Samuel Gray, Trisha Litong, Yasin Muhammad, Erika Pomare

Group Name: STEY

Class: Introduction to Engineering Design
Period: 3
Teacher: Mendoza
How do you create an innovative prototype that
has a positive effect on societies, economies, and
the environment?
As a team, we noticed how the disability of the blind
can limit their freedom at school. Typically, blind
people have an assistant with them at school, and
tend to rely on their help for basic tasks, such as
getting food in a cafeteria. STEY wanted to create a
food tray that can help them do just that.
STEY wants to promote not only the simple privileges
of personal freedom, but also self-confidence,
independence, and efficiency. We want to eliminate
miscommunication and unnecessary hassle that the
visually impaired go through during the simple task of
getting food in a cafeteria.
Step 1) Go to our very own Energy Institute High School
cafeteria.
Step 2) Examine lunch tray as a team.
Step 3) Note down the trays structure and visual design
elements:
Styrofoam
light
designated sections for food
3 3
Dimensions:10 x8 .
8 8
 Top Bottom Side

Visual Design Elements:

1. Point: null
2. Line: vertical, horizontal, curved
3. Color: white
4. Value: light and dark
5. Shape: mechanical and natural
6. Form: Light and dark values show 3D 0.7 inch depth
7. Space: positive space for food sections, negative space for
rest of the tray
8. Texture: rough, Styrofoam
a. The primary function of the object is to hold and carry food.
b. Genpak manufactures the original food tray in the colors sesame
and white. It is a 5-compartment foam serving tray and is about
10.375 x 8.375 x 0.700 in dimension. It was acquired in March
2015.
c. Exterior Components (Original Food Tray)
Part # Name
1 Tray
Exterior Components (Innovation)
Part # Name
1 Handle
2 Net
3 2-inch Depth
4 Tray
5 Sensor
d. Original Food Tray: Holds a total of five food items on tray.
Innovation: Handles attach to the lunch tray for easy handling, net
carries and conforms around virtually any drink, 2-inch depth holds
much food and prevents it from falling.
e. Product Function (Original Food Tray)
Inputs -> Function Output ->
-tray -hold food and drink -five items are held in tray
-applied force

Product Function (Innovation)

Inputs -> Function Output ->
-handle -hold food and drink -a stretched elastic net
-applied force -sense movement and -food that doesnt move off
-net objects around tray the tray
-sensors -vibrations if the tray is
coming close to bumping
into something
Disassembly (Innovation)
Part # Part Name QTY Function Material Interaction with
Other Parts
1 Tray body 1 Hold and contain food Laminated plastic Holds handlebars
items into place
2 Handlebar 1 Carries and Metal Attaches/hooks
transports food tray onto tray body
3 Handle rod 1 Allows tray to be Plastic Connects handlebar
picked up and carried connecting piece
4 Handlebar grips 1 Provides grip onto Rubber Attaches/hooks
handlebar to prevent onto handlebars
slipping
5 Elastic band 1 Stretches around Elastic cloth Attaches to net,
drink and holds it in creates drink shape
place in food tray
6 Net 1 Holds drink in place Plastic string Bends with elastic
band to hold drink
7 Sensors 1 Identifies nearby Semiconductor Is laid on body of
objects (human/table) fabric tray
 Needs Improvement
1)Flimsy material/easy to break
2)Uncleanliness
3)Shallow, food easily topples
over on tray
4)Not enough space for drink
Possible Solutions
1)More durable material
2)Material that is easy to wash
3)More depth to prevent food
from toppling over/mixing
4)Remove Drink section and
add a net contraption instead
Additional Improvements
1)Braille for locating food
sections
2)Handle grips to pick up tray
3)Sensors so the customer does
not bump into anything else,
knows where to place tray on
table
 Flimsy Styrofoam material sturdy material
Easily marked and soiled material quick-to-
clean material
5 basic food sections substitute Drink
section with net contraption
0.7 depth 2 depth
Handlebar attachment to carry tray with one
hand
Sensors
 Ideas
Criteria Cost
Reusabilit Cleanline Resilienc
Function Sturdiness Readability
y ss e Rank Levels
Rubber 2 4 3 3 3 2 3
1 = worst
2 = okay
Laminated
plastic
3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 = good
4 = best
Wood 1 2 3 2 3 3 3

Styrofoam 3 1 1 1 2 1 1

Totals
Rubber = 20
Laminated plastic = 27
Wood = 17
Styrofoam = 10
 Ideas
Criteria Cost Reusability Cleanliness Resilience Function Sturdiness

Velcro 2 3 2 3 3 3

Elastic 3 3 3 4 3 4

Ideas
Criteria Cost Reusability Cleanliness Resilience Function Sturdiness

Plastic 3 4 4 3 4 3

Cloth 1 1 1 2 2 2

Circumerence
Net Material
Material
Totals
Totals
Plastic = 21
Velcro = 16
Cloth = 9
Elastic = 20
 Ideas

Criteria Cost Reusability Cleanliness Resilience Function Sturdiness Total

Plastic rod +
2 4 3 4 4 3 20
Metal handle
Rubber rod +
2 4 3 2 2 1 14
rubber handle
Plastic rod +
3 4 4 2 3 2 18
Plastic handle
Metal rod +
1 4 4 4 3 3 19
metal handle

Ideas
Criteria
Cost Reusability Cleanliness Resilience Function Sturdiness Total

Rubber 2 4 4 4 4 4 22

Cloth 4 2 1 1 2 2 12
Point:
The sketch does not include the visual design element of point.
Line:
Freeform, natural (curved), and straight (vertical and horizontal) lines for the tray body
Straight (vertical and horizontal) and freeform (curved) lines for the net of the drink holder
Color:
The color of the tray is not necessary for the user, but is white to detect any marks or traces
on the tray
Saturation of white color is pure
Value:
The value of the trays design is unnecessary for the user, however it has a light and bright
value
Shape:
Organic and mechanical shapes are used for the body of the tray
Geometric shapes are used for the net of the drink holder
Form:
The two-inch depths of the food sections are implied in the sketch by shading, ranging from
light to dark value
Space:
The food sections are the positive space of the food tray
The rest of the tray are the negative space of the food tray
Texture:
The tray body has a smooth texture all-around
Top Front Side(s)

While creating a prototype, it came to our attention that the Braille should not be covered
by the food in the sections, so we moved their location.
The STEY Trey is an innovation created for the
blind in order to help them complete simple tasks
and earn more personal freedoms. It allows the
disabled to eat in places --such as school and the
workplace, in a clean and efficient manner.
Conducted from April 6-April 8, 2015

Out of 10 people (including parents and students), 100%

agreed they would recommend the product to those who
are blind.
In a price range from $500-$700, the subjects reported
they would pay around $532.50 for a shipment of 100
food trays. (1 tray = about $5.33)
The subjects were highly satisfied with the product,
rating it an 8.1 out of 10.
Those surveyed agreed the tray could be used in schools
and in the workplace.
Feedback from the subjects influenced further
improvements of the innovation.
 We want $40,000 in exchange for 10% of our
product sales. (Company value of $400,000.)
There are currently 51 schools in the United
States educating those who are visually
impaired*, and we believe our product can sell to
every single one of them, since it is the first of
its kind and is useful.

*http://www.tsbvi.edu/instructional-resources/109-resources/instructional-resources/2785-schools-for-the-blind-in-the-united-states
 Guiding Question: How do the blind usually get food in school?
Research Data:
can bring or buy lunch for independence
independent lunch buying eliminates social time
assistant picks up food, carries tray, performs everything for student
Research data reworded: At school, the blind have the choice of bringing
lunch, independently getting lunch themselves, or having an assistant get
the lunch for them. Choosing to get lunch independently does bring
personal freedom to the blind, but it limits and eliminates social time with
other students. Assistants that perform all the tasks for the student
creates dependability.
Source Description: Internet
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr11/fr03fa01.htm
Source Location: National Federation of the Blind: A Typical School Day in
the Life of a Blind Fourth Grader
 Guiding Question: What kind of tools do the blind children use in school life?
Research Data:
cane
dog
Braille
special teacher to attain materials, aid in classwork
typewriter/keyboard with Braille
Research data reworded: In school, blind children use tools such as canes,
Braille books, and Braille typewriters and keyboards. They also have special
teachers that aid with classwork and in attaining specific materials. Dogs can
also be used for children with blindness in school.
Source Description: Internet
https://nfb.org/frequently-asked-questions
Source Location: National Federation of the Blind: Frequently Asked
Questions
 Guiding Question: What is Braille?
Research Data:
series of raised dots that is read by the fingers
a code
full braille cell consists of six raised dots in two parallel rows with three dots each
invented by Louis Braille
Research data reworded: Braille is a code invented by Louis Braille that the blind or
visually impaired use to read and communicate. The code consists of cells that contain
two parallel rows of three dots each, making six raised dots in total
Source Description: Internet
http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/braille/what-is-braille/123
Source Location: American Foundation for the Blind: What Is Braille?
 Guiding Question: What are some hindrances of blindness? (in school)
Research Data:
70% of blind population is jobless
treated with less respect
some teachers do not have enough time to provide help
incorrect format of Braille
struggle to keep up with peers
Research data reworded: Today, about 70% of blind people do not have jobs. This may be a result of the
hindrances children have in school. In many situations, children are treated with less respect and are not given
adequate learning time from the teacher. As a result of this and incorrect formatting of Braille in materials, blind
children tend to struggle to keep up with their peers.
Source Description: Internet
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr11/fr03fa03.htm
https://nfb.org//Images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr04/Issue3/f040301.html
Source Location:
National Foundation for the Blind: Blindness: The Pattern of Freedom (An Address Delivered by Kenneth
Jernigan, July 4, 1985)
National Foundation for the Blind: Making the Tough Choice: the School for the Blind
 Guiding Question: What kind of problems do the blind encounter when eating?
Research Data:
menus have typos
Braille is outdated and hard to understand
hard to know where each item goes specifically on the tray
have a hard time holding food tray
Research data reworded: When eating in public or in the cafeteria, the blind
experience many difficulties such as the food tray. The tray does not specify
where each item should go and can be difficult to handle. In restaurants, the
few menus that are in Braille can be outdated, contain typos, or overall just
hard to understand.
Source Description: Internet
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091107205335AAk1hvZ
Source Location: Yahoo Answers: What sort of challenges do blind people
encounter when eating out?
 Cheadle, B. (2003, January 1). A Typical School Day in the Life of a Blind
Fourth Grader. Retrieved April 10, 2015, from
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr11/fr03fa01.htm
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 10,
2015, from https://nfb.org/frequently-asked-questions
Jernigan, K. (n.d.). BLINDNESS: THE PATTERN OF FREEDOM. Retrieved
April 10, 2015, from
https://nfb.org//Images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr04/Issue3/f040301.html
McClain, C. (2003, January 1). Making the Tough Choice: The School for
the Blind or Not? Retrieved April 10, 2015, from
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr11/fr03fa03.htm
What Is Braille? (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 10, 2015, from
http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/braille/what-is-braille/123
What sort of challenges do blind people encounter when eating out? (2010,
January 1). Retrieved April 10, 2015, from
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091107205335AAk1hv
Z