Freshman Design Project 2024
Completed with Luke Shope and Michael Kawczynski Jr.
Problem
Access to real, unprocessed food on campus is severely limited. Students face significant challenges every day when seeking healthier, unprocessed meal options. There is a struggle to find convenient, affordable, and nutritious alternatives to the processed meals that are readily available in the dining hall or around campus.
"Real Food"
Minimally processed and typically free of artificial additives, preservatives, and highly refined ingredients. Often includes nutrient-dense foods that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for the body."
Observations and Interviews
We began our problem solving with observations of students on campus. We found that many students travel off campus for real food or are forced to eat what is provided to them.
We followed our observations with interviews of the student body. We assessed their needs and asked what they would like to see implemented on campus.
Question Examples
Describe your experience with food options on campus and how they align with the concept of "real food"?
How does the availability of real food on campus impact students' well-being and academic performance?
What solutions could be implemented to improve the availability and quality of real food on your campus, what obstacles might these solutions face?
Results
Most of our interviewees would like to see the school making a better effort to provide healthy food to students on campus. There was a common theme of the food not being properly nutritious or sustaining for the students, which can lead to poor health and academic performance. There are many challenges relating to the availability of real food, and how it can be difficult to find a healthy meal on campus.
"How might we mass produce real food on campus?"
Initial Prototypes
To answer our "how might we" question we developed twenty-five solutions to later narrow down to our top three:
Produce Vending Machine
This is a vending machine for fresh produce. These can be installed in all dorms near the vending machine in the lobby. This works the same as a normal vending machine, but the item selection menu has a touch-screen display to show the user what is available and how much it costs. It is temperature controlled to maintain the integrity of the food. As well, the item collection system assures the produce is unbruised when it reaches the user.
Real Food Generator
This is a prototype of the Immediate Real Food Generator. Pictured above is a diagram of what the generator would look like. On the front panel there would be a digital screen. This screen will allow you to page through options and customize your food selections. After submitting your request, the generator will produce your food, and you may open the front door panel. As the food is made to order it can accommodate any food allergies or restrictions.
Small Animal Trap
The black basket represents what the small animal would become trapped in. In the back of the box, there is a sensor module that can detect the position of the animal once it sets foot in the trap. This ensures that the animal is completely inside the trap before it drops. Once the module detects that the animal is positioned, it sends a computer signal to the stick prop (the pencil) which produces a small vibration that drops the box from its position atop the stick.
We conducted a second round of interviews to gain insight into what our users value most about or prototypes as well as which prototype they would like to see implemented on campus. We decided the Small Animal Trap would be the best way to fulfill our "how might we" question by utilizing our resources on campus; this would allow for the mass production of real food.
The Small Animal Trap
Our solution involves the implementation of small animal traps strategically placed around campus.
The device will catch small animals such as birds and squirrels to be given to the dining hall staff to prepare.
This initiative aims to provide an alternative, sustainable food source to students on campus.
Final Prototype
