Author: Brianna Richard

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Goodbye – Final Reflection

As the semester comes to the close this is a summary of what I’ve gained and learned from the Digital Making Class. For me, it was a different experience taking a class that is project based. However, it was nice to have a change of environment and pace for a change. In the next couple of paragraphs, I will highlight what I expected from the class and what I actually got out of it.

I was introduced to this class through an instructor. In high school, I volunteered at the Museum of Science and Industry in their Fabrication Laboratory. I love to learn through experimenting, so I thought the class was a great opportunity to get back into fabrication. I did not know anyone who took the class at the time, so I skimmed through a couple of the blog posts and saw interesting topics such as Arduino learning and 3d printing. Therefore, going into the course I expected it to be a hands-on, interactive space to explore various topic connected with fabrication. Looking back some of my expectations were met but not necessarily all. Most of the class time was spent learning about other people’s stories and completing brainstorming exercises. However, I came to realize that it was good that we were doing a lot of reflection. I remember a quote from the beginning of the semester that stressed the importance of analyzing the problem instead of being quick to come up with a solution. Although the class was not quite as I expected, I still felt challenged by the prompt which was to design assistive tech.

What I learned:

Technical Skills:

Throughout the semester we completed a couple of hands-on workshops in the Fab Lab. One of those workshops involved building a watch for physical therapy patients from scratch. As a result of this workshop, we learned how to use and code an Arduino, sew, laser cut, and use a software program called Inkscape. This workshop took us about three class days to complete. Before coming to college, I learned how to use a laser cutter and Inkscape. I’ve also worked with a Raspberry Pi before which is similar to an Arduino and had previous experience with sewing. The individual workshops were helpful I talked about all of them in some of my blog posts here.

Earlier in the semester we also had another technical workshop hosted by Autodesk. A representative from Autodesk taught us the basics of Fusion 360. In the workshop we designed a phone case stand, I talked about the experience in this blog post here. To my surprise Fusion 360 is fairly easy to use. Although for my team’s project we did not utilize fusion, I still found the tutorial to be beneficial.

In general, the technical workshops were my favorite part of the course. I am a hands-on learner, so it was exciting to actually fabricate. However, I wished the course was comprised of a variety of workshops that happened more than a couple of class days.

Creative Skills:

The course also encouraged the building of what I like to call creative skills. This happened when we spent class time in our groups brainstorming. Since we had a fixed prompt it was essential that we all collaborated. Being in a team with business and design students made that collaboration easier. Throughout the semester we had brainstorming exercises such as writing important ideas on post-its and designing prototypes. The most memorable was coming up with designs. Knowing what we wanted to create we essentially had to figure out what design would accomplish our goal. We came up with nearly impossible designs and designs that we could implement in a couple of hours. I talk more about this exercise and others in these blog posts here. The area in which creative skills were essential was the interview we had to conduct with our mentor. Going into the interview we did not exactly know what it was that we wanted to create. The interview questions that we asked had to be constructed with a lot of curiosity and creativity. With simple questions such as, “what is your dream car” we were able to gain a more personal perspective of our mentor Ryan. These creative skills that we gained were not only very helpful but also applicable to everyday life.

In conclusion, this course was not exactly what I expected it to be. However, I am glad that I went outside of my comfort zone to learn in a different way.

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Make-A-Thon conclusion

We finally wrapped up our race to the Make-A-Thon. The Make-A-Thon was overwhelming and a long process. For an entire weekend, we were going from building to building collaborating, making and prototyping. I appreciate all of the funding and effort that was put into making it happen.

I was apart of team Rotam. We essentially went in with a simple plan and design of what we wanted to prototype. We created a sleeve prototype for Ryan’s joystick on his power chair. We created the prototype using plastic and styrofoam. The styrofoam was used to create a mold of the joystick and the plastic was used to create the sleeve. We finished our prototype fairly early which was a relief. However, the process did not go as I expected. One of our prototype ideas was to use a fabric called neoprene however, we weren’t able to get it in time. I also thought that using a heat gun would become handy for fitting the plastic to the mold. Instead, the heat gun did the opposite and even came close to melting the plastic and the styrofoam mold. However, the most exciting part of fabricating for me was finding out that the fab lab had plastic beads that we could heat up and mold with our hands. It was also cool to meet and work with students from other classes. The icing on top was finding out that our team had won prizes.

The only thing left for us to do is to continue to test and develop our prototype. I believe my team will continue to develop our test for detecting water and moisture on our prototype. We will also follow up with Ryan and other power chair users to get their input on the prototype. Other than that we have one class left of the semester. For me, it was a new experience to take a class that was project based. However, taking the class really opened my eyes to what I can get out of my college education.

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A Week a​wa​y from the Make-A-Thon

iVenture

This week we continued with our preparation for the Make-A-Thon. Initially we had a presentation form Valeria, she talked to us about the iVenture Accelerator, an educational accelerator for top student startups at the university of illinois.This presentation was quite interesting to me because I’ve recently become interested in pursuing my own startup. Being involved in a program that trains and provides resources for those who want to expand on their own ideas is a good opportunity.

MileStone meetings feedback

After the presentation, we had one one one team meetings with MileStone Labs. My team, Rotam is designing a product that will protect, one of the experts/mentors Ryan, power chair joystick from getting wet in the rain. MileStone Labs gave us good feedback on how we should differentiate our product from others in the market. They also prompted us to focus on finding materials that would expand our product from not only providing protection for the joystick but also protecting, for example, the hand controlling the joystick.

Material List

For the rest of the class time, we generated a list of materials that we would need to utilize for the Make-A-Thon. We also came up with quick sketches of what we plan to create during the Make-A-Thon. We are leaning towards a sleeve design for the joystick. Therefore, one challenge that we are facing is getting the measurements for the joystick on Ryan’s chair. Traditionally we could just meet up to measure his chair with tape measures but we are hoping that we can instead scan his chair with the iPad and generate a CAD design of the joystick. Another challenge we are facing is finding a material that will be water resistant but also flexible. We came up with the idea to design a product that has protective layers similar to a water-resistant phone case. Therefore, we want to make sure every nook of the joystick is protected rather it be via plastic or a material such a neoprene. I am excited yet anxious for the Make-A-Thon. However it turns out I think it will be a good experience for everyone.

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Silicone and 3D printing – is this the future?

I am a Computer Science major however, I have always had a passion for art. For years I’ve been seeking ways to utilize both of my passions for tech and art interchangeably. After seeing pictures of Gucci’s FW18 show in Milan I was stunned. Models were walking down the runway with their heads! I was so intrigued that I did some research into how Gucci made this happened.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: A model walks the runway at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018/19 on February 21, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Pietro D’aprano/Getty Images)

“Representing the growth and self-awareness of a person as well as being conscious of one’s evolution, models walked the Gucci Fall Winter 2018 show holding replicas of their heads. To recreate their faces, the models’ moulds in silicone and plaster, and the models were scanned at Makinarium’s headquarters in Rome six months ago for a virtual 3D impression to capture their expressions. This advanced technology is then finished hand texturizing by artisans in the factory’s laboratory.”

The company Makinarium is famous for creating special effects for numerous movies. After finding this out I decided to dig deeper. Silicone has not only been of benefit in the art world but also in other industries such as the medical and aerospace industry, In an article by Alina Cohen it states, “[silicone] shape-shifting potential has inspired everyone from astronauts to plastic surgeons: Neil Armstrong wore silicone-tipped gloves during the first-ever moonwalk; cosmetic surgery has long relied on the material for breast implants;”

3D printing is used alongside silicone molding and casting. 3D printing and silicone casting have many similarities. One is that they are useful for making duplicates and prototyping. However, the traditional material used to 3D is a lot harder than silicone. Using them interchangeably allows for one to still leverage the ability to prototype efficiently while also being able to dedicate certain materials to certain aspects of the design. One team utilized both 3D printing and silicone casting to make a tail prosthetic for an alligator. In an article by Clare Scott, it states,

“The team 3D printed the model and used it to make a silicone cast. That cast was then used to make multiple prosthetic tails for Mr. Stubbs. Why didn’t they just 3D print a wearable prosthetic? While 3D printing has been used to create numerous prosthetics for animals, an alligator tail is especially large, and the team would have needed a large-scale 3D printer to print the prosthetic all in one piece. There are certainly 3D printers that could handle the job, but it would have been a time-consuming print, especially since they wanted to make multiple prosthetics. It would be easier to make one 3D print, use it to make a mold, and quickly cast several pieces.”

There are now 3D printers on the market that can print with silicone. In an article by Farai Mashambanhaka it states, “Wacker Chemie, a leading chemical giant, unveiled the first silicone 3D printer. This development brought great options in critical areas of application, especially in the health and medical areas, where silicone is considered to be biocompatible and tear resistant.” Researchers at the University of Southern California leveraged 3D printing silicone as they found a way to 3D print self-healing polymers, “Researchers at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering have done just that: created 3D-printed rubber materials that can quite literally fix themselves without human intervention.” (Tracey Schelmetic)

3D printers that print silicone are utilized in the medical industry especially for the new development of breast implants. After numerous failures with breast implants erupting surgeons are seeking new ways to create safe breast implants one-way of accomplishing this is through using 3D printers that print silicone.

3D printing and silicone will continue to integrate in the future if technology. I think it is amazing that this intersection ranges from art to the medical industry. It really speaks to the power of STEAM.

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Week 10

This week we did not meet during our usual class hours. Instead, we meet on a Tuesday with students from other classes, our mentors/expert users and FabLab members. In this meeting, we discussed ways to prepare for the next 3 weeks which we will spend preparing for the Make-a-thon.

The extreme users gave us great prompts to consider. One of my favorites was to focus on improving aspects of everyday life for everyone. I found this to be great advice because when working with a client it can sometimes be tempting to solely focus on solutions for them. This can be slightly difficult because it can be hard to shift one’s perspective to see from another. I find it easier to start with a perspective that I identify with and then alter a proposed solution to cater to other perspectives. At the beginning of the semester MileStone Labs shared with us a story of how a group of engineers and designers came together to create a product for a person with a disability. They thought they were creating a solution to what they believed to be a problem but soon found out that what they saw as a problem was not what the client saw. I believe this same situation could be true for those participating in the Make-a-thon if the sole focus is on trying to improve the lives of clients. Not having the same perspective may lead to misidentifying issues.

Another part of the session that I found to be helpful was seeing John demo for how he puts on his socks. John struggles with his mobility which makes it hard for him to do things such as put on his socks. Therefore, his mom sewn loops onto his socks so that by placing one finger in each loop he can easily put on his socks. This type of simple innovation is what I and my team are looking to incorporate into our design for protecting the joystick of powerchairs from the rain. After all the presentations, we had a brainstorming session. In class, we’ve had plenty brainstorming sessions so my team basically reaffirmed our goals and steps for the work that we would complete for the Make-a-thon. I am excited to see all of the innovative work that everyone produces at the Make-a-thon.

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Week 9

Final Assembly

This week in the fab lab was mainly dedicated to the final assembly of our watch. We started off with another electronic workshop. In this workshop, we experimented with an Arduino. We learned how to write simple code for running loops. In doing this we were able to do experiments with the LED, such as controlling when it turns on and off and controlling the duration while it is on. After attaching the tilt sensor, we printed the results of the loop. 1’s and 0’s would indicate what orientation the sensor was in. It was interesting to see it work on the LED and then printed on the screen.  

Code for watch

After this workshop, we then transitioned into preparing the Arduino for assembly. The code for the watch was given to us. After uploading the code we taped the Arduino down to one of the boards. After supergluing and taping other parts together we sandwiched the Arduino between two pieces of the watch and secured it with zip ties. We then proceeded to secure the tilt sensors on top of the watch. After attaching the other parts such as the wristband the assembly was finished.

Watch

Initially, when they told us that we were building a watch I thought that it would take longer than the 3 days we spent. However, after seeing how a big idea can be broken down into smaller pieces it was clear to me that maximal functionality can still be achieved even with a basic prototype. Making the watch will definitely help me and others feel more prepared for the make-a-thon.

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Wrapping up the watch project

This was our second week in the Champaign Urbana Community Fab Lab. This week instead of working with electronics, I was a part of the team that prepared the other parts of the watch such as the shell and the wristband. 

Inkscape workshop

We used a programming software, called Inkscape, to design our watch. I previously used Inkscape to do a lot of laser cutting with acrylic so I knew my way around the workshop pretty well. Inkscape allows users to create 2D designs, these designs can be used for anything, but they are most popularly used to laser cut. The pieces of our watch we’re already designed but we had the option to add engravings on the pieces. In Inkscape, if you specify a stroke line to be .10 then the laser cutter will cut through the material but any other number the laser cutter will simply etch the design in the material. This feature is nice because it allows us to add designs that we may not want to cut out. The breadboard that we are using with the tilt sensors will sit in between two of the pieces of the watch and another circle will sit on top with the design that we create.

GIF of how sewing machines works

We also used sewing machines this week. I learned how to sew at a young age, but it has been a while since I’ve sewn, so sewing this week was very relaxing and brought back a lot of memories. We used the sewing machines to sew a wristband for our watch. We started off with a workshop in which we had to follow and sew lines that were marked on a piece of fabric. After that we went throughout the process of picking out fabric, tracing our design on the material and cutting the design out. After that, it is common practice to iron a piece of fabric that is being folded so that it is possible to work with a flatter surface. Therefore, we folded the fabric so that the good sides were touching, we ironed the fold flat and then we sewed a seam along the edge. After we sewn the seam, we had to turn the band right side out, and then we sewed Velcro on the band. The Velcro is so that the band can be adjustable for all wrist sizes. 

Sewing workshop

At the end of class, we also had to present to MileStone labs. My team got good feedback regarding how we can alter our project. I am really enjoying the hands-on aspect of this class. When I was researching this class, I was drawn towards the fact that it was different from other classes that I’ve traditionally taken at this school. I learn better by being hands-on, so it was fun to experiment with some of the software and machines in the fab lab.

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Learning happens outside of the classroom just as much in

This was the first week that we had class in the Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab. Although this is not my first time working in a fab lab, it was still really exciting to walk around the space and learn about all of the different machines and projects that they’ve worked on. All fab labs are spaces where one can witness various ideas manifested into physical forms. I feel as if I and my team would gain a lot of inspiration from working in the fab lab in the next following weeks.

3D print on mesh fabric
Soap
3D printed model of ear

After touring the fab lab we learned that we would be working in workshops to build a watch. We then separated into groups to start our workshops. I was in the group that started working on using breadboards, LEDs, resistors, sensors, and batteries. I have worked with circuits before but I never worked with the tilt sensor. In the mini-workshop that I was in, we used the tilt sensor to act as a switch to let power flow, or not, depending on its orientation. Therefore the LED lights up if it’s in an upright position and does not if it’s upside down.

After our workshops, we joined with our teams to have a brainstorming workshop. We each drew quick sketches/prototypes for our team project. We had different prompts to go on such as designing for an elderly audience vs designing for children. It was a challenge to figure out how we would alter/shape our product to cater to various needs, audiences and concerns. After we went through about 5 prompts we had to pick two designs to prototype. My team decided to go with designs that we were initially gravitating towards. These designs focus on covering the joystick in a more efficient manner. It would also be a product that can go on once and stay on.

Project designs

During class one of the fab lab workers mentioned how as a result of working in the fab lab he has interacted with so many people who all have a wide range of knowledge. That reminded me of why being in an interdisciplinary class is very important. Out in the world, in our respective industries, we will come across people from all different walks of life with different ranges of experience and knowledge. For me, it has always been important to know how to learn from people who are different from me. I believe that it is natural for us to put ourselves in a box and only align ourselves with people who are similar to us. However, in doing this we rob ourselves of the opportunity to grow.

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A little practice goes a long way

This week we had the opportunity to make our first complete model in Fusion 360 with Dan Banach from Autodesk. He went through the process of making a phone case holder. I personally had previous experience with 3D modeling software so his presentation was pretty straightforward and easy to follow. It was fun to have another class that was hands-on since a lot of our class time previously has been spent listening to presentations and brainstorming. After our demo session with Dan, we then went into searching for insights for our project.

Fusion 360 initial box creation
Fusion 360 phone case holder render

This week me and my team Rotam met with Ryan to complete our first interview. Ryan gave us great insight into what it was like for him growing up and what it is like for him now. We shared with him the direction that we wanted to go in and he gave us a considerate amount of feedback. As a result of his feedback, we are considering going in a different direction than we were initially going in. Initially, we were focusing more on making our project about ascetics and now we are considering making the project reflect more utilitarian purposes after hearing one suggestion Ryan gave us. Since Ryan has a powered chair when it rains he runs the risk of his chair dying if the joystick is exposed to the rain. To combat this, Ryan places a bag over his joystick when it is raining. Although this currently works for him, he and the rest of his chair gets wet in the rain. Also, others who do not have the ability to place the bag over the joystick run the risk of their chair dying. We came up with the idea of creating a device that would go over the joystick when it rains so that Ryan would no longer have to carry around the bag. Also for those who cant it or forget to grab a bag on their way out it would also be of benefit to them. We still have one more person to meet with so we are not 100% set on going in this direction or with this idea but it is an option that we did not have before.

Ryan demonstrating how he covers his joystick with the bag

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Week 5

This week we had multiple guests. The first one was a member of the Illini Service Dogs organization on campus. She came in to talk about some suggestions that could manifest into potential projects.

We also had John Hornick join us. He talked about how 3D printing is being used in new and innovative ways that we may not necessarily think about. He showed us various research projects that are being conducted all over the world, mainly focusing on how 3D printing has been used in the healthcare industry. Such examples include utilizing 3D printing to print scans of hearts and skulls so surgeons can study the models and prepare the best plan for going about the procedure. The unconventional and innovative ways in which 3D printing is being utilized is what stuck out to me the most during his presentation. I believe a lot of people put limitations on products and ideas. However, nothing has a limitation. People everyday alter/customize products to fit their needs without even realizing it. The fact that some researchers and doctors are trying to 3D print body parts etc. attest to that. Although 3D printers were originally made for printing plastic models, people all over decide every day to use 3D printing to fix a need that they are facing. I believe that this is an important lesson to keep in mind when going through the design process. Sometimes it isn’t all about creating something new that no one has ever seen before, it is instead about implementing improvements in devices that already exists to better suit our needs.

Champaign-Urbana community fab lab

We also had Jeff Ginger from the Champaign-Urbana Community Fabrication Laboratory on our campus. He kinda took us through a virtual visit of the fab lab by explaining what and who it is comprised of. One of the main focuses of his presentation was thinking about 3D printing and digital making from a community approach. There are a lot of fabrication laboratories and maker spaces around the world because there are a lot of problems around the world and everyone needs access to resources, such as maker spaces, to deal with such problems.

After that, we gathered into our teams to share information on the research that was completed up until now. From there we wrote on post-it notes one thing we believed was significant about what others shared. Slightly after we collected all of the post-it notes and we categorized them into groups. Since our initial mentor has yet to get back to us we did not have a lot of feedback to share with each other. However, we decided going forward that we will reach out to other expect users and mentors who could assist us with our research. Although we still don’t have an exact idea of what we want to work on, we are hoping that through talking with the mentors we will be able to narrow down our options and decide on a fun and informative project.