M11 - 3D Prototyping and Human Centered Design in an Introductory Bioengineering Elective

Introduction: : Bioengineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies engineering principles to address challenges in medicine and human health. The Bioengineering Experience elective course (BIOE 199) at the University of Illinois introduced Campus Honors Program students to key subfields of bioengineering through diverse, interactive experiences. These included lectures, guest seminars, lab tours, hands-on demonstrations, team-based biomedical design challenges, and basic laboratory experiments. For students outside the bioengineering major, the course provided an appreciation of the field’s interdisciplinary nature, exposure to topics such as medical imaging, cancer, biomaterials, tissue engineering, instrumentation, nanotechnology, medical device design, and neural engineering, and insights into campus research facilities and potential career paths. Unlike traditional lecture-based introductory courses, this course was intentionally designed to promote active engagement, foster collaboration, connect students with campus resources, and offer experiential learning reflective of bioengineering’s integrative character.

Materials and

Methods: : The Bioengineering Experience course project was conducted with 15 undergraduate students (11 male, 4 female) from the University of Illinois. The class was composed of 33% freshmen, 40% sophomores, and 27% juniors, with the majority of students enrolled in the Colleges of Liberal Arts & Sciences (40%) and Engineering (20%), and the remainder from across campus.

At the beginning of the semester, students completed a self-assessment survey reporting their confidence and familiarity with engineering design, computer-aided design, and 3D printing. These responses, along with demographic information, were used to create diverse, balanced teams of three. Each was assigned a unique project topic to guide their design efforts.

The project unfolded over several classes. One session was dedicated to ideation, during which students participated in brainstorming activities followed by group discussions to refine and select ideas. In the subsequent session, a student leader facilitated a TinkerCAD workshop and provided a tour of the campus Makerspace. Students were then allotted two class periods to collaboratively develop their CAD models.

Following model development, students 3D printed an initial prototype. To inform their design process, students were assigned out-of-class reading on Human Centered Design principles and encouraged to integrate these considerations into their work. Additionally, a guest lecturer from the Department of Mechanical Engineering delivered a session on ideation in engineering design.

After receiving feedback on their initial prototypes, students refined their designs. The project concluded with an in-class showcase, where each team presented their final printed prototype and reflected on their design considerations.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: At the start of the semester, students self-reported limited prior experience with engineering design (mean: 2.93) and CAD/3D printing (mean: 2.20) on a 5-point scale (1 = not at all; 5 = very well). To foster balanced collaboration, teams were intentionally formed to reflect a mix of skill levels. Each team was assigned one of five design prompts focused on accessible healthcare or laboratory tools: (1) low-cost prosthetic add-ons, (2) finger splints or wrist braces, (3) custom lab equipment holders, (4) ergonomic grips for medical tools, and (5) an adjustable smartphone microscope mount.

Despite varied backgrounds, all teams successfully navigated the end-to-end design process—from problem definition to prototyping—resulting in tangible, 3D-printed solutions. In their final presentations, teams articulated the problem and unmet need associated with their prompt, identified intended users, and evaluated existing or competing products. Students demonstrated an understanding of the limitations of current solutions and highlighted how their own designs addressed gaps in usability or customization.

Importantly, all teams incorporated core human-centered design principles, such as iterative development, user empathy, and ease of use, into their final prototypes. For instance, the finger splint team designed modular components to accommodate users with variable hand sizes.

Overall, the project demonstrated an effective integration of earlier course topics while bringing students together from various academic backgrounds and experiences. End-of-semester surveys will assess the degree to which the project reinforced the value of hands-on exposure to design thinking and rapid prototyping in helping students develop technical and creative problem-solving skills.

Acknowledgements and/or References (Optional)::