CONFERENCES
E&PDE 2026 - 28th International Conference on Engineering & Product Design Education
The Conference will bring together representatives from education and industry interested in sharing new perspectives on design education.
Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
BRIDGING DISCIPLINES THROUGH MAKING: COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT IN INTERDISCIPLINARY WEARABLE REHABILITATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Georgiev, Georgi; Soomro, Sohail Ahmed; Balzan, Emanuel; Gauci, Maria; Buhagiar, Nathalie; Vella, Pierre; Tamburrino, Francesco; Neri, Paolo; Aruanno, Beatrice; Wodehouse, Andrew; Maclachlan, Ross; Hadjionisiforou, Onisiforos; Latif, Ummi; Fernando, Rosha
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Georgiev, Georgi; Soomro, Sohail Ahmed; Balzan, Emanuel; Gauci, Maria; Buhagiar, Nathalie; Vella, Pierre; Tamburrino, Francesco; Neri, Paolo; Aruanno, Beatrice; Wodehouse, Andrew; Maclachlan, Ross; Hadjionisiforou, Onisiforos; Latif, Ummi; Fernando, Rosha
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
Center for Ubiquitous Computing, University of Oulu, Finland; University of Malta, Malta; University of Pisa, Italy; University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom; Kinisiforo Ltd, Cyprus; Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Oulu, Finland
Page(s):
558 - 563
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
Engineering and product design education increasingly demands interdisciplinary collaboration, yet educators struggle to identify and develop the competencies for effective cross-disciplinary teamwork. This paper presents findings from an intensive hands-on workshop that brought together 21 students from engineering, design, and occupational therapy backgrounds across four universities to collaboratively develop wearable rehabilitation devices. The study addresses a critical gap in understanding how pedagogies can foster both technical expertise and collaborative competencies for healthcare technology innovation. The workshop employed a progressive four-session structure covering the complete device development cycle: 3D scanning, CAD modelling and fabrication, electronics integration, and performance testing. Evaluation revealed significant insights into competency development and educational design. However, the evaluation also revealed critical competency gaps that traditional engineering education fails to address. Students identified regulatory and clinical requirements as the primary missing competency, followed by electronics integration and programming skills. Most significantly, participants consistently reported lacking sufficient understanding of clinical rehabilitation contexts, including patient needs, human anatomy, and real-world device usage scenarios. Hence, the contextual knowledge has essential role in design education and technical skills alone are insufficient for developing effective healthcare technologies. This research contributes practical frameworks for designing curricula that develop both technical and collaborative skills essential for innovation in healthcare technology. The findings demonstrate that hands-on, interdisciplinary learning effectively bridge educational silos yet reveal that successful implementation requires careful attention to clinical context integration and cross-disciplinary exchange. These insights offer recommendations for educators preparing diverse student populations for collaborative practice in engineering and product design.
Keywords:
