Assistive Technology Design Fair 2009
Project Proposal
Date: March 4, 2009
School Name: TEAMS Academy
Team Members: Lauren Barker (Billerica Memorial High School), Allison Rugg (Billerica Memorial High School), and Eric Walter-Grant (Andover High School)
Team Advisors: Janna Thomas, Don Rhine, Bill Harmon (978) 934-4613
Statement of Need: Our clients need to improve their balance, posture, mobility, coordination, cognitive ability, and strength.
Background: Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian (THE) Farm is a place that provides therapeutic horseback riding.
The patients that go to THE Farm are mostly children who are mentally disabled.
They have limited mobility and sensory functions.
The horseback riding enables them to strengthen their leg muscles, improve their balance and coordination, and stimulate and enhance their cognitive capabilities.
Also, the hippotherapy helps make the patients happier.
Most patients love the horseback riding. It helps improve their ability to function normally. The project we will design is a station for a sensory trail.
A sensory trail is a trail that can be any kind of shape where it will have many stations that will stimulate senses.
The goal is to produce at least one well-designed station that includes electronics.
If our budget and time permit, we would like to construct one or two additional stations, either electronic or non-electronic.
Design Requirements/Constraints:
• The design must be safe for the rider and horse.
• Limited construction time of two months
• It must be sustainable in poor weather conditions.
• Each station has to be a minimum of 5 feet tall.
• The design must not entail loud noises or big movements because it could frighten the rider and also spook the horse.
• The budget for this project is $150.
• The design of the stations should be simple so that the riders can complete the tasks, and problems could be easily fixed.
• Size must be fairly large.
• Portability (Mobile power source, wheels perhaps) or make the station lightweight enough so that it can be picked up.
• Low power consumption
• Robust
• Randomization for game play
• Aesthetics (colorful, no sharp edges, painted and/or clean-looking)
• User friendly (Labeled instructions, large buttons, and/or graphics)
• Durability (Will withstand normal use for a long time)
