Who is our user? How are they using this device? Why would the device be helpful to them?

I would say that this week has largely centered around these questions. We’ve really dug into the “nitty-gritty” so to speak as we assess just what can be done to create a prototype that is approachable and feasible for use. It has also been a week where we connected back to why we focus innovation at Rice 360 in the places that we partner with.

To define and scope out what these devices mean for our end user, we engaged in a lot of reflection as a team. We first started by evaluating what stage of our design we were at. Within this, we had to hone in on what the critical components of these devices were. We also had to determine the critical functions we intended for these devices to perform. Dr. Wettergreen from the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen was a very insightful guide to us through this process. In this engagement with our devices, we came to realize how far we could take these designs through the duration of this internship. We also came to understand the limitations that certain aspects of our design would be constrained by. Just to put it in context of our prototypes, for our decontamination unit, there is a lot of room for a structural re-imagining and a need to really create a structure that people don’t need to stop or go out of their way to use. For our hand sanitizer dispenser, we have a goal to cut down the power demand required to operate the unit while sourcing appropriate materials might require some innovation.

 

After this evaluation, we spent the next few days really working on the context of the problems we are attempting to address. The core issue that both of these devices are intending to face is how to provide easily accessible sanitation to mitigate COVID-19. The ultimate goal is to create devices that can be scaled up for use throughout Malawi. Framing our design goals helped to put us in a mindset to brainstorm the possible avenues through which we could take our design. If you can tell by the array of orange cards, there are plenty of different concepts we could incorporate in our decontamination unit from the operating system to the actual structure. In fact, this image only captures my ideas. My teammates have their own sets too. By examining all of these potentials with each other, we’ll definitely be contemplating which pieces are optimal to our users, collect feedback on how each piece can work in tandem, and evaluate which components to bring together as we get closer to a finalized design.

 

As important as it is to flush out operational components for these devices, we have to remember the broader reasons for why we are even working on them in the first place. Coincidentally, this week ended with Juneteenth, a valuable day to reflect on the disparities and inequities that are both systemic and systematic. The existence of these disparities are what brought me to Rice 360 in the first place. Although Juneteenth is an American holiday, the core values of what we honor apply just as much to the mission we are on. We focus on decreasing the health disparities that people should not have to face. There are so many gaps to people’s “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” and health is just one of the outcomes of these disparities.  Nobody should be denied the desire to good health, but there is so much that needs to be done both locally and globally to achieve this. Rice 360’s tireless focus on the technological gaps in health is a testament to just how far we have to go.

To cap this on a fun note, my team got together for a moment over the weekend to play a game. It was a lot of fun and we shared a bunch of laughs, my favorite way to get to know people. I learned that Chisomo has an insatiable love for Doritos, Kaitlyn has a crazy-good memory, Sana can rap a good beat (she still has to demonstrate it), Aubrey has been working on music production, Mwayi can sew like nobody’s business, and Brenald is a motivational speaker. I had an amazing time hanging out with them and cannot wait for more of these get togethers in the future.

–Krystal