2023 Design Challenges | Translating Engineering Research K-8

2023 Design Challenges Available

A document containing a brief description of the TEK8 program and all the facilitator’s guides and the student handouts for all of the 2023 design challenges is available here. The guides and videos are also available by clicking on each design challenge in the table below. In 2020 a TEK8 Design Storyboard was developed as a tool to help students record their progress through the design process.

Title	Description	Engineering Area
Breath Acetone Sensor	Design a circuit to simulate a breath acetone sensor.	Biomedical Engineering
Catalyst Construction	Design a catalytic surface that can capture molecules.	Chemical Engineering
Crafting a Catalyst	Design a catalyst that can react to the correct elements.	Chemical Engineering
Disk Me Away	Design a bladed disk to produce the most amount of thrust from the same amount of energy.	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Fake Brains and Lasers	Design a neural network that filters out different types of welds.	Mechanical Engineering
Itty-Bitty Ions	Design a device to separate different size ions.	Chemical Engineering
Laser Puzzle Box	Design a system to guide laser beams to a target using mirrors.	Mechanical Engineering
Making a Methane Counter	Design an instrument that can count methane.	Chemical Engineering
Measuring Masters	Design a noninvasive wearable sensor to help measure the health of a patient in a more comfortable and convenient manner.	Biomedical Engineering
MFM Mania	Develop a method to probe and determine the shape of a sample in a box. This method should include a way to record the data so that others can understand and interpret it.	Biomedical Engineering
Microfluidics	Design a microfluidic device that, when fluid is run through it, evenly distributes the fluid.	Biomedical Engineering
Porosity Problem	Design a system that reduces the porosity and strengthens a weld.	Mechanical Engineering
Sinks Will Save Us!	Design an “ecosystem” inside of a clear cup that should be able to absorb 20 g of “carbon”.	Environmental (Civil) Engineering
Social Networks	Design a representation of a specified social network..	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Soft Robotics	Design a gripper that can pick up an object, and does not damage the object.	Mechanical Engineering
Storm-Worthy Buoys	Students will design a wetland that is able to protect a building from flood conditions.	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering