SBIR Phase II: Computer Aided Design Toolkit for Desktop Digital Fabrication of Circuits on Paper

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响是通过集成的STEAM（科学，技术，工程，艺术和数学）方法为电路设计和数字制造带来新的和更多样化的受众。 研究表明，STEAM方法在接触代表性不足的少数民族，女孩和妇女方面特别成功。该项目继续开发第一阶段电路设计软件和配套的物理工具包，用于在纸上自己动手（DIY）数字制造电路。通过设计，开发和评估该工具包，该团队将有助于科学地理解人机交互设计，以实现STEAM学习，可访问性和公平性。通过将技术集成工艺品这一新类别引入主流教育和工艺品市场，开放的市场机会创造了一个由产品和配件、客户和发明者组成的新生态系统。这一创新将电子产品的数字化制造从传统的技术环境中带出，进入全新的、更主流、更多样化的受众。这一小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将继续第一阶段活动的发展，走向商业部署。该团队正在开发一种新的电子设计软件，大大降低了现有计算机辅助设计工具的复杂性，并准备了一个定制的工具包，用于自己动手数字制造电路。研究目标是以创新的方式将工程活动与艺术和手工艺融合在一起，从根本上降低学习，设计和生产电子电路的准入门槛。该团队将开发其软件的生产版本，其中包括高级仿真和设计功能，以及项目和资源库，以支持电路学习和设计过程。该团队还将完善和制造工具包，用于大规模的用户测试和部署。通过与K-12教育工作者和业余爱好者的密切合作，该技术将被开发以满足目标用户的需求。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to bring new and more diverse audiences to circuit design and digital fabrication through an integrated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) approach. Research shows that the STEAM approach is especially successful for reaching underrepresented minorities, girls, and women. This project continues the development of the Phase I circuit design software and accompanying physical toolkit for do-it-yourself (DIY) digital fabrication of circuits on paper. Through the design, development, and evaluation of this toolkit, the team will contribute to the scientific understanding of human computer interaction design for STEAM learning, accessibility, and equity. By introducing the novel category of technology-integrated crafts to mainstream education and craft markets, open market opportunities create a new ecosystem of products and accessories, customers, and inventors. This innovation brings the digital manufacturing of electronics out of traditional technical environments and into entirely new, more mainstream, and more diverse audiences.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will continue the development of the Phase I activities towards commercial deployment. The team is developing a novel electronics design software that greatly reduces the complexity of existing computer-aided design tools and prepares a custom toolkit optimized for the do-it-yourself digital fabrication of circuits. The research objective is to blend engineering activities with arts and crafts in innovative ways to radically reduce the barriers to entry for learning, designing, and producing electronic circuits. The team will develop a production version of their software that includes advanced simulation and design features, as well as a library of projects and resources to scaffold the circuit learning and design process. The team will also refine and manufacture the toolkit for user testing and deployment at scale. In close partnership with K-12 educators and hobby crafters, the technology will be developed to meet the needs of target users.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.