Media Advisory: Building equipment for the disabled

Twelve Duke University engineering students will demonstrate equipment they designed and built for Triangle-area disabled children and adults during the final presentations of this year's Devices For People With Disabilities class, to be held from 10:55 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, in Room 2201 of the Engineering Annex to Hudson Hall on Duke's West Campus. The media is invited to attend.

This year's designs include a customized walker with rotational hip support to help improve the gait of a 6-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, a stretching and exercise station to help a 9-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, and electronic devices to help disabled adult employees with hearing, vision or mobility problems count the number of items they process.

Working in teams throughout the semester, the students are limited to $500 budgets for each device. Financial support for this year's class was provided by the National Science Foundation and Duke's Pratt School of Engineering.

Hudson Hall is on Science Drive near its intersection with Research Drive. For help with parking, contact class instructor Laurence Bohs, an assistant research professor of biomedical engineering, at lnb@duke.edu or (919) 660-5155.