S. K. Ramesh, dean of California State University, Northridge’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, and B.K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, co-chairman at Kumaraguru College of Technology in India, have signed a memorandum of understanding to foster research collaboration and the exchange of expertise in the area of assistive technology engineering.

S.K. Ramesh

The memorandum enables faculty and student exchanges between the two institutions. The institutions will develop joint teaching and research projects. They have agreed to cooperate in a “spirit of understanding and goodwill to strengthen their relationship and further scholarly education exchanges” and “promote friendship and goodwill between India and the United States.”

“Assistive technology engineering is at the core of what we do as engineers,” said Ramesh. “We are designing products and processes to help improve and sustain the quality of living for all of us in this world. This partnership provides a unique opportunity for students and faculty from across the globe to collaborate and work on solving emerging problems in assistive technology engineering.”

CSUN’s annual Conference on Technology and Research with Disabilities is known worldwide for bringing together practitioners from industry, users and academics working in the area of assistive technologies.

Building on the international reach of the conference, Ramesh said Kumaraguru College of Technology’s Department of Information Technology will set up an innovative assistive technology center with the help of CSUN.

“The center will be creating and adapting innovative assistive, adaptive and rehabilitative devices for the people with disabilities; such as the opportunity to help develop an advanced brain–control–interface wheel chair for disabled,” he said.

As a first step to showcase the collaborative effort, the colleges plan to organize an international conference in July of 2013 on “Intelligent Interactive Systems and Technology” in collaboration with CSUN and the IEEE Education Society. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) is the largest professional technical society in the world with over 400,000 members.

The conference will highlight technological solutions to challenges faced by persons with disabilities and include a student programming competition to develop software for persons with disabilities.

College of Engineering and Computer Science, International