Mr Ronian Siew, employee of Qioptiq, came to Hwa Chong Institution and gave us a talk on optics and lenses. First of all he refreshed our memories by re-visiting some of the basic laws of optics and lenses with us. Then, he left us to develop a product, which can be attached to a cell phone, that help a dentist to examine an actual human mouth.
We used 2 lenses and a metallic tube to construct our 'magnifying glass'. It has a dual magnification function, allowing one to view an entire picture and the small details, in close range with the object of course, simultaneously. If the object distance is greater than 5 cm, the second lens will project an inverted image while the first lens would project an upright image, allowing the user to view the upright and inverted image of an object at the same time --- interesting right?
Throughout this course, we relied on nothing but our own intuitivity and creativity. Basically, we had the fun of our lives. Perhaps that is when the greatest ideas are born, when the greatest products are imagined and concretised. And at the same time, I learned that as a designer or a manufacturer, I have to view things from the customers' perspective. Basically, I have to imagine myself as the customer and try to imagine a perfect product for myself. It generally felt weird because the customer is dictating the nature of the product, and not the manufacturer! Well, perhaps in the corporate world, customers are viewed as masters and the companies as servants.
I have really benefited from this course because I have tasted what it is like to be creative. At the same time, I have experienced the primary stages of product development: the frustration, the brain-storming, and most importantly, the fun! Thank you Mr Siew for making this workshop enriching yet fun, and we wish you and Qioptiq good luck in your future endeavors!
