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ABSTRACT. SEEKING FOR INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO EXPOSE STUDENTS TO CONCURRENT INTERDISCIPLINARY DESIGN IN CRITICAL AREAS TO SOCIETY HAS LEAD TO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND THE PUERTO RICO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROJECT AT THE MEDICAL SCIENCES CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT FACILITATE THE INTEGRATION, INCLUSION, INDEPENDENCE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES INTO THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE. TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS IT IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS AREAS AS DIVERSE AS: HEALTH, EDUCATION, ENGINEERING, PSYCHOLOGY, REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL WORK. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSE ARE PRESENTED WITH A SERIES OF NEEDS IN THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AREA. THE STUDENTS MUST STUDY AND SELECT A NEED FOR WHICH THEY WILL PERFORM THE FULL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CYCLE FOR A NEW PRODUCT TO SATISFY THE NEED. THEY MUST INTERACT WITH PROFESSIONALS IN ALL DISCIPLINES RELATED TO THE PROJECT. THE PRODUCT’S DESIGN IS SUBJECT TO MARKET, COST, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING CONSTRAINTS IN ADDITION TO ALL ERGONOMIC, AESTHETIC AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS. AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE FINAL REPORT IS A FULL WORKING PROTOTYPE FOR THE NEW PRODUCT. THE PAPER PRESENTS THE CONCURRENT ENGINEERING PROCESS FOLLOWED AND VARIOUS CASE STUDIES.
KEYWORDS: CONCURRENT ENGINEERING, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION
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