Sahil:

“MnT was a truly unique experience. I learned and experienced things I never thought I would – basics of 3D printing, soldering, water pump management, waterproofing, basic electrical wiring, and so on. I also gained a deep appreciation for – well, everything. Every single thing we use around us, from the laptop I’m using to the table I type this on is so intentionally and masterfully crafted with so many moving parts. Electrical systems are so complex, and it makes me simply in awe of how they were conceived in the first place. I have started to question things more after MnT – how the internet works, how everything including this screen is just a collection of ones and zeros, and so on. After using my own two hands to make something as basic as a cooling fan, I now have a deeper appreciation for engineers as well.”

Jin Feng:

“Our group learnt to be systematic yet flexible when troubleshooting problems. I realised that quantifying our functional requirements and keeping records whenever possible were what allowed us to stay focused on current and future work. When repeating the same approach failed to yield new results, our team remained flexible by seeking alternative approaches. On the technical side, I believe that the CAD and simulation modelling skills I picked up can be useful and relevant for future projects. Finally, I would like to express my grattitude to my group members who worked on the various subsystems of QWACC, making it a well-designed and thoughtful product that we stand to be proud of.”

Gabriel:

“MnT has been a fruitful journey for me. It has exposed me to the different areas of design thinking that I was previously unfamiliar with, and showed me just how much work goes into conceptualising and developing a usable product. I now better understand how to work with electronics, specifically Arduino components. The troubleshooting skills I have learnt will certainly be useful in the future.”

Arthur:

“This MnT project has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had. In this project I got to experience first hand the iterative design process. In each iteration of our prototype, we had to define what problems we wish to tackle and plan experiments and acquire necessary resources. After executing the plan, we analyzed our results and identified the key issues which we then carried into the next iteration. This quick pace between iterations required good communication and teamwork. One thing I would change in hindsight is to not focus on one problem for too long. Every project will have many different problems and it is important to know when to take a break from one problem and work on something else.”

Jedidiah:

“MnT was a difficult but rewarding experience. As someone who had very little knowledge in this area, MnT appeared very daunting at first. However, under the guidance of my peers, I quickly picked up skills in Fusion 360 and SolidWorks, and managed to contribute more than I initially expected. I was fortunate to have patient and intelligent teammates, and their support made the entire journey much easier for me. I think my biggest takeaway from MnT would be how a group should work together – not as separate individuals working towards a common goal, but as a team that willingly supports one another.”