Category: Project Development

Project Update 4-24-23

Meeting with user

• On a rainy, gloomy, thunderstorm Saturday of 04/22/2023, Alden and David went to Georgia Browns, DC to meet with our user, Daniel, a friendly and kind homeless man. We handed over our current prototype and asked for his feedback on the product so far. We learned that most homeless people in DC did not need all the essential items in our prototype. He recommends we update our suitcase to a lighter, carriable, and flexible backpack.
  

Container (Alden & David)

• Planning to have a major change
• Backpack style
• Lightweight
• Flexible
• Carriable
• Appropriate size
• Added poncho and umbrella

 

Food heating container (Simos, Aravind, & Fathi)

• The heating pad has arrived
• Working on drilling a hole to attach the heating pad to the lunch box

 

Pillow & Blanket (Bri)

• Prototype 2 of the pillow is finished
• Blanket

       – Prototype 2 is in the making process.

       – Prototype 3 is being planned to be crocheted from old rags/clothes.

 

Prototype 2 for Blanket:

The current heater 

Pictures of container & clothes to be used for blanket

• The update is written by David Nguyen
• Aravind is adding the photos and turning this document in

Alden is updating the website

 

• Meeting with user

• Simos and David going to visit Daniel on Saturday, the 22nd
• Simos is going to collect the prototypes from Bri at the JC at 1:30 pm, and if Bri needs to leave early than Bri can drop it off with Alden to drop it off to Simos
• Alden is going to drop off their prototypes with Simos at the Mix at 4:30 pm

 

• Container (Alden & David)
• No major updates
• Plastic container
• Has wheels
• 3 compartments differing in size
• Removable lid
• Working on handles
  • Might use plastic bag crocheted strips as handles (durable and flexible)

 

• Food heating container (Simos, Aravind, & Fathi)

• Found out that iron heating components are too large
• Going to take apart the toaster for the heating component
  • In the testing period
• We need a more enormous container or more minor heating component
• Obtained almost all necessary parts for the prototype

 

• Pillow & Blanket (Bri)

• Working on the 2nd half of the second prototype and planning to finish it tomorrow
• Blanket
  • For the 2nd prototype, instead of having a full size blanket, we are going to design test patches for the user to test out and see what works best
  • The design will be in the shape of a granny squares, one out of yarn and maybe one out of plastic with a possible exfoliating scrubber out of the plastic
  • The granny squares will be like a sample of the blanket

• Meeting with user

• Simos and David going to visit Daniel on Saturday, the 22nd 

 

• Container (Alden & David)

• Plastic container
• Has wheels
• 3 compartments differing in size
• Removable lid
• Working on handles
  • Might use plastic bag crocheted strips as handles (durable and flexible)

 

• Food heating container (Simos, Aravind, & Fathi)

• In the testing period
• Using the heating components from an iron
• We need a more enormous container or more minor heating component
• Obtained almost all necessary parts for the prototype

 

• Pillow & Blanket (Bri)

• Completed half of the 2nd prototype of the pillow
  • It is much more consistent than the first prototype
  • They are getting more efficient at crocheting, the larger the pillow, the more time it takes
• Blanket
  • Produced several pattern prototypes
    • A takes the longest, but they are more skilled at it, and is very tight, warm
    • C takes the shortest, but they are still learning this pattern, and it has bigger gaps, less warm
    • B is the goldilocks. It is the best of both world, so we will probably proceed with this one
  • Not sure if the plastic bags would be actually comfortable as a blanket
    • Tested a small patch and it is scratchy
    • Thinking of going in another direction
  • Looking into cutting up old clothes to make a comfy quilt
    • If we do this could maybe add crocheted squares (if time allows)
  • Potential additions (time is biggest constraint)
    • Stuffed animal 
      • Might be cute and cuddly and comforting
    • Tote bag out of the plastic bags
      • More durable, reliable, and fashionable than a typical plastic bag
    • A hat 
      • Warmth

 

Blanket Several Pattern Prototypes Image:

 

Pillow 2nd Prototype Image:

Iron and Iron Heating/Electric Components Images:

• Update written by Bri
• Aravind is adding the photos and turning update document in
• Alden is updating the website

• Who is here?  
  • Bri, Alden, Aravind, David, Fathi, & Simos

• Website
  • Posted 4-10-23 update
  • Created a new section of the site for project updates

• Prototypes
  • We brought in person on 4-10-23
  • Photos are in the project development section of the website

• Brand new Gantt Chart (no. 3)
• It actually works!! And it is intuitive!
  • Gantt Chart 1 was accurate but difficult to read
  • Gantt Chart 2 was easier to read, but we realized it was not actually accurate
  • Created Chart 3 after toying with 2 and not finding an ideal solution
  • Made by Bri

• Food heater (Simos, Fathi, & Aravind)
• • New supply brought to class (stainless steel double-compartment lunchbox)
  • 

• Other supplies:
  • Mseal (arriving today)
  • Drill (already have)
  • Wiring (already have)
  • Bolts, indicator, & ceramic holders (getting on the way home)

• Suitcase bag (David & Alden )
  • Can’t 3D print
  • Fathi might have used a suitcase
  • They may go to a thrift store otherwise (for the main case)

• Pillow & Blanket (Bri)
  • Started the second prototype of the pillow (new technique)
  • Searching for several other patterns to test out for blanket because the first prototype took way too long
    • It took 6 hours for 1.5 x 9 inches, supposed to be much bigger

 

We’ve been at work for a while now, and have some of our first prototypes completed. Here’s an update on what we’ve achieved!

Bri: Successfully crocheted a small pillow, and spent many hours crocheting a prototype for our blanket out of plastic bags. After 6 hours, however, only a small portion was completed, which shows us that we need to take a different approach.

Alden and David: Made a prototype for the suitcase out of boxes. It’s obviously not the final, but functions and gives the general idea with the separate compartments and a lid with a hinge. We were also given the idea to potentially add wheels…