Electric Motor Education & Research Foundation's design competition, announced during Medtrade week, encourages students to develop new mobility, accessibility and therapy innovations employing electric motors.
To encourage college students to apply their creative energies toward improving the quality of life, the Electric Motor Education & Research Foundation (EMERF) has initiated the Motorized Ability Design Awards competition with a $5,000 first prize for the winning undergraduate team. Announcement of the inaugural design competition is coincidental with Medtrade, the largest international trade show dedicated to the home healthcare industry. EMERF, a nonprofit foundation established in 1995, will also assist qualified teams in procuring donations of electric motors for use in their projects.
The electric motor industry is proud to be able to contribute to improving the quality of life. Everyday, people rely on motors to aid in their mobility, accessibility and therapy: from power wheelchairs to door operators and nebulizers. Speaking as a member of the EMERF board, we want to continue to stimulate innovative new mobility, accessibility and therapy developments and provide a means for undergraduates to exercise their engineering skills as well as their own interests in helping make life better for others.
Entries in the Motorized Ability Design Awards competition will be judged on innovation, utility, marketability, and presentation and the closing date for entries is June 30, 2009. Rules and competition timeline information are available at the EMERF web site. EMERF is also enlisting support from companies in the mobility, accessibility and physical therapy industry who wish to participate in the judging process or become cosponsors of the competition.