this project wouldn't be possible if it weren't for my awesome teammates Katrina, Emily, Peter, and Ben.

Engineering 100 is an engineering student's first taste of what it is to be a practicing engineering. Presented with options ranging from electronics, energy, humanity, space exploration, health, to industry, I chose to take the topic Mechanics and Materials in Design for Orthopedic Implants and Medical Devices where I investigated and analyzed a medical device and design it to be better. For 4 months, I worked in a team of 5 to study the Universal II wrist implant, invented by the Integra LifeSciences Corporation, and apply our knowledge of mechanics and material properties to propose our own recommendations for an improved design.

We started from the anatomy of the wrist, the medical problem of arthritis, the history and development of wrist implants, to the specific components, functions, and materials of the Universal II wrist implant. We then investigated alternative wrist implant systems to compare and contrast limitations of current wrist implants, studied the current research and development of wrist implants, to finally discussed the design recommendations.

Thanks to this project experience, I learned how to manage and budget time for an engineering project, prepare written technical reports and oral presentations to communicate my ideas to a broad audience, and most importantly, work in a team. 

As a result of our hard work, our team's written report and presentation earned the highest score in the history of the class. 

Link to the Final Report

Link to the Project Presentation