Iterate, Iterate, Iterate
Our speaker this week was a designer from the agricultural technology start-up, EarthSense, based in Illinois’ Research Park. EarthSense has developed an autonomous, compact robot that assists farmers in collecting data from their crops on the ground level. Through their talk, we got a first-hand look into how 3D designing and printing is used by companies in the real world. EarthSense started by designing a proof-of-concept device and then tested it with a few early adopters. From user interviews and watching farmers interact with the device, they were able to pinpoint what features to improve on in their next iteration. The big thing I took away from their talk is how many iterations the designers go through in order to come up with the final product. Our speaker showed us a picture of what looked like almost a hundred discarded 3D prints of versions of a camera casing used on the robot. This part was complex because it had to only work in one specific direction so that users could not accidentally install the part upside down. Moving forward on our own project, I realize how important it will be to make many iterations of our design in order to ensure we have the best possible final copy.
Starting to Print
After the presentation from EarthSense, we got together with our teams to come up with a team name and designed a 3D printed logo. Our team decided to call ourselves MOVI to symbolize the enhanced movement we hope to give Jenna through the design of a less-bulky protective cover for her microprocessing knee. For our logo, we wanted a design that conveyed movement, but also seemed sturdy and protective. We decided to use shrinking letter sizes to give the appearance of movement and surrounded them with a triangle so that they looked protected,
Working with Jenna
Later in the week, we got a chance to sit down with our mentor Jenna and discuss our ideas with her. Since I missed the first class session, this was my first time meeting Jenna in person and seeing her prosthetic limb. We started by getting a better understanding of our design problem. Jenna currently has a prosthetic leg cover (pictured below) that she uses to protect her microprocessing knee. The cover is sturdy, but it is too bulky on the back side of her leg and is heavy. This limits her range of motion with her leg. Our idea was to design a lighter weight protective pad that Jenna could wear to protect her leg, while still maintainig her range of motion. When we pitched this idea to Jenna she seemed very excited and we started to brainstorm potential ways to approach our design. All in all, it was a great meeting and I am excited for our team to begin workshopping solutions.
I am a Senior majoring in Finance with a minor in the Hoeft Technology & Management Program.
I think this is really cool! You guys are directly impacting Jenna’s life while solving a problem many people in her position experience. Since your product will be oriented around functionality, you guys need to prepare for lots of iteration. Jenna will surely be giving you feedback and insight into what would make the iterations better.
Have you looked into any similar products which already exist? They may be good for inspiration and you might even be able to utilize them in your own product. Some of the best sources of inspiration are your competition, so I would highly recommend taking a deep dive into that realm.
Nathan,
I really think you guys idea is not only beneficial, but directly impactful to Jenna. I’m no prosthetic user, but I have torn my ACL. This protective pad you guys are thinking of could even replace the standard knee guards hospitals give ou. These too are extremely bulky and limit how far you can extend your leg. I think you guys should really go and see what’s on the market for devices for users like Jenna but also other demographics. You can look into the science behind knee replacement, sports, physical therapist, the list can go on and on. I think you guys are up to something amazing. Keep up the work excited to see what you guys come up with.
Nathan,
This is a great opportunity for design! I remember a story Jenna shared with our class when we toured DRES. She told us about a time she completely lost her footing walking out of her car on an icy winter day. Prosthetic users are told to fall on the side of their body that has the prosthetic to protect themselves. In doing this Jenna’s prosthetic got all scratch up. I’m excited to see and hear more about this lightweight prosthetic leg cover.
This is a really great summary of the EarthSense visit! I thought it was amazing how many times he printed the same parts slightly differently to get the best design in their final prototype. It definitely showed that sometimes you just have to use a “Make-It” mindset (http://www.designkit.org/mindsets/2). Interesting applications of similar parts could be how companies guard the fragile parts of their products, while still being flexible. I think this relates to a lot of wearable technology, like heart rate monitor straps and others, and could be a source of inspiration!
Hi Nathan,
You had a great summary of the EarthSense visit. I definitely think your takeaway about iterations is going to be crucial when we move further along with each of our projects.
As for your group project, I think this idea will be incredibly impactful for Jenna and others with prosthetics! I can only imagine how your design can be transformed into covers for other limbs. I look forward to seeing how your cover allows for more mobility, and creates a lighter and more cost efficient model.