A Design Repository as a Resource for Biomedical Engineering Students
We report on the design and development of a design repository (DR) for
use in a set of biomedical engineering design courses, which was initiated in
the fall of 1998. Over the last six years, students have developed over forty
projects, ranging from custom devices for the handicapped to patent-pending
medical devices with clinical application. The DR system captures function,
form, and rationale of existing project designs so future students have access to
information concerning the projects of their predecessors. Similar to traditional
databases, the system stores data and drawings of projects produced; however,
in addition to this information, the DR also captures the rationale behind each
of these design products. The DR has two main components, the database and
the user interface. Students use the Web-enabled DR to search existing projects,
and to search for similar functions in different projects. This serves as a resource
for current projects, in addition to traditional resources such as library, outside
experts, and lab facilities. Based on results to date, we conclude that such a
tool has the potential to help students learn from past design experiences of
others.
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