Project Helpful

Part 1: Drawing key lessons

• The extendable frame is a great idea to address a relevant real world challenge. I also like the fact that the students built good prototypes to validate their design by leveraging 3D printers. Great!

The idea is really good. Couple of things could be improved in the proposed design to make it even better:

1. The extendible portion can be tightened using tiny screws to keep things in place. Friction fitting works in the beginning but may wear off and become loose over time.

2. The students could also consider making the glass holding portion fit on screws. It should be noted that one of the reasons why kids need to change glasses is due to the increase in the degree of their spectacles. Hence, some flexibility in fitting new glasses into existing frames would certainly be useful.

3. The modular nature of the current design, as well as the ones I have suggested above using screws and such, can also allow kids to mix and match frames of different colours and designs. This will likely give them more motivation to use such contraptions.

Part 2: Exploring Possibilities

The concept of modularity can be effectively leveraged to create sustainable solutions. One idea that comes to mind is backpacks. Students may not need to carry the same number of books and notebooks to school every day. In such scenarios, if we can have backpacks with removable sections that can be connected using zips when needed and removed on other days, would be a great idea. One could also think of colourful add-ons to the backpack and pockets of different sizes to suit the needs of different people.

Part 1: Drawing key lessons

• The team went through many iterations of design, making and testing their adjustable spectacle frame. Though a spectacle frame looks simple is not easy task to make one that is adjustable with the physical change of a growing child’s head and facial features. The team explored the use of different mechanical assemblies of steel wires, screws with a 3-D printed spectacle to develop their concept. The solution is innovative that has practical uses for growing children and could help students to defray the high cost of changing frames over the period of the growing years. .

• The students could add the ability to adjust the spectacle nose bridge for a better fit. As a child grows, the physiological features of the nose may change requiring the nose bridge to be adjusted.

Part 2: Exploring Possibilities

• There are tables with extension mechanism that can extend the length of a table. The sliding mechanisms design can be explored to be adapted and used in the extending the arm of the glasses.

• The team could consider the use of metal compounds for the spectacle frames with wider variety of styles that fit children with different face shape.