Amy Smith, Founding Director of the MIT D-Lab, alongside Michael Tarkanian, a senior lecturer at MIT, and Carlos Marroquin, an expert in bicycle machines from UVG’s D-Hive makerspace, led the recent Machine Elements and Advanced Design (MEAD) workshop at UVG’s Altiplano campus.

Amy Smith leading workshops. Photo: ASPIRE

The MEAD workshop was designed for individuals with no prior engineering experience, focusing on enhancing their skills and technical knowledge. Attendees learn and apply their knowledge to design and construct simple, low-cost devices, equipment, and machines that provide solutions to challenges faced by vulnerable communities. The program explored the concept of a “machine,” focusing on its components and their functions during operation. The training emphasized elements that are frequently seen in low-cost technologies, specifically focusing on bicycle mechanisms during the workshop.

Amy Smith (left), Carlos Marroquín (center) and Michael Tarkanian (right) during the first day of the MEAD workshops. Photo: ASPIRE

Participants created several prototypes, including a pottery wheel, an automatic sand sifter, a wood sander, an automatic potato slicer, and a painter’s table. One group challenged themselves by incorporating two moving elements in their design, using both a wheel and a pedal. This exercise sharpened their manufacturing skills, enabling them to apply and reinforce their understanding of machine components while receiving guidance throughout the construction process.

Sand sifter prototype. Photo: ASPIRE

The MEAD workshops were provided as part of ASPIRE’s goal to enhance capacity and connect participants of various ages, ethnicities, and professions across the three UVG campuses. MEAD workshops are designed to build on the strengths of participants, as well as complement the skills from Creative Capacity Building (CCB) workshops already implemented by ASPIRE in various areas of the country. The CCB workshops consist of training sessions where individuals from diverse backgrounds learn the design cycle and work together to create prototypes to address local issues.

Amy Smith, Michael Tarkanian, and Carlos Marroquín reflect on the MEAD workshop

After an intense week working with UVG students and teachers, Smith, Tarkanian, and Marroquín (native Guatemalan and founder of the company Bici-Tec) took a moment to reflect on the significance of the MEAD workshops.

Smith, recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2010, underscored the significance of the MEAD workshops: “Bicycles are one of the best inventions. The components of a bicycle can be found almost anywhere.” This accessibility allows the MEAD workshops to focus on teaching participants how to repurpose various bicycle components to create new prototypes that address local problems. Amy also noted that the MEAD workshops are designed to train individuals who do not have formal engineering education, enabling them to participate in CCB workshops as well.

Lucía Dávila, Community Participation Coordinator (ASPIRE), showing a pottery wheel prototype. Photo: ASPIRE

Smith expressed her satisfaction with the participants in the MEAD workshops, stating that she enjoyed collaborating with the UVG students and teachers. She remarked, “We formed our group with individuals from diverse backgrounds. They communicated effectively and collaborated well together. There was a wonderful energy and spirit. They completed everything we asked for and more.”

Tarkanian, who co-facilitated the workshop, mentioned that working with such diverse groups was fascinating. What he liked most was “the spirit of the groups,” and he was very impressed by the UVG campus.

Michael Tarkanian during MEAD workshops. Photo: ASPIRE

Carlos Marroquín, the third co-facilitator, enjoyed the workshop and reflected on his connection with MIT, going back many years to an innovation conference he attended on the Cambridge campus. Carlos said he had a good experience working with the MEAD participants: “I really liked this group because of the interest shown by the students.” Smith noted: “I met Carlos when he came to MIT, and I was very inspired by his work.”

Presentation of Prototypes

As the week concluded, participants in the MEAD workshops showcased their innovative bicycle machine prototypes at the UVG D-Hive, an event open to the public. This exhibition provided an excellent opportunity for each group to demonstrate their creativity in developing unique functions for various bicycle components. While one group demonstrated their newly designed pottery wheel, another showcased their automatic sand sifter to assist builders. Additional prototype demonstrations included a wood sander, an automatic potato slicer, and a painter’s table.

Participant using an automatic sander prototype. Photo: ASPIRE

The final prototypes served as a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of each team. Despite their diverse backgrounds, participants effectively collaborated, fostering valuable skills together. This event highlighted their hard work and underscored the significance of teamwork and innovation in achieving shared objectives toward positive change.

About the ASPIRE Project

The Achieving Sustainable Partnerships for Innovation, Research and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE) Project is a five-year, $15 million project funded by USAID and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT), with the goal of creating a world-class replicable model for how universities, in collaboration with the private sector, government, and local communities, can respond to local and regional development needs. The project implements a collaborative approach, based on MIT’s experience in the innovation ecosystem.