Date: Friday, March 1, 2013
Category: Conference News
RESNA's International Special Interest Group (SIG) is offering a cash prize to the 2013 Student Design Competition entry deemed "Technology Most Likely to Close the Gap in Developing Countries."
The International SIG wants to motivate students and professors in North America and developing countries to close the gap in assistive technologies. Engineering and design students are invited to participate in RESNA's Student Design Competition and submit designs aimed at solving needs in developing countries.
In order to be considered for the award, entries must be designed to benefit people with disabilities in developing countries. The criteria for judging includes:
- Level of innovation
- Number of potential beneficiaries
- Ability to be replicated and/or scaled up
- Potential to go to market
- Ease of being adopted or adapted to the local level
This award is the second cash prize to be announced for this year's Student Design Competition. The
Center for the Translation of Rehabilitation Engineering Advances and Technology (TREAT) is partnering with RESNA to also offer an award, “Technology Most Likely to Become Commercially Available." This award also comes with a $500 cash prize to the winning team and an invitation for one team member to spend 3 weeks at the TREAT facilities in Lebanon, NH working with TREAT staff and resources to further develop the winning design and move it towards commercialization.
For over 30 years, the RESNA Student Design Competition (SDC) has showcased creative and innovative assistive technology designs that help people with disabilities function more independently. Student teams represent a wide variety of disciplines including mechanical, electrical and biomedical engineering; computer information science; architecture; and physical and occupational therapy. Entries are judged on originality, quality of design, and usefulness to persons with disabilities. Past submissions and application information can be found by clicking here. SDC winners have frequently moved on to become leaders in the field of assistive technology.
Student teams must register their intent to submit by April 19, 2013. The final submission deadline is April 26, 2013.
Up to ten semi-finalist teams win an all-expense paid trip for two team members to the RESNA Annual Conference, which is in Bellevue, WA from June 22- June 24, 2013. At the conference, students have the opportunity to present their designs, meet with developers, and network with assistive technology professionals. Up to five finalists are announced at the conference; every member of the finalist teams receives a free annual membership to RESNA (a $150 value), which enables them to continue to network actively with other professionals and participate in RESNA events.
For submission information, please click here.
To find out more about the International SIG, please click here.