Buy One, Give One Business Model: Engineers Give Back

AWFONORDRYLEODNU’GSNIFNGIREESETNRGOININNGLEICENOREMSNMEWUNS ITY DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE NO. 010Solight Design:Delivering Light In Our HandsExclusive Insight Story From The FoundersEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS: SPECIAL FEATURES: Doki Technologies An Engineer's Guide on Christmas Technology Will Save Us Shopping and Giving Back TROBO What To Give An Engineer and The Aran Blocks Unfortunate This Christmas IronBot Charitable Companies Engineers MuuseLabs Must Know About Tinitell One for One: Buy a TOMS Product AppyKids and Help the Less-Fortunate Awesome Shield Why Everyone Must Support Buy- One/Give-One Products DECEMBER 2016 1 Engineers Give Back This Christmas



GINEERSNOW TEAM Ems Bagatsing Sales & Marketing Director [email protected] Robert Bagatsing Editor-In-Chief [email protected] Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large John Vauden Charity Bagatsing Raymond Gerard del Valle SAensiiao-rPEacdiiftiocr Senior Editor Junior Editor North America Hina Sapra Lauren Lloyd Del Mundo Engr. Dion Greg Reyes Senior Editor Video Editor South Asia Junior Editor Creative & LayoutTherese Matheren Engr. Cielo Panda Aaron Kesel Senior Editor Junior Editor Contributor North America North America Goran Ćulibrk Amanda Pelletier Newsletter Specialist Contributor North AmericaAfsana Alam Margaret Banford Contributor Contributor Middle East United KingdomEngr. Emmanuel Stalling Patricia EldridgeContibutor GineersNow is a subsidiary ofNorth America Lincoln Martin Strategic Marketing Contributor United Kingdom Level 14, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1 MBR Boulevard, Emaar Square, Downtown Dubai, UAE P.O. Box 334036, Dubai, U.A.E. Mob: +971 50 4289684 www.LincolnMartin.comDisclaimer: The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions andviews contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on informationcontained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers' particular circumstances.The Copyright Law of the United States of America, Chapter 1, Subject 107, called the “Limitations onexclusive rights: Fair use” states that, “Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, theoftahierrumseeoafnas csoppecyirfiigehdtbedy twhoartks,eicntciolund, ifnogr psuucrhpousseesbsyurcehparsocdruictitcioisnmi,nccoompmieesnotr, npehwonsorreepcoorrtdinsgo,rtebaycahninyg(including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copy-right. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—(3(1))ththeeapmuorupnotseanadndsucbhsatraancttiearliotyf(2toh)fentthhoueensepnp,raoiotnruftciritloeuendodiufuntscgheaedwticoihnoneparthyel rlepairugtishrouptnecodhstoewusts;oherekisc;oopf yarcigohmtemdewrcoiarkl naastaurwehoorleis; for(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.” and

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CONTENTS PAGE TITLE PAGE TITLE06 COVER STORY 42 TINITELL: GIVING CHILDREN14 46 THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE20 SOLIGHT: DELIVERING 52 THE OUTDOORS SAFELY21 LIGHT IN OUR HANDS 55 TECHNOLOGY WILL SAVE22 THIS JUKEBOX GIVES 56 US: SPARKING KIDS’26 KIDS A MAGICAL MUSICAL 59 IMAGINATIONS AROUND THE28 EXPERIENCE 60 WORLD29 THESE OBSOLETE DEVICES 68 A ONE-MAN TOY STARTUP32 WON’T BE SAYING GOODBYE 72 TO WATCH OUT FOR37 JUST YET 7638 78 THIS MAY BE THE AWESOME TOYS GET WORLD'S SMALLEST RE-ENGINEERED ARCADE CABINET APPYKIDS: CREATING SMART MEET THE ENGINEER WHO FUN FOR EVERYONE INSPIRED PHUNSUKH WANGDU’S CHARACTER IN ‘3 THIS MODULAR DRONE IDIOTS’ CAN TRANSFORM INTO DIFFERENT SHAPES ONE FOR ONE: BUY A TOMS AWESOME TOYS BUILT BY PRODUCT AND HELP THE ENGINEER DADS FOR THEIR LESS-FORTUNATE KIDS WHAT TO GIVE THE AWESOME SHIELD: THE ENGINEER AND THE COOLEST HANDS-ON UNFORTUNATE THIS CODING PROJECT FOR KIDS CHRISTMAS AGED 10 TO 100 WHY EVERYONE MUST NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR SUPPORT BUY ONE - GIVE KIDS USING THE DOKIWATCH ONE PRODUCTS IRONBOT: THE ADVANCED TOY ROBOT THE ENGINEERING BEHIND THAT WILL MAKE SANTA'S SLEIGH CHILDREN LEARN STEM COOL CHRISTMAS WHEN ENGINEER FATHERS TREE DESIGNS FOR THE MAKE THE TOYS CREATIVE ENGINEER CHARITABLE COMPANIES ENGINEERS MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS CHRISTMAS

COVER STORY 6 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

SOLIGHT: DELIVERINGLIGHT IN OUR HANDSSolight Design provides sustainability in its lightingproducts while supplying lights to those in need. DECEMBER 2016 7Engineers Give Back This Christmas

The consumption of fossil fuels Founder Alice Min Soo Chun Climate change effectsalong with the pervasiveness invented the Solar Inflatable have also exacerbated internalof extreme poverty in 90% of light and the Solar Light conflict in regions of extremethe world has compromised Assembly. Solight’s first productthe well being of our climate, called the SolarPuff™, is the poverty, indirectly creatingecology, economy, and safety. ideal solution for providing cleanExtreme poverty and climate and affordable lighting to those millions of refugees\"change are inextricably linked. living off the electrical grid1.6 billion people live without as well as for the ecofriendlyaccess to electricity and spend conscious in the First World. Theup to 30% of their income on beauty and elegance of thiskerosene to light their world lantern has touted accoladesat night. This toxic fuel gives from MoMA, Modern Museumoff black carbon emissions, of Art, the New York Times, andcompromising the health of the most recently the 2017 Germanworld’s most vulnerable people Design Award for Lighting.while adversely impacting our Arguably the SolarPuff™ is theenvironment, globally. In the safest and most hygienic lanternlast 50 years there have been available.200 species of animals that have SolarPuff™ is a patentedbecome extinct, which is in direct flat-pack solar light with ancorrelation to the exponential adaptable, lightweight, and self-use of fossil fuels. Climate change inflating design that emits zeroeffects have also exacerbated carbon. The origami-inspiredinternal conflict in regions of design allows for the quickextreme poverty, indirectly pop-open function, resultingcreating millions of refugees. in a magic unfolding cube ofTo provide solutions to these light. There is no need to useproblems, Solight Design™ your mouth to inflate, since the simple pull of the handles than the rest of the country. allows air to fill the expandable The research shows pollution to bladder in 2 seconds. Its Lithium- be the underlying cause. As a ion Polymer battery is recharged species, the human gene pool with a thin solar panel, so there is should not be changing this no need for batteries. It charges soon, the reason has to be the in approximately 8 hours, giving environment. With the knowledge light that lasts for 8 to 12 hours. that solar energy is the most The SolarPuff™ is only 2.3 oz. and efficient source of renewable flat packs to 0.25 in so there is energy, Chun’s research then major cost savings in shipping. focused on innovations in You can fit 120 in a box vs 8 in harvesting solar energy. While a a box of conventional bulky hard professor at Columbia University plastic lanterns. It is the perfect Chun received a grant to develop solution for emergency relief this research and started and refugees in plight, where the experimenting with photo- most important things are food, voltaics and thin film substrates. water, and light. At Columbia University in 2010, Solight’s CEO Alice Min Soo Chun in response to the devastating realized the need for alternative Haiti earthquake, Professor solutions to harness energy after Chun turned her class into an the birth of her son, who had innovation studio to research severe asthma. The number of and design solutions to help children with asthma has been Haiti. Chun rightly pointed out increasing so rapidly, in NYC to her class that Haiti was really alone; 1 out of 4 children have a microcosm of the rest of the asthma which is 40% higher world, the country. Haiti was and8 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

COVER STORY DECEMBER 2016 9Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Burning kerosene she had the opportunity to literally on fire to change the has harmful present her invention to Bill world one SolarPuff™ at a time. Clinton and Haitian President She has become an unstoppablehealth consequences Martelly. Chun then distributed voice in the global solar energy on humans as well 500 SolarPuff™ lanterns as part community as devastation on of a pilot project. For 5 years, Solight’s lantern distinguishes ecology\" FAARM measured the quality, itself from other solar lanterns effectiveness, and demand for because of the belief that designstill is only 12% electrified. Most the eminent risk of Cholera good design in products for the matters in the First world andof the population was living on and Ebola spreading. She under privileged. She wrote a Third World. Solight Design3 dollars a day, and a quarter continued improving the design book from the research called fosters the belief of SMARTof humanity was spending what by eliminating the need for a Ground Rules in Humanitarian DESIGN FOR ALL.little money they had on deadly mouth nozzle by using a folded Design, Wiley Press 2015. Most companies that sell to thekerosene to light their world method and finding the perfect Chun realized that in order to underserved communities makeat night. It was in Professor material, similar to sail cloth, that get the SolarPuff™ product mass products that are not designedChun’s lab that the SolarPuff™ was engineered for strength yet produced, she had to build a for with beauty, wonder or awe inand the inflatable solar light soft enough to fold flat. profit company that could work mind. Solight believes designwere invented by Chun. Early In 2010, she started a non- in tandem with FAARM. Today matters and design providesprototypes were more like an profit with students called Focus Solight Design likes to call their dignity to all people, no matterinflatable pillow with a mouth Architecture Art and Making, business a For-Purpose company. your socio-economic status in thenozzle to inflate, but Chun FAARM. Early prototypes were Chun was joined by co-founder world.realized this was a dangerous distributed in the plateau region Stacy Kelly who supported her Solight manufactures anddetail for regions of poverty of Haiti and Chun was even vision and Solight Design, Inc. distributes in 25 differentand for emergency response, invited by the Clinton Foundation was officially established in 2014. countries worldwide and isdue to lack of sanitation, and for the Green Tech Expo, where In December of 2015, Chun was working on micro-lending models granted the Utility Patent for for distributors in regions of the Solar Light Assembly and need. This holistic model works has a Patent pending for Solar to empower and incentivize the Inflatable Light with a priority local community in creating and date of 2010. Alice Chun is sustaining revenue models that10 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

COVER STORY DECEMBER 2016 11Engineers Give Back This Christmas

eliminate the need for kerosene, sale of a 3 pack of the SolarPuff™, have a common commitment to each year. Kerosene lamps emitcreate economic independence Solar Helix™, or Merlin™. develop sustainable solutions to 270,000 tons of black carbonand grow and thrive with their In partnership with FAARM, and improve conditions for vulnerable per year world-wide, creatingown governance. \"world renowned\" humanitarian, communities around the world. climate warming equivalencyThe company motto is “Together Alison Thompson, who also leads The result has co-benefits among of close to 240 million tons ofWe Hold the Sun in Our Hands.” the global volunteer network, the Sustainable Development CO2. According to the UnitedSolight has created a giving Third Wave Volunteers that is Goals for health, biodiversity, and Nations Development Programmemodel, where 10% of retail sales administered within FAARM, energy security. “UNDP,” two million documentedgoes to their Non-profit Partner Solight delivers SolarPuff™ to Burning kerosene has harmful children die each year due toFAARM working to bring clean, \"electricity poor\" areas in need health consequences on humans toxic kerosene fumes. Newhygienic light to regions of need. and provides training, aid, as well as devastation on ecology. research findings by IndependentSolight also donates a light to and kindness to marginalized In India alone there are at least Development Trust (IDT) as wellFAARM automatically with every communities. Solight and FAARM 30,000 documented house fires as reports by the UNDP in Sub- Saharan Africa conclude that the wide scale use of solar powered lighting in rural communities offers many benefits including: positive health effects, enhanced safety, significant cost and time savings, and more school homework completed by \"children a toxic free environment.\" Building infrastructure would take billions of dollars and years to execute. People in rural areas still would not be able to access a grid. Many pillage the hillsides for wood in order to cook and eat. The ravaged land is an adverse direct result and acerbates the planets ability to cool green house gases. Carbon emissions from light bulbs connected to an electric grid cause billions of tons of carbon emissions in the United states and Europe. Regular light bulbs used every day, causes over 11 million tons of carbon emissions per year. Solight through Chun’s inventions address and mitigate these negative environmental impacts that contribute to global warming. Solight takes the SDG, Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations, very seriously and is working with the United Nations, as well as other NGOs such as Operation Blessings, to mitigate negative environmental impact caused by climate change and poverty. We all have the power to hold the sun in our hands. Solight’s solution is an ecosystem of smart well designed individualized infrastructure, local economic development, and community collaboration. It can all begin with one light.12 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

COVER STORY DECEMBER 2016 13Engineers Give Back This Christmas

14 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

THIS JUKEBOX GIVES KIDS AMAGICAL MUSICAL EXPERIENCE DECEMBER 2016 15Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Photo by InfoMine Marescaux: MuuseLabs is a tech startup with three founders. My co-founders Will (Moffat), an ex-Googler, and Pieter (Palmers), former team lead at Huawei, are two amazing engineers. We have Alan Munn as advisor, the former CEO of Tomy in Europe. He has also been a SVP at Hasbro and has over forty years of experience in the toy industry. Right now, it is just the three of us, based in Brussels, Belgium. We are currently hiring to increase the team. The first talent we are looking for is a digital marketeer, before further increasing the engineering fire-power.When we were young, we figurines instead of a screen to Belgium. The company is called GN: Describe your mission, vision explored the beauty of let its users choose what music MuuseLabs, and the product is and values.listening to music using the they want to hear from its high- called Jooki. Marescaux: We believeCDs we played on the disc quality speakers. It’s kid-proof technology is for everyone,players we had. There were no so parents no longer have to GN: How many years have you whatever their age and technicalsmartphones back then to easily worry about playing the wrong been working in your industry? qualifications are. But thestore a playlist and have easy songs or stories. It’s definitely Marescaux: I have started technology is there to make aaccess to whatever songs we love a fun jukebox designed for the my career as a researcher product truly magical, so we arethrough the internet. The simple youngest members of the family. at IMEC (Leuven, Belgium), striving to hide the technology topleasure of listening to music on In this exclusive interview with Europe’s largest independent focus on the user experience. Ourthe radio was enough to keep us Théodore Marescaux, one of nanotechnology centre and did focus is primarily on children, andentertained the whole day. the co-founders of MuuseLabs, a PhD in parallel at the TU/e we believe in imaginative play asThough times are different now, the company in-charge of Jooki, (Eindhoven, The Netherlands). a very powerful means to havethe important family bonding he shares his story on how he Then I did an MBA at Vlerick them excited and having funof sharing the magic of music and his team developed Jooki, (BeNeLux’s #1 biz school) to experimenting and learning. Thisto each and everyone in the the challenges they had to re-orient my engineering career is one of the main reasons whyfamily is still important. This go through for their startup to a more business and strategy we want Jooki to be a screen-is why Théodore Marescaux company and his advice on how one. Then I joined Barco and less experience. Screens are toodesigned a fun music player that to mix engineering and business. had an amazing ride as product cognitively-intensive and kidseverybody can use wherever they manager for digital cinema; end-up passively staring at them.go, whenever they want - yep, GN: Introduce yourself. Barco is the world’s leader in We want to use technology toeven the youngest member can Marescaux: I guess I can be best digital cinema projection. enhance the imaginative playuse it. Jooki is a fun figurine- described as a European; French experience.based music player that uses citizen, born in Romania, living in GN: Describe your company GN: Where is this company headed? What are your future expansion plans? Marescaux: MuuseLabs is a family tech company. On a short term, we are preparing to launch16 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Jooki and expand/create a full of toys-to-life products. childhood made an impact on stories. So I set to create a systemecosystem around it over the you while growing up? where she could experiment withnext few years. Our core is using GN: How will today’s toys and Marescaux: Without any doubt music and stories independentlytechnology to spark the magic gadgets make a difference as that would be Lego, but this was and screen-free. Jooki is muchenhancing imaginative play. On compared to the ones from the for the more simple bricks that more than a simple jukebox,a long term, I see MuuseLabs past? one would want to combine and it is a truly connected objectcontinuing this trend to create a Marescaux: The best toys, create own universes. Nowadays and we are developing it to bereal toys-to-life experience, with whether modern or traditional this has been shifting away from a kid’s companion to enhancedeep AI to power holographic are those who engage the the imaginative play with very imaginative play, but this isand robotic kids companions, imaginative play in children, dedicated sets where one has to where it all started.who can share their play and those who spark the magic and follow guides step-by-step.learn experience and create who can challenge the child. GN: Which group is your targetbridges within the family to Some of the recent tech toys and GN: What’s the inspiration market and why?encourage yet more interactions gadgets are flashy and create a behind your products? Marescaux: We are startingwith the parents. magical experience, but this may Marescaux: Jooki comes from with 3-12 year olds as this is the be short lived as they tend to be a personal need. When my initial target for Jooki, but weGN: What do you think is the too directive or limited and fail to eldest daughter was three, she have many ideas for a broaderfuture of the toy/gadget trigger that imaginative play. asked me to play a song for her audience. There are so manyindustries? Many toys are played with (Queen’s - We will rock you :)). We opportunities to make our livesMarescaux: I see the smart only for a short period of time, don’t use CDs anymore, so I had more enjoyable and magicalgadget industry taking over a I believe a new generation of to find that song on my mobile while fostering imagination andsignificant portion of the more smart gadgets is coming, a new phone. Then she wanted me to sharing in the family.traditional toy industry in the generation that can truly engage play over and over again. Sincecoming years. The traditional as they adapt to the child and its I didn’t want her to have my GN: What are the futuresimple toys are here to stay, but I environment. phone, I realised kids nowadays innovations that you and yoursee today’s ‘electronic’ toys being do not really have any other company are pursuing?disrupted with a new generation GN: Which toy/gadget from your options to truly listen to music & Marescaux: The very first step DECEMBER 2016 17 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

is to make Jooki available for all. screen-free aspects. investors do not yet understand Finally, striking the right balanceBut without revealing too much, them. In Belgium, the norm between functionality andwe are looking how to augment GN: Where do you see your for tech startups is to be a B2B product cost is not only difficult,the experience with content products heading 10 years from software startup. As a B2C but also critical to businessand a whole smart peripherals now? hardware company we are a real success.ecosystem. Marescaux: I see toys-to-life UFO. This made it tougher to products where technology is start and convince people, but it GN: How did your companyGN: Do you think your product present but hidden to enhance is now turning to our advantage - overcome these challenges?has made an impact on your imaginative play. Deep AI as we are unique. Marescaux: The answer is notcostumers and in your industry? companions are certainly one of Another challenge was to address engineering, but MARKETING…Marescaux: As we speak, we the elements in transforming the the market, the toy industry is still By creating the visual supporthave been running a Kickstarter way imaginative play is led. quite traditional and the more for our product (the industrialcampaign and the product is still advanced consumer electronics design and prototypes) togetherin its industrialisation process GN: What makes your toy/ / gadgets do not yet fit well in with the story we could convinceto be delivered in June 2017. gadget/product different from that box. We ended up planning people to follow us and help usThe reactions we see from your competitors? distribution in the consumer out. The Kickstarter campaignour backers on Kickstarter are Marescaux: Jooki is unique. It electronics industry, and that has been a fantastic tool to getreally enthusiastic with people is the only 21st century music was fine. As a startup you need engagement and build credibility.telling us that we are filling player that is kids-appropriate. to find a fine balance between Finding the right distributiona true gap in the market. We attempting radical disruption channel for our product has alsoalso have regular basis public GN: What challenges did your and moulding yourself to the been key. Different channels candemonstrations and tests, it is company face while developing existing industry. You are likely have very different cost structuresvery rewarding to see both adults your product? too small to disrupt a big industry and business implications.and children experiencing Jooki, Marescaux: Starting a hardware on your own, and you can’t eithertheir reactions of surprise and joy company is easier than ever before 100% play by its rules because ADVICE TO THE YOUNGare a real treat. What people like from a technical standpoint, but you don’t have a competitive ENGINEERSmost are the independence and it is still a challenge as most advantage. Marescaux: First of all, go for18 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

it! Building products and sharingthem with the world is a lot offun and it is very rewarding tosee your creations on the shelvesin shops. As an engineer, youhave an advantage in that youunderstand technology and canimagine how to build creativeproducts. The maker movementis also making this easier thanever. At the same time, be awareof some of the biases thatengineers tend to have and focuson those first before jumping tohack a product together.Who are you making this productfor? What unique benefit is itbringing to them? What elsecould they use instead and why isyour offering significantly better?Why will they want to buy it fromyou? How will they know aboutit? How many people will want tobuy? How many will you sell?If you are planning a hardwareproduct, be aware that thereare many knowledgeablemanufacturers in the world. Theywill greatly help you create andindustrialise your products. Theywill not help you “invent” yourproduct: you will have to specifywhat it does (and to some extenthow it does it, as well as howit looks (the industrial design),but they will definitely help youin creating prototypes includingas much of the electronics,software and mechanical designas you want. You probably wantthem to do the DFM (design formanufacturing) part. They haveexperience and often access tocomponents you do not evenknow about. Do not hesitate toreach out to manufacturers earlyon.Last but not the least, you are noton your own. There are severalhardware startup hubs andaccelerators that can help. Checkout the HardwareClub, Bolt, HAXand others they even have freelyaccessible resources on the web! DECEMBER 2016 19 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

THESE OBSOLETE DEVICES WON’T BE SAYING GOODBYE JUST YETEverything around the world isgetting an upgrade, yet why arethese obsolete tech still layingaround? Here’s a list of a fewtechnological predecessors thatrefuse to kick the bucket.1. Vinyl Records 3. Floppy disks 6. Windows XP 8. Travel agentsThese things have been here for Kids from the 80s and 90s still A lot of people have died Again, not tech, but they areages but since gramophones remember the need of floppy inside when the famous getting obsolete with websitesare being modernized till today, disks to play games but only the operating system’s updates got like Expedia or TripAdvisorit’s not going to go anywhere US Military has use of them now. discontinued, but the US Navy is available for the masses butanytime soon. Photo by RecycleNation still paying to get extra updates business travelers and non-techPhoto by GoodWp on the software. savvy people still use them for 4. Fax machines Photo by Softonic planning complicated trips.2. Beepers Emails and Facebook seem more Photo by FredericGonzaloMost of you probably think just convenient but there are still a lot 7. Checkbookshaving a cellphone is better but of corporate offices that require While not really tech, we can all 9. Dot matrix printersdoctors find that these are the you to fax in information rather agree that this is already a little This is the old and noisier versiononly communication devices that than email it. too outdated with the presence of the printers that we have todaycan penetrate thick hospital walls Photo by Wikipedia of online banking some people and if you think they’re gone,Photo by DaysofaDomesticDad from the US still have use for this airlines, distribution companies, 5. Cassettes piece of paper. and kitchen workers are still using “Casse-what?” you might ask, but Photo by wiseGEEK them today. even though kids do not know Photo by Aux.tv the correlation between this and a pencil, some prison facilities Though you may thing that there still do. are some better alternatives to Photo by PutItOnVideo these old tech, people who use them beg to differ. There are just some things you can’t shake off just to stay ahead of the times.20 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

AWESOME Photo by GearburnTOYS Photo by YoutubeGET RE-ENGINEEREDAre toys just for kids? Well three motors: the first onenot if you add lasers, high- to turn the laser on and off,definition cameras and another motor to guide theprogrammed chips! up and down movement ofThese DIY guys weren’t the laser and the third onesatisfied with their average to drive a turntable. Withtoys, so they vamped them some awesome programmingup using other gadgets and on his toy, he was able togizmos. use his Lego Laser Gun toHere are 3 hacked toys that carve “LEGO” onto a woodenwill amaze you. surface.DIY Death Ray Drone Nerf Sentry GunThis Attacknid, a spider-robot, Jason Wright and Jeremywas “toy-hacked” by Drake Blum are students whoAnthony, also known as “The created the Nerf Sentry GunDIY Laser Guy”. With his alias, as a final project for theiryou can guess what kind of Cornell University’s CS1114hack he did with this toy— MATLAB Robotics class. Theyyep, he added a laser to it. But created and programmedthat’s not the only feature he a Nerf Gun that reacts toadded, he also integrated his motion, ask for credentialsold digital camera and radio and then fire foam darts totransmitter to the Attacknid, students who left their ID’s atso that he would be able to home. They mounted a Nerfaim and fire from another Vulcan automated rifle aboveroom. Whoa! a motor which is secured byLEGO Laser Gun two napkin holders, and usedDavid Neese has a lot of a MOSFET to act as a triggervideos featuring his Lego- mechanism. The gun is thenbased robots. Here, he used connected to their computerLegos to build a laser gun through a digital I/O devicethat I bet kids, (and kids at via USB.heart) would want to gettheir hands on! He installed Photo by Hackaday DECEMBER 2016 21 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

APPYKIDS: CREATING SMART FUN FOR EVERYONE22 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

“Designing for the future, and How big is your company?creating high-quality, innovative We are a team of 14 people We will see technologies like ARedutainment content for young based in the UAE and India. and VR playing achildren around the world.” Describe your mission, vision and big role in creating new experiences forIn our technological world values. children\"today, everything is becoming Our mission is to create Smart“smarter”—from smartphones, Fun for Everyone. Designing forVirtual Reality gadgets, the future, creating high qualitywearables, and many more. All innovative edutainment contentthese tech are being developed for young children around theand improved everyday to help world.us perform different tasks faster Where is this company headed?and more efficient. For children What are your future expansionhowever, tech is usually used just plans? Describe briefly yourfor fun and entertainment. strategic goals.This is why a company named Our strategic goal is to create aAppyKids wants to merge the 360 degree edutainment solutionentertainment side of technology that connects with children atwith education. By doing so, every touch point. We startedchildren will be able to play and with apps, but are growing ourlearn at the same time. library to cover key sectors suchGineersNow conducted an as education, entertainment andexclusive interview with Dinesh retail.Lalvani, the founder and CEO of AppyKids. INTRODUCTION What do you think is the future ofTHE COMPANY the toy/gadget industries?AppyKids was founded in 2013. I think we will see a proliferationWe are a team of game designers, of smart toys that help childrenillustrators, writers, musicians, play and learn. We will seefilmmakers and developers technologies like AR and VRwho work with distinguished playing a big role in creatingeducational technologists and new experiences for children.teachers to create high quality We will also see more AI beinginnovative edutainment content used in toys that try to “readfor young children around the and understand” the child soworld. they’re responding to the child inWe have released a total of more customized ways, to keepsixteen interactive apps, which the child engaged and happy.have over 3 million downloads Traditional, tactile toys madewith 375,000 monthly active from wood and cloth will alwaysusers. Two of our apps have been find a place with the little ones.awarded as “Apple Best of App” We’re hoping there will be lesswinners. plastic in the toys of the future.We recently launched the How will today’s toys andAppyKids Play School Smart gadgets make a difference asKit and App, a fun interactive compared to the ones from theeducational toy that bridges past?the best of digital and physical Toys that use smart technologyplay to offer an entertaining and are interactive. So there is animmersive learning experience input-response mechanismfor children. Our Play School App which gives the child immediatejust won the Broadcast Pro “App feedback. These technologiesof the Year” award. We were also are getting smarter, which allowsawarded a Forbes Middle East makers to deliver truly uniqueMost Promising Startup Award in products to children. Toy makersOctober 2016. have a greater responsibility to be more aware of what is goodOur company has a board for children. Customization inwhich oversees company affairs, toys is gaining popularity and willcorporate governance and continue to define production ininvestor relations. the future. DECEMBER 2016 23 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Which toy/gadget from your between the ages of 3-6. We more kids will be able to benefit these challenges?childhood made an impact on believe this age bracket is theyou while growing up? most important and sensitive from all the work we’ve put into By tweaking our internal processesIt wasn't as much a toy, but in a child’s life because braina computer that had the most development happens at its most this product. as we were experiencing them. Weimpact on me when I was a rapid rate between these ages. Ifchild. My first computer was we pay attention to what children Where do you see your products remained as agile as possible, so wethe Commodore 64. It was on learn between these ages, it canthis machine that I learned to make a huge impact to their heading 10 years from now? were quick to respond to glitches.program and design. I was always overall development. We believefascinated with how you can use every child deserves only the best We aim to make toys smarter and We got excellent people hired ontechnology to create art from a quality products, and this holdsvery early age. true especially for children at this also offer a range of products to the ground in China who would age.THE PRODUCT What are the future innovations children so that all their senses be as driven to ensure quality asWhat’s the inspiration behind that you or your company areyour products? How did you pursuing? are engaged well. we are. Our marketing team hascome up with these ideas? We already have a pipeline ofOur inspiration will always be smart products that help children What makes your toy/gadget/ been doing an amazing job withour kids. They guide the creation write, learn and play music andprocess by showing us what kind improve their cognitive and product different from your reaching out to the communityof products they would enjoy. problem solving skills. We want toAs a company, we have built merge cutting edge technology competitors? and educating them about thea reputation for creating high with traditional learning methodsquality products for children, to help children learn and play Our approach to education; our product. Our retailers have beennotably our apps and cartoons. better.At one point, we thought, why Do you think your product attention to detail; our in-house, our biggest supporters and havenot merge the two? The AppyKids has made an impact on yourPlay School Smart Kit is a product customers and in your industry? cloud-based technology; and our helped in getting the word aboutof this merger. It’s still too early to tell, but theWhich group is your target initial feedback from parents love for storytelling, all combine the product out into the market. market and why? and teachers has been extremelyOur target audience is children positive and exciting. We hope well to offer a compelling product. ADVICE TO THE YOUNG THE CHALLENGES & ENGINEERS SOLUTIONS Please give advice and words of What challenges did your wisdom to millennial engineers who companies face while developing want to start their own companies your product? and develop their own products as Our main challenge was well. Any inspiring words that you manufacturing. Getting this done can share? in China while operating in Dubai Don’t be afraid to fail. Take risks. was a big task. We also had to The main thing is to believe in your invest in educating parents about product and your abilities. Never our product as learning through chase money, if you do a good Augmented Reality (AR) is still a job it finds its way to you. Always relatively new concept. innovate, don’t emulate and most How did your company overcome importantly, don’t give up.24 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Dinesh Lalvani, the founder and CEO of AppyKids, wasborn in the beautiful city of Dubai. He has an eclectic setof skills including being an entrepreneur, coder, musician,designer, photographer and father. It’s this last skillthat has driven the vision for creating AppyKids, whichis to create fun content that will educate, entertain andempower children.Lalvani has been coding since the age of 12 and has over20 years of experience. Prior to founding AppyKids, hefounded Flip Media which grew from a team of 2 peopleto Middle East’s largest digital agency employing over150 professionals across the UAE and India. Flip wasacquired by The Publicis Groupe in January 2012.It was in late 2012 that Lalvani began to developchildren’s edutainment apps. It all started when he wassearching for an app that could teach his son the Hindilanguage, but couldn’t find anything good on the appstores. AppyKids soon grew from there. DECEMBER 2016 25Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Photo by UAVExpertNews THIS MODULAR DRONE CAN TRANSFORM INTO DIFFERENT SHAPES Photo by TheVerge If you’re the type of person who flyer, as well as a cup holder. loves designing gizmos as much This drone is controlled via as playing around with one, then Bluetooth, and is designed to this new drone by Makeblock be easy to use. Their designs are is the right toy for you! open-sourced as well, so all you Makeblock has created a design aficionados can create unique modular Lego-like your own hardware around the drone, wherein you can build Airblock as well! Imagine all everything—a drone, a hovercraft, the designs and new projects or anything that crosses your you could do with this drone. mind. They call this the Airblock. The possibilities are endless! The Airblock is meant to be easily They plan to sell their drone at constructed and deconstructed, a retail price of $149. and it’s easily flown as well. It has eight modular pieces which can be turned into wheels, a26 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

GET READY FOR NINTENDO Photo by PolygonSWITCH: NINTENDO’S NEWGAMING CONSOLEIf you’re a gamer, you’ve probably 2015, but it is only now that You can also share a portableheard a lot of rumors about they’ve shown the world a display with friends! After all,Nintendo’s next home gaming glimpse. no gaming console is completesystem. Well, it’s here! They’ve The system looks like a home without multiplayer access! Younamed it the Nintendo Switch. console or a portable console and your friend can use the “JoyNintendo recently released preview hybrid. It has a controller that Con” which can slide off thetrailer of the Nintendo Switch, for connects to your TV for home portable console—or your friendviewers to have a first look at the use, and you can slide off the can bring his own. Nintendonew gadget. Previously codenamed controller’s sides and attach it to said that you can bring multiplethe NX, the Nintendo Switch was the portable display so you can Nintendo Switch units together ifalready being worked on last March play on the go as well. everyone wants their own screen. DECEMBER 2016 27 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

BAYWEENSOGMINEETEORYDSABDUSIFLOT RTHEIR KIDSHaving an engineer for a dad GoodNite Litehas a lot of awesome perks, Former software developer Adamthey can help you with all your Nelson created the GoodNite Lite,math homework, and you get a device that teaches childrento learn nifty engineering tricks to have proper sleeping routines.from them. But one of the best Parents set the times on the lightperks of having an engineering to reflect night and day.dad is that they get to createawesome toys for you. Here are Photo by GoodHousekeepingsome awesome toys made byengineering dads: Photo by bunchoballoons Photo by FoodiggityBunch O BalloonsFilling water balloons is a tedious task, Pangraphsince you have to fill them up individually. Nathan Shields is a math teacherMechanical engineer Josh Malone has and father of two who createddevised a solution for this task. He created the Pangraph. The Pangraph is aBunch O Balloons, which easily attaches spirograph that lets users createto your garden hose and fills 100 empty works of art with pancake batter.balloons simultaneously in around 1minute. MacRide Photo by YouTube Glen Dobson is an engineer andPhoto by MerkaBici mountain biker who found a safer way to include his two young children in his outdoor escapades. He created a lightweight, front- mounted bike seat for children. MorpHex Kåre Halvorsen is a Norwegian engineer and robotics hobbyist. He created the Morphex, a hexapod robot. This toy looks like a sphere and is fastest when rolling, but has siz legs that helps it walk.28 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

WHAT TO GIVE THE Photo by amazonENGINEER ANDTHE UNFORTUNATE Mini Weapons of MassTHIS CHRISTMAS Destruction: Build Implements of SpitballHere are some awesome gift ideas for your Warfarebeloved engineer and some tips on how to We all know engineers lovegive gifts to the unfortunate. to tinker with stuff and thisby Cielo Panda book lets them do just that. Volunteer! This book contains guides No, we’re not talking on how to build miniature about volunteering as weapons out of ordinary tribute, we’re talking everyday items. Darts, about real volunteer work. catapults, minibombs, Simply helping out in food slingshots; you name it, it’s assistance programs can in there. Engineers will have do so much for our lessThe time for giving draws loads of fun with this one. fortunate friends. Not onlynear as the yuletide season Great for office warfare. does it bring warmth tocomes upon us. While their stomach, it bringsnot all of us celebrate Math Formula Tie Don’t let it end at just warmth to your heartChristmas, it’s not all that If your engineer is leaning giving to friends… as well. You can reachbad to receive gifts from towards the corporate It’s easy to get lost in the out to your local servicepeople close to you. But side, this might be a Christmas spirit, with all organizations to see whatif you’re in the ‘giving’ better option. This geeky, the presents you get and you can do to help.spirit this holiday season, blueprint-style necktie all. It’s also easy to forget Photo by hswstaticparticularly towards an is chuck full of formulas that not everyone is luckyengineer, here are some that only nerds would when it comes to life. There Start a fundraiserideas on what you can get understand. A tie like are some people who don’t If you want to be able tofor your beloved this year. this might just become even have food on their generate some funds for a a special gift to your plates this time of year. So charity you’re supporting,Robotic Arm Edge math-inclined friend. This if you’re really in the giving why not start a fundraiser?This gadget-slash-toy is is a great choice for a spirit, why not spread some You can teach kids basicone of the best thing you professor, or an engineer love to our less fortunate courses for a fee and givecan get for a gearhead working in an office-based brothers and sisters, too? the proceeds to a charitablethis season. It’s freely environment. To get you in the right institution. Coding, STEM,controllable and is a joy Photo by uncommongoods track, we’ve also included Art, you name it! You’reto play with. Any engineer some ideas to help you do in charge! You’re not justwould be glad to get Metal Inkless Pen just that. helping the less fortunate,their hands on a tool like This is an awesome gift you’re also helping youngthis, especially if they for both engineers and Donate old books and people dive into sciencelove to do robotics. An astronauts alike. The point toys to charity and technology.excellent choice for young that it doesn’t need ink Giving away preloved Photo by blogspotenthusiasts and adults is a good enough reason toys that you or your kidsthat are still kids at heart. to get it. But we know don’t play with anymorePhoto by amazon engineers like to explain can bring smiles to the less how stuff work, so it’s good fortunate. There are plenty as a conversation starter as charity organizations that well. And need we say how take in old toys to give to cool this thing is? children’s shelters and local Photo by cmzone shelters. If you don’t have any old toys lying around, then ask an engineer friend to make one for you. Photo by moneycrashers DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas 29

6 GADGETS If there’s one certain toy every engineer as a child lovedMLEAGDOEBFRRIOCMKS to play with, I’ll bet it’s building things using LEGO bricks. When we play with LEGO, anything we plan to build are limited only by our imaginations. From a rocket ship to a bulldozer, from a simple robot to a skyscraper. While, our creations as children weren’t able to really do much, we were content with the simple joys of being able to create our first designs as young engineers. Now, we would like to show you some awesome creations made from our once cherished toys. These creations will bring you back to your childhood days and show you that it’s possible to create almost anything if you just put your mind into it. The working LEGO camera This creation is a camera that was created to capture indelible images. Cary Norton, an Alabama-based photographer built this working 127mm f4.7 camera by using LEGO’s Digital Designer application. The working LEGO printer Some years ago, a 14-year- old boy designed this working LEGO printer which moves a pen to write drawings and text. It’s called the LEGO Mindstorms NXT printer, or PriNXT. The Prosthetic arm that gives kids LEGO abilities Carlos Arturo, a former LEGO intern, developed the IKO prosthetic arm. It was made especially for children, so they can create custom-built limbs. Torres was inspired by his childhood in Colombia, where many children lost their limbs during armed conflicts.30 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

The DIY LEGO 3D printer The LEGObot 3D printer was created by Matthew Kreuger. This is the LEGO version of the Makerbot, an inexpensive NXT-powered printer.LEGO's Musical BeatboardsThis year, LEGO will belaunching a new line calledBeatboards, wherein anyonecan use LEGO bricks to createoriginal musical compositions.Touch sensors are built intothe baseplate and it registersthe resistance formed underthe weight of the LEGO bricksand turns those messagesinto sound. The PancakeBot This clever invention uses pancake batter to draw onto a sizzling griddle. It can create any elaborate shape you want. You’ll never see pancakes the same way again. DECEMBER 2016 31 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

WHY EVERYONE MUST AN ENGINEER'SSUPPORT BUY ONE - GUIDE ONGIVE ONE PRODUCTS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ANDThis Christmas, it’s quite to different communities for GIVING BACK all the purchases made bycommon for all of us to rush its customers. In doing so, the company reports thatinto malls to buy gifts for loved over 2 million children were protected from hookwormones and friends. When doing with the medication and TOMS Shoes they’veso, we pick out what seems received. Several children were identified to be needinglike something they would malnutrition care from the “shoe-integrated healthbe glad enough to have. But screenings” in Malawi. Enrollment in schools indid you know that there are Liberia increased after the TOMS Shoe distributionstores - specific companies program began. So it doesn’t really take too- that have a buying concept much effort to convince HCherriestmaraes ssohmopepitnipgswoisnelyh.ow to do your people why everyone of ussuch as buy one - give one? If needs to support buy one- give one products. By helpingyou’re not familiar with this the people around us, the good deed goes a long way.concept, it’s when you buy We may not directly see how by Cielo Panda it can affect someone’s lifea product and the company but it does. This Christmas, The season for gift giving, holiday all it takes for us to help cheer, and long vacation is finallyyou’re buying it from would is know which companies here! It’s also time for Christmas win-win situation. If you’re not follow the buy one - give one shopping. With all the presents confident in making stuff on yourgive the same product to concept and buy products we you’re buying, it’s very easy to own, there are a lot of tutorials like from them. Not only will deplete your cash reserves. So on the internet to help you out.someone in need. you be able to make a loved here are some tips on how you When in doubt, Google it out. one happy, you could also can do your Christmas shopping Buy earlyIf you really think about it, help those in need even if wisely. People often think of buying you don’t know them. presents during a holiday sale,doing so allows you to do good Christmas is, after all, a Plan ahead, seriously but that isn’t always the best way season of giving and sharing. Just hopping into a shopping to go. Sometimes, you’ll comein this world where everything For anyone out there with center without a plan of some sort across items which would make extra money to spend, can lead you to spend excessively. excellent holiday gifts whenis filled with bad news. These support these companies and If you don’t know what to buy you least expect it. If you see a their noble pursuit of helping for a specific person, don’t buy promising item in the middle ofcompanies that follow a everyone in need. anything, yet. It’s very helpful the year, don’t wait too long to to write gift ideas down on a get it. Buying presents early willbuy one - give one concept list tied with a specific budget. help in cutting down your holiday This way, you’ll easily be able to spending and also remove namesgive out their products with monitor how much you’re willing from your list. to spend thus reducing the risk of Last-minute buyingevery purchase you make overspending. This is only applicable for online buyers. Some companiesto homeless people, shelter Do some Googling completely remove their shipping Not all good deals are found costs the closer Christmas dayanimals, poor communities in stores, some are just waiting approaches. You can also do some to be found online. Checking research on retailers that do notand other charities. TOMS, for prices online can help in charge shipping if you exceed a your planning, which can help specific amount. This way, youOut of Print, Better World lower your spending. Sales like won’t be forced to do some last Cyber Monday that happen after minute shopping but still save onBooks, The Company Store Thanksgiving are good sources shipping fees. of more affordable items for yourand WeWood are among holiday gifts. It’s also great to do some product research beforesome of the companies that buying. This allows you to sort out the good deals from the not.are dedicated in helping Do it yourselfthose who are in need in Every thrifty shopper knows that a gift made by hand is lightdifferent communities. on the pockets. If you think you have the crafty skill to createThese companies have been gifts on your own, do it. For some people, handmade gifts aredoing this for some time more heartfelt, so it’s basically aalready, and so far, it’s beena successful attempt to earnand help as well.The buy one - give one concepthas had good effects on severalcommunities. For example,TOMS have donated shoes32 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

WORLD’S MOST ENGINEERED CHRISTMAS TREE It has floating decorations! by Dion Greg ReyesNobody knows where the first In no time, electricity was engineered Christmas tree engineer at Dyson explains,Christmas tree was made. Its introduced to the tree. The in 2015 that is out of the “The tree uses Bernoulli'sorigins are traced long before bright lights made Christmas ordinary. principle to suspendthe advent of Christianity, tree glow, completely Before it got to the baubles at the end ofwhere plants and trees that redefining the ornament. firm’s reception area at the tree branches. Swissare green always had a special That was the start of the Dyson's headquarters in scientist Daniel Bernoullimeaning. flourish of the famous Malmesbury, Wiltshire in demonstrated that, in mostIt was only in the 1890s that tree. It began to appear in the UK, the 12-foot futuristic cases, the pressure in a liquidChristmas ornaments grew town squares and plazas Christmas tree was worked or gas decreases as it movesin Germany as accessories to all over the world, which on by their eight researchers faster, this is why the baublesthe celebration of the birth of already became a December and designers. It was [stay] suspended in the air.”Christ. At the time, Christmas tradition. applied with aspects of The Christmas tree is nottrees are still getting popular Since then, the Christmas Dyson technology and used complete without its star.in the United States, which tree has been updated so the Bernoulli’s principle in Its designers had made areach from floor to ceiling; little. It’s still the same fluid mechanics. yellow foam ball ornamentand in Europe with only small evergreen but with the The base of the tree is atop the tree.trees about four feet in height. varying colors, heights, composed of transparent The world’s most engineeredDuring the early years of and decors. The farthest hoover tubes, while the body tree was not made overnight.the 20th century, Christmas innovation it got was it was consists of nine hovering Its creators said it took atrees were decorated with stuck to the ceiling which ornaments floating in the month of creating the Dysondifferent designs. In America, made the tree in reverse. air. It has tubes which use tree, with multiple iterationsthey were placed mostly with Not until Dyson, a British jets of wind to have the along the way beforehomemade ornaments. The technology company that foam decors suspend in mid- arriving to the final design.German-American sect used designs and manufactures air – this is possible because They had to consider a lotapples, nuts, and marzipan vacuum cleaners, hand of the said engineering of factors including fluidcookies to enhance their dryers, bladeless fans, and principle. dynamics, acoustics andChristmas trees. heaters, have developed an A senior fluid dynamics model making. Photo by Dyson DECEMBER 2016 33Photo by Envirotect Engineers Give Back This Christmas

GRUSH: THE SMARTTOOTHBRUSH THAT MAKEKIDS BRUSH MORETooth decay is the most you may ask. The Grushnotorious chronic disease. It enables children to get goalseven tops asthma and early with brushing by allowingobesity. This is due to the them to immerse in real-timestruggle that parents and brushing games that appeardentists have when it comes on their Android or iOSto convincing the little ones device. A fun experience willto brush at least twice a day. create a good environmentWell, those problems are no for kids to enjoy brushing onmore with Grush, winner of their own time.America’s Greatest Makers, There are currently 3 gameswho won the $1 million prize on the system for your kidsmoney on the show created to choose from: Monsterby Intel and TBS. Chase, Toothy Orchestra,“So, what differentiates this and Brush-a-Pet, all of whichsmart toothbrush from any are guaranteed to get yourother toothbrush out there?” kids brushing.34 DECEMBER 2016 Photo by Readwrite Engineers Give Back This Christmas

ES Photo by Youtube FIRE SOME SNOWBALLS USING THIS CUSTOM TOY MACHINE GUN Some former NASA employees a machine that will make it have left the engineering part easier for snowball fights. on their jobs and just live their Using only a leaf-blower and lives like normal people (I’m a plastic pipe the brothers got not saying NASA engineers from a hardware store, they are not normal on the job). produced a snowball machine But when one is bored on a gun that can fire 13 snowballs winter family vacation, why not in just half a second. The toy use the engineering curiosity gun can be loaded with 15 into something fun? Like a snowballs at a time into the snowball-firing machine? magazine, with a trigger that This is what exactly happened can control the snowball to engineer Mark Rober, who shooting airflow – either hard realized that making and or soft. throwing snowballs with hands Who says the uncles cannot might be a little too imperfect. have some fun on winter So he, together with his brother vacation? Definitely not Mark during the vacation, devised Rober and his brother. DECEMBER 2016 35 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

ENGINEERS DID THE MATH: SANTA CLAUS IS NOT REAL Sorry for ruining your Christmas, kids. by Dion Reyes Photo by weknowyourdreamsIt’s the most wonderful time of The total number of children in down the chimney, filling the will need 214,000 reindeers in all.the year! the world is about 2 billion. Given stockings, leaving the gifts This is an incredible weight forDecember is just right around the that Santa only takes care of under the tree, going out, and the reindeers to drag – 353,430corner and everyone is excited to the Christians, this eliminates proceeding to the next house. tons including them – more so flyexperience the joy and warmth the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Let’s say that each of these 91.8 the gifts to the households.of Christmas again. People are and Jewish children in his list, million homes are distributed That massive total weight createscoming home to their families, leaving 15% of the total children evenly, the houses will be 0.78 a huge air resistance, whichlighting up their houses with population, which is more or less miles per household. This gives is comparable with the heatdecors, exchanging gifts, and 378 million. On average, there are Santa a total trip of 75 1/2 whenever a spacecraft re-enterssharing their blessings. Perhaps 3.5 children per household. There million miles – that’s without the into the Earth’s atmosphere. Thethis is the perfect time for are approximately 8 million bathroom breaks. reindeers that lead the buncheveryone to relax after a year’s homes in all. Let’s settle with the Given these conditions, Santa’s have to absorb 14.2 quintillionwork. notion that there is at least one sleigh should be traveling at 650 joules of energy per second each.But not for Santa Claus. This only good child in each. miles per second to cater to all Just imagine that. This ridiculousmeans that he should be working Reindeers do not have the the good Christian children in energy moves to the next pair,again in the North Pole with his capacity to fly. There are no the world. That’s but 3,000 times unto the next, and until the lastreindeers mostly for the kids who reports that one of their species the speed of sound. An average because laws of physics say theyare expecting him. All for the can be in mid-air. Perhaps only reindeer only runs at 0.00416667 have to combust spontaneouslyspirit of Christmas to be alive Santa has seen one and the mph. No human and reindeer has with that amount of heat. In justamong the young ones. rest of the world hasn’t. Science ever hacked time. 4.26 thousands of a second, thisWhile most of us have entertained says that Rudolph the red-nosed Apart from the travel times of can happen.the belief that Santa Claus is reindeer is fake. Santa, his sleigh’s payload is just As with Santa while in mid-air,just a figment of our imagination Assuming Santa travels from east as controversial. he is subjected to centrifugal(kids, sorry for ruining that), to west, this gives him 7 more Say the average weight of gift forces 17,500.06 times the forceengineers have further provided hours to work with thanks to time to a child is medium-sized legos of gravity. Granting that Santamathematical proofs here and zones and the rotation of the weighing 2 pounds. The sleigh is 300 pounds, he might just bethere that the non-religious Earth. This means that he has should be carrying 321,300 tons hammered to the back of hisChristmas poster boy is just 822.6 visits per second, giving for the gifts, not counting the sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds ofimpossible. Or in this dimension Santa 1/1000th of a second overweight Santa. force.of the universe, at least. to do the job in each Christian A reindeer can only pull no moreHere are the conclusions that household having a good kid. than 300 pounds. Assuming thatengineers have made when they Doing this includes parking, the flying reindeer could pull 10think too much about Christmas: hopping out the sleigh, jumping times their usual capacity, Santa36 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

THE ENGINEERING BEHINDSANTA'S SLEIGHIf Santa were real, then what would his sled be like according to an engineer?by Cielo Panda as emergency news. Photo by BusinessWire Santa Claus could get bored or lonely Photo by GrabCADOn Christmas Eve, millions of children during his solo flight, so to keep himall over the globe who believe in Santa company, we can imagine that hisClaus will be anticipating to open sleigh includes an installed iPod docktheir gifts on Christmas morning. Just and a matching peppermint-designedlike the traditional Christmas tales, iPod that plays Christmas songs forthey would be expecting Santa Claus, the entire night. His sleigh wouldhis team of reindeer and his awesome also have a hot cocoa dispensersleigh to glide across the night sky and carrots for the reindeer in theand bring them their presents. compartment.Everyone has their own version of Transdimensional GiftSanta’s sleigh, and if it were real, Compartment a.k.a. the Gift Baghow do you think it would look like? Okay, so how in the world doesHave you ever wondered how Santa’s he fit his presents in one bag? Wesleigh flies? Also, how does he fit can call this a transdimensional giftall those presents in just one bag? compartment in a bag, which servesSurely, there’s more to it than just an as a portal between the sleigh andordinary sled and a team of reindeer. the North Pole. Therefore, the bagAnd since we engineers love is never really filled. You can imaginedemystifying even the most bizarre Mary Poppins bag, the theory may bephenomenon, here’s how Santa’s similar.sleigh would be like according to an The Antimatter Propulsion Unitengineer. In science fiction, antimatter is whatTraditionally, we would imagine the is used to allow spaceships to travelexterior of the sleigh a traditional and at warp speed—they’re referred torustic design, with its usual red hue. as antimatter propulsion rockets. ThisThe Interior may be possible in the real world inThe sleigh would have a dashboard the near future. Currently, NASA isthat is equipped with Santa’s own developing a spaceship that may getGPS navigator. The navigator being us to Mars within a matter of weeks.connected to his elves in the North According to Live Science,Pole, wherein they would show “Antimatter is the opposite of normalmillions of destinations that Santa matter. More specifically, the sub-would have to pass by. The navigator atomic particles of antimatter haveis also equipped with backup data properties opposite those of normalof all the destinations the previous matter. The electrical charge of thoseyear, just in case the signal goes out. particles is reversed. Antimatter wasA touchscreen device that has all the created along with matter after thekids of the world monitored whether Big Bang, but antimatter is rare inthey’ve been naughty or nice. This today's universe, and scientists aren'tdevice checks every detail of the kids’ sure why.”activities until the last few hours of Santa’s sleigh would be special, itDecember 24, and will determine if will have a customized antimatterthe child deserves a gift or a shiny propulsion unit. It would be smallpiece of coal. enough to be installed at the backOn the left side of the dashboard, of his sleigh and fast enough to bethere will be a speedometer to able to deliver all the presents to themonitor Santa’s flying speeds. On children across the globe. If ever thethe right side, there will be a radio rocket fails, his reindeer will be therecommunicator wherein Santa will be to back him up.able to communicate with Mrs. Clausand the elves to update him withweather report, toy inventory as well DECEMBER 2016 37 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

WHEN ENGINEERFATHERS MAKETHE TOYSby Dion Greg Reyes Most fathers just take the they used their expertise in responsibilities of providing engineering and founded a for their family members toy company called TROBO. while taking care of them. There, Chief Product Officer Nothing more, nothing less. Chris and Chief Engineering They work hard and earn Officer Jeremy developed for the best interests of the connected plush toys, named mother and the kids. But after the company, which there are just those who could teach kids about science, want to take it further – just technology, engineering and like Chris Harden and Jeremy math. Through interactive Scheinberg. stories, TROBOs serve as The two are family guys who educational companions for happen to be engineers. Chris kids age 2 to 5. is an electrical engineering We interviewed Chris and graduate from Auburn Jeremy through e-mail to University while Jeremy is a discover how they put up the controls engineering alum at company, their challenges Penn. along the way, their goals and Out of their desire to provide future innovations, and their their children with toys that product’s impact, among stimulate young minds, others.38 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

PRIOR EXPERIENCE development. We use contract quality, commitment, work/ What do you think is theHow many years have you manufacturing for the product life balance, and non-violence. future of the toy industries?been working in your industry manufacturing. Our advisors Where is this company It will continue to get more(private, engineering, NGO)? are previous co-founders, headed? What are your future technically savvy as an IoTChris: I’ve spent most of my investors, lawyers, and toy expansion plans? Describe (Internet of Things) industry.career as a Software Engineer. industry veterans. briefly your strategic goals. THE PRODUCTI’m now about 18 years into How big is your company? In 10 to 20 years, we want to What’s the inspiration behindmy career. I’ve worked for a TROBO is somewhere around have made TROBO an icon your products? How did youvariety of industries – theme 7-9 people on average, and for early childhood STEM come up with these ideas?parks, mobile and embedded sometimes this grows to 12 education. Strategically, this Our children are ourdevices, and video games. or so. requires growth of not only inspiration. Jeremy and ChrisJeremy: I’ve spent most Describe your mission, vision the product SKUs but creation are both fathers. Jeremy has aof my career in the theme and values. of more content. 7-year-old girl and 5-year-oldpark industry working for Our mission is to design TOYS OF THE PAST MEET boy. Chris has a nearly 5-year-Disney, Universal, etc... I’m innovative products and THE PRESENT old boy and a 4-month-oldnow about 19 years into my experiences that inspire How will today’s toys make a daughter. We are engineerscareer. children to learn about difference as compared to the who see our country decliningTHE COMPANY the science, technology, ones from the past? in the number of graduatesDescribe your company’s engineering & math (STEM) Until recently technology was from STEM programs. Thatstructure, brief history, board in the world around them. just too expensive to provide drove us to help solve whator advisers. It is our vision to inspire a value that families could is a macro problem for theTROBO has two founders, children to make things afford in the toy market, so country. On a micro level, asChris Harden and Jeremy that will change the world. most toys have tech from the parents we didn’t see manyScheinberg. We have a Our company is anchored 80’s and 90’s. Now we are compelling, STEM educational,series of contractors hired to in these values: education, starting to see the benefits of non-violent products outperform software and content IoT devices used in toys. The there for our children’s age more connected, the more ranges (4 and 6 at the time of access to powerful systems founding). that can bring more fun. Which group is your target Which toys from your market and why? childhood made an impact on Children age 2 to 5, who have you while growing up? access to mobile technology. Chris: For me, it’s Mario TROBO is a connected plush Brothers on the Nintendo NES toy. Plush has a fairly tight Classic. window of age where children Jeremy: In my case, it’s are interested in it. Older visiting theme parks while children, up to about 6 or so, growing up in Miami. are interested in our STEM content. DECEMBER 2016 39 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

What are the future older siblings. Once the understand our target THE CHALLENGES &innovations that you or your content library and character customers. Our dedication SOLUTIONScompany is pursuing? stories are strong enough, we to STEM content that is What challenges did yourWe are pursuing further also have plans to license the nonviolent continues to set us companies face whileinnovations in the embedded brand and characters much apart from competitors who developing your product?hardware and more value in like a Disney or Dreamworks. drift towards standard, more Competing with entrenchedthe apps we make. We’ll continue electronic story generic play activities such as companies like Hasbro,Do you think your product development for our mobile cooking and play-fighting. Mattel, SpinMaster, etc.ishas made an impact on app, and we’ll also produceyour costumers and in your more hard books and productsindustry? for our customers to enjoy. AsYes. Our customers tell us far as the connected plush areregularly how TROBO is their concerned, the technologicalchildren’s best friend and landscape for a connectedthey relay stories about how toys should be immenselythe child recalls some STEM powerful compared to now,knowledge learned while and we plan to absorb whatplaying with TROBO. value we can as we iterate onWhere do you see your hardware.products heading 10 years What makes your toysfrom now? different from yourThe current content is competitors?compelling to younger We were the first to innovatechildren, and we are in the market with a connecteddeveloping content for their STEM toy, built by engineers and fathers who inherently40 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

tough as they have enormous over-communicated and you to learn cheaply. Network someone who can sell yourbudgets compared to us as a padded estimates provided like a machine, because product/service. If you arestartup. We also had some by our vendors. That’s successful startups are made missing one, network someproblems getting our first pretty standard project up of teams, not individuals. more.run of units FCC tested which management practice. Specifically your team is best Launch a business aroundadded delays to our internal ADVICE TO THE YOUNG positioned when you have something you are absolutelydelivery goals. However, ENGINEERS someone who can technically passionate about. You’ll behaving years of experience Please give advice and words execute, someone who is doing so much of it, that youin manufacturing, we knew of wisdom to millennial the subject matter expert, will rely on your passion to pullthings may be delayed and engineers who want to start someone who is financially you through the hard times.thereby committed to a their own companies and or operationally savvy, andyearlong development cycle develop their own products asfor our Kickstarter customers. well. Any inspiring words thatThat was the right choice, as you can share?we ended up delivering on Read or listen to “Disciplinedthat commitment about a Entrepreneurship” by Billmonth early. Aulet. We’ve made a lot ofHow did your company mistakes and learned a lot ofovercome these challenges? what he describes, the hardOn competing with big way. After that, read or listencompanies, that is really just to as many Marketing, Sales,about finding your niche and other Entrepreneurshipthat they don’t address. On books as you can; always beproduction, we’re very big on listening to a new book. Startsolid communications and trying to build a businessplanning for delays in things as early as you can possiblywe can’t control, especially afford to, while your expenseswith new manufacturers and are low. Doing so allows youdevelopment teams. So we to fail cheaply, which allows DECEMBER 2016 41 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Photo by ABC42 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

TINITELL: GIVINGCHILDREN THEFREEDOM TO EXPLORETHE OUTDOORS SAFELY “We don’t want to keep children online with a great new app. We want to keep children offline with a great new device.”Before the age of smartphones THE COMPANYand Virtual Reality and even Tinitell AB is a technology companybefore there was PlayStation and based in Stockholm, Sweden,Xbox, there was only the great set to create a new future foroutdoors. Children would run simple and smart communicationwild in the parks and play with devices. After a successfultheir playmates. They would Kickstarter campaign two yearsbreathe the playground’s fresh air ago and substantial funding inas they ran after each other in a research & development, Tinitellgame of tag, or explore different as a kids’ phone is our first productplaces to sneak into as they play on the market.hide and seek. Older kids would Extremely simple, fun and durable,go to the local court and have a Tinitell is a wearable mobile phonefriendly game of street ball, and and GPS tracker for kids, a piece ofmore daring kids would dash technology that actually enablesthroughout the neighborhood in children to play outside more, astheir skateboards. it makes it significantly easier forWhile these may sound nostalgic parents to stay in touch with them.especially for 90’s kids (and older),many children nowadays prefer to How big is your company?play on tablets, smartphones or Our main office in Stockholm,gaming consoles rather than play Sweden hosts the Operational andin the outdoors. Some parents Software Development teams,choose to let them do so because currently counting more thanof the possible dangers of playing 25 full time employees. The RnDoutside. team and the production facilitiesThat’s why Tinitell, a new startup are located in China, Shenzhen.tech company, has created a We have logistic partners in Newwearable mobile phone and York, USA, handling the NorthGPS tracker for kids, a piece of American operations, while thetechnology that encourages European ones are handled fromchildren to play outside more, Sweden.since it makes it significantlyeasier for parents to stay in touch Describe your mission, vision andwith them.GineersNow conducted an values. exclusive interview with MatsHorn, the CEO and founder of The Tinitell team is passionateTinitell. about technology and design. Our mission is to redefine the communication experience DECEMBER 2016 43 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

About the CEO and Founder in simple and creative ways. What are the future innovationsMats Horn, is a Swedish-American entrepreneur and the founder However, at the end of the day, our that you or your company areof Tinitell. He is looking at redefining the hardware/software core philosophy is to encourage pursuing? (HW/SW) ecosystem with simple and creative solutions. He is an more kids to just go outside and As mentioned earlier, voicearchitect, \"southern boy\", arctic ranger, and free spirit in search play. We want more adults to recognition, voice interaction andof the perfect consumer tech product. After he graduated from appreciate the outdoors, without AI are high on our list, not onlyBrown University, Mats moved back to Sweden. In 2013 he pulled digital screens and technology in for the current product but alsotogether a team of telecom experts, designers, engineers and the way. for future Tinitell IoT devices. Wemarketing professionals to form what has become known as While designing Tinitell as a are looking with interest at theTinitell. mobile phone for kids our motto evolution of Amazon Alexa, Google became: “We don’t want to keep Assistant and similar products that children online with a great new encourage an easy voice-driven app. We want to keep children interaction with technology. offline with a great new device.” Do you think your product Where is this company headed? has made an impact on your What are your future expansion costumers and in your industry? plans? Definitely. We are among the first We are focused on perfecting a in Europe and we are opening series of products that stem from a completely new market, of our current design. wearable mobile phones for kids. In the long run, we are looking We have no industry benchmarks, for solutions to simplify no clear industry standards, we communication in everyday life, are actually setting them up. keep us connected to reality while making the most of the Where do you see your products technological advancements. heading 10 years from now? Voice recognition, voice We see how Tinitell can become interaction and AI are high on our a type of simple communication consideration list, not only for the platform. We think of the current product but also for future development of voice recognition Tinitell IoT devices. services, not as services, but as operating systems, like Windows THE PRODUCT or iOS. Those future operating The idea originated three years systems, voice systems that are ago, when Mats, the CEO and still just figuring out what they founder spent an evening at a are, belong in hardware (HW) friend’s house. His friend didn’t interfaces as simple as Tinitell, feel comfortable letting his child where the use of a screen is go out to play unaccompanied, secondary at most. That’s Tinitell’s but also had to cook dinner. The position in 10 years, where immediate (and unsatisfactory) consumer voices meet the power solution was for everyone to stay of cloud. inside. Mats decided then and there to create a better option for What makes your toy/gadget/ parents looking to stay connected product different from your without hindering their children’s competitors? freedom. The screen-free, wonderful Mats then moved back to Sweden simplicity of the device and the and assembled an accomplished appealing Swedish design. team of technology and design And more than that the fact that experts. The solution is an we are highly focused on quality affordable, durable, and elegant and performance. There are GPS-enabled wearable phone, other trackers and “economical” paired with a mobile app for competitors, but none of them parents. have invested as much as us in RnD and in perfecting the software and Which group is your target market the hardware functions. and why? Tinitell is the ideal first mobile THE CHALLENGES & phone for kids, from preschoolers SOLUTIONS to the age when they get their first What challenges did your smartphone – 5 to 12-year-old. It’s companies face while developing natural for parents and children your product? to stay connected and Tinitell The largest challenge is what encourages this connection while everyone says, “It’s called offering kids more freedom to play hardware because it’s hard”. and discover the outdoors. We’ve experienced it all first hand,44 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

and have had to change supplier 4 ADVICE TO THE YOUNGtimes in 2 years. Finding the right ENGINEERSpartner with the right knowledge Please give advice and words ofand production capacity is like wisdom to millennial engineersfinding needles in a haystack, in a who want to start their owntumbler! companies and develop their own products as well. Any inspiringHow did your company overcome words that you can share?these challenges? The one thing that millions ofThe 1 thing that has been the people still don’t understand ismost helpful for us is our primary that you have to go all in. Imaginecompany value, “keep it simple”. if you told your day-job boss, “hey,It’s not a special phrase, but for I have this biz idea, but I’m notus it makes a world of difference. really sure if I’m ready for it…”Instead of developing many (sounds like a convincing biz idea?)features for our device and or if you told your partner, “hey, Ismartphone app, we’ve developed think I like this other person, buta few simple functions, instead I’m not really sure what to think...”.of developing different products Doubt is extremely destructive,for different 3G or 4G networks, so don’t let it touch any world-we’ve developed just one device improvement ideas that comethat works globally, instead of to you. It’s disrespectful to yourmaking a UI for a screen, we got idea, to the people you discuss itrid of the screen. Small companies with, and most importantly, to thehave to focus, and that’s what world.we’ve done. DECEMBER 2016 45Engineers Give Back This Christmas

46 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

TECHNOLOGY WILL SAVE US: SPARKING KIDS’IMAGINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD DECEMBER 2016 47Engineers Give Back This Christmas

When Bethany Koby imagine a more positive and co-founded Technology collaborative future. I’ve Will Save Us, she wanted her been creating innovative company’s wide range of toy relationships between brands products to encourage children and communities for well over to learn and become creators 10 years both commercially and of the technology in the future. personally. Tech Will Save Us offers toys In 2012, I co-founded that were tested by children and Technology Will Save Us. Prior loved by parents for the whole to starting TWSU, I was a design family to play with anywhere director and social impact they want - may that be in the specialist at the international kitchen table, in the field or even branding and innovation in the classroom. Each kit gives company Wolff Olins. a child an opportunity to unlock I have a BFA in Graphic Design his/her creative potential, which from Rhode Island School of will surely help one develop the Design, a MSC in Responsibility skills needed to secure a brighter and Business practice from future. Bath University and was also With products shipped in 97 a scholarship holder at Fabrica countries around the globe, in Italy. the company has sparked so many kids’ imaginations THE COMPANY already. Awarded with so many Describe your company recognitions like Best Hardware In2012,Ico-foundedTechnology Startup of The Year (2016) Will Save Us, a business that at the Europas, Koby and her instigates 21st century learning team plans to develop more - in the classroom and around inspiring products for more the kitchen table - through its families to enjoy while learning. well-designed DIY Gadget Kits They do believe that “diverse, for everyday life. It was based creative and empowered kids on a radical premise: what if and families will save us and kids could build the technology technology will be at the heart they use, and learn more about of how they do this!” technology in the process? We Koby shares her thoughts and created the (now iconic) kits and views on today’s toy industry, the most accessible, fun way the challenges her company had for kids, families, and educators to overcome and her company’s to learn, play, and invent with future plans in dominating technology. the toy industry in this special Our advisors, Matt Webb, Tracy interview with GineersNow. Doree are invaluable to me and our business. They have been THE PERSON / PEOPLE fundamental at all stages of Introduce yourself Technology Will Save Us. I am a mum, CEO, designer, Our London office houses a art director and artist interested team of around 26 content in creating brands, businesses creators, product specialists, and experiences that help sales gurus, production experts,48 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

The toy industry is one of the most powerfulindustries in the world\"educators, engineers, designers early years of people's lives through education, play andand developers. We also have new experiences. Recently there has been a shifttwo sales gurus in New York in the toy industry, brands are creating child-friendlyand one in Paris. iterations of adult tech - FitBits for kids, tablets that teachOur mission is to inspire the and faux-computers. We’re starting to see more and morecreative imagination of brands trying to connect apps to everything in order to addyoung people with hands- “digital” to the experience. Despite this change, the toyon technology and to build industry still has a long way to go when it comes to adaptingthe most accessible and to new technology and catering to kids’ ever changingentertaining brand for the interests and needs. I think the future will be toys thatcreator generation. Being prepare, empower and help shape kids’ futures.customer-focused and How will today’s toys and gadgets make a difference asexperience-obsessed is at the compared to the ones from the past?centre of everything we do. Around 65% of children in school today will have a jobWhere is this company that doesn’t currently exist, we want to equip them with all theheaded? What are your future tools they need to be prepared for these roles. The creativeexpansion plans? tech toy space finally offers kids the opportunity to make,I plan on growing Technology code and invent with toys. Our aim is to spearhead this sector,Will Save Us into the most Technology Will Save Us is dedicated to empowering kidsaccessible technology with technology and unlocking their creative potential.company in the toy industry,creating the best experiencefor kids and empowering themwith the ability to make, buildand learn with technology.We are continually developingproducts for different ages,with different themes anddifferent price points. We hopeto build a real community offuture makers with our onlineecosystem of coding andprogramming tools.THE TOY INDUSTRYWhat do you think is the futureof the toy industry?The toy industry is one of themost powerful industries in theworld. It shapes and mouldssome of the most important DECEMBER 2016 49 Engineers Give Back This Christmas

Which toy/gadget from your something really exciting and ways for young people to learn, it latest kit, The Mover. Afterchildhood made an impact on inspiring in something arriving in helped me become a happy, self- testing our prototypes with overyou while growing up? parts and being able to build and motivated learner. 300 kids, we learned that kidsMy mother was a toy designer create it together. love technology that is portable,turned Montessori teacher and The toys and gadgets that really THE PRODUCT reactive and open-ended. Thismy Dad was a photographer so made an impact for me were the What’s the inspiration behind allows them to be engaged andI was always encouraged to be hands on montessori tools I was your products? active while having fun.hands on. I used to build model taught with. Learning by doing For us, design means putting We used feedback from kids toaeroplanes with my Dad, there’s is one of the most empowering users at the center of our product define the form factor of The development process. All of our Mover, which after testing and kits and digital tools are created iterating, became a wearable. The with a user-centered process that technology we chose - motions involves kids and parents at every sensors, a compass and rainbow stage from ideation all the way lights - gives kids a responsive through to home, park and play and active product, they wanted testing. to keep using it again and again. We conduct extensive research As we continued to develop projects funded by organizations the product, we got even more like NESTA, Google and Mozilla, excited that this wearable was to understand what young not a smart watch, not a fitness people love doing and what tracker and not about data in skills they are learning in and a cloud but about something outside of school. This helps us very clear - kids learning through lead everything with what kids active play. love to do rather than what the Which group is your target technology is capable of. market and why? This is especially true for our Our kits are for people aged 4 -50 DECEMBER 2016 Engineers Give Back This Christmas