Design a Better Bandage
In this maker challenge, students follow the engineering design process and use water-absorbing crystals to create a bandage that can be used in a traumatic situation, like a car accident or hiking accident. Students first observe how water-absorbing crystals work and then consider how their function could be applied in a medical setting. Later, students design a new bandage while following a budget as well as some constraints. In conclusion, students discuss whether or not their design would be effective in the real world.
A student tests her bandage. She has added a packet of water absorbing crystals between two layers of gauze. The top of the bandage (not shown) has medical tape to help prevent blood loss.Copyright 2019 Mackenzie McNickle, University of Florida MRET
- bag of water-absorbing crystals; available at home improvement stores or online (See Resources below)
- water
- red food coloring
- masking tape
- medical gauze (2 squares per group)
- eyedropper
- paint tray (optional)
- pipe cleaners
- medical tape (approximately 15 cm per group)
Contributors
Mackenzie McNickle
Supporting Program
Multidisciplinary Research Experiences for Teachers of Elementary Grades, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida
Acknowledgements
This curriculum was based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under RET grant no. EEC 1711543— Engineering for Biology: Multidisciplinary Research Experiences for Teachers in Elementary Grades (MRET) through the College of Engineering at the University of Florida. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Copyright
2019 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2019 University of Florida