Engineering Projects in Community Service
EPICS is a unique program in which teams of students are designing, building, and deploying real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community service and education organizations. EPICS was founded at Purdue University in Fall 1995 and has since spread to a diverse group of K-12 Schools and Universities in the United States and abroad.
EPICS Core Initiatives
Engineers are uniquely equipped to develop solutions to today’s challenges, which ultimately allows them to change communities. EPICS facilitates that change now and for future generations by creating a world where engineering education is intimately connected to community service.
Access and Abilities
More than 15 percent of the world population (about 1 billion people) live with disabilities, such as hearing, vision, mental health, or mobility impairments. These projects solve accessibility issues within communities, enable adaptive services, establish clinics for those in need, and develop assistive technologies.
Environment
Every region of the world faces challenges with environmental sustainability. Projects in this area focus on developing new ways to use renewable energy sources to better serve communities, such as creating drinkable water and generating electricity as well as improving communication services. Students also gain exposure to careers in alternative energy and environmental solutions.
Education and Outreach
Millions of children all over the world lack sufficient education in STEM subjects. Projects in this area provide communities and schools new curriculums and facilities to improve STEM learning as well as provide hands-on experience in engineering.
Human Services
Students involved in these projects leverage technology to address the tremendous scope of community needs. This includes homelessness prevention, affordable housing, family and children agencies, human trafficking, neighborhood revitalization, and local government.
https://epics.ieee.org/about/
More than 15 percent of the world population (about 1 billion people) live with disabilities, such as hearing, vision, mental health, or mobility impairments. These projects solve accessibility issues within communities, enable adaptive services, establish clinics for those in need, and develop assistive technologies.
Environment
Every region of the world faces challenges with environmental sustainability. Projects in this area focus on developing new ways to use renewable energy sources to better serve communities, such as creating drinkable water and generating electricity as well as improving communication services. Students also gain exposure to careers in alternative energy and environmental solutions.
Education and Outreach
Millions of children all over the world lack sufficient education in STEM subjects. Projects in this area provide communities and schools new curriculums and facilities to improve STEM learning as well as provide hands-on experience in engineering.
Human Services
Students involved in these projects leverage technology to address the tremendous scope of community needs. This includes homelessness prevention, affordable housing, family and children agencies, human trafficking, neighborhood revitalization, and local government.
https://epics.ieee.org/about/
EPICS Core Values
- CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
- Service learning is a teaching and learning stragegy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.
- Why is it important to give back to the community where you live with your time, talents, and skills?
- DESIGN THINKING
- The iterative design process means you research, identify a need, generate ideas to meet that need, develop a prototype, test that prototype, amend the design, create a new prototype and begin the process all over again.
- What is a prototype, and why is it such a valuable part of this process?
- How do we benefit from real learning with real projects?
- PROJECT PARTNERS
- Who are the members of our community that would benefit from an EPICS project?
- TEAMING SKILLS
- What are the characteristics of good teamwork and how will we implement these in our project?
What is Human-Centered Design?
The Engineering Design Process
| epics_design_process.pdf |
Curriculum Overview:
- DESIGN PHASE 1: Project Identification - Identify a specific goal that addresses a compelling need
- DESIGN PHASE 2: Specification Development - Determine “what” is needed by understanding the context, stakeholders, requirements of the project, and why current solutions don’t meet need, and develop measurable criteria in which design concepts can be evaluated. EX: DECISION MATRIX
- DESIGN PHASE 3: Conceptual Design - Explore the “how.” Expand the design space to include as many solutions as possible. Evaluate different approaches and selecting “best” one to move forward. EX: SCAMPER METHOD
- DESIGN PHASE 4: Detailed Design - Design working prototype which meets functional specifications.
- DESIGN PHASE 5: Delivery - Refine the detailed design so as to produce a product that is ready to be delivered! In addition, develop user manuals and training materials.
- Service/Maintenance Phase - Evaluate the performance of fielded project and determine what resources are necessary to support and maintain the project.
- Project Partner and Advisor approve continued fielding of project. If not, Retire or Redesign.
