College of Engineering -- University of Wisconsin-Madison

In asking "What do you want?" the students learn an important lesson: It's not always easy to get a clear answer from the customer.

When physical therapist Becky Davis had an engineering problem, it was a group of UW-Madison freshmen who came to her rescue.

Davis, of Meriter Hospital in Madison, was looking for a device to help orthopedic patients--such as those recovering from knee and hip replacements--practice climbing steps before returning home. But it couldn't be just any device; there were specific criteria. For example, it had to be small enough to fit under a bed in the cramped clinic room where it would be stored; light enough to be easily moved by staff members; wide enough to accommodate a patient's walker; and strong enough to support at least 500 pounds so that both the physical therapist and a patient could be on it together. Most important, says Davis, it had to incorporate both 4- and 8-inch rises, simulating the height of curbs and stairs.

The students who set out to meet this challenge were participants in the College of Engineering's Freshman Design Course (EPD 160), an elective class that provides first semester engineering majors hands-on experience with a real-life engineering dilemma. Faculty solicit these "problems in need of a solution" from local and state businesses and organizations, as well as from university departments. The course advances University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor David Ward's concept of "The Learning Community," where learning outside the classroom will play a stronger role in the university of the future.

Approximately 200 students, divided into 14 laboratory sections, participated in the course in the fall semester, 1996. Projects were as diverse as a harness for a companion dog that allows the pet's master, who has multiple sclerosis, to lean on the animal; roller hockey rink partitions that are safe, maneuverable and aesthetically pleasing (Fast Forward Roller Skating and Skate Shop, Madison); a ski chair lift that will accommodate all-terrain bicycles in summer (Devil's Head, Merrimac); a chemical exhaust hood system to be used for science demonstrations (Cherokee Middle School, Madison); a more effective fencing system for a driving range (Vitense Golfland, Madison); and a tennis ball launcher that enables people with limited arm motion to play catch with their dogs (WAGS, Inc., a Janesville organization that trains dogs for people with physical disabilities).

Physical therapist Becky Davis observes a demonstration of the student-designed steps that will help orthopedic patients at Meriter Hospital practice walking again before returning home. Trying out the device is engineering student Brad Waters. (33K JPG)

Because freshmen have minimal technical background, the projects must be "relatively low tech," says Mechanical Engineering Professor Patrick V. Farrell, one of nine instructors for the course. "Also, projects must have multiple answers, be simple enough to complete in one semester, and be too difficult for an individual to accomplish alone."

EPD 160 was initiated in fall 1994 as a means of retaining engineering students who switch to other majors, explains Farrell. "Some students were making the choice to switch based only on the fact that they hate calculus. We wanted to give them a taste of engineering first. We wanted them to realize what skills are valuable to being an engineer."

Throughout the course, the freshman engineers are required to meet with the people requesting their help. In asking the question "What do you want?" says Farrell, the students learn an important lesson: "It's not always easy to get a clear answer from the customer."

In the case of the physical therapy step, early customer contact was crucial. It helped make sure everyone had the same goals, and allowed the students to see where and how the device would be used, says Davis, noting that the designers took plenty of measurements and asked numerous questions. Later, after working out some ideas on paper with guidance from their instructor, Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Frank J. Fronczak, and senior assistant Travis King, the students presented Davis and co-worker Cindy Devine with three options, asking the therapists to evaluate them. From this meeting, the students took the best ideas of each design and merged them into the final product, which in the most basic terms might be described as an 8-inch high platform with a pull-out 4-inch step.

Although the result may seem simple, the students learned that the design process is most certainly not. Freshman Lisa Brower, who worked on Davis' project, says reaching a consensus on the best plan was no small task. However, constructing small models of the top two choices revealed potential problems with one option and proved the "drawer design" to be the best choice.

Looking back on the course, Brower says she learned a lot--from construction skills to the importance of taking good records. "The course really made me feel good about my decision to pursue a civil and environmental engineering degree. It was my favorite class."

In the final week of the Freshman Design Course, each group made a formal presentation of its product to classmates, faculty, industry representatives and their customers. In addition to demonstrating the product, students outlined the process they followed, including problems encountered and solutions used. They also reported on whether or not they stayed within budget.

As Davis viewed her new product close up for the first time at the formal presentation, she was clearly impressed. She says, "I will definitely be using this."

--By Paul Bauman--

For further information, please contact:

Patrick V. Farrell, 608/265-2001
farrell@engr.wisc.edu

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Date last modified: Wednesday, 19-Mar-1997 12:00:00 CST
Date created: 19-Mar-1997