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December 6, 2004 Vol. 75, no. 10F
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| ME graduate student Corinne
Reich-Weiser explains her
team's prototype, MedAssure, to a visitor at the recent ME 221 Tradeshow.
The event featured 11 teams showcasing their radio frequency identification
(RFID)-based prototype products. |
Teams pitch
better dating, efficient drug distribution, and other ideas at ME 221
tradeshow
At last week's ME 221
tradeshow, graduate engineers donned suits, ties and a salesperson's
enthusiasm to present their prototype products to over 50 visitors cruising
table to table on the "tradeshow floor" - otherwise known
as the second floor of Etcheverry Hall. This year's prototypes
featured next-generation applications of radio frequency identification
(RFID) technology.
The 11 teams, which also included graduate students from the Schools
of Business and Information Management Systems (SIMS), cultivated hope
that among those listening to their pitch would be an equally enthusiastic
venture capitalist to fund their projects.
That's the secret wish of Team LuGuardian, said SIMS graduate student
Joshua Solomin. Solomin and his team were selling a secure tracking
system for airport luggage that uses an RFID tag fastened to each bag.
The tag links the luggage with another RFID tag on the traveler's
boarding pass. With LuGuardian guarding your luggage, said team members,
you'd never pick up the wrong luggage at the baggage carousel and,
if you missed your plane, your luggage wouldn't fly without you.
A few tables down the hall, ME graduate student Corinne Reich-Weiser
of the MedAssure team wore a white shirt and stethoscope as she pitched
MedAssure. The prototype automates the drug distribution process at
hospital pharmacies, she said, eliminating inaccuracies and making the
process more efficient.
The group got its idea from team member ME Ph.D. candidate Michael Wehner.
"My mom works in a pharmacy and is always complaining about how
archaic the process is, so we mined her for information and came up
with the idea."
Listening to the pitch was Ron Hofmann, a retired private consultant.
Make sure the RFID label on the pill bottle can be traced back to the
technician who filled it, he told team members, in order to track for
errors. "But this looks good. Nice job, guys." ME 221 Professor
Paul Wright had invited Hofmann to come and evaluate teams and offer
feedback.
"I'm very excited about the ideas here today," Hofmann
said. "Much of it is similar to what's already happening in
industry, but the students are looking at it with fresh eyes. What's
great about this kind of thing is that the UC is creating intellectual
capital, which is so valuable."
Just beyond Hofmann was the shy engineer's dream product: 2BIT
Dating. According to 2BIT's team, clients create an online profile,
search for profiles of others, then snap on their 2BIT RFID-enabled
wristband. When they go to their favorite bar or dance club, the bracelet
alerts them to the location of those they're interested in meeting
- essentially "targeted matchmaking" according to 2BIT
Dating's marketing literature.
Altogether, Professor Wright deemed it "one of the best tradeshows
ever."
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