Ep 8. Functional Fashion

Design Squad is an entertaining and educational reality TV show on PBS, aimed at viewers aged 10 to 13. In the show, two teams of high school students are challenged to design and build innovative engineering solutions to real-world problems, from creating solar-powered vehicles to developing devices to help people with disabilities. In season 1 episode 8, titled "Functional Fashion," the teams are tasked with creating wearable technology that solves a problem or meets a need.

The episode begins with the Design Squad host, Nate Ball, introducing the challenge to the teams: "We're looking for tech in your threads. Your mission is to create functional fashion that uses technology to help solve a problem or meet a need." The teams are given a $300 budget, 6 hours to design and build their prototypes, and access to a wide variety of high-tech materials and tools, such as conductive thread, sensors, and microcontrollers.

The Red Team decides to focus on creating a jacket that can help people with hearing impairments. They come up with the idea of integrating small microphones and speakers into the jacket, along with a wireless connection to a smartphone app that can transcribe conversations in real-time and display them on the user's phone. The team works on building the circuitry for the jacket, testing different microphones and speakers, and coding the app to enable transcription and translation in multiple languages.

Meanwhile, the Blue Team chooses to tackle the problem of food waste. They want to create a smart apron that can help users better manage their food inventory and reduce waste by tracking expiration dates, suggesting recipes based on available ingredients, and even ordering groceries when supplies run low. The team brainstorms different sensor and display options, such as RFID tags, LED lights, and e-ink displays, and works on fitting them into the apron design.

As the teams work, they face various setbacks and challenges, such as technical difficulties with the circuitry, communication issues within the team, and time constraints. However, they also show determination, creativity, and collaboration, as they come up with innovative solutions and help each other out.

Finally, both teams present their prototypes to a panel of judges, comprised of experts in engineering, design, and fashion. The judges provide feedback on the functionality, creativity, and marketability of each prototype, and ask questions about the design choices and technical aspects. The teams explain their thought processes, demonstrate their prototypes, and showcase the potential benefits of their products.

In the end, the judges announce the winning team, based on the criteria of problem-solving, innovation, and teamwork. The winning team gets bragging rights, a trophy, and a sense of accomplishment for successfully harnessing the power of technology and fashion to make the world a better place.

Overall, Design Squad season 1 episode 8 is a fun and informative episode that highlights the intersection of engineering and fashion, and encourages young viewers to think critically and creatively about how technology can improve our lives.