LATEST PROJECTS
Project | 01
Project | 01 Corn Popper
The Corn Popper is a child's toy that helps promote gross motor skills and sensory skills. My partner and I reverse engineered this toy in order to modify it for better use by a child with disabilities. The disability that we targeted was Cerebral Palsey. This disability affects both fine and gross motor skills. In order to help the child be able to grip the handle of the corn popper better, we decided to make the handle thicker and have a way to keep the Corn Popper from falling. During this project, I learned the skills of how to identify stakeholders, redesign a product effectively, and how to convey what you are thinking in a simple way. Being able to deconstruct a product and figure out how it works will help me become a better engineer.
Project | 02
Project | 02 Fidget Spinner
In Engineering Design Studio we made fidget spinner as any design we wanted. I made Totoro from the movie My Neighbor Totoro. In order to make the shape printed on the 3D printer, I was required to use SolidWorks skills. We 3D printed the final results and I then added the bearing. I modified the bearing by removing the rubber that keeps oil in the bearing so it will turn faster since their is less resistance now. Unfortunately, the length of my fidget spinner is too long for my hands. Making the fidget spinner I used skills like SolidWorks, specifically how to fully define the sketch, how to handle 3D printed materials, and measuring real life objects in order to model correctly to fit the bearing accurately. This project taught me to double check my measurements before printing the final product
Project | 03
Project | 03 Top Spinner
The top spinner allowed the usage of the machine shop. In order to make the top we were required to use a lathe, band saw, milling machine. From using these machine, I learned what backlash is and how to always avoid it. Making the top gave me experience in the machine shop and helped teach me how to successfully communicate your idea to a technician in order for them to easily replicate the idea.
Project | 04
![file-13[951].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b1b51d_34886076c4ac4690bad0164619ca1819~mv2_d_3024_4032_s_4_2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_330,h_440,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/file-13%5B951%5D.jpeg)
Project | 04 Reach Services Project
Reach Services focuses on giving individuals with special needs an opportunity to experience life to their fullest. Not only does Reach Services help a child face to face, but they also help with their lending library. The lending library contains many toys that have been modified in order to allow children with disabilities the same capability as children with no disabilities. Overall they have a wide range of toys, but in the end they need more toys that are for an older audience and still continues to increase fine and gross motor skills. My group approached the problem with an idea sparked from the movie Thor. Similar to the King Arthur legend, Thor is unable to get his hammer out of the ground unless he is proved worthy. This toy would allow the user to practice their fine and gross motor skills while playing with a fun superhero themed toy. The toy was successful and helps improve both fine and gross motor skills while the child can have fun with a superhero toy. Incorporated in the toy was a circuit that powered a servo to pull in pins to allow the hammer to be released from the base and also activate the LED that replicates lightening. This project taught me a lot about circuits, to always make test prints, and how to work with a group successfully.
![file3-6[2949].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b1b51d_3648c20b6822400a9e18591ab54da60b~mv2_d_3024_4032_s_4_2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_330,h_440,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/file3-6%5B2949%5D.jpeg)
Project | 05
Project | 05 Human Resource Center
Human Resource Center (HRC) is located in Paris, IL and gives jobs to people with disabilities. One of the jobs is to simply cut open a taped box without destroying the product inside the box. The equipment given to the workers is a basic safety box cutter that requires the user to continuously apply force with their thumb by pushing the switch forward and being able to accurately cut the box at the same time. My client's disabilities limited their capabilities to comfortably use the box cutter supplied by HRC. In the end, through a series of test with my client, we chose to pursue a Martor safety knife called Secupro Merak. This safety nice allows my client to comfortably grasp the lightweight knife and effectively cut the taped boxes at a faster pace and more accurately.
Project | 06
Project | 06 TinkleTimes
The usage of public restrooms is dreadful but in desperate need to relieve oneself, it is required to use. The only thing that makes a public restroom worse is when there is an absence of toilet paper. TinkleTimes is a universal communication device that relays data to the front of the toilet paper dispenser to inform whether there is toilet paper or not as soon as the user walks into the stall. Not only will the user be informed of a lack of toilet paper before pursuing the stall, the custodians will also be informed when to replace the toilet paper and which stall needs it. This will reduce the amount of time the custodial staff has to work and look around for empty toilet paper dispensers which could potentially lead to less custodial staff required. This is personally my favorite project I have worked on. I see this as a universal problem that all genders can relate to. This project taught me how to connect two arduinos via a radio transmitter, how to solder the breadboard circuit correctly to the arduino, and how to create arduino code to read the distance from a sonar. TinkleTimes is currently being submitted to the James Dyson Award in order to show the world a solution to a common problem.