Newswise — To individuals on the autism spectrum, the world often seems incoherent, and actions such as banging one's head against the wall or stomping feet are the only way for them to provide the focus needed to make sense of things. But, as a result of efforts of Valparaiso University engineering students over the past two years, people suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may find relief from these sorts of potentially harmful actions. Valpo is a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research.
That relief could come from a wristwatch-like device called a point vibration therapy device that contains a cell phone vibrator and can be strapped to the wrist or ankle. Students designed and built a prototype of the therapy device " believed to be the first small yet individually-controlled therapy device for ASD " which they hope will provide the stimulation individuals on the autism spectrum need to make their environment coherent.
"We don't see this as something that can cure autism," said Dr. Mark Budnik, Jenny professor of emerging technology and one of the team's advisers. "But if we can help even 1 to 5 percent of people who are on the spectrum move from a special education classroom to a regular classroom or enable them to lead happier lives, that's benefiting a lot of people."
The main unit of the device, located on the top of the wrist, contains the electronic brain, a battery and a small weighted motor similar to those found in pagers and cell phones to create the vibration. A smaller unit about half the size of a watch dial, located on the underside of the wrist, contains a second motor. The motors are located on the wrist because of its sensitivity to vibrations and its ability to transfer the vibration energy to the hand and fingers.
Reva Van Aartsen, a senior mechanical engineering major from Brookfield, Wis., served as this year's senior design team leader and said the project goal is that the stimulus provided by the point vibration therapy device will help individuals with ASD keep track of where body is in space, replacing potentially disruptive, self-stimulating behaviors.
Van Aartsen worked primarily with the device's stimulus subsystem " the weighted disk motors that create the vibration " and is interested in a career in biomedical engineering. She said the opportunity to design and build a device that isn't available was exciting.
"If it's successful in reducing self-stimulatory behavior in even a small percentage of children with ASD, it will greatly benefit those children and their teachers," Van Aartsen said.
Kevin Wagner, a senior electrical engineering major from Fishers, helped design the point therapy device's circuit board and program the device's microcontroller, the "brains" of the apparatus. He said potential of the device to better people's lives captured his interest.
"I wanted to work on a project that might have a chance to impact the community," Wagner said. "It's great to know that our project has the possibility of helping people with ASD."
Since people are affected in varying degrees by autism, Valpo's therapy device is designed so it can be tailored to the individual needs of the person wearing it. For some, the device can be programmed to vibrate every few seconds, while for others, the stimulus is provided only a few times each day. Students also aimed to create a prototype that is both affordable and unobtrusive, and the team believes its prototype could eventually be manufactured and made available for under $100.
The engineering team currently is working to build several therapy devices so that its effectiveness can be determined this summer.
"If we see that the therapy device is helping at least some people with ASD, we'll know whether to continue refining the device," said Dr. Budnik.
Beyond their work designing the therapy device, Valpo's engineering team also learned about the process of creating a new product and ensuring user safety. The students have spent many hours determining potential hazards " such as spilling a liquid on the device " and designing solutions to mitigate their effects.
Collaborating with Dr. Budnik and the College of Engineering students on the project are faculty are Dr. Scott Duncan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Dr. Angela Vernon, assistant professor of psychology; and students from Valpo's Department of Psychology, who will oversee an evaluation of the point vibration therapy device this summer.
Wagner said one of the most beneficial aspects of the senior design project is its multidisciplinary nature. Developing the ability to communicate effectively with other types of engineers and those outside of the engineering field when working on a project, he said, is a crucial skill that successful engineers possess.
Helping design the therapy device could also pay dividends after graduation, as Wagner hopes to eventually work in the medical device industry.
"I love the thought of my work being able to improve people's lives," he said.
The Valpo team will demonstrate its point vibration therapy device during the College of Engineering's 11th annual Design Expo on May 2. The public is invited to attend the Design Expo, taking place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Gellersen Center.
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