PUSH

Congratulations Proventix

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:32:00 -0500

Proventix makes the nGage™ system, a point-of-care compliance monitoring system that motivates health care workers to follow hand hygiene standards. Findings from a 7 month trial at a leading hospital were announced this week. “The results were significant. During the study period, infection rates dropped 22 percent in the unit where the system was installed. That translated into 159 fewer patient days and an estimated health cost savings of more than $133,000.” PUSH was fortunate to support Proventix in the initial technology development and prototyping.

Ideas Through Collaboration

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:33:00 -0500

One of the things PUSH enjoys most is helping diverse teams move efficiently to create solutions. Steven Johnson’s latest book, “Where Good Ideas Come From,” is a fascinated read on patterns of collaboration that innovators often follow to create breakthroughs. He tells the story and draws the analogy around this particular coffeehouse in Oxford as one of the first of a new (c. 1650) type of meeting place for individuals with wide ranging backgrounds to explore ideas.

Transport Chair Sets New Standard of Care

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:04:00 -0500

We are now ramping up initial production on an entirely new type of wheelchair developed for UAB Health Systems. The chair is the result of a multi-year R&D effort at one of the largest hospitals in the country. See the website for more information.

Linear Motion is an IDEA Award Finalist

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:09:14 -0500

Our interactive kinetic sculpture at McWane Science Center has been named an IDEA Award Finalist. The sculpture, called Linear Motion, is a permanent public art installation hanging on the exterior wall of the IMAX dome in downtown Birmingham. It combines scientific, mathematic and artistic concepts to display the beauty of science.

The Roller Coaster Project

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:32:00 -0500

We had a very fun experience recently that we’d like to share. Banks, a student at a nearby elementary school, came over to our office to talk about roller coasters. He was doing a special project for school about simple machines, and wanted to ask us a few questions.

We really enjoyed his visit - and the awesome thank you note he sent. Later, his awesome teacher Susan, passed this video along of his project. Make sure to take note of the PUSH shout out beginning at 1:08 in the video, which is a reference to the Make Your Own Model of Linear Motion project, and a general prototyping policy here at PUSH.

It was wonderful to see the finished project. Great job, Banks!

/FP

Tech in the Works - update

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:43:00 -0500

We are making good progress on our Tech in the Works grant. The initial iPad app development has been completed. The first version is very specific - it only has words for snack time at Auburn’s Autism camp. I had a chance to go down and see the students in action. The best part of the trip was to see the children using the app to communicate - it works!

The app uses a real recording of a child’s voice for all of the audio, which adds a very nice human touch to the sound. We are looking forward to more progress and helping more children have great communication experiences at snack time.

/FP

2010 Tech in the Works Award

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:29:00 -0500

We are proud to announce that a joint effort between Auburn University and PUSH has been awarded a 2010 Tech in the Works grant from the National Center for Technology Innovation. There were just a few collaborations chosen for the grant, and we are honored to be a part of this year’s awards.

The goal of the project is to improve social and communication skills of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) utilizing the Apple iPad. We will be working with children at Auburn University’s Autism Center using two, soon to be designed, iPad apps. One will focus on improving communication through touchable recorded sound bites, the other on improving social interactions though video storytelling.

One great thing about the collaboration with Scott Renner, Coordinator of Assistive Technology at Auburn University, is that we will be be able to quickly get feedback and research data from the AU Autism Center, which means the children will have an immediate and effective role in the development of the iPad apps.

/FP

Oil Spill Fix

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:44:00 -0500

This idea is driven by the supreme urgency of getting some type of fix in place immediately. The basic idea is to construct a large parachute-type membrane (kevlar). Scale could range is size from 20’ to 100’+ in diameter. The rim of the chute would be constructed like a hollow donut that could be filled selectively with air or ballast. Attached to the center of the chute is a large tube. Large vents on either side of the tube could be drawn open to allow the methane hydrate to escape during installation and then closed once the chute is secured in place. The rim could be selective tightened/cinched like a lasso once it was on target.

A. The chute is lowered over the existing failed blow out preventer and ruptured pipes (which potentially would be trimmed off by the remotely operated underwater vehicles) currently being operated on site. The size the of the rim could cover a larger area and eliminate the need to drop precisely on top of key structures.

B. The inflatable rim is carefully evacuated and replaced with ballast to create a controlled fall around the perimeter of the leak site.

C. The rim is pumped full of concrete, the chute collapses and stabilizes around the current blowout structure (secured by tethers from the ROVs. (A secondary rigid pipe could be inserted through the large tube and into individual pipes/ruptured blowout structure. The chute provides stability and guidance for secondary internal structure attachments.)

The tube/pipe then pumps out the the fluid at the rate of flow - currently estimated at 2 to 3 gallons/second (200,000 gallons/day)

As soon as a more permanent solution is ready, it is lowered on top of the chute and/or the chute is quickly cut away - with no impediment to future construction.

If the above scenario fails, the chute could be used as a form to direct a controlled pour of some form or chemical seal or concrete to cap the existing leak.

Opening Night

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:11:00 -0500

“Design for People,” an exhibit about PUSH and industrial design had a great turn out opening night at the UAB visual arts gallery. Some of PUSH’s projects were broken down visually into the actual process that we go through to get to a final design solution. The unglamorous was paired with the glossy and polished to illustrate the journey that is industrial design.

The exhibit is up until April 9th and includes the latest work PUSH has done for UAB Health Systems. The first prototype of a new transport chair still under development is on display. Stop by and look around!

Design = Art

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:53:00 -0600

UAB Arts Gallery is having a show next week all about PUSH! We are very excited and humbled to show our design process to our city. Photos of the opening night will be up soon. Hope you can make it!

Extreme Sports Statistical Device

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:43:00 -0600

If you’ve ever played team sports, you might remember that individual sitting on the bench beside the coach called the statistician. While everyone else was busy playing as hard as they could, the statistician was recording everything everyone did. When bragging to your friends about how many rebounds you pulled down in the thick of the playoffs, it was crucial that someone was actually counting while you were playing.

Ripxx is like everyone’s personal pocket sized statistician. So long as your sport involves moving fast, jumping high, or twisting around in the air, you can now accurately brag to your friends what went down on the ski slopes or wherever you do your extreme sports.

PUSH enjoyed designing the enclosure to this outdoor extreme lifestyle product. We moved fast to meet a very aggressive timeline and designed a tough, skier friendly product.

Ski Racing Magazine included Ripxx as one of the must-have gadgets of the 2009/10 ski season.

Video

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:43:00 -0600

Jazzing up the Dance Foundation

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:04:00 -0500

PUSH had the pleasure of assisting artist Jane Timberlake Cooper design a color facade to a local dance school for children. Once the artist finalized her direction and intent for the piece PUSH designed the actual structure and oversaw the manufacturing and installation. Placing eighty nine pieces of laser cut aluminum across three sides of a building intertwined with ten different paint colors was no small task. PUSH developed a marking system laser cut into each piece to help guide the process. The end result is an exciting splash of shape and color to a great organization in our community.

Medicare vs. better technology

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:54:00 -0500

This NY Times article does a great job explaining the situation many people run into when purchasing assistive technology. This is the drive behind our efforts with Locabulary.

Locabulary Lite is now available in the iTunes store. The app...

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:19:00 -0500

Locabulary Lite is now available in the iTunes store. The app can be downloaded for free and will work on any iPhone or iPod touch. We will be releasing a more complex version of the application in the near future and are hoping that we will be able to gather a large amount of feedback based on the lite version. To read more about the future of Locabulary and the idea of location based vocabulary, check out the news article below. To read more about Locabulary Lite, check out the iTunes store.

An Irondale design firm has created a tool for the speech...

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:18:00 -0500

An Irondale design firm has created a tool for the speech impaired that can be used on Apple’s iPhone.

“Locabulary” grew out of discussions the team at PUSH Product Design had with Drew Davis, a pediatric rehabilitation physician who is an assistant professor at UAB. Davis and another doctor treat about 4,000 patients in their practice, specializing in children and teens who have physical or cognitive disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis or traumatic brain injuries.

Davis was interested in PUSH’s work in design, believing the firm could make affordable technology for the disabled. PUSH, a firm of Auburn-educated engineers and designers, has designed everything from spinal implants to video gaming equipment.

The result was Locabulary … read more

We have been working on creating a polished model of Linear...

Mon, 04 May 2009 15:53:00 -0500

We have been working on creating a polished model of Linear Motion that can be assembled from a kit. The wooden parts of this model were cut out of a 1/4” plywood sheet using a water jet. The water jet worked well because we were able to get tight inside corners (the problem of CNC machining) and not have darkened ends (the problem of laser cutting). The hand crank powers ten cams which then move each arm up and down. The cams can be assembled in several different ways, so the model can show a variety of patterns including two types of waves, two flying wing motions and a several opposing up/down patterns.

New Sequences Press Release

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:27:00 -0600

New Sequences Press Release:

Official press release about our involvement with Leonardo da Vinci’s Machines in Motion, a traveling exhibition currently at McWane Science Center. PUSH has donated two new sequences for McWane’s kinetic sculpture to commemorate the exhibition.

PUSH has a side project start-up called KontrolFreek Gaming...

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:11:00 -0600

PUSH has a side project start-up called KontrolFreek Gaming Accessories. KontrolFreek just came out with a new product called FPS Freek, that improves gamers’ accuracy and competitiveness in first-person-shooter games for XBOX and PS3.

Here is a short video showing the motion of the Da Vinci...

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:10:00 -0600

Here is a short video showing the motion of the Da Vinci inspired Flying Machine Sequence.