This project consisted of working with a group of aspiring engineers to create a product for a client with disabilities. The goal was the create something to improve her quality of life and to make her able to perform certain tasks without the need of assistance and despite her impairments.
Each team members contributed to the completion of AutoCAD models, iterated through a plethora of materials for the final prototype, participated and oversaw peer testing.
This project lasted from February 14th, 2025, until April 4th, 2025
A video of how our project works!
A video of how our project works!
Our team was tasked to aid the client by any means possible. We realized that a common ability every should have been the ability to cook what they love, as food is a beautiful expression of life. This led our group to be able to iterate and model a design that would allow her to cook with materials she typically kept away from, such as hot, oily foods that could easily burn her. We successfully created a product that allowed the client to enjoy cooking dishes that were previously out of reach.
Our group!
This project began with a vast array of ideas, stemming from AI and pushing us to be extremely ambitious. Though this was quickly realized to make a product that would poorly help the client in all ways, rather than effectively helping her in one.
Following this realization, the group iterated through many niche problems the client had. Inability to see and difficulty hearing. Problems that take away someone's self-expression in many ways. We realized that as a group we would love to focus on something to bring that expression back, in the form of cooking.
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Initial Sketch Depiciting a Pot Lid with a hoe for a Spatula
The group immediately started by mocking sketches for possible mechanisms that would allow for someone to be able to stir through a lid, without needing to take the lid off, protecting them from any potential projectile debris from within the pot.
This was followed by understanding the average cooking process and detailing what needed to be done in between cooking times, whether that would be lifting the lid to check the temperature, releasing steam, or for any other reason. Using the newly gathered information we developed a list of functions we would implement to allow her to keep the lid on the pot for as long as she could, effectively reducing any potential harm she would have.
A Simple 3D Printed Pot Lid with a Turning Mechanism
We continued by creating our first prototype and testing the turning mechanism by 3D printing using PLA. We were able to use a gear and axle mechanism to allow for easy stirring and easy cleanability as they would be easily removable.
Cone Like Lid with Bearing and Stirring Components
Following this, we created another iteration using steam vents and a circular cone like lid to mimic others on the market, but it proved to show us that we were headed in the wrong direction by trying to iterate a shape that is difficult to remove supports from, but also very difficult to print.
Final Pot Lid Iteration
Our final iteration was then created, integrating a steam vent that focused steam away from her hands, an extended handle to hold from afar and that would not interrupt the stirring motion, a hole for temperature checking, contrasting colours to allow her to see despite her limited visibility, detachable attachments to alter stirring components, and a multi layers lip design allowing the lid to fit snuggly on any pot from 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
As for personal contributions, at the beginning of the project we immediately made sure to mention our strong suits to allow us to have the overall best chance to create a design that would succeed.
I was then tasked to handle the 3D printing, 3D modelling, and iteration aspect of the project.
I began by creating a design that was initially based on a similar idea but devoid of the lid itself, it used a spatula with a guard to allow the client to use it without splash back while simultaneously cooking what she enjoyed.
Initial Sketch to Depict the Idea of a Spatula with a Protective Guard
Though this was extremely basic and had many flaws, such as in practice this idea would not truly protect the user's hand 100%.
After discussing with the group, we decided to incorporate the idea into a pot lid which would allow for that 100% protection mark to be more easily reached.
A Video showing the Initial Gear Mechanism
A Video showing the Initial Gear Mechanism
The initial concept was filled with uncertainty on specific aspects but aimed to start with the most difficult part to design in the group's opinion, a gear and axle mechanism that would allow for seamless turning.
Gear used for Mechanism
Following this I iterated a design that allowed for the lid to feature a sliding mechanism but ultimately that ended as a failure as the components were extremely difficult to print.
Curved Lid with Slider for Steam Release
Finally, I met with the group once more to talk through which features were doing well on the lid and which needed to be adjusted. This resulted in wanting an extended handle, a thermometer hole rather than a built-in thermometer, a steam vent rather than a steam slider, multiple lips to allow for different sized pots to be used, and a detachable component portion allowing for the client to change stirring components.
This allowed for the final prototype to be extremely successful and printing in roughly 9 and a half hours and for only $7.
Image Sources
[1]“New associate deans to join McMaster Engineering leadership team,”
Faculty of Engineering
, Mar. 08, 2024. https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/new-associate-deans-to-join-mcmaster-engineering-leadership-team/ (accessed Apr. 09, 2025).
[2]J. Teza, “What Is Disruptive Innovation for Entrepreneurs?,”
University of San Diego Online Degrees
, Mar. 08, 2023. https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/disruptive-innovation-examples/
Final Design Report!