On an in any other case darkish and wet Monday night time, attendees packed Kresge Auditorium for a energetic and colourful celebration of pupil product designs, as a part of the ultimate displays for MIT’s common class 2.009 (Product Engineering Processes).
With “Stability!” as its theme, the colourful present attracted lots of of attendees together with 1000’s extra who tuned in on-line to see college students pitch their merchandise.
The displays had been the end result of a semester’s value of labor wherein six pupil groups had been challenged to design, construct, and draft a marketing strategy for a product, in a course of meant to emulate what engineers expertise as a part of a design group at a product improvement agency.
“This semester, we pushed the six groups to step outdoors of their consolation zones and discover equilibrium between creativity and technical rigor, all as they launched into a product engineering course of journey,” stated 2.009 lecturer Josh Wiesman.
Looking for a stability
The course, identified on campus as “two-double-oh-nine,” marks a colourful finish to the autumn semester on campus. Every group, named after a unique shade, was given mentors, entry to makerspaces, and a funds of $7,500 to show their concepts into working merchandise. Within the course of, they discovered about creativity, product design, and teamwork.
Varied on-stage demonstrations and movies alluded to this yr’s theme, from stability beam walks to scooter and skateboard rides.
“Stability is a phrase that can be utilized to explain stability, steadiness, symmetry, even equity or impartiality,” stated Professor Peko Hosoi, who co-instructed the category with Wiesman this semester. “Stability is one thing all of us try for, however we not often cease to mirror on. Tonight, we invite you to mirror on stability and to have a good time the vitality and creativity of every pupil and group.”
Security first
The coed merchandise spanned industries and sectors. The Crimson Workforce developed a respirator for wildland firefighters, who work to stop and management forest fires by constructing “fireplace traces.” Over the course of lengthy days in difficult terrain, these firefighters use hand instruments and chainsaws to create fireplace obstacles by digging trenches, clearing vegetation, and different work based mostly on soil and climate circumstances. The group’s respirator is designed to comfortably relaxation on a person’s face and features a battery-powered air filter the dimensions of a giant water bottle that may match inside a backpack.
The masks features a filter and a valve for exhalations, with a hose that connects to the blower unit. Workforce members stated their system offers efficient respiratory safety towards airborne particles and natural vapors as customers’ work. Every unit prices $40 to make, and the group plans to license the product to producers, who can promote instantly to fireplace departments and governments.
The Purple Workforce introduced Contact, a crash-detection system designed to boost security for younger bicycle riders. The gadget combines {hardware} and good algorithms to detect accidents and alert mother and father or guardians. The system consists of options like a head-sensing algorithm to reduce false alerts, plus a crash-detection algorithm that makes use of acceleration information to calculate harm severity. The compact gadget is splashproof and dustproof, consists of Wi-Fi/LTE connectivity, and may run for per week on a single cost. With a retail worth of $75 based mostly on preliminary manufacturing of 5,000 items, the group plans to market the product to varsities and out of doors youth teams, aiming to present younger riders extra independence whereas protecting them secure.
On ergonomics and rehabilitation
The Yellow Workforce introduced an modern gadget for knee rehabilitation. Their prototype is an adjustable, wearable gadget that screens sufferers’ seated workout routines in real-time. The information is processed by a cell app and shared with the affected person’s bodily therapist, enabling tailor-made suggestions and changes. The app additionally encourages sufferers to train every day, tracks vary of movement, and provides therapists a fast overview of every affected person’s progress. The product goals to enhance restoration outcomes for postsurgery sufferers or these present process rehabilitation for knee-related accidents.
The Blue Workforce, in the meantime, introduced Band-It, an ergonomic software designed to handle the problem of wrist ache amongst lobstermen. With their analysis displaying that among the many 20,000 lobstermen in North America, 1 in 3 endure from wrist ache, the group developed a sturdy and simple-to-use banding software. The product would retail for $50, with a producing price of $10.50, and features a licensing mannequin with 10 p.c royalties plus a $5,000 base licensing payment. The group emphasised three key options: ergonomic design, simplicity, and sturdiness.
Underwater options
Some merchandise had been designed for the ocean. The Pink Workforce introduced MARLIN (Marine Augmented Actuality Lens Imaging Community), a system designed to assist divers see extra clearly underwater. The gadget integrates into diving masks and incorporates a video projection system that improves visibility in murky or cloudy water circumstances. The system creates a 3D-like view that helps divers higher decide distances and depth, whereas additionally processing and enhancing the video feed in real-time to make it simpler to see in poor circumstances. The group included a hinged design that permits the system to be simply faraway from the masks when wanted.
The Inexperienced Workforce introduced Neptune, an underwater communication gadget designed for newbie scuba divers. The system options six preprogrammed messages, together with important diving communications like “Ascend,” “Marine Life,” “Have a look at Me,” “One thing’s Off,” “Air,” and “SOS.” The compact gadget has a variety of 20 meters underwater, can function at depths of as much as 50 meters, and runs for six hours on a battery cost. Constructed with customized electronics to make sure clear and dependable communications underwater, Neptune is housed in a water-resistant enclosure with an intuitive button interface. The communications methods will probably be offered to dive outlets in packs of two for $800. The group plans to have dive outlets hire the units for $15 a dive.
“Product engineers of the long run”
All through the night time, spectators in Kresge cheered and waved colourful pompoms as groups demonstrated their prototypes and shared enterprise plans. Groups pitched their merchandise with movies, tales, and elaborate props.
In closing, Wiesman and Hosoi thanked the many individuals behind the scenes, from lab instructors and educating assistants to these working to provide the night time’s present. In addition they counseled the scholars for embracing the rigorous and infrequently chaotic coursework, all whereas striving for stability.
“This all began a mere 13 weeks in the past with ideation, speaking to individuals from all walks of life to know their challenges and uncover issues and alternatives,” Hosoi stated. “The category’s six phases of product design finally turned our college students into product engineers of the long run.”
