External engagement

 

From trash to treasure

We tend to take cutlery for granted – but what if you were unable to use readily available cutlery due to a physical disability?

In this project, recycled HDPE syringes from the Australian health care system (which produces 260,000 tonnes of waste each year) were used to create a range of ergonomically designed modular cutlery handles for people with physical disabilities.

 

An added dimension to Christmas decorations

Engineers at Monash University have embraced the Christmas spirit by turning the Woodside Innovation Centre into Santa’s workshop. A group of 10 PhD students recently donated their time to create 3D printed Christmas ornaments for Muscular Dystrophy Australia’s Little Miracles project.

 

High school outreach

The FutureLab engages with Victorian high schools through outreach workshops, in-house lab tours and supporting work experience students to inspire the next generation of students in materials science, additive manufacturing and data science-based solutions.

 

Research group collaborations

Need a tool or to make your labwork easier? Or want to prototype a new device? The FutureLab team has worked with a variety of research groups to develop new devices and laboratory testing techniques; from PDMS cell communication devices with FrithLab, to prototyping cannular designs with CREATElab and 3D printing tactile metallic objects to support people who are blind or have low vision with the Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre.

 

Monash engineering student team projects

Our Monash Student Teams help our engineering students gain hands on skills to solve real world problems, and often present their solutions on a world stage. We help various student teams develop and rapidly prototype their technologies, such as Monash Carbon Capture and Conversion (MC3) in their development of an acrylic flow cell for electrochemical conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals.

 

Fast response to critical challenges

During the first few days of lockdown, the FutureLab team was able to mobilise and ideate solutions tackling the looming concern of a lack of ventilators in hospitals for patients in critical care. In collaboration with the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering and clinicians from Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, we prototyped connectors to facilitate the use of snorkel masks and modified CPAP masks and quickly provide our hospitals with the equipment they need to treat COVID-19 patients.