Students design to improve quality of life

From the UW Media Relations Office

Students in a third-year systems design engineering course at the University of Waterloo will display product designs to improve the quality of life for as many people as possible, including elderly people with disabling conditions.

Next week, 12 student groups will present an exhibition on universal design. The exhibition runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Monday in room 1301 of the William G. Davis Computer Research Centre on the UW campus.

Designs range from solutions to universal problems such as kitchen safety, electrical outlet convenience, pill bottle use, remote distress buttons, entertainment for the mobile challenged and sleep disorders.

As well, they tackle disability special issues such as mobility for Parkinson sufferers, hygiene reminders for people with Alzheimer's, grocery shopping for people who are visually impaired, safety for walker users, and foot monitoring for sufferers of neuropathy.

"Universal design is the design of products or environments to be usable by people of all ages and abilities, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design," says John Zelek, professor of systems design engineering and exhibit organizer. "Universal design respects human diversity and promotes inclusion of all people."

Zelek adds that universal design aims to "simplify life for everyone by making products and environments more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost."

All the student projects adopt the key guiding principle of universal design. "They apply the principle that if you design for the elderly disabled, you will design for all," Zelek says.

"The average person in North America will spend close to 12 years of his or her life as a person with disabilities and the cost is more than 6.5 per cent of the gross national product," he says.

The student groups in Zelek's course, Systems Design 361, were each required to select a unique disabling condition, identify a design-problem objective and solicit needs from an associated demographic – all to lay the groundwork for developing innovative concepts that are prototyped for display at next week's exhibit.

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He keeps the university solid

Peter Fulcher says he is proud to work at UW — glad that he has the opportunity every day to make the campus a better place for people to work and study by helping to keep the buildings safe and up-to-date.

"In his role as Buildings Section Supervisor for Plant Operations,” says this month’s profile on the Keystone Campaign web site, “Peter supervises the maintenance of the residential and campus buildings, always ensuring that the carpentry, painting, masonry, and roofing are in top order. He started in 1987 as a carpenter and was promoted to his current position in 1995.

“The happily married father of two was born and raised in Elmira, and still lives there today. He remembers when it was a very small town — you could walk down the main street and you would know everyone by name. Now there are many streets he doesn’t even know how to find!”

How do you feel about the changes that have occurred during your 20 years at UW? “I have witnessed the transformation of the campus landscape as the university has grown and I am constantly reminded of the many ways things have changed over the years. I even remember parking where the Davis Centre now stands.”

What makes you proud to work at UW? “I value the university’s reputation and consider UW to be one of the best teaching facilities in North America, if not the world. When you mention the University of Waterloo, people take note.”

What motivated you to give to Waterloo? “I believe today’s students are our future, and the key to that future is a good education. Students need assistance in many different areas and every little bit helps. Costs are rising, but I think anyone should have the opportunity to go to university if they so choose.”

If you could be a superhero, who would you be? “Superman. With his suit and special powers, campus repairs would be a lot easier!”

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About students and former students

Shelley Rudd, ODAA, sends word that the 2007 graduating class “responded quite favorably” to this year’s Grad Class Challenge, an appeal for donations from graduating students that encompasses the Plummers Pledge, Pink Tie Pledge, AHSSIE Pledge, Better Beaker Pledge, and other such groups. “Over $513,000 was pledged to numerous faculty and university-wide priority projects. We are hoping that with the fall 2007 grad class appeal, we will have raised over $600,000 for the year. We will have the final results for 2007 in November.” The figure keeps going up: in 2005 it was $241,937; in 2006, more than $475,000.

Victor Ciesielski (left), a Recreation and Leisure Studies student, is heading to the Canadian Open golf tournament next week. This is the second year at the Open for the 2007 Waterloo Warrior Male Rookie of the Year. A story and the photo shown here appeared in yesterday's Record.

More athletic news: The Waterloo Warriors Men’s basketball program have announced their 2007 recruiting class under head coach Tom Kieswetter, with assistant coaches Brad Johnston and Curtis Dauber. The “class of 2007” are Sinclair Brown, 6’7”, forward, from Simon Fraser University; Cam McIntyre, 6’4”, guard, from Kitchener Collegiate; Craig Bauslaugh, 6’0”, guard, from Laurentian University; Tim Rossy, 6’5,” forward, from Lakeland College, Alberta; and Doug Fischer, 6’5”, guard, Grand River Collegiate, Kitchener.

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