Reference teacher group: proff. Fiore, Signorini and Pedrocchi
The need and will to take an interest in others is in human nature. When we meet people who are less fortunate than we are, we feel pushed to help them with something of our own. This is the spring with which many of us donate our time in voluntary work. Being a student of Politecnico can give a greater value, professionally, to our contribution. Not for profit organizations, such as patient associations, foundations, voluntary associations will propose project cases. Here are some examples of the projects carried out in 2018:- Bed movement control system for people with severe disabilities - proposal by the Italian Union for the Muscular Dystrophy (UILDM);- Play-demonstration system on the theme of cardiac physiology, for school-age children - proposal of the Foundation for Research in Cardiac Surgery- IT application to support doctors in data collection for patients with Epidermolysis Bullosa proposed by Debra Italia ONLUS. Some examples of the projects carried out in 2019: - Development of an application to help autistic subjects in the structuring of time (Interactive digital planner) and work activities (Order and Pick) - proposed by the Association 'I gigli del Campo' - Techno-art-therapy: combining technology and arts for therapeutic purposes - proposed by AICCA, the Italian Association of Congenital Cardiopathic Adults - Low-cost system for interactive balance exergames, proposed by the Center for Multiple Sclerosis of S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital These are not scientific research projects, but application projects that could lead to a well-contextualized feasibility study or a mock-up or a prototype, depending on the topic. Students will train themselves from the experience in the field (learning by doing) and will develop a user-centered design (patient-centered interactive design), in which they will concretely enhance the specific skills of their university education and develop soft skills (team working, Public speaking and presentation, timing and project management).
Schedule of activities: Announcement of projects. For each project the useful multidisciplinary skills (non-binding) will be suggested and the registrations will be opened. Students form teams, join a project and the representatives of the associations will describe the projects and discuss with the students their projects kickoff. Each team will be assigned a tutor. Teams will have six weeks of work with tutors, teachers and soft skills tutors. In Final public event, Public presentations by each team in front of the representatives of the associations, industrial and political representatives and University faculties. For each project the winning team will receive a prize.
Main language will be Italian, international students' participation is encouraged in teams with Italian colleagues to favor the interactions with patients and representatives of associations

dal March 2019 a April 2019