Lehigh's Design Labs are the central interdisciplinary maker spaces, prototyping hubs, and fabrication facilities for Lehigh University students, faculty, and staff. They support creativity, hands-on learning, research, and coursework across arts, humanities, and STEM disciplines
This hands-on course will introduce participants to the process of designing, prototyping, and building physical objects that move and interact with the world around them. They will explore the fundamentals of mechanical design, mechanisms, motors, electronics, and digital fabrication while learning to use tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters.
Rather than simply learning about engineering concepts, participants will apply them through a series of short design-and-build challenges. They will create mechanisms, fabricate custom components, connect motors and electronic components, test their ideas, and improve their designs through iteration. The course will culminate in an open-ended design challenge that asks participants to combine these skills to create a functional prototype of their own.
The goal is to give participants an authentic, hands-on introduction to engineering design and making while building confidence in their ability to turn an idea into a working physical object.