Disability Studies

One of the most important tasks of an engineer’s job is working to improve the lives of the people around them. This is why in my disability studies course, I worked with a team to develop an idea for an app that would help out my disabled peers. The purpose of this app was to help individuals who have a difficult time moving find the best possible route around Rose-Hulman’s campus. As you can see from slide 6 of our presentation, we wanted to make sure that the user was able to interact with the app and find a way around campus.

During the development process, we had to talk to students around campus who had a disability or injury that impeded their ability to walk. We did this to make sure that we had a thorough understanding of what our users needs might be. Communication with others in this project was essential. Due to the fact that the designers of this app were all able-bodies individuals, we did not understand the issues that disabled people go through. We had to come up with creative solutions for a wide array of individuals because not everyone is the same. This project allowed us to see a different side of engineering that is more than just working on an ordinary project. It allowed us to potentially help people that need more assistance doing everyday tasks.

Linked below is slide 6 from our presentation. If you would like to see the whole presentation, please contact me.

Presentation for App.pdf

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