Driving innovation

Engineering students were placed in the driver’s seat of an ambitious capstone project,
fueled by a collaboration between United Rehabilitation Services and the University of Dayton. Their destination? Develop a simulator to steer URS clients with disabilities toward automotive autonomy by teaching them to drive. 

A grant from the National Institutes of Health jump-started the initiative, but the key in the project’s ignition was Kaylah, a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy and her aspirations of independence.

“Driving is an exciting new challenge for Kaylah, especially since her twin sister recently received her license,” explained Stephanie French, a URS physical therapist who works closely with the teen.

“She wants to move to California for college and has [many] dreams, so she’s really the
inspiration.”

Supported by Beam.NG tech, which provided the team with their simulator technology license, six undergrads buckled-up to navigate the yearlong project. Fall semester centered on research and design, while spring shifted to engineering and creation. 

Madelaine Blincoe ’24, who studied mechanical engineering, is among the students who have since graduated. She explained their resourceful approach: “Commercial driving simulators are incredibly expensive. We built ours with sustainable, recycled materials, including a repurposed Honda Civic from a previous project.”

Resembling an arcade game designed with accessibility in mind, the finished product showcases the students’ labor, time and engineering prowess. The system features an FFBoard, a software that interfaces with custom force feedback devices like steering wheels and pedals to provide realistic resistance. A 22-inch display screen is provided for the administrator, while the driver uses a 34-inch ultrawide curved monitor. Safety measures include a four-point harness, emergency stop functionality, transfer blocks and adjustable seating for wheelchair users. Simulations of real-world driving conditions deliver a pragmatic training experience. 

Said mechanical engineer Lauren Bower ’24, “To prepare clients for everyday driving situations, we created scenarios for highways, parking lots, rural and urban environments with AI traffic and a five-cone Ohio parking test.” 

Momentum continued through the summer as ETHOS intern and senior mechanical engineering student Matthew Garcia refined the simulator during multiple testing sessions with Kaylah, where he observed the teen growing increasingly confident and proficient in her driving skills. 

“It’s amazing to see what good can be done through engineering,” noted Garcia. 

The finished product was delivered to URS, ready to empower and assist clients in driving practice with the guidance of their therapists as they prepare for formal driving instruction and assessment. 

While she’s come to expect great things from UD and its students, French said the deliverable exceeded her expectations: “The team was amazing and worked incredibly hard to get everything right. We’re so grateful for our partnership with the University.”

Professor Kim Bigelow emphasized the project’s real-world significance.

“Students see their work doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” Bigelow said. “It has tangible impacts on people and communities.”

Bao Truong ’24, a computer engineer dubbed the team’s “tech guy,” agreed.

“It’s surreal — we’re helping change lives for the better,” Truong said. “This gave me so much hands-on experience that I wouldn’t get at any other university.”