Energy Absorbing Barrier

The objective of this project is to design an impact barrier that protects people in snow sports, and prevents them from going off the trail in falls. It has a focus on racing, as participants are at increased risk. To be useful in this area, there is an emphasis on rapid deployment and recovery. This barrier has value because many people get hurt in ski racing, and there are drawbacks to the current generation of barriers. Our design uses a net that catches people more reliably than the current generation. It also uses supporting poles that detach from the base, and elastic elements to stop people less violently. The barrier is stored and deployed on a reel that facilitates easy deployment and recovery

New Concept Design for Mikma Coffee Grinder to Increase User Base

Our project focused on helping Mikromashina, a Soviet-era company with an aging product line, to improve its brand image and consumer base. Our main objective was to produce a new design for one of Mikromashina’s flagship products - the coffee grinder, whose sales have slowed in recent years. The proposed design, a manual burr grinder that incorporated features unique for this class of product, is detailed from concept to manufacturing stage in this report. It is informed by extensive market research, interviews with experts, and focus groups with consumers. The combined American-Russian team delivered a CAD model of the final design, ready for prototyping, and an economic analysis of the relevant production costs and profit margins