Cal Poly TECHE Lab Provides Space for Student Projects to Come to Life
The College of Engineering’s TECHE (Transforming Engineers Through Hands-on Engagement) Lab is creating real-world, systemic change through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) while providing students the space to design and build their engineering projects.
“The lab provides students with an excellent opportunity to develop unique solutions for health problems faced by people in the community and perform hands-on work while making a difference in someone’s life,” said the lab’s director and Biomedical Engineering Department Chair Lily Laiho. “We serve a wide range of individuals and community members seeking assistive technology solutions.”
The TECHE Lab is a perfect on-campus space for students to create technological solutions that drive
change.
“We believe that engineering students are acutely aware of societal challenges and have a true desire to solve them,” said College of Engineering Dean Amy S. Fleischer. “By providing a vibrant center focused on using technology to advance equity, they can have a positive, longstanding impact on the world.”
Students Emma Caringella (biomedical engineering), Dawn Veditz (mechanical engineering) and Cameron Yartz (mechanical engineering) are doing what they can to change the world with their TECHE Lab-sponsored project, the Prosthetic Aid for Lifting, a prosthetic device for fellow student Madeline Everson (materials engineering).
Everson, who was born with the ulna and radius in her left hand fused together, will utilize the final version of the personalized prosthetic to resume her weightlifting workouts.
“While our faculty and students are already known for impactful projects, this center will amplify our impact as we expand our mission and benefit the global community,” Fleischer said.
You can support the TECHE Lab directly here.
Collaborative effort
The EMPOWER Student Association is an Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) that is supported by the TECHE Lab. Members of the EMPOWER Student Association have worked in the TECHE Lab to design and test their prototypes.
Second-year biomedical engineering student Patrick McGee has been utilizing the TECHE Lab while working on his EMPOWER group project, the Evolve Sleeve, which was specifically designed for mathematics Professor Dylan Retsek.
Retsek was born without his lower left arm but has always been an extremely active individual, with his focus on competitive paraclimbing – sport climbing for athletes with disabilities.
“I started working on the project after reaching out to Dr. Retsek about potentially testing a project that had to do with designing a myoelectric prosthetic,” McGee explained.
“When I initially reached out to him, he mentioned his love for climbing and his need for an improvement on his current solution, which involved just taping his arm and retaping it every hour or so. After hearing that, I jumped on proposing a climbing sleeve project.”
McGee had taken one of Retsek’s classes, so he felt a personal connection to the project. He also had an interest in biomechatronics and prosthetics, so the idea felt like a great fit.
“I felt that Retsek would be the perfect person to get feedback from since I had him for Calculus 4 in the spring of my first year, and he was always an extremely approachable person.”
McGee is working alongside Lilly Curdy (biomedical engineering), Izabella Parga (biomedical engineering), Veronica Weber (mechanical engineering), Lauren Tran (biomedical engineering), Noah Alloun (mechanical engineering) and Lance Hsu (biomedical engineering) to design the Evolve Sleeve.
