SP.784 - Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries
In this class, students learn about the cultural, medical, and technological issues facing people with disabilities in the developing world and participate in creating technology to mobilize the 20 million people who require a wheelchair. We host a diverse collection of guest speakers from throughout the wheelchair community, from developing country wheelchair makers to MIT profs. Over the past three years, we have had more than 20 students from the class travel abroad to continue their projects, with many making multiple trips and winning awards for their work. If you are interested in learning how your technical skills can be used to make a positive impact on the world, this is a good class for you.
To learn more, look around the course website at our past projects: http://web.mit.edu/sp.784/www/Additionally, the official course description can be found on websis under SP.784: http://student.mit.edu/catalog/mSPa.html
SP.718 - Developing Country Prosthetics
Developing World Prosthetics addresses issues on the basics of human biomechanics, types of disabilities, and available technologies for physical rehabilitation. Topics will focus on prosthetic devices for upper and lower extremities, as well as both developed and developing world techniques for overcoming these disabilities. Multi-disciplinary student teams, with backgrounds in bio-engineering, mechanical engineering, material science and medicine, will work with a mentor to research, design, prototype, and test a viable solution. Projects focus on orthotic and prosthetic devices designs for the developing world, as specified by our partner organizations in India (Jaipur Foot Organization) and Guatemala (Range of Motion Project).
http://d-lab.mit.edu/courses/developing-world-prosthetics