At the end of the year, the Fusion class took a one week trip to the University of Victoria. We stayed in dorms close to campus and spent the week immersed in Engineering-focused activities and workshops both on and off campus. It was an opportunity to explore the many different fields of engineering and see how engineers are working in the real world.
The most exciting part of the trip for me was when my group visited the Victoria Hand Project. I found this incredibly fascinating since I have spent an enormous about of time developing a prototype robotic hand for my year-end project. Our class toured the facility and then met with the engineers and volunteers to discuss what they do. The Victoria Hand Project is run by engineers, designers and volunteers and provides prosthetic arms to amputees who have limited access to prosthetic care. The Project partners with healthcare providers around the world to build capacity in clinics and reach amputees in need of prosthetic arms and hands. There are a range of different 3D Printed Prosthetic Hands available to meet the needs of the user. The best part of this experience was seeing how the research and work I had been doing for my project translated into solving real world problems. I made connections at the Victoria Hand Project, which will be useful in the future.
My favorite part of the trip was on Wednesday night when we got to present our Fusion projects to Engineering students from UVIC. I was able to demonstrate how I designed, built and coded my robotic hand and discuss the challenges I face. I found it incredibly useful to show my design and how it works to students who are immersed in this type of work at university. The feedback and optimization suggestions I received allowed me to think into the future about the necessary tweaks required in order to further improve my project.
The Fusion Trip was a very unique experience that gave me insight into different fields of engineering. It helped me discover more about the profession that I wish to take on in the future.
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