Emily MullinsShocker students Jared Goering and Spencer Steinert have been thinking of ways to improve the education system since they were 14 years old. Since enrolling at Wichita State University, that's exactly what they've been working to do.
They have a vision for a product that will focus on educating kids for technology and skills of the future, instead of focusing on using technology that may not be relevant when elementary students reach the workforce.
“Kids are probably only going to be sitting in front of a computer for 10-15 more years, because everything's moving to wearable technology,” says Goering. “Why would we educate our kids with something that's not going to be relevant much longer instead of educating them and preparing them for 20 years in the future?”
The two began developing their idea into Dino, a wearable device that Steinert describes as a combination of Legos and an Apple watch. Kids would build their own Dino, teaching them basic electrical engineering skills. The device would then connect with a phone or computer-based program to teach coding skills using augmented reality and computer games.
Goering and Steinert, both from McPherson, Kansas, say they didn't have computer education in school when they were growing up. They spent a lot of time teaching themselves outside of the class setting, even going as far as creating Vytal, another wearable tech that's meant to give feedback on physical activity for athletes.
Their idea for Dino, however, goes far beyond teaching children how to use a computer.
“By 2020, the demand for people with biomedical and electrical engineering backgrounds is expected to increase 60 and 40 percent,” says Steinert.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the aging of the population and a growing focus on health issues will drive demand for better medical devices and equipment designed by biomedical engineers.
That's why Dino is also focusing on biometrics, helping kids make healthy choices by providing feedback on what affects their bodies in nutrition and exercise.
“In theory, it will be able to tell how active your muscles are,” says Goering. “We could incorporate that into the games to make them more interactive. It would really introduce the idea of biometric monitoring at a young age.”
They would incorporate these ideas using electromyography (EMG), which uses electrical pulses to assess the health of muscles and nerve cells and detect neuromuscular abnormalities. It would similarly use electrocardiograms (EKG) to test heart activity and electroencephalograms (EEG) to test electrical activity in the brain.
The two were inspired to submit their idea to the Ozy Genius Awards, a national competition with a $10,000 prize.
“Students in the Master of Innovation Design or those receiving advising through the IIC (Institute for Interdisciplinary Creativity) are encouraged to participate in innovation-based competitions on a national and international level so we can get a true measure of the quality of the ideas being generated in our region,” says Jeremy Patterson, WSU director of the IIC and advisor to Goering and Steinert.
The Ozy competition will announce winners in March, with 25 percent of the judging based on project likes and shares on social media and 75 percent based on project content.
“Students who are entrepreneurial need to learn the skills of crowdfunding, and there's no better way than to develop an idea and launch a campaign,” says Patterson. “Successful and failed campaigns help students engage with their projects, enhance their network and use audience feedback to adjust their ideas.”
Whether they win the competition or not, the two are still planning for the future. Their goal is to have a basic version of the product out within the next year, which they hope will give them momentum to develop it further.
They're designing Dino to be modular, with interchangeable parts and expansion packs so it can constantly be kept up to date.
“We want to come out with products that grow with students,” says Steinert. “We're targeting 6 to 8-year-olds, but obviously when you're 12 or 13 you don't want to be wearing that same watch. We want to create more customized curriculum and products to grow with them so they continue to get that knowledge if it's lacking in their school system.”
Their mindsets extend beyond just entrepreneurship, as they have philanthropic plans for the product as well. They hope to develop Dino into a buy one, give one program so it's available to more than just those who can afford it.
“To borrow a quote from Jaime Casap, the head of education at Google, ‘Education disrupts poverty,'” says Goering. “We really liked that idea.”
Goering says the atmosphere of innovation at Wichita State has been a huge help in fostering and encouraging their ideas, and Steinert agrees.
“We're working with some people who are absolute geniuses,” he says. “They're very intelligent in what they're doing and they're willing to help, which I think that, more than anything, has been extremely helpful for us. I mean you can't really get anywhere by yourself. You've got to have a network that can aid your advancements.”