In fall 2018, a new course entitled “Introduction to Innovation in Engineering” was offered to freshman Foote Fellows, educationally accomplished students who are self-motivated and think independently. This project-based course introduced students to the process of creating innovations by combining basic engineering with marketing principles, which many students are not exposed to the concepts until junior or senior years.
During the course, students focus on the voice of the customer, prepare rapid designs and present their results or products. This course aimed to instill in students the importance of problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, communication and teamwork. In other words, this course provides students with the tools to create solutions to problems, communicate, test and realize their ideas.
“We are being taught to be more than engineers: we’re being exposed to different subjects like entrepreneurship and art appreciation, but are still being taught how to think and address problems with new technologies like 3D printing,” said Rachel De Paz (BScPE ’22). “It’s taking a multi-disciplinary approach to the first-year engineering curriculum and I’ve really been enjoying it.”
All students displayed their products and gave presentations during their final class. Some also had working prototypes, computer simulations and videos.
IBISOUND: Experience sensory overload – Elizaveta Baranova (BSASE ’22), Siaunna Jenkins (BSBE ’22), Aijalon Kilpatrick (BSEE ’22), Mathew Morrison (UN ’22), Yuxin Song (BSPP ’22) and Ngoc Lan Vy Truong (BSBE ’22). The IBISOUND is a portable dodecahedral Bluetooth speaker on a rotating platform. The device asks to pair automatically when turned on, and all music controls including play/pause, skip/previous and volume is controlled from the paired device. The product works excellently with a range of more than 40 feet; the maximum range for best music quality is 15-20 feet.
THE U-TENSIL – Robert DiCaprio (BS ’22), Emilie Duran (BSBE ’22), Ally Harpole (BSIE ’22), Kavya Justa (BSBE ’22), Samantha Kamath (BSCPE ’20), Yiki Yang (BScMM ’22). The U-Tensil is a fully refillable and rechargeable pen, pencil, and powerbank in one. This product eliminates the need for students to carry around multiple pens, pencils, and a bulky power bank. It also serves as a safety product for the consumers’ parents considering the device can charge their child’s phone up to 80% of its original battery in an emergency.
U-KNIGHT – Jiaming Cao (BSM ’22), Matthew Christie (BSME ’21), James Clabby (BSASE ’21), Rachel De Paz (BScPE ’22), Jingyi Liu (BSIE ’22). U-Knight is an action figure with many independent parts, all connected by a uniform ball-and-socket joint. The parts consist of the following: a head, an upper torso, a lower torso, two upper arms, two forearms, two hands, two upper legs, two shins, and two feet. Currently, each of these parts are available in size options of small, medium, and large. Every part in every size is compatible with every other part, so our customers are free to create whatever they desire. The joints allow for a wide range of motion, so the action figure can be posed in almost any conceivable position.
ROLLER CASE – Kristin Liu (BSBA’22), Dibyanshi Mishrra (BScPE ’22), Brett Nemetz (BSEE ’22), Brandon Rojas (BSAE ’22), Stephen Seruya (BSME ’21), Pranav Sriraman (BSBE ’22).The Roller Case turns a generally boring phone case into a fun remote -controlled car and provides an alternative to screen time. Kids can use the roller case to drive their phones in races, shoot videos on their phones while it is being driven, and use it in many other fun ways that do not involve looking at a screen.
