- Mayra Mendez-Pinero
- Associate Professor
- Making the Difference: An Industrial Engineering Capstone Design Experience to Benefit Adults with Disabilities
- http://engineering.uprm.edu/inin/research/nsf-garde-project-2014-2017/
- University of Puerto Rico
- Cristina Pomales-Garcia
- Professor
- Making the Difference: An Industrial Engineering Capstone Design Experience to Benefit Adults with Disabilities
- http://engineering.uprm.edu/inin/research/nsf-garde-project-2014-2017/
- University of Puerto Rico
Public Discussion
Continue the discussion of this presentation on the Multiplex. Go to Multiplex
Mayra Mendez-Pinero
Associate Professor
We proudly present the results of our project thanks to an NSF-GARDE award for 2014-2017! The video presents the results of the prototypes created by eleven (11) groups of IE capstone students throughout the three years period. The focus of the prototypes was on adults with disabilities and we were motivated to enhance their quality of life. Please watch our video, vote, ask questions, share! Thanks a lot!
Renetta Tull
Sarah Wille
Senior Research Scientist
Thanks for sharing your work! I'd love to hear more about how students developed their ideas - did they have opportunities to talk to potential users about their everyday experiences and needs? People who support individuals with various disabilities? And if so, how did that impact their approach to work? Excited to learn more!
Mayra Mendez-Pinero
Associate Professor
Thank you very much for your comment! All projects were developed based on specific needs of potential users or based on ideas from people who work with adults with disabilities. This directly impacted their work mainly in the design phase of their projects where they considered the particular needs that were identified.
Sarah Wille
Christopher Atchison
Associate Professor
Mayra and Cristina, excellent project and amazing design outcomes. These are wonderfully designed accommodations for everyday activities. I like Sarah's question about giving students the opportunity to speak directly with the end-users. Even the same disability type manifests differently in each individual. Some of these designs may need to be modified to work with an individual. What were some of the challenges your students faced with researching and completing their designs? What comes next for this project??? I would LOVE to see similar designs specific to the barriers for students working in STEM classrooms, labs, and field settings.
Cristina Pomales-Garcia
Professor
Hi Christopher. All the students had an opportunity to speak directly with the end users as part of the design process. End users, engineers, therapists and capstone course mentors had the opportunity to participate in the process of selecting design criteria and establishing priorities for the design outcomes. Depending on the design process selected by students the mentors and end users had to evaluate the final prototypes using quantitative criteria based on design specifications as well as satisfaction. All the designs were created for a particular end user (client or therapist) who was given the prototype for use.
Christopher Atchison
Associate Professor
Also, it seems you measured mostly qualitatively, based on satisfaction. Do you have any plans to look more quantifiably at the percent improvement in completing daily activity as a result of these adaptive devices?
Cristina Pomales-Garcia
Professor
Since the time period for the analysis was tied to capstone projects we had initial customer satisfaction feedback. Also the project had quantitative analysis of student grades as well as qualitative feedback from student perceptions and attitudes as part of the end project. As an outcome of the project we have incorporated some of the assessment instruments developed into the exit survey for our Industrial Engineering program graduates, focusing on well being and ethics. Results show that these types of projects have an impact in student sensibility, awareness and empathy toward others and broaden student perspectives about the Industrial Engineering field.
Christopher Atchison
Associate Professor
All sounds great, Cristina. Thank you for both of your responses. Will these measures be published? Measuring sensibility, awareness, and empathy would be helpful in all STEM disciplines!
Cristina Pomales-Garcia
Professor
Dear Christopher,
Thanks for your interest in the measures. You can find related data to assessment questions on a publication titled: An industrial engineering design experience reflecting upon moral development and well-being (https://dire.uprm.edu/handle/20.500.11801/28) that stemmed from project measures. Also in the following link you can see our report for the Student Self-Reflection and Questionnaire Assessment Results from the Project Report
Pati Ruiz
Dean of Studies
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful project! How is the team sharing what was learned as well as any other work they are comfortable sharing? Have you made your designs public, or will you be sharing them with others who might benefit from them? I am also wondering how other educators might adapt these types of projects with students in high school or college courses.
Cristina Pomales-Garcia
Professor
Hi Pati,
I am glad that you asked. In the project website you can find the individual project summaries the blueprints or product designs, instruction manuals and project posters for most of the projects. Please visit: http://engineering.uprm.edu/inin/research/nsf-g...
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