Capstone Design Step 3

Capstone Design Step 3!

For step 3 of the final Capstone project, we focused more on the designing and building aspects of our prosthetic leg, rather than the research behind everything. First, we revised our project proposal to clearly state what our final project was going to be. We created a decision matrix to help us narrow down our design ideas, and then we prepared for the STEM board funding/project update presentation. We made a slideshow including a ton of information about our Capstone project and the additional funding we wanted, and the presentation went really well! We received the extra money, so now it's time to put it to good use! Capstone design step 4 is up next!

Content:

• decision matrix: a decision matrix is used to choose the best design idea. we had to identify the Evaluation Criteria, weigh them all based on importance, set up the decision matrix, assign scores to each concept/design, calculate the overall value for each, and then interpret to results to finalize our prosthetic idea.

• classification scheme: a classification scheme is the product of arranging things into groups. it is a way of grouping and organizing data so that it can be compared with other data. in this case, we made a classification scheme of all of our ideas for our prosthetic limb in order to help us come up with a final design.

• mind map/decomposition flow chart: a functional decomposition flow chart is the diagrammatic representation of the particular concept with its sub-parts. for our project, we created a flow chart of our prosthetic cat limb that shows the breakdown of the overall function of our design into smaller parts called sub-parts/functions.

• low-tech prototype: a very simple prototype that shows what the basic design is and how it should look/function without the in-depth technology aspect. for our prosthetic design, our low-tech prototype was made out of wood and PVC pipes.

• human-centered design: an approach to problem-solving that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective and emotion in all steps of the process. it aims to make systems usable and useful by focusing on the users, their needs, and their values.

• design specifications: a detailed document that sets out exactly what a product or a process should present. the design specification could include required dimensions, environmental factors, ergonomic factors, aesthetic factors, maintenance that will be needed, etc.

• demand and wish list: a list of different specifications that you either need your product to have, or want your product to have. demands are things you need to make sure your product has or can perform, and wishes are things you want your product to have but it is not necessary for it to function properly.

• market research: an organized effort to gather information about target markets and customers. you must research them to know about their values and problems, in order to create a product that will help them. it is very important to the engineering, designing, and marketing aspect of inventing a new product. 

• constraints:  limitations on the design, such as available funds, resources, or time. together, the criteria and constraints are referred to as the requirements for a successful solution, so you must work around your constraints and make sure to hit all of the important criteria.

• tinkering: a branch of making that emphasizes creative, improvisational problem-solving. It centers on the open-ended design and construction of objects or installations, generally using both high- and low-tech. it is the first step in the experiential learning continuum.

• CAD: the use of computer-based software to aid in design processes. CAD software is frequently used by different types of engineers and designers to create two-dimensional drawings or three-dimensional models. we used CAD like Onshape and Autodesk to make our sketches come to life.

• customer survey:  a method of collecting consumer feedback. it helps companies assess customer satisfaction, measure customer engagement, perform market research, and gauge expectations. we are using the feedback from our customer survey to help us out in the design process.

Reflection:

Step 3 of the final Capstone project was less work than the last step, but it was a ton of repeating and re-evaluating in order to make the best working prototype. Throughout the past few weeks, I have learned a lot about the engineering and design process, and how to use CAD software and decision matrices to come up with possible designs for our prosthetic. Regarding the 6 C's, I did well in two categories, and not so well in two others. 

The first C I did well in was collaboration. There were many assignments to complete during step 3, so my group and I collaborated with one another every day in order to get all of the work done on time. We split up most of the work, so I mainly worked on 3D printing our prosthetic prototype. The second C I did well in was critical thinking. I did a ton of independent work during the past few weeks in order to get my team on track and complete more assignments. I had many ups and downs while 3D printing, so I had to think critically and intelligently to move past these hurdles. I ended up 3D printing our whole prototype, and it looked really good!

The first C I didn't do so well in, however, was communication. I felt like our team could have communicated a little more to each other, especially since one team member was gone for many days and didn't always know what we were doing or how she could help. Another category I wish I had been better in was conscientious learning. My group and I didn't manage our time very well during the past few weeks. We should've planned better and started thinking sooner about tinkering and how we were going to 3D print our designs We got everything printed on time for the presentation, but our prototype was very rough and not even put together fully. We also should have talked to our mentors sooner/more times since we could have used their help and wisdom. We will be better for step 4 of the Capstone project!