New batch of multidisciplinary, health technology projects showcased

RIT student-developed projects aimed at helping people with disabilities were exhibited on Sept. 7 in the Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The works were presented during demo night for Studio 930, a multidisciplinary co-op focused on designing access and health technology products. Created by RIT industrial design (ID) associate professor Stan Rickel, Studio 930 is collaboration between the MFA ID program, Simone Center, Kate Gleason College of Engineering and Saunders College of Business. Students from a variety of majors at RIT — industrial design is the most common — join forces each summer to advance their ideas.

Ten projects concentrated on effective access in daily living from this past summer were on display at the showcase night earlier this month. Past Studio 930 projects were on view as well.

Below is a list of the 2017 student teams and the innovative projects they presented. A number of the groups are working with a real-world client.

Accessible Toilet – Private Help for Public Places 

The team: Weiying Chen (lead; industrial design), Limin He (ID) and Zin Thaw (engineering) 

Outline: An affordable solution that makes public bathrooms accessible for wheelchair users. The goal is to design a product that can be implemented or used immediately, without altering standard Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms. 

Client: Al Sigl Community of Agencies — a Rochester-based community network of organizations that serves children and adults with special needs.

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EZTP – Just Enough

The team: Kaining Qiu (lead; ID), Maitrayee Sohni (ID), Yingyi Mo (ID) and Johnathan Flores (engineering)

Outline: EZTP is an automatic toilet paper dispenser designed for health-care institutions that distributes and cuts a controllable amount of tissue.  

Client: Epilepsy-Pralid Inc., an agency that offers support solutions for individuals with developmental or acquired brain conditions. 

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KoreX – Kore Strength

The team: Xavier Arvelo Rodriguez (lead; ID), Kaining Qiu (ID) and Yingyi Mo (ID)

Outline: Korex is a portable, flexible, wireless smart pad for therapeutic use by people with lumbar problems. It provides feedback about posture to help chiropractors and physical therapists diagnose weakness in core muscles and teach proper exercise techniques.

Client: Chiropractor Craig Nelson

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LEV – A Lift with Dignity

The team: David Villarreal (lead; ID), Ana Sorensen (ID) and Zin Thaw (engineering)

Outline: LEV is a lifting vest that can be used in conjunction with Hoyer lifts, ceiling lifts and other lifting systems to maximize independence, mobility and comfort while providing a more dignified experience for wheelchair users.         

Client: Undefined

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Motorized Pediatric Stander Kit- Let Kids be Kids

The team: Hengbo Zhang (lead; ID), Fang-Yi Lin (ID), Weiying Chen (ID), Wenxi Qi (ID), Kevin Farnand (engineering) and Surabhi Rajandekar (engineering)

Outline: The speedy kit allows non-ambulatory children to move about and interact with their peers at eye level, a crucial element of social and emotional development, as well as overall mental health.

Client: CP Rochester, a nonprofit that offers health, educational and support services to individuals with physical and developmental disabilities.

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PolarVein – Critical Cool

The team: Aishwarya Uniyal (lead; ID), Brendan Murphy (ID), David Villarreal (ID) and Kaining Qiu (ID)

Outline: PolarVein extends the life of blood bags in transit by reducing the time spent in packaging and improving the efficiency of the currently practiced cooling method.

Client: None — Studio 930-generated concept

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ROAM – Sense What’s Up

The team: Maitrayee Sohni (lead; ID), Fang-Yi Lin (ID), Xavier Arvelo Rodriguez (ID) and Surabhi Rajandekar (engineering)

Outline: A simple, universal attachment for a white support cane that contains a sensor that detects overhead obstacles and alerts users with haptic feedback.

Client: The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI), which provides services to those in greater Rochester, the Finger Lakes region and Southern Tier areas of New York.

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SpeakWrite

The team: Brendan Murphy (ID) and John Koegel (graphic design)

Outline: A poster campaign designed to bring awareness to proper written and spoken terminology with regards to disabilities, impairments and handicaps.                                                                       

Client: None — Studio 930-generated concept

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Walker Tracker – Counting Along

The team: Aishwarya Uniyal (lead; ID) and Limin He (ID)

Outline: A device that can be clasped onto users to track and measure their physical activity.

Client: IdeaLab@RIT project; Rochester Regional Health

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Wheelness – Motivate to Move

The team: Ana Sorensen (lead; ID), David Villarreal (ID), Wenxi Qi (ID), Hengbo Zhang (ID) and Zin Thaw (engineering)

Outline:An activity tracker for wheelchair users whose primary activity is weight shifts. Using sensors and monitoring lights, positive feedback and reminders will be available to users and physical therapists.

Client: IdeaLab@RIT project