Aveen; The Shooting Star is a device designed to help Nico, a 9th grader at the Cotting School for disabled kids, shoot basketballs farther and with better form than before. Nico loves to play basketball and plays well, but he has trouble shooting the basketball into the standardly sized hoops because of his cerebral palsy; instead, he hands the ball to someone else, who shoots it for him. The Shooting Star provides physical therapy to try to change this and help him train his arm muscles to be able to shoot farther and with more accuracy. The device uses a 4-bracket system to grip tight around Nico's arm tightly enough not to slip off but not so hard that it hurts him. The 3D-printed brackets are strong enough that Nico can rotate his arms in perfect form without fear of the device breaking.

Raphael:
Shooting Star: A physical therapy device to help basketball players in wheelchairs to build strength to shoot farther and better.
Nico is a 15-year-old who loves to play basketball. But as he plays in a wheelchair, he told us it was very hard for him to reach the hoop when he shot the ball. We decided to create a device that would help him build the required strength to shoot a basketball in the hoop. It consists of creating resistance against two motions: the lifting of the arm (the shoulder movement) and the extending of the elbow (the triceps extension). Nico can add more resistance as he gets better by adding more resistance bands to the hooks. As Nico is a very independent person, this will improve his self-confidence and hopefully inspire others when they see the progress Nico made.

Izzy: The Hand Helper is an arm brace attached to a wheelchair to help raise a person's arm. The device is meant to support someone with a disability that prevents them from raising their hand. With the help of the device, the user can ask a question or gain someone's attention. It also provides an element of physical therapy since the user's arm has to raise its self partially in order to start the process. This device is specifically designed for a freshman boy in high school who has muscular dystrophy. He has a very limited range of motion and although he can lift his arms a little, he struggles with raising his hands all the way. This has become an issue for him in class when he has a question since he is unable to raise his hand.

 A lifting device below the brace functions in a similar way as a crane. This lifting device is made of laser-cut wood and contains a 3D printed brace to wrap around the arm. The part that wraps around the arm is created out of plastic that was 3D printed. A handle attached to the front of the device allows the user to secure their arm. A button in the front starts the device by turning on the motor, which pulls the attached strings and therefore, braces backward to lift the user's arm upwards. 

Izzy: 

Foundation’s connectable blocks are used to improve fine motor skills in a fun way. Numerous different shaped blocks have attached connectors and are made out of either wood or acrylics; lights are also embedded into the transparent pieces creating glowing windows.

Foundation aims to engage people of all ages who have disabilities with using and improving their fine motor skills in a way that is exciting and enjoyable. The project is specifically designed for Nico, a 15-year-old student at the Cotting School. While Nico’s exact condition has not been shared, he uses a wheelchair and has some trouble maintaining complete control over his hands and small finger movements. For example, he has a hard time zipping his jacket. This particular detail about Nico sparked the idea for fun and interactive blocks that, when used, would improve fine motor skills. Nico loves science and engineering and these blocks allow him to engage those interests as he fits the different connectors together like a design puzzle.

Basic software was used to design all the pieces: walls for the blocks and connectors. Each piece was then put together by hand. These blocks are custom-made to work on specific fine motor skills that the generic LEGOS set cannot provide. For example, a small press that does not require complex fine motor skills will connect two LEGO pieces together. However to connect the 2-inch cube blocks, rectangular prisms, and triangular prisms, they must first be arranged and then connected using one of the four connection types, requiring to either be pressed, aligned, pinched, or moved so that they fit together. When these fine motor skills have been mastered, for an extra challenge, users can try to build a three-dimensional house using every block in the set.

Although Foundation is specifically designed for Nico, it could really be used by anyone looking to improve fine motor skills and thereby their independence and high-level hand functions. Some people naturally have full range of motion and complete control over their hands; however, others have to work at it. This can really divide society, but the hope is that, by combining play with physical therapy, these blocks will allow more people to participate fully in more activities.

Adrian:

Foundation: Blocks that are made from Wood and acrylics to help improve fine motor skills while being engaging and fun to use.  Creativity is in the hands of those who use it.

Nico, a 15-year-old who uses a wheelchair, has trouble with the fine motor skills of zippering and buttoning his clothes.  Most people have complete control over the hand and others struggle to use some fingers, but control can be improved through physical therapy. Foundation is designed to make physical therapy enjoyable; it challenges users to solve puzzles with blocks. These blocks work by having different tasks to connect them. It is a different twist on the infamous legos and practising by creating different designs inevitably is practice and will improve hand control.The hope is that these blocks will make it easier for these skills to be achieved. Although designed for Nico, these blocks can be used for all ages. When noticing him struggle with zipping up jackets the Blocks came to mind when prototyping and were created into a fun puzzle to complete. These blocks are an improvement from legos because they have a sleek design and are all different with connection points.

The blocks were created in Rhino and were laser cut for fine precision. The external parts were created with Fusion 360 and were 3D printed. I was a tedious process

The Final Post:

This post showcases your final design through two parts:

1. An Abstract that shows the final project a concise series of images and diagrams. Its purpose is to allow a viewer or visitor to understand the project in its entirety in a few brief minutes. It is mainly concerned with the What of your project but must contain an overview of the Why and your entire narrative arc. This part of your post will be used in your 2-3 minute NuVu community presentation and will likely be the portion reporters, colleges, and family will see first. 
2. The Process which tells the comprehensive story of how your idea was born, developed, and manifested. The arc of the story should encompass the, How of your project in a compelling narrative. It showcases your design process including your brainstorming, each of your iterations, and your final prototype. It allows the viewer to delve deeply into your process. This post will be used in your review presentation at the end of the session. 

The title of this post must be The name of your project. 

Slides:

The Final post has 15-20 slides. Every slide MUST have a title. Captions are a good idea as well.

ABSTRACT PORTION
I this section you are showing the main concept and design of the project. The abstract is an overview meant to excite the viewer. You should not plan to describe the entire project in this section.

1. TITLE WITH TAGLINE (1 Slide): This slides shows a crisp, clear final image and the title of your project. with a pithy blurb describing the project. The image, name, and tagline should draw a viewer in. 

Examples:

• The Fruit - A line following, light tracking robot
• Segmented Vehicle - A vehicle that conforms to the landscape
• Cacoon - Wearable sculpture exploring the concept of transformation and death

2. CONTEXT IMAGE: (1 slide) This is a single image that shows a clear precedent or evocative image. This image helps set up the why in a compelling way, sets the stage for your narrative, and will help frame the entire presentation. The caption of this slide (set with the Edit Captions button when editing your post) should be the text of the Thesis Statement/Problem & Solution. You will read these while presenting this slide. No Text on the slide.

3. THESIS STATEMENT / PROBLEM & SOLUTION SLIDE (1 Slide) : This is a TEXT ONLY slide for visitors to your portfolio. In consultation with your coach you will either create a Thesis Statement or state the Problem/Solution. You will skip past this slide in the presentation as you will have read the content in the Context Image.

Problem/Solution: This works best for a project with a clear problem that leads to a describable physical solution.

This slide answers the questions:

• What is the problem I am trying to Solve? This is likely different for each project in a studio. Be clear and use the problem to set up the narrative for your presentation.
  • Example: The Problem: Design a vehicle for a mountainous world with difficult terrain to traverse.
• How did I solve it?. This is your 1 sentence project description with an optional additional 1-2 sentences. 
  • Example: The Solution: A segmented vehicle with a universal joint system that handles mountainous terrain by conforming to the landscape.

Thesis: Thesis statements are appropriate for a conceptual project with a nuanced or complex generative narrative. Your thesis states the Why and How clearly and succinctly in 1-3 sentences.

• Examples:
  • The Cocoon:  A wearable sculpture that explores the concept of transformations and death. The Cocoon explores the spiritual journey beyond the human experience; what it means to be human, how wonder effects us, and the concept of what happens after death.
  • Body Accordion: A musical prosthetic that translates the wearer’s body movements into a dynamic multimedia performance. The Body Accordion converts flex sensor input to sound through Arduino, MaxMSP, and Ableton Live. 
  • Seed to Soup Animation: A whimsical animation about the slow food movement. Seed to Soup showcases a holistic method of cooking. From garden, to kitchen, to dinner table.
  • Antlers: A wearable sculpture inspired by antlers found in the deer and antelope family. "Antlers" explores the comparison between armor and attraction. 

4. FUNCTIONAL DIAGRAM: A diagram showing some aspect of the functionality. These can include:

• How one uses or interacts with the project
• The overall behavior of the project over time
• For a complex interactive project, this can be a clear diagram of the software behavior\

5. FINAL IMAGE: (3 slides) The last slides should have an image of the final project. These images should be taken in the photo booth, cropped, and adjusted for contrast, brightness, etc. You can also use an image In-Use. Consider using a GIF to show how the project works. You will NOT describe the whole project here, simply show the completed project before going onto the Process. 

PROCESS PORTION

6. PRECEDENT SLIDES (2 slides minimum, 3 slides maximum):  Precedents are any projects that inspired you creatively or gave you technical guidance. No Text.

• 1 Slide - Conceptual Precedent
• 1 Slide - Technical Precedent
• 1 Slide - Additional Precedent

7. INITIAL SKETCHES/CONCEPT DIAGRAM (1 slide minimum, 2 slides maximum): These slides show your initial, generative ideas in sketch form. You can think of this as a sketch of the big idea, it is the chief organizing thought or decision behind the design presented in the form of a basic sketch or diagram. If you do not have a clear concept sketch it is fine to make one after the fact. These should clean, clear drawings. No Text.

8. ITERATIONS: (3 slides minimum, 5 slides maximum): The next part of the process post are the iterations you documented in your daily posts. Explain your design decisions and how your project changed at each step.

• For build studios, choose 3-5 representative iterations of your project with 1 slides per iteration. The images should show clear, major design changes. 
• For digital or graphics studios, have a slide for each important design decision. Generally it is best to avoid screen shots. These could include:
  • A storyboard slide
  • A slide with multiple images showing graphical character development.
  • Stylistic explorations

9. DIAGRAMS: (1 slides minimum) Diagrams of the final project.

Build studios will need at least 1-2 additional diagrams:

• Construction Diagram:  A diagram offering insight on how the project is put together
  • Ideally, this will be an exploded axonometric
  • At minimum this can be a labeled disassembled photo  
• Electronics Diagram: A circuit schematic showing project inputs, outputs, and architecture.

Digital studios should have a diagram of the storyboard and flow of the project.

10. ADDITIONAL FINAL IMAGES: (3 slides minimum, 5 slides maximum) Additional final images showing the culmination of your process. You should include:

• 2-3 Images in the Booth. Make sure they are cropped, adjusted, and look great.
• 1-2 Images in Use

The Brief is due Friday Morning by 9:00AM.

Remember, all documents related to the brief are found HERE. These include a note from the writing coach and the Composition Reminder Sheet.

Now that you have created an document that outlines all of the information you want to relate in the Brief, it is time to weave that information together into a strong narrative that ties together the Why, How and What and Who of your project through clear, cogent writing. Tell the story of how your idea was born, developed, and manifested.

Create 1 post titled “The Brief” in the Writing tab with text that includes the following 2 items, numbered:

1. A 1-2 sentence project description for your transcript. This will serve as the basis of the Project Description that appears in your transcript. This description should not include the name of the project and should be written in the third person. This was Question 1 in your Outline.
   examples:
   Night Light Blankie: A child's sensory blanket that provides comfort and privacy in the high stress environment of the hospital using weight, textures, and light. The blanket transforms into a mini light up fort over a child’s head.
   Cocoon: a shroud that explores human spirituality and the concept of life after death through the use of repetitive religious iconography. Composed of over 300 pieces of laser cut balsa wood lined with space tape, the icons are arranged using a mathematical strange attractor.

2. A 1-2 paragraph brief for your project based on the description below. This will be based off the information you put together in your Outline and should focus on style. The NuVu writing coach will give you feedback and you will have the opportunity to revise this text before the final presentation. The primary purpose of The Brief is to explain, entice, and convince the reader that your project is amazing and important. Imagine your project on display in the Museum of Modern Art. The Brief is hanging on the wall next to your work. In 1-2 paragraphs, a viewer should understand what your project is, why it exists, and how you made it, and who it is for. More importantly, the viewer should be interested and care. You will draw them into your project through a compelling narrative.
   
   Things to think about:
   • Use the information in your Outline. Do not simply put all of the answers together -- you must weave it together into a clear story.
   • The what is a clear statement of the thesis or problem+solution. Your project description for your transcript (#1 above) can be adapted for this purpose.
   • The why explains how your project changes the world. It is the reason your project exists – what social issue is it engaging, who is your project helping, how does the project change the world, and what important social, intellectual, or technical questions does it raise? The scope of the why can vary widely.
   • The how briefly explains what technical prowess, innovative methods, or cool materials you used in your solution.
   • The who explains who will use your design, why they will use it, and in what context.
   • Think of the reader - it is good to imagine that a college admissions officer AND a potential employer in the field of your design should both be able to understand and be excited by the project based on your writing.

Write in the Third person in an explanatory fashion. Resist using I, WE, OUR, or YOU and focus on describing the work.

Here is an example from Penelope the Pain-O-Monster:

Pediatricians and other doctors find it challenging to collect accurate self reported information from children about their level of pain due to lack of communication skills, fear, anxiety, and discomfort. Traditional 1-10 pain scales do not fully address these issues, often leading to uncomfortable children and inaccurate symptom information. Penelope the Pain-O-Monster is a cute plush toy that uses integrated pressure sensors to allow children to express their source and level of pain through play.

A previous project, The EmoOwl, helped children with autism to express themselves by translating motion into color. Penelope the Pain-O-Monster grew out of the desire to expand children’s health menagerie with a different stuffed animal, one that makes the pain charts patients use to express their pain more interactive and easier for a child to use. Because research has shown that playing with stuffed animals can take children’s mind off pain, an additional “Fun” mode was added to distract from pain and anxiety. The handcrafted stuffed animal uses force sensors in different body parts that light up from blue to red depending on how hard they are pushed to show the child’s pain level. The hope is that, as one of many future healthcare friends, Penelope can help sick children feel safer while providing more useful information to care providers.

Today our project changed in the way of creating and prosecuting new ideas. We came up with another idea in which there would be straps around the upper and lower arm with something robotic connecting that would allow Tanis to move his arm up more once he applied a little bit of pressure. We also created something similar to the wearable wings with the four different sides that move in opposite direction once pulled. We are still not entirely sure which direction we will go in, however, if we choose the prototype we created on Friday then we would like to expand so that Tanis can raise his hand up all the way instead of just a little. I'm excited about creating new ideas and solving this issue. I'm also excited about getting to use my hands and create an object that someone could really enjoy and find helpful. On Wednesday Jackson and I  would like to get an opinion from Tanis to make sure he enjoys what we are creating for him. We would also like to ask and understand about his disorder so we know what he can and cannot do. Finally, we will also be taking measurements to make sure our product fits him properly and comfortable. 

We went straight to work after the previous work on Friday. Izzy and I developed new concepts for the blocks as in velcro, the clips on a backpack, and lastly toothpicks that go into the side. We then went on to create a prototype of the circuit board and used regular wire as a first step then we moved on to real circuits and got the zipper to light up an led. We are pursuing working on getting his fine motor skills better. What excites me about this project right now is seeing the progress we are getting into and wondering what Nico will think of it. We are unsure if he will like our idea or not. We also don't know the extent of his hands and what he can and can't grab.

Today we had another brainstorming session and we decided to scrap the idea with the belt system because we thought it would be too bulky and Nico, being in a wheelchair, likely would not feel comfortable with this. We then went on to start prototyping more and we came up with a third idea of a physical therapy device so that Nico could train without having to have the hoop or ball and when he is playing basketball he would not need his brace. We continued to iterate on this idea and came up with a similar brace with two strings attached to it and weights attached to those strings that could go behind his wheelchair, then the brace would be attached to two pillars with a base that would sit on his leg. As we kept on iterating on this idea we eventually decided to scrap the brace and weights and go with something similar to a resistance band with the same sort of brace design connecting the two ends.

PICTURES POSTED

1. Picture of the resistance brace in an active position

2. Picture of the resistance brace in a standby position

3. Picture of Raph wearing the brace at a standby position

4. Picture of Raph wearing the brace in an active position

5. Picture of scrapped weight idea at a standby position

We went straight to work after the previous work on Friday. Izzy and I developed new concepts for the blocks as in velcro, the clips on a backpack, and lastly toothpicks that go into the side. We then went on to create a prototype of the circuit board and used regular wire as a first step then we moved on to real circuits and got the zipper to light up an led. We are pursuing working on getting his fine motor skills better. What excites me about this project right now is seeing the progress we are getting into and wondering what Nico will think of it. We are unsure if he will like our idea or not. We also don't know the extent of his hands and what he can and can't grab.