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JCGProjectProposalUniversity of Massachusetts at LowellAssistive Technology Design Fair 2009Project Proposal  Date: March 5, 2009 School Name: TEAMS Academy Team Members: George Murphy (Dracut High), Chris Ghadban (Dracut High), Jennifer Mann (Chelmsford High) Team Advisors: Janna Thomas, Don Rhine, Bill Harmon (978) 934-4613 Statement of Need: Our client needs to know when the door to her appartment is unlocked. Background: Our client Jojo, has been legally blind for two years, with her eyesight deteriorating each day. She currently lives in an appartment in Dracut, MA with her ailing mother (diagnosed with Stage Four Lung Cancer). Being disabled, she cannot complete everyday tasks that she enjoys. These tasks include: grocery shopping, cooking, reading music, and being conscious of her enviornment. In our interview, Jojo revealed that she can see only out of her right eye, which still lacks any peripheral vision. She has to use as many as four glasses a day to complete her tasks successfully. As one can see, by working in cooperation with Jojo, we have a chance to greatly improve her way of living. During the interview, Jojo gave us some great ideas. These include a pair of glasses that contain multiple lenses for differnet activites, a device that eases the lifting of groceries, and a combination cane-umbrella. In short we had a very enjoyable and informative interview with this client. After discussing the feasibilty of the many proposed ideas, our group settled on creating an unlocked door alert device. Then, we looked into the practicality of this project idea. It would be very helpful, as Jojo mentioned, to know that she had locked the door when she left or when she had gone to to bed since it is difficult to see whether or not the door is actually locked. As one can see this project is both feasible and relevent to our client's needs. After doing some small research into the topic, we discovered that while some doors are self-locking, and that there are alarm systems, as of yet we have not discovered a system to inform someone of a door being unlocked. There are however systems that lock doors (securitech being one example) and there are systems that lock doors at predetermined times. However we were unable to discover whether or not these systems would be useful for someone who is almost blind; in other words whether or not hey possessed audio controls as well. Also, the setting of the client must be taken into account as it is unlikely that alterations to the building and door will be allowd as she does not own the building. Faced with these facts, we have yet to discover a system or object that will fit Jojo's needs, though we fully itnend to continue looking before making our final project decision choice. Design Requirements/Constraints:
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