For the midterm, we’d like you to build a prototype of your product and give a presentation reflecting on your process. The prototype should demonstrate both the product’s desired (working) function and its form / appearance. That is, it should show that you’ve solved the major engineering and design challenges of the product itself. We’ve already asked you to tackle the main functional challenge of your project and the main design challenge; in the mid-term, we want to see them integrated. On the other hand, this is a prototype, not a product. It’s fine to use, say, an Arduino board instead of a custom PCB, or a hand-formed case instead of, say, a 3D printed one – but it should work and look like you want it to.
Your presentation (e.g. Keynote or PowerPoint) should address the following:
- the goal of your project / what you’re trying to accomplish with your product
- what you’ve learned so far, specifically with regard to:
- function (i.e. technical challenges)
- design (e.g. aesthetic, ergonomic, cultural, or other challenges)
(you probably want to organize these lessons into your own categories, corresponding to the main challenges you’ve faced)
- remaining challenges, whether in functionality, design, or production (prioritized according to importance)
Plan to talk for five minutes, which leaves about seven minutes for feedback from the instructors and external reviewers.
Remember, the second half of the semester is about figuring out how to manufacture your product: fabrication processes, PCB layout, design for manufacturing and assembly, costing, distribution, etc. The idea is to figure out how you’d make 100 (or 10 or 1000) more of the prototype. We’d like to see evidence that you’ve tackled the basic problems of your design and are well-positioned to move into the design for production portion of the class.
Please post your presentations on the website in advance of the midterm (as a sub-page of this assignment) and bring your prototypes to class.