Submitted by: Michael A. Simonetti

Category: Stories

Naval Veteran and San Diego State University graduate student’s project,
the “Shower Safe Base Foot”
Mr. or Mrs.,
My name is Michael A. Simonetti and I am a 23 year naval veteran, and graduate student at San Diego State University (SDSU) studying for my masters degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling through the college of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Post-Secondary Eduction (ARPE). I am also pursuing a certification in Assistive Technology (AT) (i.e. wheelchairs, Text-to-Speech software, visual aids).
Under the supervision of my faculty advisor Dr. Caren Sax and with electrical engineering professor Dr. Andrew Szeto, myself and Mr. Frank Jones have invented the “Shower Safe Base Foot”. Mr. Jones is also the focus individual for my research paper on our invention. I have an extensive mechanical background, while Frank builds custom motorcycles. Together, we have designed and manufactured prototypes for a piece of assistive technology that allows lower-limb amputees to safely bathe on two legs again. More importantly it eliminates the dangerous transition from the bathroom floor and into the tub or shower. The foot provides sensory feedback, absolute stability, at a cost significantly lower than our nearest competitor. The device has been showcased through the following media outlets.

April 14, 2016, SDSU Daily Aztec newsletter: http://www.thedailyaztec.com/77255/arts-and-lifestyle/grad-student-inven...

May 6, 2016, San Diego KGTV 10 News: a 2-minute story on the evening news covering our invention. Here is the link to the short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rySqMiMPygQ

May 27, 2016, New Jersey Courier Post newspaper: http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2016/05/2...

June 3, 2016, SDSU Informed & Inspired blogspot: http://sdsucoenews.blogspot.com/2016/06/rehab-counseling-student-invents...

In February of this year was awarded $10,000 by SDSU president Dr. Elliot Hirshman from the SDSU President’s Leadership Fund (PLF), for which I competed with not only fellow students, but faculty and staff for the award.
Since March of 2016 I have been working with Mrs. Cathy Pucher, executive director of the SDSU Zahn Innovation Platform (ZIP) Launchpad, which helps students with their entrepreneurship endeavors like our business, JS Design Industries. The ZIP helps lean start up businesses with assistance in management and is another benchmark of SDSU as a research university of note. I have recently been awarded $5000 as part of the ZIP’s ‘Success Fund’ for start up businesses and have also been awarded $2500 from the SDSU Shelley Bergham scholarship.
I believe our invention is a good representation of SDSU as a place of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility for persons with disabilities and is in keeping with the college’s goals and it’s role as a highly regarded university that advocates for all their students.
Please take a moment to view our KGTV video and consider covering our invention as the college is behind the project and it will be beneficial to the college to get this invention out to the general public.
The potential for this device encompasses not only the 2 million existing lower-limb amputees in this country, but the estimated 165,000 lower limb amputations yearly. Thanking you ahead of time.
Frank and I thank you for this opportunity to showcase our invention and promote it to our target population of veteran lower-limb amputees, as well as lower-limb amputees in the general public, and we have worldwide patenting to bring this safety device to the world.

Michael A. Simonetti
1445 Grove Avenue, Unit 31
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
(619) 885-1390
simoindag@cox.net

About the author:

My name is Michael A. Simonetti and I am a 23 year naval veteran, and graduate student at San Diego State University (SDSU) studying for my masters degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling through the college of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Post-Secondary Eduction (ARPE). I am also pursuing a certification in Assistive Technology (AT) (i.e. wheelchairs, Text-to-Speech software, visual aids).