Summary

At least 10 projects will be funded each year; the projects can be started during the Fall or Spring semester and take 1 or 2 semesters to complete the design. Projects are considered on a first come basis starting early September of each year, with early submission advised. A university/school may submit up to three team projects, one in each design area, for the competition. Participating in this competition does not eliminate participation in other programs.

To enter the competition, the student team and faculty advisor submit an email letter of intent to:

Dr. John D. Enderle, University of Connecticut, Email: jenderle@bme.uconn.edu, Phone: (860) 486-5521

The one-page letter of intent should briefly describe the project and how the team proposes to design the project, the completion date, and contact information for the faculty advisor and team members. Evaluation of the proposals will be carried out as they are received, with a response provided within two weeks of submission.

Student teams accepted into the competition will receive reimbursements up to $2,000 for the project. To receive the reimbursement, the faculty advisor sends the request to Dr. John Enderle with original receipts, in roughly $500 increments. An “up front” request for an initial $500 can be made, subject to there being a university account for these funds and a promise of subsequent documentation. The money provided by the RERC on AMI is intended to build a working prototype of the device. No other money may be used to support the project, without prior approval by Dr. Enderle.

For the competition, each team will create a website that will be used to evaluate the design and to help select the winners of the competition. At a minimum, the website should contain a final report, detailed photos and a digital video clip of the project in action. The final report should fully describe the project including detailed drawings and photographs, full engineering analysis of optimal design and at least one alternative design, consideration of accessible design principles and how the design addresses the needs of the hypothetical clients, and all expenses to build the prototype and a projected cost to produce a manufactured product. For full credit, the project should be tested with representative intended users, with feedback used to improve the project. Appropriate terminology should be used when dealing with disability and assistive technologies (see http://www.lsi.ku.edu/lsi/internal/guidelines.html). The website should be easy to view and navigate from page to page, and follow web accessibility guidelines (http://www.w3.org/WAI/). The projects will be evaluated at the end of each semester by a team of judges, with the winners contacted directly and the results posted at the RERC website http://www.rerc-ami.org/. The cost to produce the project will be a factor in judging; with no project eligible if over $2000 is used to build the prototype. The top three projects will receive for First prize: $1000, Second prize: $750, Third prize: $500. Also, all entries are eligible for up to a $500 award to cover registration/travel to present a paper on the design if it is accepted and published in proceedings at a major conference.