Senior design courses are common across the Cockrell School, but the students in mechanical engineering 366J this past spring got the chance to create something for a unique customer: dogs.
As part of this course about design methodologies, assistant professor Maryam Tilton partnered with Austin Pets Alive (APA), a shelter that works with the most vulnerable animals. Together, they tasked students with designing wheelchairs for dogs with health issues. A long-time dog owner and fosterer herself, Tilton was looking for a way to use her engineering skills to help dogs.
"One of the best parts about this project, aside from the fact that we got to help dogs in need, is that each dog was facing a different challenge," said Tilton. "That meant every design had to be unique and customized to that dog."
Tilton, who joined the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering in Fall 2023, wanted to ensure that the projects not only reinforced the students' academic learning but also contributed positively to the local community. By engaging in this project, students were able to build something that is immediately utilized, fostering a sense of accomplishment and real-world application of their skills. What set this project apart, she said, was the remarkable dedication, self-motivation, and creativity of the students to address unique daily living needs of each dog.
After learning about Austin Pets Alive, Tilton one day drove over there, walked in the door, and asked if they had any dogs that needed wheelchairs.
This set off a long, collaborative process where APA found dogs for Tilton and her students to work with. And this spring, the class of 70 students built 10 custom wheelchairs for these pups in need.
The project proposed unique challenges to each group because every dog had different needs. It gave them the experience of building a unique solution for their customers.
The dogs came to campus several times during the semester, and many of the design teams formed connections with the animals. As the project wound down, the students have continued to stay in touch, providing their contact information in case anything goes wrong in addition to spare parts for the aspects of the chair that are the most likely to need replacement.
"It's been rewarding to watch these students not just build these wheelchairs to help the dogs but becoming emotionally invested in their creation," Tilton said. "As engineers, we want to help others, and this is a great example of doing that."
Tilton will not teach the ME 366J course this year, instead focusing on her graduate courses in additive manufacturing. But she hopes to continue working with APA to develop projects to help pets in need.
Tilton came to UT from the Mayo Clinic, where she served as a NIH-T32 musculoskeletal research postdoctoral fellow in the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory. Her research focuses on the development of functional tissue-mimicking structures using visible light-induced 3D bioprinting techniques.
Got an idea for a senior design project in mechanical engineering? Share your thoughts with us. The deadline for this spring is Jan. 13.
