled mobility, hearing and vision loss, cognitive impairments, environmental controls and smart home automation, augmentative and alternative communication, artificial intelligence, and access to computers. Students will also gain real-world experiences by observing client sessions in an assistive technology clinic, and by working in teams to develop a phase one prototype device for a client with assistive technology needs.

Learning objectives

1. Have a basic understanding of disability categories and conditions, biomechanics, and assistive technologies.
2. Compare and contrast the benefits and risks of existing and emerging assistive technologies.
3. Analyze design constraints for a variety of disability categories.
4. Evaluate user interfaces.
5. Develop low-tech assistive technology prototype device for a specific disability/condition.

Instructor

Becky Breaux, PhD

Description

This course builds on the foundational concepts introduced in the “BIOE 4057/5057: Rehabilitation and AT + Lab” course, expanding students' understanding of disability, aging, and biomedical engineering principles for the design of technologies that address the needs of people living with functional impairments across the lifespan. Students examine human factors, body structure and function, contextual and environmental influences, and the interactions among users and technology. Emphasis is placed on user-centered design, needs assessment, use case development, and the translation of functional challenges into engineering design requirements. Students also explore product design considerations and transdisciplinary approaches for developing accessible and effective technologies across multiple environments.

Learning objectives

1. Design assistive systems, components, or processes that address real-world needs of individuals with disabilities and older adults, considering usability, safety, and human factors.
2. Develop and communicate use cases that capture user needs, environmental context, and functional requirements, effectively presenting design solutions to diverse audiences.
3. Collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams to generate, evaluate, and refine design concepts for assistive technologies across different application settings.
4. Utilize modern engineering tools and professional practices, incorporating ethical considerations, user-centered design, and contextual factors in the development of assistive technologies.

Instructor

Ismael Sánchez-Osorio, PhD

Description

This course trains students to apply human factor methods, identify user needs, and evaluate prototypes of commercial products and assistive technology (AT). Topics include general human factor considerations, usability techniques, and user experience data collection and interpretation. The skills acquired in this class are essential to human-centered design and provide a more systematic approach to user research and product evaluation. These strategies build upon previous knowledge gained in affiliated courses, such as “BIOE 4057/5057: Rehabilitation and AT + Lab.” Students will design and apply usability testing protocols to inform product refinement and validation while working with special populations such as individuals with advanced age and/or disabilities.

Learning objectives

1. Understand the taxonomy of human factor assessment techniques and the circumstances under which each should be employed.
2. Integrate considerations for individuals with advanced age/disabilities when planning usability studies and other human factor assessments.
3. Plan and perform a contextual inquiry, cognitive walkthrough, or heuristic evaluation, as well as interpret the resultant data.
4. Design a usability study for medical or AT devices that directly supports CIDE with pilot data.
5. Develop and administer test plans and materials for usability studies.
6. Moderate and observe usability testing sessions.
7. Analyze mixed-methods usability data on user performance and satisfaction.
8. Classify and prioritize usability issues for optimal dissemination to development/design teams.
9. Report findings of human factors assessments in a systematic and compelling format.

Instructor

Morris Huang, PhD

Description

This course provides students with an overview of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology with a focus on disease, disability, and aging. Clinical application activities offer students opportunities to integrate learning into real-world scenarios for a better understanding of human disease and disability and the potential benefits of medical devices and assistive technologies. Students will also have hands-on learning activities that facilitate the application of engineering principles to human body systems.

Learning objectives

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of Latin root words, suffixes, and prefixes in the use of medical terminology for biotechnology design.
2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of human anatomy and human physiology to develop foundational concepts for biomedical engineering.
3. Discuss and present case study examples, with a focus on the use of medical devices or assistive technology, while integrating principles of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology appropriately.
4. Apply, compare, and contrast principles of engineering to human physiological systems through hands-on lab activities.

Instructors

Becky Breaux, PhD

Claire Simpson, MS, OTR/L

Description

The purpose of this course is to teach students the skills necessary to control and communicate with devices using microcontrollers and embedded systems. Lectures will present foundational concepts in electronics and microcontrollers, with an emphasis on understanding principles rather than in-depth circuit design. Lab sessions will reinforce the lectures, providing hands-on activities including applications relevant to disability technology (e.g. power wheelchair systems and adaptive switches). Students will specifically apply their skills to solve problems related to their work and/or hobbies.

Learning objectives

1. Understand and design mechatronic systems, and be able to identify critical components and analyze their function.
2. Control mechanical devices using a microcontroller.
3. Select an appropriate sensor, implement its interface with a microcontroller, and use its data in a negative feedback control loop.
4. Apply learned skills to the design of a mechatronic system that addresses a problem in their own work/hobbies.
5. Communicate intelligently with collaborators and provide valuable input when working on electro-mechanical projects.

Instructor

Morris Huang, PhD

Description

The Fieldwork Experiences course reflects a culmination of the didactic and laboratory coursework taken during the certificate program. Students will participate in a semester-long fieldwork internship/externship focused on direct engagement and understanding of user-centered clinical and inclusive engineering design and fabrication principles. For a three-credit course, students will spend 240 hours of direct engagement at either a clinical or industry-related fieldwork site.

Learning objectives

1. Perform a client chart review and interview or complete a user persona profile.
2. Assist site supervisor with equipment selection, prescription, and/or design.
3. Assist site supervisor with equipment set-up, programming, adjustment, or modification.
4. Provide product demonstrations for assistive technologies.
5. Provide training in the use of assistive technologies.
6. Research product options and present results.

Instructor

Becky Breaux, PhD