Expert Reviews
Our prototype was designed based off of some aspects of a traditional school desk, with some extra stability features added as needed, as our design modifications made the desk somewhat top heavy. The seat was given an upward angle of 5 degrees and the back an angle of 110 degrees off the horizontal, in order to give an overall angle of 105 degrees and reach an optimal angle for supporting the back and upper body (see sources for how we came to this angle). For testing, we decided to implement the school desk in classrooms and had students sit in the desk for a full period, then fill out a survey that gave us feedback on their comfort level, adjust-ability of the desk, etc., based on a list of results we made with the help of our mentors. Our sources, prototype model, and testing apparatus were reviewed by Havan Tucker, a PE, and Chris Wetteland, a professor of Materials Science at UTK.
Design Viability
We reviewed our final design to see if we could bring it to production.
If you see the attached price chart you can see that we calculated we could build this desk for $200, after all materials and labor costs, bringing it on par with the affordability of current day school desks and putting it far below the price range that modern adjustable desks sell for. The device is capable of being manufactured; it uses a frame of 1" x 1" hollow metal tubing and is held together by welds that are often at corners, allowing for a strong frame that is very durable. The desktop is made of bamboo, which we drop tested against normal school desktops and found to be much more durable; bamboo holds its shape very well, while the material traditional desks are made of is prone to chipping or cracking. The desk is also designed for reliability with this strong construction and metal frame, allowing it to endure years of use and abuse in a traditional classroom. Based on our survey of over four hundred middle and high school students, a desk like this is in demand and would fill the market gap created by the inadequate desks currently in schools
If you see the attached price chart you can see that we calculated we could build this desk for $200, after all materials and labor costs, bringing it on par with the affordability of current day school desks and putting it far below the price range that modern adjustable desks sell for. The device is capable of being manufactured; it uses a frame of 1" x 1" hollow metal tubing and is held together by welds that are often at corners, allowing for a strong frame that is very durable. The desktop is made of bamboo, which we drop tested against normal school desktops and found to be much more durable; bamboo holds its shape very well, while the material traditional desks are made of is prone to chipping or cracking. The desk is also designed for reliability with this strong construction and metal frame, allowing it to endure years of use and abuse in a traditional classroom. Based on our survey of over four hundred middle and high school students, a desk like this is in demand and would fill the market gap created by the inadequate desks currently in schools