MULTI-TERRAIN WHEELCHAIR MQP

Many disabled people struggle to traverse outdoor terrain without specialized equipment. To tackle the outdoors, users have to spend money, time, and sacrifice usability by using bulky assistive devices. This project was carried out by a group of four WPI students to design and construct an assistive device for a fellow student who is paralyzed from the waist down. After initial brainstorming and research, the choice was made to create a multi-terrain wheelchair. Using organizational, financial, manufacturing and design methods, the group was able to design and construct a prototype consisting of separate subsystems. This wheelchair design and prototype aims to not only assist disabled persons, but also serve as a basis for future projects to improve upon and help solve the issue

Determining the Feasibility of Traffic Management Through Mobile Applications in China

The rapid urbanization of China causes traffic problems in its cities. This Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) aims to determine the feasibility of improving Chinese traffic conditions by applying Smart City initiatives, specifically through mobile applications. The project researches the functions of popular mobile applications for traffic management in the United States and China. With guidance from our sponsor, Dr. Lu Huang of the Zhejiang Smart City Research Center, we surveyed the public from both countries. We explore the current traffic situations in the United States and China, and determine the feasibility of each application’s function. This project provides direction for the development of future Chinese mobile applications and sustainable traffic management research

Physical therapy vs. internet-based exercise training (PATH-IN) for patients with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Physical activity improves pain and function among individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA), but most people with this condition are inactive. Physical therapists play a key role in helping people with knee OA to increase appropriate physical activity. However, health care access issues, financial constraints, and other factors impede some patients from receiving physical therapy (PT) for knee OA. A need exists to develop and evaluate other methods to provide physical activity instruction and support to people with knee OA. This study is examining the effectiveness of an internet-based exercise training (IBET) program designed for knee OA, designed by physical therapists and other clinicians. Methods/Design This is a randomized controlled trial of 350 participants with symptomatic knee OA, allocated to three groups: IBET, standard PT, and a wait list (WL) control group (in a 2:2:1 ratio, respectively). The study was funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which conducted a peer review of the proposal. The IBET program provides patients with a tailored exercise program (based on functional level, symptoms, and current activity), video demonstrations of exercises, and guidance for appropriate exercise progression. The PT group receives up to 8 individual visits with a physical therapist, mirroring standard practice for knee OA and with an emphasis on a home exercise program. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, 4 months (primary time point) and 12 months (to assess maintenance of treatment effects). The primary outcome is the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and secondary outcomes include objective physical function, satisfaction with physical function, physical activity, depressive symptoms and global assessment of change. Linear mixed models will be used to compare both the IBET and standard PT groups to the WL control group, examine whether IBET is non-inferior to PT (a treatment that has an established evidence base for knee OA), and explore whether participant characteristics are associated with differential effects of IBET and/or standard PT. This research is in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Discussion The IBET program could be disseminated widely at relatively low cost and could be an important resource for helping patients with knee OA to adopt and maintain appropriate physical activity. This trial will provide an important evaluation of the effectiveness of this IBET program for knee OA. Trial registration NCT0231271