Mechanical Engineering Students At Manhattan College Design Tools To Assist People With Disabilities

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Students in Manhattan College’s senior mechanical engineering design course are making a difference in the lives of residents at the Brandywine Nursing Home in Briarcliff, N.Y. Combining textbook knowledge with real life challenges, the students have designed and produced several tools to assist the residents, most of whom are physically challenged. Students will present their projects on Tuesday, December 6 at 2:30 p.m. at the Brandywine Nursing Home, and at the conclusion of the presentations, they will donate all projects to Brandywine.

Over the years, several engineering students have worked on projects to benefit individual residents and the nursing home overall. Student projects in the past have included a device to steady the legs of adults with cerebral palsy, specialized toys for children with disabilities and a series of gardening tools to assist individuals with multiple sclerosis.

This fall semester, 23 students worked on separate group projects that will help improve the everyday lives of Brandywine residents. Student projects include custom-made computer workstations with adjustable legs for those in wheelchairs or who are bed-ridden; a remote control equipped with extra large buttons so that anyone with limited dexterity can operate it; a watering device for the greenhouse on the property that enables residents to water their plants with one touch of a button; and several gardening tools that are lightweight but efficient.

The partnership between the College and Brandywine began in 1990. The design course was originally funded by the National Science Foundation under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Haines, professor of mechanical engineering at the College. Dr. Zella Kahn-Jetter, also a professor of mechanical engineering, has taught the course for the past six years and oversees the student group projects and designs.

Manhattan College, founded in 1853, is an independent, Catholic, coeducational institution of higher learning offering more than 40 major programs of study in the areas of arts, business, education, engineering and science, along with graduate programs in education and engineering. Ranked in the top tier in its region of best engineering programs by U.S. News & World Report, the College’s school of engineering has a long history devoted to creating leaders in all facets of the field. For information about the Manhattan College School of Engineering, visit www.manhattan.edu/academics/engineering/

Students Enrolled In Mechanical Engineering Design Course