Work in progress: Using clinical advisory boards and an online system to provide feedback for client-based senior design projects

Abstract

In our capstone design class, biomedical engineering (BME) students develop custom assistive technology for people with disabilities in the local community. Project ideas come from therapists and clinicians in Durham and Chapel Hill. Students spend the entire semester working on the design and development of a device that meets the client's need. This work involves a significant clinical understanding to ensure that the final device will be appropriate for the client. To provide this clinical perspective, each project was assigned to a separate clinical advisory board, consisting of at least two clinicians; one or two current graduate students in Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy; an individual with a disability from the community; and two alumni from the class. The advisory board provided feedback to the students throughout the semester. As a result, students received helpful feedback that they could incorporate into subsequent designs, which ultimately improved the success of their project. Future changes will further strengthen the interaction between the advisory boards and the BME students. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2013.