Via a collaborative learning program, Masters of Occupational Therapy students from the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), and students from Sebastian Middle School Florida have been collaborating on projects to create adaptive equipment and prostheses for patients.

As part of the STEAM program, which emphasizes the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, the students worked together with emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, to create assistive technology, model prototypes, adaptive equipment, orthoses, and prostheses for real-world patients.

“Collaborative learning, advancing cultures of innovation, and redesigning learning spaces are key educational focus areas for our university,” says Dr Elisabeth McGee, assistant professor at USAHS, in a media release.

“USAHS and the St Johns County School District are dedicated to providing students with active learning environments that utilize digital elements to promote problem-based learning.  This partnership provides a unique opportunity for students to collaborate, design, and engineer innovative solutions to address real-world problems.”

Examples of the students’ creations include: reflective glasses for a patient with Macular Degeneration to improve vision; a gas sensor alert system for a client with Alzheimer’s, allowing them to safely return to cooking; and a cane attachment that will provide more stability for a client who has a history of falls, the release explains.

“The partnership with the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences has provided our students the opportunity to apply Science and Math concepts whilst collaborating with college students on medical needs in our community,” states Wayne Hill, principal, Sebastian Middle School.

[Source: University of St Augustine for Health Sciences]