The IET Local Network sponsored, and helped judge the first Bio-Buddy design competition which was held as part of the University of Ottawa Design DayOn a sunny but cool Friday morning three teams of undergraduates from Ottawa University presented their Design Reports and Entries for the first Bio-Buddy event. Each team signed up to design and prototype a semi realistic infant child mannequin, under the age of 12 months, that is intended to improve CPR training by providing a more realistic experience for CPR training courses attendees.


The competition was framed by a detailed specification and a set of evaluation criteria. Each team prepared a Design Report that was circulated to the judges in advance and was one of the elements that was being evaluated. The next step was for the teams to present their prototype mannequin, supported by visual aids and a verbal overview of their goals, challenges, choice of materials and opportunities for further development. The state of development of the mannequin and its functionality were also evaluated, as were both the quality and effectiveness of the presentation.


Each team offered an ingenious solution, at various stages of development and with varying degrees of realism and feedback to the trainer that would be using it. The winning team presented a prototype that was designed and printed on a 3D printer and provided visual feedback of chest compression as well as supporting an internal air bag for mouth to mouth resuscitation. The other teams showed mannequins at earlier stages of the design and development process.


In summary the event allowed small teams of students to participate in the various stages of designing, developing and prototyping a product that could incorporate mechanical, haptic or electrical means of providing feedback, while being constrained by time, cost and detailed specifications. A genuinely valuable engineering exercise that emulates the challenges of the real world.


Judging was carried out by Professor Riadh Habash of the University of Ottawa, and Mr Edwin Morton from the IET LN, and both felt it was a rewarding experience - well done to the organisers.


(Picture provided courtesy of Bio-Buddy Organising Committee)