Testing and Implementation (Last Battle) – Thomas N. Shetui. Finally after all the learning and designing done in the course of eight (8) weeks in the DIT Design Studio, we came up with products that are expected to solve different problems that were found through needs findings sessions. Intensive primary and secondary research increased the depth of information and understanding. On my side, with my fellow engineering student Greg Luhambati, we came up with the Kenfix (KA-105) silicone sealant based subclavian access central line ultrasound training model seen in Fig. 1. Figure 1: KA-105 sealant based model Using the readily available plastic human torso, we filled it with the proposed material i.e. KA-105 sealant, after molding important vascular structures which…
Central Line Ultrasound Training Modul
Central Line Ultrasound Training Module – T. N. Shetui After working with the gelatin based central line training model and seeing all the drawbacks that came along with the model, it was high time to research on other materials that could replace the gelatin mixture. The replacement would resolve either all or most of the gelatin based model’s drawbacks. Materials that the researchers considered to explore more on their potential to replace the gelatin mixture were tangit PVC adhesive, pure white silicone sealant, acrylic silicone sealant (AS-606), Kenfix glass windows’ sealant (KA-105), dry grout powder, gypsum powder and two way plastic. All these materials were used in different mixing ratios to produce ten different swatches / samples that were…
Work, work and more work
Work, work and more work – Thomas N. Shetui At the end of last week, most final projects on needs findings were assigned to particular individuals. Each individual was required to start working on them and extend further from where the project halted. The task of collecting more information about the project was to broaden the options, enabling comprehensive approaches towards the solution to be an easy peasy process. With my fellow Industrial Practical Training member Greg Luhambati, we were chosen to work on a central line ultrasound training module. At first it required us to explore more on the currently used method to train health practitioner’s to perform a central lineprocedure prior to doing it to human subjects. Figure 1:…
Needs findings from target clientele
Needs findings from target clientele – Thomas N. Shetui After being done with divergent and convergent sessions on projects given i.e. handwashing station, it was high time I paid a visit to the clientele at Muhimbili National Hospital (Pediatric ICU and the Pediatric ward i.e. Makuti A) and CCBRT Hospital in Dar es Salaam (Prosthetics and Orthotics Department). Though information from clients at both sites wasn’t related to the information needed on handwashing challenges, some useful insights were pinpointed allowing the development of new triggers to work on as final project e.g. length boards, wall suction, central line/ ultrasound training module and bubble CPAP. Visit to Muhimbili National Hospital Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) particularly the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)…
Best run starts with a good muscle stretch
Best run starts with a good muscle stretch – Thomas N. Shetui A week of design thinking – Starting up with a design thinking 101 session trying very deeply to understand how to internalize the problem through empathizing it and evaluating how the problem affects the end users. The procedure required first hand interviews (as a primary source of information) with the targeted end users. The information provided could be used to structure solutions to that problem and later secondary research was done. With the primary and secondary research commencing on the problem assigned to work on, “How can we encourage hand washing and make it safer” thereafter modified to, “How can we make most DIT students wash their…
The beginning of the end
The beginning of the end – Thomas N. Shetui After an intensive needs finding session at both Muhimbili National Hospital and CCBRT Tanzania, a significant amount of final projects emerged. Final projects such as bubble CPAP, wall suction system, UVGI, central line ultrasound training module, automatic CPR system and length board came from mostly two wards of Muhimbili National Hospital’s Pediatric Department while other small projects such as POP cutter blades were obtained from CCBRT Hospital particularly the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department. All the findings collected from both case study sites were gathered and compiled into titled projects as mentioned above. Though most final projects that needed extra attention were from Muhimbili National Hospital, there were some crucial insights…
Needsfinding and Research: Key components of the design process
FINAL PROJECT Hindu Katowa There is no distance with no end. We are almost done with the internship. We are in 6th week of the internship. Right now we are working on our final projects, in which we are trying to solve challenges in which CCBRT and MUHIMBILI NATIONAL HOSPITAL face. In our group we are trying to look at how to solve or how to help a person with cardiac arrest with an automatic device and not manually which is the current method used in Tanzania. This method is not effectively done because cardiac rescue faces fatigue when performing the chest compression so it’s hard for them to perform 100-120 compressions/min. So the doctors suggested using the automated chest…
Make it work
PROTOTYPING A prototype refers to the preliminary version of a device from which other devices will be developed. It is usually used for testing a concept. This week our group was mainly dealing with finalizing our prototypes which were on the IR-thermometer. The thermometer infers temperature from a portion of the thermal radiation emitted by an object being measured. It is sometimes called a laser thermometer as a laser is used to help aim the thermometer. It works by measuring the temperature of infrared energy which every material or object with a temperature above absolute zero radiates. A lens focuses the infrared radiation onto a detector which in turn converts this energy into an electric signal. After compensating for the ambient…
REVISIT TO THE DIT DESIGN STUDIO
REVISIT TO THE DIT DESIGN STUDIO Bwere, Daniel E. September 27th, 2020. February 2020 So here I am prepping with my friends for the Lemelson Engineering Internship interview come summer 2020. I’m just in my headspace all-reaching for an internship position abroad, preferably at Rice University in the United States. I got through with an internship position at Malawi. That’s still great considering the need for exposure I long for from abroad and I’ve never been abroad-at least in my grown-up awareness. Here comes, Corona and stuck we are wherever we are. The insecurities and chaos brought about by the pandemic was and still is something none can fathom. Thus, internships have to be conducted virtually. Unfortunately, at our…
Finally the end is here. FINAL PROJECTS
FINAL PROJECTS On this week we were assigned our final projects that were based on the problems we observed through our hospital visitation at Muhimbili National Hospital and CCBRT , our team was assigned to design a length board. A length board is an instrument that is used to measure the height of kids in hospitals so as to monitor their health progress. The existing length boards we observed at muhimbili national hospital had some problems that the users were facing . the existing length boards are completely made of wood so if they get in contact with water for a long time they will rot, also the head piece is very loose that sometime when the babies are measured…