Congratulations to the three winners of D-Lab UGC Fieldwork Grants!

Congratulations to the winners of the first ever UGC Peer Impact Prize! Here are the winners:

  • 1st Place: Katelyn Sweeney ’18, Creating a More Comfortable Transtibial Prosthetic Socket, Kijabe, Kenya
  • 2nd Place: McCall Huston ’16, Peer-to-Peer Electricity Distribution Through Solar-Powered Microgrids, Jamshedpur area, India
  • 3rd Place: Julia Rue ’18, Wheelchair Design and Manufacturing for Underserved Communities, Indonesia

More on all three projects below!

Katelyn Sweeney on her project, Creating a More Comfortable Transtibial Prosthetic Socket, Kijabe, Kenya

I plan to design and prototype a transtibial prosthetic socket that will adapt to short and long-term growth of the user. In order to accomplish this, a granular compartmentalized socket is needed to account for the varied materials and inherent complexity of the human leg, and maximize the device’s stability and function. I will construct the socket out of materials local to Kijabe, and that are easy to maintain and repair. This support to the local amputee community will empower them to control and customize their own prosthetics. 

Due to the customizable nature of our socket design, fieldwork is critical in order to effectively apply the device to existing limb technologies at CURE Hospital in Kijabe, teach patients how to apply their new sockets, and empower the patients to properly customize their devices. A UGC funded D-Lab Fieldwork Grant will allow me to travel abroad and complete field tests.

McCall Huston on her project, Peer-to-Peer Electricity Distribution Through Solar-Powered Microgrids, Jamshedpur area, India

I plan to get feedback on the user interface of current product prototypes, explore manufacturing capabilities of local facilities for future mass production and learn about the supply chain for similar consumer products.

The UGC Award will help fund my travel to India as well as finance materials for rapid prototyping of product mock-ups. A large part of the grant will cover airfare costs and living expenses while on the trip. The remainder will allow me to make physical prototypes for on-site user testing.

Julie Rue: on her project, Wheelchair Design and Manufacturing for Underserved Communities in Indonesia

To implement and user-test two new prototypes for wheelchairs designed for the needs of users in underserved communities in Indonesia. I also plan to observe and trouble-shoot the design of current wheelchairs and their manufacturing process. I hope to help advance and contribute to wheelchair design in developing countries and increase the potential impact of mass-produced technology on individual lives. 

The UGC-funded D-Lab Fieldwork Grant will allow me to travel to Indonesia to implement this project. The money will be used to cover flight costs, room and board, and transportation within Indonesia to different manufacturing buildings, clinics, and communities."

Thank you!

And thank you to all of the volunteers and donors who made the fall Underclassmen Giving Campaign a huge success this semester! Here’s the breakdown of the results for just one week of fundraising from the classes of 2017, 2018 and 2019:

Number of Underclassman donors:842
Total Underclassman Participation: 26%
Total Underclassman Dollars raised: $3,315
Total Dollars with match by Joe Levitch ’69:$6,630

The UGC will start up again this spring, if you want to volunteer or learn more about the UGC send us an email at ugc@mit.edu.

Katelyn Sweeney ’18
Katelyn Sweeney ’18

 

Katelyn Sweeney ’18
McCall Huston ’16
Katelyn Sweeney ’18
Julia Rue ’18