Autodesk Software Part of New Beginning for Quadriplegic Engineer

By DE Editors

Engineer Frank Alioto is using 3D design software from Autodesk, Inc. to steadily recover following an accident that left him with limited mobility. Autodesk donated the software in partnership with the NBC reality TV series “Breakthrough with Tony Robbins” produced by Reveille. On the show, Tony Robbins helps people to make new starts and transform their lives.

Before his accident, Alioto worked on the design of aftermarket automotive products. On the evening of his wedding in December 2007, Alioto sustained a serious spinal cord injury that paralyzed his legs, limited his hand movement and temporarily put his personal and professional life on hold. To resume working as an engineer, Alioto had several obstacles to overcome. In addition to the cost of computer hardware and software, Alioto’s physical impairments made it a challenge to interface with advanced software applications.

Alioto’s plight came to the attention of the production team at “Breakthrough with Tony Robbins,” who worked with Autodesk to find a solution. Autodesk provided a donation of hardware, software and training services from Autodesk Consulting to help Alioto achieve his goal.

Using a special adaptive touch pad and stylus, Alioto has been able to effectively use the Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping. The suite of donated Autodesk technologies includes:
* Autodesk Alias Design, to develop and communicate product concepts
* Autodesk Alias Surface, to evolve concept models into production surfaces
* Autodesk Inventor Professional, to develop complete product designs
* Autodesk Showcase, to create imagery from 3D CAD data
* Autodesk 3ds Max Design, to create game, film, and video content using 3D modeling, animation and rendering capabilities

“I’ve been very fortunate to have the Autodesk software at my disposal, and the onsite training that they provided was invaluable in helping me quickly get up to speed and be productive,” says Alioto. “The combined tools and training have allowed me to get back to doing what I do best: being an engineer.”

For more information, visit Autodesk.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.