IdeaLab
IdeaLab
IdeaLab links problems and challenges with problem solvers at RIT. We employ student teams with multidisciplinary expertise to solve unique problems faced by organizations such as Al Sigl Community of Agencies, Rochester Regional Health, and more.
In previous IdeaLab events, students have employed conceptual solutions, prototypes, and interaction with real outside sponsors to develop their portfolios, resumes, and applications to graduate schools. Some projects have gone on to earn course credit in Applied Entrepreneurship and become potential businesses.
The next IdeaLab will be held on Fall 2024 - Please check back later for a registration link & more info!
Requirements
Students spend one weekend designing innovative solutions for specific problems identified by the participating organizations. Each team works under the guidance of an RIT faculty member and a sponsoring administrator. At the end of the event, the teams present their innovative approaches to their sponsor.
Past Projects
Fall 2022
Partner Organization: Al Sigl Center
Challenges:
- Table heights do not accommodate the different sizes and positions of wheelchairs and their users who need to sit around them.
- Ankle Foot Orthosis leg braces make putting on shoes a chore for individuals requiring such a medical device.
- Clothes are hard to put on for an individual with cerebral palsy, even with someone helping, which often makes a necessary part of the daily routine difficult and unpleasant.
- Design an easy-to-use reacher for items on overhead cabinets as well as for items place on the floor.
- Design an easy to use tool for these individuals to use independently to assist with the removal of snow, branches or other hurdles from the top of their cars.
Spring 2023
Partner Organization: Rochester Regional Health
Challenges:
- Design a user-friendly scheduling system that allow patients, partners and team members to look, review and schedule desired appointments.
- Design a wheelchair on demand app that allows patients, visitors or staff to request wheelchair assistance and can track in real-time when the volunteer accepts the request and where they are located with an ETA.
- Design a toilet and sink that is easily height adjustable with grabbing functionality and the ability to drop-down or swing-away.
- Appropriate physical spaces for hospital and care facility employees are currently hard to come by. Providing employees with a means of relaxation and downtime would be greatly helpful.
- Design a lightweight and easily storable wheelchair.
Contact
If you are a company or organization that would like to partner with the Simone Center IdeaLab, please contact Rupa Thind (rupa.thind@rit.edu).