During the second semester of freshman year, the Integrated Business and Engineering Cohort is required to take ENGR 1282.04H – Fundamentals of Engineering II. This course is exclusively offered to IBE students with a focus on product development using CAD.
This semester, the students were challenged to create a product for people affected by arthritis. In groups of 5-6 people, different teams created their own unique solution to everyday tasks that people with arthritis struggled with. This product development process included multiple prototype testings, business model analyses, and interaction with end users through interviews and user feedback surveys.
At the end of the semester, the teams pitched their products to a panel of faculty and industry professionals where they were judged on a series of criteria. Awards were given out to the teams with the Best Business Presentation, Best Technical Design, and Best Overall.
Best Overall – This team created a shirt un/buttoner
Best Technical Design – This team created a spray bottle trigger extension
Best Business Presentation – This team created a jar opener