This blog post will be done in a matter very different from previous ones by me. Instead of being one consecutive mass of words, I’ve decided to break up what’s happening in terms of the what’s happening with the product now, what’s going to happen, and Fun Facts!
An Update:
The Create and Innovate is now officially called Buckle Blanket. The name was decided upon after mentor (Mrs. Jo) suggested it to us, saying that it lets people know what our company is trying to do. As a team, we liked the sound of it, and thought that, as Mrs. Jo said, it was something both catchy and descriptive. The funeral for the Create and Innovate name has already been held.
Recently, our team has moved into the Make and Improve phase of the design cycle. This portion of the design cycle allows us to move out of just thinking about what our product will look like, but actually use materials to build a prototype. We decided to only order grommets, hooks, and netting material for this early prototype.
We’ve made a choice not to use buckles on the blanket because 1) it would’ve been difficult trying to track down a buckle that would’ve been compatible with a car’s and 2) it would be easier to make use of the loops (already present in the backseat of cars for child safety seats) in the car by using hooks. We wanted to use netting to make the blanket, because we felt that it would be better for the customers to have a light netting over them as a seat belt, where they’ll have a choice whether to use a blanket to be more comfortable in a car, rather than have a thick material that would not gain the customer any advantages.
What We’ll Do Next:
Right now, until the orders come in, my group is more in a research phase, trying to think about our problem from every angle. It’s hard trying to do trial and error in your mind (and coming up with solutions to all the problems that came arise because of the Buckle Blanket), but I feel that this is forcing us to learn how to think about our product in a way that’ll help us when we’re building it.
For Your Enjoyment:
This segment is just some fun facts that I learned about cars on one of my searches. Enjoy! (Note: All these facts are pulled from the FactSlide website).
“There are 1 billion cars currently in use on earth”
“The “New Car Smell” is composed of over 50 volatile organic compounds.”
“Up to 19 Girls can be crammed into a smart car.”
“The average car has 30,000 parts.”
“The average American spends about 38 hours a year stuck in traffic.”
“The first car accident occurred in 1891, in Ohio.”
“The odds of dying in a car accident are around 1 in 5, 000.”
“It is a criminal offence to drive around in a dirty car in Russia.”
“Car wrecks are the number one cause of death for Americans under 35.”
“In Turkmenistan, car drivers are entitles to 120 liters (31 Gal.) of Free Petrol a month.”
StarPathDesign 
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