See things differently. Create something new. Change perceptions. Be a trendsette
Topic: Student Innovation @ the U 2014
‘Avatar Trials’ Surpasses 60,000 Downloads
In its first year, “Avatar Trials: Ninja Uprising” surpassed 60,000 downloads and 10,000 units sold. The game broke into the top 250 games of all time in the Xbox Indie market — making it one of the most successful Xbox games to ever come out of the EAE program. While these achievements would be impressive […]
‘Magnetic by Nature’ Breaks All the Rules
Tripleslash Studios, with their inaugural game “Magnetic By Nature,” is breaking all the rules when it comes to art and physics in video-game design. “The market is saturated by many of the same game concepts,” said Kyle Chittenden, a graduate student in the EAE program and game artist. “As an indie studio, we push innovation […]
‘Cyber Heist’: A Crime Game with a Twist
While some may dream about hacking into computers to clear their student debts, one group of EAE students is aiming to make that dream possible — in the video-game world, at least. “Cyber Heist” is a two-player game where players take the role of either a hacker or thief and work together to break into […]
Bottle of Knowledge Helps U Go Paperless
A group of U students found a way to make freshmen orientation totally paperless; they call it the “Bottle of Knowledge.” Instead of giving students piles of paper, they created a reusable water bottle imprinted with QR codes that link to online materials. The project was led by Samantha Jackson, a health promotion major. The […]
Safer Heart Surgery through Better Imaging
Heart surgery is the primary method for correcting congenital heart defects in newborns. A major risk of heart surgery is damage to specialized tissue of the conduction system, which generates and propagates electrical impulses necessary for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Even through the trained eye of a surgeon, it is impossible […]
Engineers Invent Mechanical Leech
Mechanical engineering students Jessica Kuhlman, Scott Ho and Andy Thompson developed a mechanical leech to replace biological ones used in post-surgical tissue reattachment treatment. Addressing biological leech drawbacks, the cost-effective device reliably reduces blood pooling and pressure, precisely injects anti-coagulants into the therapy site, and eliminates the “ick” factor. The mechanical leech was named runner-up […]
DesignBuildBLUFF Builds Better Architects
A U program that pairs graduate students in architecture with Navajos that need new homes, DesignBuildBLUFF is doing much more than providing an educational experience. Not only do students design the homes and build them from the ground up in less than a year, they also learn how to adapt to new cultures and really […]
Ute Weather Forecasts for Community
Students are getting a first-hand look at what it takes to predict the weather in the Ute Weather program — and their work touches thousands of people every day. Their forecasts are broadcast by news agencies across the region, their tweets are seen by thousands, and they provide some of the most accurate forecasts for […]
Cupcake Idea Takes Student from ‘Cupcake Wars’ to Franchise in Mumbai, India.
University of Utah alum Erik Larsen started a cupcake company in the U’s Foundry program and had no idea what would happen next. The idea exploded, taking him to the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” and leading to the chance of a lifetime. When University of Utah student Erik Larsen sent in his promo video for […]
