RIT Studio 930 students develop innovative assistive solutions aimed at solving real-world challenges through creative design

Rochester, New York – Rochester Institute of Technology’s Studio 930 is proving once again that students armed with creativity, technical knowledge, and a desire to help others can create solutions that make a meaningful difference. Over a 10-week period this summer, 15 students from across five different colleges at RIT worked together to develop assistive devices aimed at solving real-life challenges faced by people in the Rochester community. Their efforts culminated on July 16, when they presented their work to clients at the SHED’s Brooks H. Brower Maker Showcase.

Now celebrating its 10th year, Studio 930 is a unique interdisciplinary program that gives students a chance to solve actual problems identified by local organizations. The program isn’t just about designing a product—it’s about building empathy, learning through collaboration, and making a difference in someone’s daily life. This year’s teams collaborated closely with the Al Sigl Community of Agencies and Rochester Regional Health to develop projects that address a variety of needs related to health, accessibility, and inclusion.

Studio 930 challenges students to move beyond the classroom, applying the skills they’ve gained through their studies to real situations where people need practical solutions. The projects not only reflect thoughtful engineering and design but also showcase how deeply these students engaged with the people who will eventually benefit from their work.

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Among the solutions presented this year were two projects designed specifically for the Al Sigl Community of Agencies. The first is called “Snuggo,” a wearable sensory vest creatively shaped like a stingray. It was developed to help calm children with autism spectrum disorder through gentle tactile stimulation. The second is a freestanding, interactive play system that helps promote motor skills development in children, offering a fun yet purposeful experience for young users.

On the healthcare side, two teams took on workflow challenges brought forward by Rochester Regional Health. Their work included a lightweight, sturdy medical bag with multiple compartments and an integrated portable table designed to support home care nurses and physical therapists during patient visits. Another team designed a mechanical bandage dispenser aimed at making it easier for healthcare workers to open sterile bandage wrappers—a task made especially difficult when wearing gloves.

For many students, this program was an opportunity to dive into unfamiliar territory. Varun Varma, an MFA industrial design student from Mumbai, India, shared how creating the “Snuggo” was a completely new experience for him. “It was really new to me because working with soft toys is something that requires a lot of sewing and using fabrics,” he said. “I’m used to conceptual projects, but this was manufacturing something physical, so that was very new to me, and I enjoyed it.”

Another student, Noam Arenstein, a fourth-year mechatronics engineering technology major from Scarsdale, N.Y., joined the program initially to gain experience working on a multidisciplinary team—something he saw as great preparation for his future career. Along the way, he also discovered he could earn co-op credit for his participation. But beyond credit or experience, Arenstein said he learned something new about the design process itself. “I’ve never worked on a product that is tailored to other people’s concerns,” Arenstein explained. “One of the new experiences for me was including empathy when it comes to design.”

That emphasis on empathy is at the heart of Studio 930’s mission. Since its founding in 2015 by Stan Rickel, an associate professor in the School of Design, the program has grown beyond its industrial design roots. What began as a way to give graduate students hands-on experience with real clients has blossomed into a thriving community of students and faculty from a wide range of disciplines working together to address challenges in accessibility and healthcare.

“The enthusiasm of the students kept it moving,” Rickel said. “This year, we had 15 students in the program from five different colleges and eight different academic programs.” This spirit of collaboration is central to the program’s success. Faculty from various departments, including engineering professor Dan Phillips, actively help recruit students, secure institutional support, and gather project ideas from community partners like Rochester Regional Health and the Al Sigl Community of Agencies.

One standout example of collaboration between students and clients is the bandage dispenser designed for Rochester Regional Health. The team worked closely with their client through the RIT-RRH Alliance, using client feedback and advice to refine their concept into a working prototype.

According to Dan Harel, Studio 930’s manager and an adjunct professor of industrial design, the program has evolved into more than just a class—it’s become a creative community focused on solving accessibility and healthcare challenges through teamwork. This year’s teams worked in the SHED, RIT’s recently opened hub for makerspaces, materials, and collaborative work. Having a centralized space helped the teams thrive.

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“You get bigger ideas when you have the room to spread out and play with different processes,” Harel explained. The SHED’s resources, including easy access to technologies like 3D printing and textile work, allowed students to quickly move from concept to prototype. “We were able to generate more and quicker prototypes using materials that are available here, or that we purchased, and everything went faster,” Harel said. “The students were really inspired by the open environment and interactions with visitors. You know, people come and see what you’re working on and it’s really encouraging to students.”

Sponsors and supporters of this year’s Studio 930 included the School of Individualized Study (SOIS), the industrial design department within the College of Art and Design, the College of Engineering Technology, the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, and the Waldron Rise Foundation. Their backing reflects the university’s larger commitment to providing students with hands-on, impactful learning experiences that bridge academic knowledge and real-world application.

Studio 930 not only helps students build their skills but also helps strengthen connections between RIT and the Rochester community. The program’s focus on accessibility and health-driven innovation ensures that the work students produce goes beyond academic exercise and has the potential to improve lives.

As the students packed up their prototypes and reflected on a summer filled with problem-solving, collaboration, and discovery, it was clear that Studio 930 had done more than deliver design solutions. It had sparked creativity, fostered empathy, and reinforced the power of bringing people together to solve meaningful problems.