Students are working with individuals in the community who have movement disabilities. Projects include design and implementation of modifications for wheelchairs, and design improvements for a hand-powered cycle. The most common cause of voice disorders is vocal abuse. Most often abuse is too loud and too high pitch productions. Both of these vocal parameters are difficult to change without some form of feedback.
Feedback customarily is done by clinicians or in practice sessions with computers.
A wearable portable feedback device that could be used daily is needed. No such device is available in this country. Students will survey feedback devices. They will then design and construct a device that is portable, attaches to the neck and provides an audible sound or vibration when either pitch or loudness exceeds threshold levels. The optimal device would also provide indication of amount of time threshold was exceeded.