Original Work Proposal

We started off this week in ISM by discussing and sharing original work ideas, because our original work proposal is due next week. In small groups, we looked at some of the examples from last year, so that we could get a general idea about what was expected of us. Then, we took turns sharing any ideas we had currently about our own original work. At first, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do, because biomedical engineering is such a diverse field that covers several different topics. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that I wanted to research something to do with prosthetics, possibly the various designs and do a case study on them. When it was my turn to share, my group helped me strengthen my idea and gave me great advice about how I could make the research even more beneficial by targeting a specific group. After combining the suggested ideas with my own, I finally came up with the perfect original work idea. For my original work, I'm going to highlight what's really important about a prosthetic for the patients, and I'll then try to determine what helps the users get the most satisfaction from such a device. I will show a focus group, which will be individuals who use prosthetics at a clinic or hospital, different prosthetics designs and ask them to rate each one for several categories. These categories will include looks, comfort, daily use, design, and functionality. From these ratings, I will analyze all the data to see what the optimal prosthetics design would be, so the patients' needs are met and the aspects they value the most are present in the device. This upcoming week, I will complete my original work proposal, write interview assessments, and prepare for my research speech, which is in a week!