Design I Final Competition

Spring 2022

WELCOME TO THE AGING POPULATION CHALLENGE

Welcome to the Spring 2022 Aging Population Challenge where the top Design I teams (as picked in preliminary in-class competitions across 25 sections) showcased their final solutions and competed for prizes in an in-person digital poster pitch competition. The semester’s wicked problem was “Aging Population”, where we were seeking opportunities to address noncommunicable diseases and healthcare delivery, sustainability of government programs for senior citizens, working beyond traditional retirement ages, engagement, integration, addressing potential labor shortages in shrinking workplaces, sustaining daily activities, independent living, and mobility and access, among other challenges posed by the increasing average age of humanity. Solutions designed by student teams should represent creative, novel responses to some facet of the challenge.  With emphases on social dimensions of the problem and the socio-technical intersection, the brunt of solutions are technical in nature, but may touch on any technical field: electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, computer science, chemical, geological, materials, mining, industrial, etc. (read the full Call For Proposals here).

Teams compete for cash prizes, including a special Subject Matter Expert Pick. Below you can see the grand prize winning teams as well as all of our finalists. Check out their poster presentations next to the team information below. For more information on Design I, click here.

THE WINNING TEAMS

1ST PLACE: Kelly’s Keys

Problem Statement: How can we provide a medium that connects modern technology and elderly people?

Team Members: Samantha Decker, Kelly Fairfield, Stanley Lalik, Michael Maggiore, and Cory Schanker

Instructor: Mirna Mattjik, Section O

2ND PLACE: Team 4

Problem Statement: How might we improve assisted living across the US? Specifically, we focused on the medical field and how to improve IV needles for the elderly who have weak veins. 

Team Members: Margaret Wells, Isabella Fernandez de Oliveira, Flynn Schiele, Brody Welch, and J Wilder

Instructor: Cindy Athanasiou, Section A

3RD PLACE: WristWhere

Problem Statement: How might we aid older generations as they become less mobile and less technologically fluent?

Team Members: Kya Irish, Jaeden Hillesheim, Kenneth Hora, Madeline Pastuszek, and Catherine Carmosino

Instructor: Kelly Pickering, Section I

SME AWARD: Tres

Problem Statement: How might we help the elderly population overcome visual impairments?

Team Members: Ming Yang Ching, Lukas Rizvi, Connor Bendle, and Benny Hernandez

Instructor: Mark Florida, Section L

THE FINALISTS

Section A

Team: Team 4

Problem Statement: How might we improve assisted living across the US? Specifically, we focused on the medical field and how to improve IV needles for the elderly who have weak veins.

Members: Margaret Wells, Isabella Fernandes De Oliveira, Flynn Schiele, Brody Welch, and J Wilder

Professor: Cindy Athanasiou

Section B

Team: Medicycle

Problem Statement: How might we reuse pacemakers to reduce demand in medical materials?

Members: Hilmir V. Arnarsson, Abby Deaton, Aryn Loew, Mekhi Berthe, and Jarret Frank

Professor: Michael Sheppard

Section C

Team: Team Calcium

Problem Statement: How might we help senior citizens store walkers in their vehicles?

Members: Caleb Ramsey, Blake Billharz, Mia Easton, Sebastian Zimkas, and Andrew Vargish

Professor: Cindy Athanasiou

Section D

Team: Max3

Problem Statement: Due to heightened age, elderly people experience a decline in physical abilities such as movement, in day to day functionality, travel limitations and labor.

Members: Max Allen, Aaron Del Angel, Max Stewart, Max Torbit, and Katerin Velasquez Campos

Professor: Bridget Wetzel

Section F

Team: Formal Fecal Fanatics

Problem Statement: How might we increase safety in the restroom?

Members: Stephen Belanger, Henerik Nguyen, Alex Torres, Logan Wiemann, and Jackson Woolwine

Professor: Donna Bodeau

Section G

Team: Red Team

Problem Statement: How might we improve household mobility among senior citizens to increase safety, standards of living, and independent living?

Members: Colton Giles, Ethan Hansen, Ethan Grolnic, Joshua Kriss, and Kyle Droste

Professor: Cara Juergensen

Section I

Team: WristWhere

Problem Statement: How might we aid older generations as they become less mobile and less technologically fluent?

Members: Kya Irish, Jaeden Hillesheim, Kenneth Hora, Madeline Pastuszek, and Catherine Carmosino

Professor: Kelly Pickering

Section J

Team: Senior Citizenz

Problem Statement: How can we improve the quality of life for the elderly while maintaining their independence on a day-to-day basis?​

Members: Justin Duran, Daniel Pena Hernandez, Logan Pike, Devon Rodriguez, and Wallace Shageman

Professor: Mark Florida

Section K

Team: Hipsters

Problem Statement: How might we reduce the risk of reinjury during the recovery process post operation for hip replacement surgery?

Members: Grace Rausch, Max Johnson, Aidan Ferry, Jacob Linsley, and Ethan Polk

Professor: Patricia Littman

Section L

Team: Tres

Problem Statement: How might we help the elderly population overcome visual impairments?

Members: Ming Yang Ching, Lukas Rizvi, Connor Bendle, and Benny Hernandez

Professor: Mark Florida

Section M

Team: Tomorrow Team

Problem Statement: How might we minimize the damages and injuries caused by seniors with memory problems leaving on the oven/stove?

Members: Caelin David, Dennis Faijue, Conner Gillaspie, Rachel Chagnon, and Sawyer Allen

Professor: Traci Case

Section N

Team: The Booth of Life

Problem Statement: How might we reduce accessibility barriers and anxiety barriers related to the elderly population seeking basic healthcare services?

Members: Gavin Clutter, Cameron Paul, Alexis Dobyns, Morris Gray, and Leah Schartz

Professor: Ryan Meyer

Section O

Team: Kelly’s Keys

Problem Statement: How can we provide a medium that connects modern technology and elderly people?

Members: Samantha Decker, Kelly Fairfield, Stanley Lalik, Michael Maggiore, and Corey Schanker

Professor: Mirna Mattjik

Section P

Team: Team Ellipticals

Problem Statement: How may we improve the comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life for the aging population?

Members: Bodie Lutz, Riley Miller, Ariel Ngo, Aiden Stitt, and Mara Weber

Professor: Garrett Erickson

Section Q

Team: MedMory

Problem Statement: For the aging population (60 years and older) in the US, how might we increase efficiency in taking medication as directed?

Members: Gillian Culbertson, Alison Giachino, Aliyah Hernandez, Emerson Langer, and Hailey Maurer 

Professor: Alina Handorean

Section R

Team: Galloping Aardvarks

Problem Statement: How might we make a kitchen more accessible to those with limited mobility?

Members: Alex Edelman, Addison Hart, Gordon Huang, Evan Hutt, Tyler Siemssen, Julia Thomas

Professor: Mark Orrs

Section T

Team: Team Orange

Problem Statement: How might we prevent incapacitating falls among independently living senior citizens?

Members: Joseph Claver, Bradley Dobbins, Shaun Kannady, Julian Knight, and Zachary Royal 

Professor: Yosef Allam

Section U

Team: Empathetic Engineers

Problem Statement: How might we improve the accessibility of items in cabinets for the less mobile, geriatric population in order to reduce falls caused by difficulty in reaching for items?

Members: Hannah Fristed, Gabrielle Hernandez, Sela Martinez, and Rae Smith

Professor: Kate Youmans

Section V

Team: Arthris

Problem Statement: How can we prevent muscle deterioration so the elderly can maintain independence?

Members: Lilly Crawford, Meredith Amrhein, Zachary Adams, and Matthew Ryals

Professor: Garrett Erickson

Section W

Team: Citrus Tech

Problem Statement: How might we improve accessibility for older people and reduce their dependence on medical staff and younger people?

Members: Jacob Clarkson, Fabian Jimenez, Konrad Quam, Ryden Sumi, and Kieran Yanaway

Professor: Kim Trenbath

Section X

Team: Young Money

Problem Statement: How might we help elderly people get out of bed on their own?

Members: Korine Bucher, Caleb Dietrich, John Dodge, Joseph Kusluski, and Laura Seewald

Professor: Brian Johns

Section Z

Team: The Switch Keys

Problem Statement: How might we reduce the impact of arthritis on the digital communication abilities of the aging population?

Members: Lars den Hartog, Nick Drexler, Andrew Pohle, Nathaniel Webster, and Nate Wilking

Professor: Brian Johns