Tuesday Class at Baruch
November 19th, 2006Final Project Links
November 14th, 2006Musical Fun Chair - http://itp.nyu.edu/~me686/assist_tech/musical_fun_chair.html
Memory Game - http://katiebauer.com/itp/at/final/
OT Tricks of the Trade - http://itp.nyu.edu/~ap1493/atech/
info on lit search
October 31st, 2006
I found a couple of websites that do a nice job of overviewing what should be in your literature review. It really depends on your topic, but you want supportive literature for each part of your project.
http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html
FINAL PROJECT: Networked Devices for Disabled Children
September 27th, 2006By: Michael, Kate, Jen, Rhys
Often times, people with disabilities are unable to participate in activities, which leaves the outside of the group. We would like to create a device (perhaps a toy) that allows disabled children to interact with one another within the same space. Since they are often confined to either wheelchairs, or other systems to assist them in movement, this device would bring them together closer than they have ever been before.
Case Study + Device Design Assignment
September 14th, 2006For next week please use the case studies handed out in class to develop a solution, a practical device that can aid the patient towards independence and successful path to therapy. Make sure to recognize the disabilities each patient has and clearly identify how your group’s device is resolving the problems.
This should be a quick assignment for brainstorming, figuring out who the other people in the class are and how they think and an introduction to developing assistive technology. Anita and I would like to see a tangible product built out to demonstrate your solution. If the solution is a little more complicated then a series of sketches of how the device would be used would be good too.
If you have any questions let us know.
Class tonight
September 12th, 2006Hi everyone,
We’re going with the plan to have the OT students meet with John in ITP from 6:45-8 and ITP students to meet with Anita in the OT Department from 6:45-8.
From 8:15-9:00 we’ll meet all together in the OT Department. The OT department is located at 35 West 4th Street, 11th floor. We’ll be in room 1102 (or there will be a note on the door).
See you tonight. Anita and John
Site Visit Scheduled for Friday Sept 15
September 12th, 2006The class will be visiting the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center (formerly called the Foundling Hospital) on Firday, Sept 15, 2-3 pm. Please meet in the lobby of the Center just prior to 2pm. Make sure you have ID with you or they won’t let you in. Annette, the therapist hosting this tour will meet us at 2pm.
Please RSVP to me (anita.perr@nyu.edu) and John (schimmel@nyu.edu) to let us know whether you will be attending.
Please take a look a the Elizabeth Seton Center website before the visit to familiarize yourself with the facility and clients. http://www.setonpediatric.org/
Activity Analysis Object ReDesign
September 11th, 2006Title: The Window Lifter
Created by: Michael Ang, Kate Bauer, Rhys Filmer, Ching-I Hsu & Jennifer Shub
Purpose/Function:
- The purpose of the Window Lifter is to assist individuals in initiating the difficult process of opening a window.
- The Window Lifter may be used in the absence of strength or limited mobility in the upper back and upper extremities.
- Additionally, the Window Lifter can act as an energy conservation technique.
‘Hardcore Sitting’
September 7th, 2006So while I was reading Wheelchair Dancer’s blog I came across these amazing videos of a young guy riding his wheelchair in a skate park. With his body strapped in and helmet secure he flys around the park and even does a backflip. Wow, that’s all I can say.
Videos here: Simple backflip (Google) and a longer video (windows media).
Interview at NewDisability.com
Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center
September 5th, 2006
Since this is the first visit, it would be difficult to compare this center to others like it. The things I did see were fascinating and greatly exceeded my expectations for what was available for children with disabilities. In terms of need, or things they were looking for, some things stood out: light, vibration & sound. Certain children respond differently to different stimuli. Its all a game of trial and error to figure out what works on an individual basis.
A large screen is projected on one wall in a room called the “Wonder Room.” Children can move in front of it, where a camera picks up their movement and changes the images accordingly. A child can push a ball across the screen, make trees or even play a (somewhat altered) game of pool.
There is a machine that transforms movement into sound. A child can effectively “play” a harp by merely moving in front of the sensors on the microphone-like stands. Machines like this are expensive, however. This one cost around 10k. Not something a child might have access to unless in one of these facilities.
Another application of technology, also located in the “Wonder Room,” was a string of lights that changed colors. They were much more durable than those I have seen before. Much emphasis was placed on the ability to wash these devices or clean the surfaces so that they may be used for more than one child, on multiple occasions. (Latex is not allowed anywhere in the facility, as some children are allergic to it.)
We were brought into the basement, where there is a pool for water therapy exercises and a small jacuzzi which is no longer in use because of issues with germs. The sides of the pool were clear, so you could watch the movement from the outside. So far, no technology devices that they know of have been integrated into the water therapy as of yet.
The Starlight Foundation provides much of the monetary support for the facility, along with Medicare.