One challenge in multimodal interface research is the lack of robust subsystems that support multimodal interactions. By focusing on a chair-an object that is involved in virtually all human-computer interactions, the sensing chair project enables an ordinary office chair to become aware of its occupant's actions and needs. Surface-mounted pressure distribution sensors are placed over the seatpan and backrest of the chair for real time capturing of contact information between the chair and its occupant. Given the similarity between a pressure distribution map and a grayscale image, pattern recognition techniques commonly used in computer and robot vision, such as principal components analysis, have been successfully applied to solving the problem of sitting posture classification. The current static posture classification system operates in real time with an overall classification accuracy of 96% and 79% for familiar (people it had felt before) and unfamiliar users, respectively. Future work is aimed at a dynamic posture tracking system that continuously tracks not only steady-state (static) but transitional (dynamic) sitting postures. Results reported here form important stepping stones toward an intelligent chair that can find applications in many areas including multimodal interfaces, intelligent environment, and safety of automobile operations.

Abstract

-The curriculum for undergraduate engineering programs is often partitioned into several courses that are taught in isolation followed by a single culminating senior design or capstone project experience. In the senior design class students begin to synthesize the knowledge and skills that they acquired through the engineering curriculum. This paper presents lower and upper division course and curricular changes made to accommodate learning objectives that better prepare students for project-based learning. These learning experiences and skills include: systems level design, experience with state-of-the art Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools, printed circuit board (PBC) design, design for manufacturability, electronics assembly, project management, engineering ethics, and communication skills. Three upper division project based learning courses have been developed and are being offered this year.In addition, the development of laboratory tutorials and learning modules for the lower division engineering curriculum will introduce all engineering majors to current electronic manufacturing technology, and allow them to design electronic systems using PCBs. The courses and tutorial learning modules are currently being classroom tested and assessed.

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Undergraduate computer and electrical engineering programs often partition the curriculum into several courses based on related topics taught in isolation. Students are expected to synthesize their knowledge in a senior design project. It is the authors' experience that students often struggle during their senior design project since they have not gained the appropriate knowledge or mastered necessary skills needed to work on a significant or team-based engineering design project. Specifically, students need to be able to define system requirements, partition the design into subcomponents, design, build, test, and verify that the system requirements have been met. The authors have enhanced and implemented three courses to develop system engineering knowledge and skills that better prepare students for their senior design experience. This paper gives an overview and lists the learning outcomes for each of these courses and includes some examples of laboratory projects that are used to meet these learning outcomes.

where he teaches courses in engineering design from a materials perspective. His research is focused on the educational outcomes associated with service learning and project-based learning with a particular focus on ethics education. He is also PI on several projects investigating the degradation of biomedical materials in physiological environments. Dr. Harding serves as Associate Editor of the journal Advances in Engineering Education, is chair of the Materials Division of ASEE, and is program chair of the Educational Research and Methods divisions of ASEE.

One of the inherent challenges of teaching any emerging technology like nanotechnology, is the fact that its core competencies flux in the new disciplines' early stages. Nanotechnology presents an additional challenge in that its underpinnings cross multiple traditional disciplinary boundaries. We have designed a course that aims to address some of these challenges through a handful of structural features: team-based learning; a "reverse of the learning pyramid" approach; team-teaching; embedded information literacy techniques; and application-centered content. Our course is organized around four applications that are in their developmental stages: gold nanoshells for cancer treatment; molecular manufacturing; tissue engineering of a vital organ; and a microfluidic glucose sensor. These applications provide natural contexts for learning biology at the cellular level, the molecular level, the organ level and the biological systems level, respectively. They also provide natural contexts to introduce ideas of scientific uncertainty in emerging fields. In this paper, we will present the design features of our sophomore-level course Nanotechnology, biology, ethics and society and some preliminary results. INTRODUCTIONNanotechnology presents a particular challenge for educators because its draws from several disciplines. As an emerging technology, many of the newest developments in this field exist in primary literature, such as journal articles (rather than secondary, such as textbooks). Additionally its potential applications, such as biomedical devices or detection systems for biological warfare, are also intimately tied to societal issues. Combined, these aspects of nanotechnology create a rich learning opportunity for educators to explore ethical and societal implications of nanoscale science and technology while building students skills to critically think. This paper describes the structure of our sophomore-level course, Nanotechnology, Biology, Ethics and Society, and results showing changes in students' attitudes and motivations.

Eight innovative senior level capstone engineering projects were completed at California Polytechnic State University (2008-present) involving (n=28) students (23 male/5 female). All projects involved the design of equipment to facilitate physical activity for people with disabilities. The effects on: i) learning design, ii) attitude towards people with disabilities, and iii) motivation to complete team design projects were analyzed through eight one-hour focus groups. This paper presents focus group findings using a constructivist approach and grounded theory to explore the overall student "learn by doing" experience. Results: (1) Approximately 19 (70%) of the students claimed the adapted physical activity project was their "first choice" given 60+ projects to rank; (2) Prior to the project only ten (35%) had experience working with people with disabilities and of those students the majority were women; (3) Twenty-six (92.8%) of the students were able to define 'inclusion' when asked and viewed the field of engineering as a 'natural fit' with project design for adapted physical activity. Students reported high levels of motivation for learning design as evidenced by the majority of engineers getting their "top" choice of projects; (4) Twenty-three (82%) of the engineers would 'definitely' consider a future engineering job in this sector and (5) Project challenges included: budget constraints, group communication, fabrication delays, detachment from client, and a desire for increased product testing time. Although students reported high levels of learning and motivation to complete their project; attitudes toward people with disabilities did not change significantly.