Hello Everybody, I’m Rafael Vieira Lantmann. Born and Raised in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at PUCRS (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul) and from 2015 August until 2016 May I was studying Mechanical Engineering at UCF (University of Central Florida – Orlando). Nowadays, I’m a Rice intern at OEDK, Rice University, Houston. The OEDK is amazing! You have everything there to make your ideas become real!
My My First Week at Houston, OEDK, was great. I met all my teammates for the SEED program. We have Guys from Malawi, Chicago, New Jersey, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Brazil working together.
In the first day and second day, we did a couple games/activities to know each other better and challenge everybody skills. We went to the zoo in the first day, was really fun. I’ve never been to a zoo here in the USA. The organization and all the structure really impressed me.
We did power point presentations explaining about our cultures (history, geography, music, arts, literature, fun facts, traditions and other topics). It`s always great learn all this information about other people country and specially making new friends. In my presentation I dressed like in my state in Brazil, it`s called Rio Grande do Sul and we are known as “Gauchos”.
We have been learning and applying Design Processes Methods. Which is very important for my future as a Mechanical Engineer. We have our “Bootcamp” to follow and to emphasize all the concepts with activities.
We are currently working in a project for the Houston Zoo. Designing a feeding device for the anteaters (Pablo and Olive) that live there. Thursday (06/09/2016) we went to the zoo for an interview with one of the anteaters responsible. We asked around 30 questions about the anteaters. Behavior, feeding, characteristics, habitat and other important topics to start the Design Process.
After having all the information from the interview, we had a conversation to explain all the context and information to all group member. Using a PCC matrix, we evaluated engagement, natural and accessibility as the main topics of our Anteater Project.
The group came up some great ideas in the brainstorming section and helped us to improve the old ideas. The screening/scoring Pugh Matrix helped us to define our best solution. We planned to start prototyping after that, which is the most exciting part for me. Creating new “things” and improving the current ideas.
Probably the final prototype will be Transparent Box with canvas straps and a maze in the bottom. That will simulate the anteaters natural behavior with the clowns, the tong and stimulate the psychological part too. We are still working in the prototype.
Rafael V. Lantmann
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