Assistive Design

A blend of human factors engineering and mechanical engineering, students in this certificate will learn the fundamentals of design in both of these fields and apply them to the design of assistive devices for the solution of real-world problems encountered by people in their daily and professional lives

The program serves as a technical credential to professionals interested in expanding their skill set to include designing for the needs of unique populations. These populations include professionals (e.g., veterinarians, dentists, and firefighters) as well as individuals with disabilities.

Beyond designing within a niche market, students in this program will learn how to fulfill the unique needs of individual customers and clients with particular needs. Their skills will be of value in the fields of rehabilitation, medical technology, education, and specialty services where dedicated understanding of a user’s needs in product design are required. Students with a passion for service to the community will find this program particularly worthwhile.

There are 4 courses in this program, which fulfill requirements in both the MS in Human Factors Engineering and the MS in Mechanical Engineering programs. Students may transfer credits towards a master's degree in one of these programs at Tufts.

Program of Study

Three core courses:

• ME-0140 Inventive Design
  The invention, design, and development of new products. The identification of product opportunities from marketing, manufacturing, and consumers' viewpoints. The organization of new product effort within a corporation. Primary assignments are design projects that are presented before a jury of professionals in the field.
   
• ME-0141 Assistive Design
  Application of user-centric design tools, knowledge elicitation, client interviews and measurements, ideation, fabrication of physical artifacts, user testing of solutions with individual clients having a disability. Classroom presentations, feedback sessions with expert panel, thorough documentation of design tools/process used. 
   
• ENP-0162 Human-Machine System Design
  Techniques for man-machine system designs in which cognitive and dynamic aspects are of major importance. Applications to computer-interface design, auto/semiautomated systems, biomedical systems, and others. Topics include information processing, decision making, reaction times, and signal detection theory. Individual and group projects, laboratory demonstrations.

Choose one elective course:

Select one additional 100-level course (or higher) in ENP or ME.