*Click on any skill to see where I applied it!
<aside> ✅ Opportunity Recognition
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<aside> ✅ Creativity
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<aside> ✅ Reiteration
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<aside> ✅ Perseverance
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<aside> ✅ Laser Cutting
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<aside> 💡 Our Team’s Objective: Design a device that helps David stay streamlined in the water. The device should consider David’s physical capabilities, improve his range of motion, and abide by the rules of the Iron Man Triathlon.
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In the beginning of this project, the only instruction we had received was to solve a problem of a local community member. The details of these members were given, and the opportunity to interview them was also available. Based on the given background information, we knew that David was emphatic about a solution which made his legs straight while in water, as that would help him swim faster. However, our group found it difficult to create an innovative solution to fulfill this objective. Ideas such as physical straightening designs came to our mind, but we wanted to create something ground-breaking. While attending an interview with David, I noticed him briefly mention the problem about swimming harder with one arm than the other. I immediately recognized this opportunity as having the potential for the kind of solution we were looking for. When I discussed this point with the group, they were surprised by the existence of this problem. My keen observation skills allowed us to create a revolutionary design that was unique from all the other groups.
<aside> 🌟 What I Learned: Personal interviews can be an excellent method to gain niche ideas.
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Sketch of first prototype
Design of first prototype
In the next design, we built a harness-like prototype with a buzzer near each pectoral. The concept was that whichever direction David needed to swim towards would buzz, and that the harness would be easy for him to wear and remove. The sealing of the box was chosen to be hot glue as it is waterproof.
In the second Design Review, we received feedback that David might not be able to hear the sound of the buzzer if the device is underwater, or if the environment is noisy. Furthermore, upon first sight, wearing the harness seemed confusing. Another point raised was that the device needed to be tight-fitting in order to ensure it stays on while in the water.
<aside> 🌟 What I Learned: Environmental conditions are critical for consideration in the development of a device.
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Based on this specialized objective, I came up with the idea of a system which would alert David whenever he tilts too much on one side. It consisted of a box with 2 vibration motors, 2 buzzers, and 1 orientation sensor inside. The box used Velcro straps to attach onto the client’s body. The box was to be made of fiberglass and have an inner layer of Gore-Tex to allow ventilation of sweat but block water from passing through. Based on this design, the first prototype was made.
However, the Velcro seemed difficult for David to put on and take off. We also needed a way to inform David which way he should turn to become straight again. Furthermore, based on feedback we received in the first Design Review, we realized that we needed better sealing around the sides of the box. We were also encouraged to keep the output devices situated closer to the top of David’s body, as it would be more sensitive.
<aside> 🌟 What I Learned: Human factors in a design, especially for disabled individuals, should consider broader use (e.g., set-up, take-down, storage, maintenance, etc.)
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Second design of prototype. The red tape indicates the location of the buzzers.
DWG drawing of top of box
<aside> 🌟 What I Learned: Along with learning to be perseverant, I learned that the dimensions in a sketch should always be a little bigger than the dimensions of objects in real life to account for the thickness of materials.
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By this point, our prototype was almost ready. Our final design included a laser cut box to house all the electronics. Being made of acrylic, the box would have superb resistance to anything it encounters in the water. I took the initiative to create DWG drawings to send to the laser cutter.
My group members measured everything and gave me the dimensions for the box. I made the drawings according to the dimensions, but when we received our parts from the laser cutter, we realized that they were very tight-fitting. This is because my group had given me the exact dimensions of the objects we wanted to encase to use for the box. Nevertheless, I created new drawings and provided my group what they needed.
In this project, I learned how to prepare files for laser cutting. I needed to follow these steps for each individual part:
Sketch of a part designed for laser cutting (Step 1)