Christopher Intriago
Rosa Borja Icaza 212 y Maracaibo
Guayaquil, Ecuador
August 10, 2014
Maria Alejandra Aguirre
Via a la Costa KM 10.5 – InterAmerican Academy
Senior Project Proposal
Dear Mrs. Maria Alejandra Aguirre and Mr. Jason Spann,
Throughout the years I have always questioned what my future might be. I have gone through many changes involving my future studies, whether it was from being a lawyer to a surgeon. Now that the future is close to become the present, I have no choice but to make a final decision. In order to fully understand and adopt what I have chosen for my future career, I have decided to challenge myself with a senior project that ventures a sense of the area of science I have decided to undertake in the future. I propose to design and 3D Print a prosthetic hand, with a final exposition. For this project to be a success I will undergo a thorough investigation and community service that will allow me to gain the knowledge needed to design and 3D Print the prosthetic hand.
I have chosen to propose this project not only because it’s a test and a challenge for myself, but also because it involves every facet of science that I am most intrigued by. Medical designs and human anatomy are both areas in science that are key for a Biomedical Engineer, in which I would be seeing and experiencing first hand with my proposed project. This project is just a step forward to what I would like to accomplish in my near future, which is changing the world in some way, whether it is by discovering something new or finding a solution to a problem. Also by going through this project, whether I successfully accomplish designing and printing the prosthesis or not, I will finally be able to decide if this is the path I would like to proceed on.
In order to design and 3D Print a prosthetic hand there is a lot of knowledge to be gained. When designing a prosthesis, there are certain measurements and steps one must accomplish prior to the design. Since no human is identical, a prosthesis can’t be one-size-fits-all, meaning that a prosthesis in unique to the person in need. Also an aspect that needs to be considered when designing a prosthesis are the given needs of the individual, whether it is for comfort, hand disposition or even the economic characteristic of the prosthetic. The knowledge that must be gained in order to accomplish this project is vital because the hand will not be used by myself but a secondary person.
For my community service, I have decided to go to a Rehabilitation Centre for the disabled called S.E.R.L.I and help out in any way possible. In this way I would not only be able to learn from the disabled people on how it feels like to wear a prosthesis but their actual complains about them. These complains will help me figure out the type of prosthesis I need to design, a prosthesis that can be manageable to build and print in our current world but would benefit the preferences of a disabled. After having shared experiences and various encounters, I will have to choose or find at least one person to personally design and 3D Print a prosthesis for him/her. At last, after having gathered my knowledge and having designed and 3D printed the prosthetic hand, I will present my design. My presentation will either be involved in other major events during the school, for example Technology Week, or a new event coordinated by myself.
To conclude, for my senior research paper I will research the advancements in medical prosthetics. Not only will this be dynamic for the my project, but also it will allow me to know how prosthetics have revolutionized through time and take from second hand how the different variables in prosthetics could be fixed. In the research paper I plan to include, the materials that are used when elaborating a prosthetic, the evolution, current prosthetics, and future prosthetics. Overall, my senior project is a tremendous challenge that I am willing to take and make it a success. The educational wealth that I will gain from this project is inspiring and futuristic, in the way that I will put myself through community service and through a presentation which has always been challenging for me.
I hereby pledge that I will not in any way plagiarize any aspect of my senior project.
Sincerely,
Christopher Intriago
Budget
Since this project involves designing and creating a physical material it will be sort of expensive, which is why I have decided to 3D Print the prosthesis.
- Ink $10
- Paper $10
- Internet $20
- Transportation $30
- Art Supplies $40
- Attire $80
- Programs $100
- 3D Printing $300
- School Facilities $20
Total Budget: $500 - $600