Five Articles From 2023 You May Have Missed
Every year, our editorial team picks some articles to give one more special shout out. These articles from 2023 inspired us, changed our perspective, or taught us something new. It’s also exciting that four of the five authors below all published their first article on the BDR in 2023. If you missed one of these articles, go give it a read!
Good Design: Silly Putty
Grant Ogilvie
The origin of common goods is a fascinating topic. Grant explores the origin of Silly Putty and does so in a fun and engaging way. His article explains why the putty was originally designed and why it failed for its original purpose. Learn why it's sold in a plastic egg, and that the power of advertising and product placement can launch a product to massive sales. Grant is a graduate in mechanical engineering at BYU in Provo Utah.
Beyond Paper: How to Make Origami out of Thick Materials
Clark Roubicek
Origami is a fairly popular hobby. Have you thought about how origami could be used in engineering design? Clark is a graduate student in BYU’s Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) Group. The CMR has spent years researching origami applications in engineering design, and Clark distills some of this knowledge down into a how-to guide, step by step, with an actual example, to help you get started with your own engineering origami. (Note from the editor: I followed Clark’s instructions to make a folding fidget toy I keep at my desk.)
Good Design: Bicycles in the Netherlands
Tyson Humphries
Bicycles in the Netherlands outnumber humans there by several millions. It’s no surprise that they’ve mastered the design of the bike. In a country where biking is such a popular form of transportation, it’s important that the bike can be adapted to all kinds of needs. This article highlights the adaptability and innovation of Dutch bikes and inspires good design practices.
How did ChatGPT perform as an author?
John Salmon
“Regardless of the decades-long history and efforts by scientists and engineers in many fields to bring us to ChatGPT, for some reason, the tipping point of awareness and adoption of AI technology happened in late 2022.” How did artificial intelligence impact you this past year? John Salmon not only provides a critical review of an article we had ChatGPT write for us, but also goes over the hype cycle for emerging technologies and gives predictions for artificial intelligence’s future.
Pocket Prototyping
Ken Hardman
Between his work as an engineer at Boeing, a capstone coach at BYU, and many of his own personal hobbies, Ken has learned a thing or two about prototyping. He shares four stories - from his work as a capstone coach and his research as a master’s student - to open our eyes about the prototyping opportunities and materials that surround us. Read his article and be inspired as to how you can be more creative with your own prototyping and better use what you have on hand.
