Give a professor a projector screen that won’t stay down, and a frustrating academic experience ensues. Dr. Vincent Betro knew the way to solve the problem: he encouraged a group of University Honors students to create a device to effectively secure the flipping screens in the Engineering, Math, and Computer Science Building.
In their final report, Hannah Lazar, Samantha Marciniak, Dacey Fisher, Sarah Gardner explained they used a “250 pound pull steel magnet, three industrial strength eye bolts and a lightweight carabineer. There is also a 6” nylon handle, which has been braided for extra strength and the edges burnt. Last, there are felt strips attached to the board-side of the magnet, which were attached with craft glue.”
The magnet attaches to the white board beneath the projector screen, allowing the screen to be raised at varying heights.
Though the project was completed for an engineering class, none of these University Honors Students are engineering majors—Fisher’s major is exercise science, pre-professional; Marciniak and Lazar are both sociology majors; Gardner majors in business, entrepreneurship.
For less than $20, the four students came up with this cost efficient solution.
“This device adheres to the board and the felt strips do not damage the board,” said Fisher.
The group concluded, “The device adequately holds the screen down, due to the strength of the magnet…Furthermore, the device is cheaply made and easily produced, and is likely to be extremely durable for many years.”
