Solving Problems With Empathy

For one 15 year old high school teen in TN they recently won a state design award for their 3D printed solution that is desinged to help special needs kids be able to carry their lunch tray more effectively. When the school encouraged students to come up with some sort of invention idea, to look around and see what problem they might be able to solve, this teen sought to come at the task from the point of empathy.

Thinking about the difficulty that others were having who were not able to carry their lunch tray effectively and would have lunch items fall onto the floor. With some trial and error eventually they were able to come up with a design and create it using a 3D printer.

The design is an updated lunch tray version that is able to hold items in place without them sliding off of the tray. The 3D printing technology was incredibly efficient at enabling them to create a prototype for as little as $5 in materials. They have also released those 3D printing plans for the lunch tray that they've designed free, so others can benefit from them if they need such a solution in their communities.

3D printing has become an inspiration for innovation and a method of manufacturing that is much more cost effective so that millions of people around the world can now produce a wide range of items right at home if they have the tools and time.

pics:
pixabay

Sources:
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/teen-wins-state-design-award-for-3d-printing-inclusive-lunch-tray
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2018/10/23/how-open-innovation-can-reduce-the-costs-of-innovation/