Auto Hammer and Drill

This last semester I took a product development class. The first week of class, we were divided into design teams and given the task to design an improved model of a Hitachi impact driver (see below) such that it would fill some unmet market needs.

My design team decided to create a new cordless hand power tool capable of drilling holes, driving screws, and hammering nails, all with a single device. The operating function is changed simply by changing from a drill or screw bit to a specially designed hammer bit. After creating our design, we had to manufacture a functional prototype. Here's a movie of our finished, functional prototype in action! It actually works surprisingly well!



The technology we developed is pretty cool (if I do say so myself.. :) ). It changes from a rotational motion to a back-and-forth hammering impact just by changing the bit. The Technology Transfer Office at BYU has started the process of filing for a provisional patent and then they will present our design to manufacturers. If any of them bite, we'll work out a licensing deal for them to lease our technology.

It has been a really fun project to work on! I learned a lot, and am really excited and happy about our results!

Christmas Vacation

Christmas vacation has officially started. We get two weeks off! Unfortunately, it got off to a sad start with the burning of the Provo Tabernacle. It's still too early to say how it started, but it's looking like an electrical malfunction. Yesterday morning as Travis and I left for school, we were dumbfounded with the sight of this beautiful building in flames. It's a sad loss to Utah history, but we're hoping that it will be rebuilt. Until then, I wonder where we'll have our stake conferences? No Stake Center around here is big enough for our student stake!

(photo from KSL.com)

But the day got better, because Travis came to school with me and talked to my Spanish students about holidays in South America. He did a great job, and it was lots of fun having him there with me. As we were walking to my classroom, holding hands, one of my students looked at us and shouted above the crowds, "No way! He's good looking!" Yeah, I know. :) He was also very good with the students...