Fighting corona with helpful hooks and cartoons for kids
On the evening of 26 May 2020, the finale of this year’s Innovation Project of the second semester Bachelor’s students was celebrated with a virtual award ceremony. Find out who prevailed in the various categories and who won the main prize. How did the teams come up with their ideas – and what is the secret to their success?
The second semester Bachelor’s students of Mechanical Engineering were tasked with developing a concept all about the slogan “Don’t get infected and don’t spread the virus” to help in the current pandemic. Professor Mirko Meboldt, who is responsible for the course “Innovation process”, deliberately kept the task definition vague. A total of 80 teams with 5 to 6 students each had to solve the task from home through virtual channels. The launch of their product therefore took place via Instagram.
A wide range of ideas resulted. Despite the difficult circumstances, some teams ventured into technical products and developed automatic door openers or sensor-operated disinfectant dispensers. Others designed gadgets such as a bangle filled with disinfectant, so that you always have the disinfectant quite literally at hand, or tools to avoid touching surfaces, including a multi-functional hook with touch function for touch screens. One team created a cartoon for children that explains Corona in an age-appropriate way, others created websites with entertainment programs for peers or dedicated themselves to the topic of self-organized learning at home and created helpful tools for their fellow students.
The teams presented their ideas in a 90-second pitch via Zoom to each other and their coaches last week. Points were awarded in the categories “Innovation”, “Instagram” and “Pitch”. Technical products and medical applications were considered separately. At the award ceremony on 26 May 2020, the best teams in each category were chosen. In order to determine the winner in the category "Best Pitch", the best 5 pitches were played once again and the audience voted for them. The teams on the first places received a voucher for the "bqm" students bar, and the overall winners also received a voucher for a game of laser tag.
But was the learning objective of the course achieved? Mirko Meboldt says: "Yes. It was about making things possible. Setting goals and generating impact." Recognizing problems, finding solutions, initiating projects and conducting them in self-organized team work: These are important skills that the students can apply later in their careers. Meboldt concludes the award ceremony with the words "I am sure that we will continue hearing about some of the products in the future". We are looking forward to it!
And now… here are the winners:
Overall-Award
For the team that achieved the best overall rankings in the Innovation, Pitch and Instagram Award categories. The winner of this award is the official winner of the Innovation Project 2020.
1st place: external page Hook-it
The Hook-It team designed a multi-functional hook that helps opening doors and operating touchpads without actually touching it.
"Hook-It was created with the aim of developing a product that would be useful to all age groups of the population, could be produced at home and would still have a use after the crisis. We tried to make the best out of the difficult situation and help other people in the process," the team said.
2nd place: external page Bastelhöhle
In cooperation with teachers, the Bastelhöhle team produced an educational video for children about the corona virus in the form of a cartoon. "We saw a lot of potential for improvement in existing information media for children about the Corona crisis." Good team dynamics had been essential for the success of the project, the team said. "Because when unforeseen changes occur, it is important that everyone can adapt quickly and well. We worked according to our EEE principle: Easy, efficient, effective.” In addition to the video, the team created an Instagram channel with crafting ideas for children, which the team members tested with the help of their younger siblings.
3rd place: external page act.make-impact
"We are a very international team, and with the outbreak of Corona we were forced to return to our home countries. Our biggest fear was not being able to succeed in our studies from a distance. So we came up with the idea to develop a website that focuses on the needs of students during the pandemic; a platform that helps students not to lose the motivation and joy of studying".
The external page website of the act.make.impact team includes tools for weekly planning and study planning, recommends useful health apps, gives instructions on how to make face masks or disinfectants yourself and much more.
Innovation Award
For the concept with the best jury evaluation from the average score in innovation, functionality and design.
Winner: external page Project Uncovered
Under the motto "Uncover your smile", this team invented masks that have a transparent “window” in the mouth area and therefore enable people with hearing disabilities to read lips.
Pitch Award
For the team that won the audience vote and delivered the best pitch.
Winner: Team Hook-It (see Overall Award)
Instagram Award
For the team that has achieved the greatest value in terms of relative ratio of likes, views during the launch week and total number of followers.
Winner: external page Informa_ti
The Informa_ti team created an external page information website in Italian and English that provides useful tips on various areas of life during corona crisis: Help with shopping, tips for working remotely, entertainment for children, charity options, and more.
Technical Device Award
For the team that achieved the concept with the best jury evaluation from the average score in maturity, simplicity, functionality and feasibility. A physical product was a prerequisite for nomination in this award.
Winner: external page Mythen Tech
This team developed a dispenser for disinfectant that is activated by a sensor for touchless use.
Further information
Innovation process course
The "Innovation Process" course is about developing a product in small teams from the idea to the tested and produced final product. Usually the task is defined more narrowly and has to be solved with a technical system. This semester, the original task was to build a fire brigade rescue robot that rescues play figures from a playhouse. Usually, the students have their systems compete against each other in the main hall of the ETH main building to determine the winner at the end of the semester. This year, due to the corona virus, everything turned out a bit different.