3D PRINTING IS A LIE
When we first began this project, the idea of printing each baby a little nasal cannula soon after they were born seemed so feasible and novel and WOW. But oh were we wrong. The 3D printing experience was pretty tedious, and not efficacious. The first trial resulted in no prongs. The second resulted in no prongs and no middle section. The third resulted again in no prongs, and an incomplete middle section. It turned out that we could not print the thin features of our device as the printer extruded in .1 mm increments, leading us to print a 3x scale model. Even this model was not perfect! There was some delamination and the supports were not easily removed.
This experience taught me a lot about design and innovation. A new technology may be touted as the next great thing, and be able to do cool things like print people’s busts or cute little tools (the scholar’s lab in Alderman had a fantastic adjustable wrench), but that doesn’t mean it will function for every potential need. Reflecting on the startup from last class reinforced this concept. The entrepreneurs recognized the limitations of their pocket ultrasound device, but the way it was marketed seemed to be an “all around device” (except for fetal imaging!). Looking back this is likely misleading- after all they did note that the device may lose some functionality in certain tissues, populations, or body types. In the future I will be sure to vet any product and not eat up the ads and hype surrounding it.
BME Design 