A group of 140 students in the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program (BSMP) left Chicago last week after completing summer research projects in the Illinois Tech School of Applied Technology (SAT). For eight weeks these students worked on 26 different SAT team projects focusing on innovation, problem-solving, and practical application of new technologies.
One of the projects, Sustainable and Customizable Social Housing for Brazil, took on the problem of construction quality, overcrowding and lack of municipal infrastructure in the famous Favelas in Brazil. Working under the direction of Industrial Technology and Management (INTM) faculty Nancy Hamill Governale, five BSMP students developed a social housing design that can be expanded to meet the needs of changing family dynamics, foster entrepreneurship, and meet future accessibility needs.
Two other projects under the guidance of INTM faculty William Maurer explored how 3D Additive Printing could prove to be an economic game changer for manufacturing Mountain Bikes and Custom Fit Athletic Shoes. Their work showed how technology, when combined with design and supply chain, can create a competitive advantage for any forward thinking organization or nation.
In The Case For Off Road Bicycles, the students found that additive printing is providing the opportunity to improve the weight and performance of these bikes as a number of smaller, lesser-known bike manufacturers are already doing.
In The Case For Custom Fit Shoes On Demand, the students discovered that the technology already exists to create custom fit shoes that can be purchased on the spot or delivered to the customer in a matter of days. However, the Custom Fit Shoe business could be improved by relying on additive printing to streamline the process.
All of the BSMP summer students in SAT compiled formal research reports, and produced short videos. The videos from the INTM projects, and those done with faculty in the Information Technology (ITM) program can be viewed here.