My name is Gloria Ni, and I’m a freshman SEED intern majoring in Bioengineering with interests in engineering design, global health, computer science, and applied mathematics. Welcome back to my blog!
This week, our team collaborated to effectively prepare for low-fidelity prototyping.
We started off the week strong with compiling a list of User Needs and translating them into comprehensive Design Criteria. After distinguishing the constraints and objectives, we set quantitative target values for each criteria, establishing User-Defined Scales for the qualitative objectives. We further decomposed our problem into sub-components to tackle each joint and aspect of the device separately.
We continued research into manikins, respiratory models, and puppets to understand the mechanics behind their movements. We also looked into biological and mechanical joints to better understand how to model the joints.
Towards the end of the week, we brainstormed a list of 25 solutions for the overall structure of the solution, so we can start off next week with evaluating solutions to be fully prepared for low-fidelity prototyping.
We had several professional development workshops on Listening and Communication, Difficult Conversations, and Microaggressions. I was extremely grateful for the chance to become more educated on how to exercise more efficient interpersonal communication conducive to a professional and collaborative environment that is safe and non-hostile to my colleagues.
On Thursday, all interns participated in a Breadboarding and Circuitry Workshop, where we reviewed the components of circuits and how to implement them using a breadboard. We constructed our own parallel and series circuits using potentiometers, LED lights, on/off switches, resistors, batteries, and even a digital multimeter to gauge the voltage.
Furthermore, we engaged in a CAD modeling workshop, where we designed a cute 3D smiley-face keychain using Autodesk Fusion360 software. Since our project will inevitably require 3D-printed parts, our team was hugely grateful for the chance to learn 3D CAD modeling skills.
Additionally, interns engaged in a fun campus-wide scavenger hunt social. Our team ended up winning!! Unsurprisingly, of course. It’s definitely all because of me. Just kidding, my teammates in the game were the coolest!! I was very happy to get the chance to further bond with my colleagues outside of our work environment while simultaneously exploring Rice campus and getting in a much-needed workout.
I would like to conclude again with a huge thank you and acknowledgement to fellow NIMBS teammates, Lam Nguyen and Andrew Sun; our client, Prince Mtenthaonga; our Design Supervisors, Shannon McGill and Alois Chipfurutse; and SEED/Rice 360 staff, Imari Fletcher, Dr. Deirdre Hunter, and Dr. Ashley Taylor. I’m very grateful that they made my experience these first couple weeks possible and extremely look forward to the upcoming week of prototyping!