This hands-on class will explore how products are created, including an exploration of ideation and brainstorming, reverse engineering, and the product development process. An emphasis will be placed on the role of human factors engineering, including usability successes and failures of specific products. Students will learn about these topics through two approaches: disassembly and study of existing products and creation of simple product prototypes for specific, local nonprofit organizations serving populations such as those with developmental or physical limitations. By the end of the semester, students will be able to comprehend and independently apply both the product development process and specific human factors engineering approaches used in the design of many everyday objects; they will also have developed their own creativity and better understand how to further develop and apply that skill.

Through hands-on exploration, students will learn about analog and digital electronics, optical systems, and foundational techniques in the modern physics laboratory. A framework for data analysis will be developed, with a focus on model-data comparison, model selection and statistical inference. This course helps prepare students for independent research and internships in physics and related fields.