In this Olin first-year class I completed two bio-inspired engineering design projects.

The first design project was to draw inspiration from jumping animals such as the click beetle and froghopper to create a "Hopper" that can jump substantially compared to its size. My hopper was named Springaroo and it was built to entertain by jumping and spinning, inspired by the form of a kangaroo's hind legs and the motion of a springtail's jump.

During this project, I:

• researched hopping animals to find inspiration
• kept a sketchbook of my hopper design ideas
• fabricated prototypes and iteratively improved my designs
• learned how to CAD lasercutting layouts in Fusion360

... prepared for several Design Review presentations

"We take nature, an important source of inspiration and understanding, as a theme and develop bio-inspired ideas into functional prototypes. Our focus is on the general principles and methods that shape the practice of engineering design. Students gain experience in visualization, experimentation, estimation, fabrication, and presentation as they relate to designing. Students complete individual and team projects in a studio environment where we seek to develop a shared practice and understanding of engineering design."       ~ Design Nature Course Website