A Warm Day in Winter

May 31st, 2021, it was the beginning of the austral winter. I arrived in the polytechnic design studio spot on time, meeting my fellow engineering students. Ms. Will Moyo, the Design Studio manager, our supervisors Mr. Hope Chilunga, Mr. Francis Chilomo and Mr. Wongani Msowoya welcomed us. We were given a quick tour of the design studio and a quick reminder of safety rules. After that, we had some a photoshoot session.

We were then divided into three groups, each consisting of three members, except one, which had four. Each group was assigned two projects, the first team, which goes by the name, Ultra-med, was assigned a mechanical ventilator and a UVG system, the second team, the one I belong to, which goes by the name, DMOX, was assigned a pulse oximeter and a dental mouth opener. The last team, team Oxate, was assigned, an oxygen analyzer and a vein locator.

The following day, will, the design studio director, gave us pamphlets about engineering design process, and we had a training session on the same. This session was followed by another workshop on Wednesday on needs finding, by two faculty mentors, Mr. Million Mafuta and Mr. Samuel Ng’anjo.

The last two days of the first week was all about team work. We visited Mr. George Banda at NEST 360 warehouses, and we had a lengthy discussion on the working of a pulse oximeter.