Shiley School of Engineering and the nonprofit organization Community Vision are partnering to host the first Maker Space Challenge, a one day event–open to all majors–to work on specific problems facing people with disabilities. Teams of students will choose from 3 challenges to create an initial design and rough prototype. Students can bring their own team or be matched up with a team the day of.
Challenges proposed:
- Create an interface for switch adapted electric cars for children with significant motor delays
- Find a solution for a person with inability to use touch screen functionality of an iPad
- Design a controller for Minecraft requiring minimal arm movement and use of only one hand
Kim Elliott, the Director of the Assistive Technology Lab at Community Vision will give a short presentation about assistive technology and introduce the challenges by sharing the story of the person with disabilities who would benefit from an individualized solution. Allen Hansen, the shop manager for Shiley will give a brief equipment introduction and safety overview and shop staff will be on hand to help teams use the Maker Space equipment.
All majors will be able to offer valuable contributions to challenge teams. Since there will be limited time to work on the design and prototype, the focus will be on creativity in finding solutions, not necessarily the technical aspects of the design. A panel of judges who work with people with disabilities and advocate for assistive technology will evaluate the designs on multiple criteria.
- Maker Space Challenge
- Saturday February 24, 2018
- 10am-3pm
- Pilot Space – Shiley 110
- RSVP to Kate Rohl rohl@up.edu
LUNCH will be served.
To find out more about Community Vision’s mission, visit their website here.
Kate Rohl
Industry Relations Manager
University of Portland
Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering
503-943-7318
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