2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Abstract

Capstone courses play a crucial role in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) curricula. The principal purpose of a Capstone project course is to offer a summative opportunity for graduating senior engineering students to apply their professional skills and knowledge in a single experience and prepare them for work in industry. Like many engineering programs, students at XXX complete their requirements for graduation with a two-semester long capstone design project courses. The intention of these courses is to apply competencies gained during their first three years toward the solution to a design problem. Our senior design courses are structured as a collection of independent student projects. As our students are required to design, build, and troubleshoot a fully functional project, they find these courses both challenging and rewarding.

Recently, some of the ECE students have selected to work on projects that focus on the design and implementation of innovative solutions to improve the lives of patients and individuals with disabilities. Student teams are engaged in the full engineering design process, including needs assessment, requirements specification, prototyping, and evaluation, while collaborating with stakeholders to ensure user-centered outcomes. Representative projects include the development of assistive technologies, adaptive control systems, and health-monitoring platforms aimed at enhancing accessibility, autonomy, and overall quality of life. Through this work, students not only refine their technical and professional competencies but also gain a deeper understanding of the societal responsibilities of engineers. The course highlights the role of engineering education in preparing graduates to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of inclusive and socially responsive technologies.

This paper will describe recent capstone projects that the students have done in improving the lives of patients and individuals with disabilities.