REED

First General Meeting 2011

2011-09-11T10:29:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

Our first general meeting is today at 2PM in SSB 3.406. See you there!

Mali Signs Project Graduate/Aide in the News!

2010-09-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Deaf Student from Mali Overcomes Obstacles to Education

Washington — One student entering Gallaudet University this fall already has accomplished the near-impossible. Mali’s Dana Benjamin Diarra overcame daunting obstacles, his hard work and persistence opening the door to a university education. Diarra is now a student at Gallaudet, the world’s only university designed specifically to provide equal access to education for the deaf.

Read more at America.gov.

CGI U 2010 Meeting

2010-05-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Three UT for REED Commitments were accepted to the CGIU 2010 Meeting in Miami, FL:

Ripples of Change, Water Conservation in the West Bank
Aayush, Health Education in rural India
Mali Signs Project, Video Exchange Program

Eight REED members traveled to Miami for the conference and the Mali Signs Project was recognized in a Progress Report video!

CGI U 2010 Progress Report: Mali Signs Project from Clinton Global Initiative on Vimeo.

Daily Texan Article

2010-04-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Clinton forum spurs youth to create positive change
By Madeeha Khursheed, Daily Texan Staff

This weekend, several UT students will attend the third annual Clinton Global Initiative University conference, which seeks to help youth make a positive difference in the world. The conference will be held April 16-18 at the University of Miami and will bring together more than 1,000 college students and nearly 100 university presidents, along with professors, activists, business leaders, political figures and celebrities. The conference will encourage action by today’s youth on global challenges, such as accessibility to education, poverty alleviation, the environment, public health, and peace and human rights. Student attendees pledged to take specific actions to solve a problem when they applied to participate

UT for Rural Enhancement through Education and Design, a student group that facilitates health care in developing countries, is sending eight members as University representatives and hopes to gain ideas and resources for its cause. ...[read the rest of the article here]

UT for REED joins with PUC

2009-12-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

This past fall semester, UT for REED has supported an engineering course called "Projects for Underserved Communities." In the course, engineering students assess community needs and the feasibility of an engineering design to meet those needs. This fall, the class identified water projects in Patriensa, Ghana and Santa Cruz, Peru. UT for REED helped them plan a Benefit Concert to raise money for the projects.

The Daily Texan covered the event - Read the article here

Mali Signs Project Launch Party

2009-07-10T07:11:00.001-07:00

Four UT Students are headed to Mali to Launch the Mali Signs Project (http://malisignsproject.blogspot.com). They will be holding a conference on how to teach health in local sign languages through video blogs. Come to Genuine Joe's to send them off. We will have karaoke in both voice and sign, henna tattooing, and handicrafts and jewelry for sale.

If you are interested in Sign Language, Africa, Health Education, Video Blogging, or having a good time, this event is for you!

Help us out by inviting your friends to the event. If you log-in to Do512.com and Like the event, you will get a free t-shirt at the party! http://do512.com/event/2009/07/31/the-mali-signs-project-launch-party

The Vagina Monologues- ASL

2009-04-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

UT for REED participated in hosting The Vagina Monologues at UT Austin last weekend. The monologues were performed in American Sign Language (ASL). Get more information by reading the Daily Texan Article

Life Straws Fundraiser

2009-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Help us raise money to send LifeStraws to communities without clean water. Eat at the restaurants near the UT campus who are supporting us this week, and some of the proceeds will go to our project:

Pluckers: Monday April 13th - ALL DAY
Pie Guys: Wednesday April 15th - After 5pm

Tell your waitress that you are with UT for REED, or print out the attached flyers.

Thank you for your help- and enjoy your meal!

The Mali Signs Project

2009-04-09T13:43:00.001-07:00

January 2009 Newsletter

2009-02-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Movie on MAIN

2008-08-25T16:57:00.001-07:00

It's a new school year and UT for REED is starting out the semester with recruiting. Our major recruiting event will be Movie on MAIN, a public screening of "Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland."

The event starts after dark and we will project the movie onto the west wall of the UT Tower. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs, as we will be spread out around the West Mall Rally Area. We hope to get a great showing of UT students and that together we will be inspired to do our part to help struggling members of our world community. The documentary last 45min long and is available for free download at www.aliciainafrica.org

June Newsletter

2008-06-16T10:29:00.001-07:00

The June Newsletter gives updates on the Honduras and India projects, reports on our Explore UT! booth, and presents the Mali project. You can download the newsletter here.

REED at CGI

2008-06-12T04:27:00.000-07:00

Lizzy Dupont, a UT for REED member, has proposed a project for Fall 2008; and not only proposed it, but made a ‘Commitment to Action’ at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative in New Orleans, LA. Joined by REED vice-president, Johan van der Walt, Lizzy presented her idea of providing health education for deaf students in Mali.

In Mali, there are roughly 2,700 health practitioners serving a population of over 10 million. Most Malians learn about good public health practices from family, neighbors, and volunteer educators. This is a problem for deaf individuals because many Malians view deafness as an inability to speak, not an inability to hear. Hearing individuals rarely learn any form of sign language so understanding why certain things make people sick is very difficult for the marginalized Deaf community. There are over 200,000 deaf individuals in Mali who are in need of public health information.

Our fall project will initiate a three-way partnership between L’Ecole Deficient Auditif in Bamako, Mali, the Texas School for the Deaf, and the American Sign Language Department at UT-Austin. Students in Austin and Mali will prepare videos for each other addressing health issues faced by both groups, and incorporating educational information provided by the project organizers. The experience of producing the videos will provide the students with practical information and instruction in good health practices, safe sex, and HIV-STI awareness, in a manner that is responsive to the specific challenges faced by Deaf youth. Health materials like antibacterial soap, condoms, or basic wound care kits will supplement the theme of each film.

This cultural exchange has the potential to spread throughout the six schools for the Deaf in Mali to other nations where American Sign Language adapted for Francophone West Africa is also used.

Los Fortalecedores de Protesis

2008-05-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

This past school year, I advised a second team of BME students who were developing the C-Ankle. The students include Erika Zabre, who brought the first design to Honduras last May, Andrew Horton, who designed the fatigue tester, and two new students, Michael Sinclair and Wei Lu.

The students did an excellent job. Michael completed an extensive SolidWorks model and Finite Element Analysis. Andrew completed the fatigue tester, with Erika and Wei creating the software to run it. And Erika and Wei applied for IRB approval and directed the clincal testing of the ankle. They presented their work at the beginning of this month.

Wei Lu

2008-05-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Senior
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
FaceBook Profile
Wei is one of 4 design students from the '07-'08 Team who tested and developed the prosthetic ankle joint. His main contribution is helping to create the fatigue tester software and direct the data collection.

Michael Sinclair

2008-05-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

Senior
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Facebook Profile
Michael is one of 4 design students from the '07-'08 Team who tested and developed the prosthetic ankle joint. His main contribution is his SolidWorks model and FEA analysis.

UT for REED in the News!

2008-01-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

UT for REED is introduced in the Fall 2007 BME Newsletter, BME Pulse. Check out page 6!You can also download our own January 2008 Newsletter here.

We're launching UT for REED!

2007-09-03T21:26:00.001-07:00

An Opportunity to Give

2007-08-20T19:50:00.001-07:00

I was on the bus in Honduras last week, and a young man who is suffering from muscular distrophy entered. I do not know what it was about him, but listening him to him speak really touched me.

He passed out a "Constancia" from his doctor confirming his disease and inability to work. Along with it came some bank accounts where one can deposit money to help support him. His name is Javier Alexander Zela Ya and if you would like to take the opportunity, you can deposit money online to any of the following Honduran accounts:

Banco Atlantida 1200565420

Banco Ficensa 14008400
Banco del Occidente 21-604-013400-2

$2 can pay for a meal, $50 for months rent (estimated)... I do not know what surgery he is saving money for, or how much it will cost. But every little bit helps!

Coloring Book (version 1)

2007-07-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

"El Dia Saludable de Manuelito" is now available in pdf form. Click here to download it!

C-Ankle with a Cosmesis

2007-07-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Our partnering prosthetists have fit the C-Ankle on a woman for whom cosmesis is very important. So they took the extra time to shape a cosmesis for her. I am very impressed with the work, as the C-Ankle adds a little extra bulk to the leg. She is very happy with the added comfort the C-Ankle provides!

UT for REED

2007-07-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

REED is coming to UT! Johan, Lauren, and I are in the process of starting a university student organization that will encourage student involvement in REED projects. Membership fees will cover administrative costs and the fund-raising committee will help students raise money for their projects and for travel to the region they are working with. Better yet, UT for REED membership requirements will encourage students to submit their own projects to the organization.

If you have a FaceBook log-in, search for the UT for REED group. We keep the site up-dated with upcoming events, allow discussions about the projects, post links to pertinent information, and use the site to send messages to members. Or, email us at UT4REED@gmail.com

Lauren Hagy

2007-07-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

Senior
Public Relations
The University of Texas at Austin
Facebook Profile
Lauren is Co-Founder and Financial Director of UT for REED. She is in charge of all organization funds, including dues and donations.

Johan van Der Walt

2007-07-03T09:14:00.001-07:00

Senior
Government, History, & Plan I Liberal Arts Honors
The University of Texas at Austin
Facebook Profile
Johan is the Co-Founder and Vice-President of UT for REED. He is in charge of Internal affairs, including membership.

Andrew Horton

2007-06-27T11:38:00.001-07:00

Senior
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Facebook Profile
Andrew will be continuing development of the prosthetic ankle begun by the 06-07 Design Team. This summer he is designing and building a fatigue tester for the ankle.

Nivel de Amputacion para Protesis

2007-06-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Today I created my 2nd tri-fold for the O&P Lab at Fundacion CAMO. This pamphlet contains information for surgeons regarding the ideal level of amputation. The basic lesson is that one must take into account the lifestyle of the patient when choosing the amputation level, and that at times it is better to remove more of the limb to allow more space for the prosthetic components designed for an active lifestyle. You can download the .jpg files to print by clicking on the pictures.

NOTE: Neither of these pamphlets have been reviewed by Fundacion CAMO. If you intend to use the information in these pamphlets or would like a document for editting for your personal use, please contact me.

Class Project Winners

2007-05-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

Dr Tunnell challenged 4 teams in his BME class to design a coloring book to help Chortiz children develop healthy habits and 4 teams to plan a strategy for getting first aid kits to the Chortiz villages (original entry). Although all teams contributed keen insite to their chosen project, the following teams were the grand prize winners (prize: an A+ on their project).

El Dia Saludable de Manuelito
Lea Downey and her team designed a coloring book that follows Manuelito during a day of healthy habits. You can preview photos of the coloring book by pressing the play button, the pdf version is coming soon.

I showed the coloring book to Chortiz and volunteers who work with them. They are very excited to introduce the book in the village schools and also gave some very good feedback. We are in the process of updating the book to meet more health needs of the children. In addition, the team developed a beautiful tri-fold poster entitled "Kids Helping Kids" for placement in elementary schools, encouraging kids and teachers to donate crayons and paper for the Chortiz children.

A Plan for Distribution of First Aid Kits

The team that won the contest for the best-planned first aid kit had some very good points. They suggest buying the materials in bulk and redistributing the pills in separate containers, if necessary. The materials would all be stored in a locked toolbox and would be accompanied by instructions in Spanish and in the Chortiz language. They suggest using CAMO as a means to solicite funds and created a pamphlet of information for potential donors. One of their suggestions for sustainabilty is to work with CVS or Walgreens to have rewards program, where the pharmacy would donate X dollars to the project for every Y dollars spent. Their report can be downloaded here.

El Cuidado de Su Protesis

2007-05-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Many times patients will come to the Lab with prosthetic legs that have never been washed, and look and smell horrible. In addition to the cosmetic damage negligence causes, the dirt and grime will work itself into the prosthetic, thus shortening its lifespan. Today I finished a tri-fold pamphlet in Spanish for Fundacion CAMO that can be given to each prosthetic patient, detailing the care of their leg. You can download it as a Microsoft Digital Image (.mdi) here or just click the picture to dowload the .jpg image.

Global Research

2007-05-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Research on the C-Ankle has moved to Honduras! From May 21-June 1, Erika Zabre will be working in the O&P Lab in Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras. Her objectives are to make 6 to 8 C-Ankles at the Lab according to the instructions laid out by Los Estudiantes Americanos de Honduras. She will consult with the local prosthetists to refine the manufacturing process and general design. Her goal is to create a Manufacturing & Assembly manual in Spanish and English, as well as to update the video completed by the other students.

In addition to her work in the O&P Lab, Erika's trip to Honduras willl be an invaluable experience. By living in the country for a short time, she will be able to see firsthand how the amputees live. Part of REED's objectives is to open the door for students like Erika to travel to developing countries. Erika's trip was funded by the Undergraduate Research Fellowship (URF) and the Biomedical Engineering Department, both at the University of Texas at Austin.

Erika Zabre

2007-05-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Senior
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Facebook Profile
Erika will be continuing development of the prosthetic ankle begun by the 06-07 Design Team. Her first phase is to produce the ankle Honduras and write a manual in English and Spanish for the prosthetists.

A Cost-Effective Prosthetic Ankle

2007-04-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today Los Estudiantes Americanos de Honduras presented their prosthetic ankle, designed to be implemented by the Orthotics & Prosthetics Lab run by CAMO in Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras. The following video is an amputee's feedback on the ankle.

This device is property of CAMO, and we are in the process of applying for a patent. There is still much work to do before introducing it into the market.

Class Project with Impact

2007-04-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have been working with Dr James Tunnell at the University of Texas at Austin to develop a project for his class of 40 students. The goal of this project is to give the students an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of the Chorti people while learning engineering design techniques. Click on the following link to download the project description presented to the students during the 2nd half of the course "World Health and Biotechnology."

BME301_Class_Projects.pdf

Dr. James Tunnell

2007-04-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

Assistant Professor
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
http://www.bme.utexas.edu/faculty/Tunnell.cfm
Dr Tunnell teaches the BME course entitled "World Health and Biotechnology." His interest in presenting his class with a project that could have significance in the lives of others prompted the development of what I call here "Class Projects with Impact."

Estudiantes Americanos de Honduras

2007-04-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

In October 2006, Ashley, Lena, John, and Kevin chose the design of prosthetic limbs for Central Americans as their senior design project. Since then, they have identified the ankle joint as an avenue of potential benefit to amputees in the region serviced by CAMO. Because CAMO has developed a very successful laboratory in western Honduras, the students decided to design a universal ankle joint that could easily be adapted to the products already provided by the non-profit organization. The ankle will provide added utility to those working on the mountainous landscape who cannot afford an articulating foot. Their final design will be presented on April 24th, so be looking for the video online during the last week of this month!

Ashley Agan

2007-04-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

Senior
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Ashley is one of 4 design students from the '06-'07 Team who identified the need for a universal prosthetic ankle joint and developed the first working prototype. Her main contribution as team leader is project management.

Lena Dixit

2007-04-08T20:36:00.001-07:00

Senior

Biomedical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

Lena is one of 4 design students from the '06-'07 Team who identified the need for a universal prosthetic ankle joint and developed the first working prototype. Her main contribution is force analysis and ankle reponse.

John Eakin

2007-04-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

Senior

Biomedical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

John is one of 4 design students from the '06-'07 Team who identified the need for a universal prosthetic ankle joint and developed the first working prototype. His main contribution is solid modeling and finite element analysis.

Kevin Ma

2007-04-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Senior

Biomedical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

Kevin is one of 4 design students from the '06-'07 Team who identified the need for a universal prosthetic ankle joint and developed the first working prototype. His main contribution is material selection.

Medical Situation in Western Honduras

2007-04-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

Another video created from footage that two of the undergraduate students I am mentoring took during their visit to the Copan Region of Honduras in January 2007. The purpose of this video is to show the medical situation in the health clinics and public hospitals in western Honduras. It is composed of interviews and video footage.

Living Conditions in Western Honduras

2007-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

I created this video from footage that two of the undergraduate students I am mentoring took during their visit to the Copan Region of Honduras in January 2007. It is comprised of 3 interviews with nationals and missionaries in the region and depicts the hard living conditions of those living in the rural regions of the country.

REED: An Introduction

2007-04-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today I gave the name "Rural Enhancement through Education and Design" to a dream that has been simmering inside of me since the summer of 2006. A graduate engineering student, I had the unique opportunity to get clinical experience in prosthetics at Jackson's UMMC and Honduras' CAMO. From my experience came some hopes for my future in academics:

To partner with an O&P Lab or PT clinic, so that students can volunteer for at least a semester in a clinical setting before embarking on their biomechanics research
To develop a joint research program in a developing country, where graduate students will have the privilage to work with doctors and medical aids to provide solutions to health needs in developing nations, especially to those living in rural areas

I am already involved in two projects that developed from my travels to Honduras:

Prosthetic Ankle Design: A team of 4 students have identified the need of an ankle joint to improve the functionality of donated prosthetic legs for amputees in the mountainous country. Their articulating ankle will be manufactured onsite in Honduras, be fully customizable based on patient needs, and be able to withstand the harsh rural environment
Class Projects with Impact: I have been working with a professor of a biomedical engineering introductory class to design a class project that will support health and health education in rural Honduras. The project is integrated into 6 basic steps of engineering design and the best design solutions will be implemented by professionals working in the region.

I like the word REED for this endeavor, because although a reed is weak, it is a bearer of seeds. I do not expect my dreams to produce a large organization; rather, I hope pieces of my dreams will find soil in others and grow.

Jessica Kruidhof

2007-04-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

Graduate Student

Mechanical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

http://www.me.utexas.edu/~neptune/people.php

I am working towards my PhD in Biomechanics. My career goal is to become a professor in my field and pursue research & development of orthotics & prosthetics. I also hope to continue leading students in the pursuit of their engineering design goals and to develop educational material along various levels of Biomedical Engineering. I serve as developer of REED and am available for contact.