Making blog
I finished up the model, putting the final details in building the inside of the dome. I added the band to show a sense of scale when the product would be on the wrist.
I had a lot of fun working on this invention. Through it, I gained a new appreciation for the little bugs that live in our backyard. Thank you for letting me bring your idea to life Madalyn! Keep creating cool things.
On May 28th the Little Inventors WILD IDEAS celebration was held to showcase all of the MISD Little Inventors and their WILD IDEAS! It was awesome to see the final SUCTION SAVOR suit and Jaxon's reaction to seeing his invention brought to life. There were 2400 entries in Macomb County, Congratulations to all of this year's Little Inventors!
What a wonderful event! The unveiling of Bendy Handies went perfect. It was so nice to meet Yana, her teachers, and her parents as well as present her with the final prototype of Bendy Handies. Thank you, Yana, for being an awesome client. Keep up the great inventing!
Hi Milena! We are finished with your project and are excited to meet you tomorrow! I did want to share some awesome video feeds with you that show your design being 3D printed! We worked with two, 3D printers, one of them at our facility and the other one owned and operated by our employee, Justin, who worked diligently at work and at home to make sure your design was printed. The printing took a total of 92 hours. That is over 3 days long, almost 4 full days!
Last week, I worked on sketching The Stomper based on Gracelyn's original drawing and our conversations; I kept the original color scheme and request for polka dots and glitter. I made sure that when using the shoe, the sole would be able to communicate with anyone wearing The Stomper. The upper is snug but breathable and stretchy, so it can be easily worn in various situations.
With Cecilia’s refined concept sketches complete, the next phase of the process was rapid prototyping.
Our Advanced Visualization team took the orthographic renderings and transformed them into a detailed 3D CAD model, allowing the invention to move from a 2D concept into a fully digital product. Seeing Cecilia’s idea translated into a real 3D form was an exciting milestone in the development process.
Once the CAD model was finalized, we moved into physical prototyping by sending the design to a 3D printer. This first prototype gave us an opportunity to evaluate the overall physical form, scale, and ergonomics of the concept in real life for the very first time.
Rapid prototyping plays a huge role in the design process because it helps us better understand how a product will look, feel, and function before moving into further refinement. Watching Cecilia’s original idea evolve from a sketch into something tangible has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re excited for the next stage of development.
Hello! I'm sorry for the lack of posts- I was in Japan and my wifi was spottier than I expected! Progress is coming along smoothly though, so do not worry! Here are some of my initial ideas and sketches.
Here is a little sneak peek of what is going to be on the poster later this week!
Making progress on the model. I started creating the dome, working on the environment the insects will be in. I also started work on modeling the band itself. Magnets will be added later to connect the two pieces while also allowing separation.
We’ve made incredible progress since that first look at the storyboard! Harper's Turtle-Tastic Bag is beautifully coming to life through our blend of 2D and 3D animation. The characters are mostly finished, and many of the main scenes are already done. Sound design and a few final sequences are still missing, but we are perfectly on track. Seeing this invention provide a literal "shell" of comfort in motion makes me even more certain of the profound impact this story will have on those navigating anxiety. This project is so close to the finish line, and I’m more inspired than ever to show a new generation of empathetic inventors how we can design a world where everyone feels safe.
3D printing is amazing because it lets us make quick practice versions of our ideas, which engineers call "rapid prototyping." Instead of just looking at a picture on a computer screen, we can print out a real plastic piece to hold in our hands and see if it fits perfectly. This helps us easily spot any mistakes and fix our designs super fast before we make the final version!
After meeting with Cecilia and building out the design map, the next step in the process was refining her original “napkin sketch” into a more developed concept render.
Using the key features, materials, colors, and functionality we discussed, I created a set of refined orthographic sketches that clearly define the design and show where each feature lives on the product. These renderings help translate Cecilia’s original idea into a format that can be understood from both a design and engineering perspective while still staying true to her vision.
This phase is an important step in the development process because it bridges imagination and real-world production. With the concept now more clearly defined, the project will be handed off to our Advanced Visualization team, who will begin creating 3D CAD models in preparation for prototyping.
It’s exciting to see Cecilia’s idea continue evolving from an initial sketch into something tangible and buildable!
04/23 Zoom Meet!
One of the most exciting parts of the Little Inventors program is getting the opportunity to collaborate directly with young inventors and help bring their ideas to life through design and engineering.
This week, I met my Little Inventor, Cecilia, over Zoom for the very first time. She walked me through her invention idea, explaining the features she wanted included, how she imagined it working, and some of the key colors and materials she envisioned for the final design.
After our conversation, I organized all of her ideas into a design map to help lay out the important features and direction for the refined concept. This map will serve as the foundation for the next stage of the design process as I begin bringing Cecilia’s imagination to life.
I’m excited to continue developing her idea and share more of the journey along the way!
In these first sketches, I wanted to nail down the design for the dome. I wanted to allow for ventilation while still keeping the main structure of the dome to create a secure environment for the insects. I also played around with the idea of the band itself including bug-like elements to reflect inside the dome. I had a lot of fun with these sketches, it was very easy to be inspired by the original concept.
Gracelyn and I discussed the Stomper’s logistics and how it would interact in various environments. I took notes on her vision for the shoe and here’s what stood out to me: The Stomper can be bought as a high or low top, depending on the users preference. It can be used in sports teams to communicate with each other if needed, during practice and in games. It has a different vibration type through various terrain, while still being able to communicate through all weather conditions. They are durable shoes with straps securing the foot, and the bigger the stomp, the stronger they communicate to others with the same shoe. It’s a great idea for those who can’t communicate verbally, and for people who must communicate through long distances. It was a great and informative chat overall!
The last few days have been a flurry of activity and a few setbacks for the Suction Suit Construction. Steve has had to sew, take apart, resew and take apart again....but that is all part of the creative process! And if you take a closer look in one of the pictures there is a small plaque that Steve keeps on his desk that reads " It's kind of fun to do the Impossible" !
As we draw closer to the reveal of the Giraffe Feeder, the team is working on the final touches to ensure we bring Adelina's invention to life, just as she envisioned it.
4/21
I met with Madalyn over zoom and got to speak with her about her vision for the insect bracelet. We got to talk about her inspiration for the product which was very sweet and drew me to choosing the product in the first place. We also discussed her material preferences and we agreed that a nature-based material and color inspiration would fit her theme of helping out little bugs better.
We received a shipment of supplies yesterday and 3D-printed the feeder.
Last week CAD Guy Cody from HTI met with Yana to clarify some of her design elements to ensure Bendy Handies comes out just like she envisioned. Some key features she expressed interest in were adding lights, using grabber arms, keeping it flexible and making sure the arms are orange! She also informed us that her mom was part of her inspiration as "she always needs an extra hand". The pictures below illustrate the initial design as well as our first working meeting with materials. We will be taking the ideas that Yana told CAD Guy Cody and running full speed ahead with improving our design and putting all the pieces together for an awesome final product!