To think that we initially started our MnT with the idea of creating a sophisticated table tennis launcher, to a robotic guide dog to this fanny pack product, we really have come a long way.
I used to think that I’d never be good at visualising things in 3D space as my awareness was horrible. However, being in charge of the product’s design, it gave me the knowledge and confidence that 3D printing is simple and do-able. Through repeated failures of the first cane design and the bombshell of a suggestion for an “app”, we learnt how to discuss and work together to bring back our direction and continue to work towards it. I also learnt how to accept criticism to the design and accept that suggestions from peers could be better ways to improve the design. I also had the opportunity to place complete trust in my group mates as they rigorously and zealously coded the logic into the raspberry pi while I sometimes stood by and watched while working on the design.
It did make me realise that I was the only one in the group with the knowledge on how to use Fusion360 and 3D print out the design. Just like how to onus was on them to provide a working code, it was on me to produce an ergonomic, compact and worthy design to the end product. Responsibility and faith in what I could do is something that I was still getting used to out of army.
It was a wild sense of gratification when we finally took our final product out and to see it work, albeit partially. The culmination of all our work over the past 2-3 months seemed to replace all pain and grief that preceded the final product. That is, until it stopped working. Then there was a mad rush to try and get it to work again. Then it was testing it over and over again, be it in day or at night just to see if it works. Every time it did and there was vibration, there were shouts and jumps of joy all around.
But out of this entire MnT fiesta, the most important lesson I learned is, I much prefer theory and experiments than to create something on my own. Unless it comes to the point far into the future where I arrive at the dilemma to design, code and create a nuclear fusion reactor from scratch, then at least I’ll have something to call upon as experience.
