Thesis Topic: My thesis examines the role digital fabrication technology, like 3D printing, might play in the design, development and dissemination of locally produced, low-cost adaptive equipment.
Designer Bio:
My name is Josh Price, and I’m an industrial and interaction design student at Syracuse University. Industrial design means many things (or nothing — strangers and extended family often ask if I design factories) to many people. To me, it is a collection of design, fabrication and engineering skills that allow me to understand and positively influence the human experience, whether it be my own or someone I’ve never met, through my ability to create. I spend a lot of my free time making stuff for fun. My longstanding fixation is jewelry and metalsmithing, which I hold a minor in. I also enjoy metal fabrication, machining, moldmaking, 3D printing and whatever else I happen to get my hands on at the time.
Project Description:
Right now, digital fabrication and additive manufacturing technology, like 3D printing, are empowering countless people of all professions and hobbies to create and share physical objects over digital space. The past few years have seen vast improvements in material strength, speed, usability and accessibility. This transition has catapulted 3D printing from a fabrication technology suited mainly for knick-knacks to a viable way that functional objects might be produced.
My current research focuses on how the democratization and improvement of digital fabrication and additive manufacturing technologies can contribute to locally designed and fabricated adaptive equipment. This equipment is intended to serve users who cannot meet their needs through traditional durable medical equipment, either due to cost or time constraints. By emphasizing co-design and fostering community-driven solutions, I aim to advance a future where adaptive equipment is more accessible, personalized and empowering for all.
