Students were introduced to the lab where they will work on their capstone projects. They submitted their preferences for projects and were assigned to teams. In their first visit to the lab, students were impressed by the equipment and excited to start their projects, though some felt the lab lacked space and tools. They will have 24/7 access starting the next day. Students continued refining their understanding of defining problems and the innovation process through discussions of their assigned projects.

1. In the most anticipated day
yet of Innovation Workshop
2013, students were
introduced to their MIT lab
room where they will work on
their capstone Gordon projects.
Students were introduced to the
list of innovation projects,
submitted their preferences and
then given their assignments.
Day 7 Private Newsletter for MIT Skoltech Innovation Workshop 2013
Aug. 13, 2013
See additional photos from Day 7
Student Surveys
Was anything presented today confusing or unclear?
If so, what was the single muddiest point in the day?
 The muddiest point was you, Luis, in discussing
with us the use of lasers in depilation. Did we really
have to lose a half-hour on this and then not be on
schedule?
 We started matching technological characteristics
of the product to user requests, but we interrupted
this discussion soon. I'd love to finish it one day.
What is the first thing that comes to mind from what
you heard in lectures today?
 A mirror in the elevator. Lateral thinking is
powerful.
 I really liked the Bokode idea (not surprisingly
though, it came from Media Lab).
 Gantt charts. In the use of some tools to systemize
the work process, it seems to me that all these
diagrams aren't to guide us, but simply to show our
progress to make a boss happy.
After today's presentations, do you have any
additional thoughts, comments, questions, or
concerns that you would like to share with us?
 I was happy with the multiple-rounds game, but the
rounds weren’t separated from each other by breaks
for discussion.
 I don't see why Luis puts so much stuff on slides.
Not only does it make them unreadable, but also no
one is able to take away all the info. Three lines of
text on a slide are optimal.
What was your first reaction when you walked into the
lab today?
 Really awesome lab! I'm gonna move in the lab and
live there. I love it and I have no idea how to express
that in words. The lab is everything I would ever
want to tinker with.
 For additional student comments on the lab, see Page
3.
Student Reports
 Andrii Omelianovych: After spending one
week at MIT, I have almost got my head around
what’s going on at the workshop. The
understanding of the process of technology
transferring into a commercial product doesn’t
appear as straightforward as one may think.
The important steps and key concepts seem to
be quite clear, but they don’t seem to add up to
a complete understanding of how it actually
happens. I hope to gain the confidence in this
regard with further lectures and the final
project.
 It’s surprising how clear the formulation of a
problem and the success in solving it can make
people go far beyond their initial intent.
 Among the learning outcomes of today, I’d
choose three which seem to be the most
important: technology transfer from invention
stage to adoption stage; quick perception of
large amounts of information; and project
planning (or engineering).
It all seems to form a complete picture in my
head, showing different sides of
entrepreneurial activities in the way I would
imagine them. Today was much more intense,
and so the outcomes were more profound. I
truly hope to surprise myself after the final
project.
 Ksenia Myacheva: It was really challenging
for me to put my project choices into order
because each project had its own advantages
and disadvantages. I decided not only to list
projects aimed at Biomedical cluster (it exists.
Thank you, Luis!), but also to include projects
which are not directly connected to Bio so that
I can learn something absolutely new.
In my opinion, the discussions of the projects
among groups of students were really helpful
because they let us to get into the projects
better by listening to those students who
understood them better.

2. Page 2
Daily Syllabus
Themes and activities:
• Quick Success : Where they Fit,
Technology Problem Impact system.
 Kick-start: Luis Perez-Breva
 Quick Successes and Where They Fit: Luis
Perez-Breva
 "Capstone Projects in context: On Problems
Technologies and Impact: Luis Perez­Breva
 Project Selection Exercise Lunch: Luis
Perez­Breva
 Meet your Team
 Gordon Engineering Leadership Module Project
Planning
 "Welcome to Innovation Prototyping Lab and
Glue Lecture: Luis Perez-Breva
Preparations, Captured Moments
 Katey: We finished setting up the lab. It
includes, Lab setup: sign, furniture, showcase,
Brain Trust and each cubicle; Policy: lab, mentor
and ordering; Project Setup: problem write-up,
impact, kits, primer, website.
Starting Wednesday, students will have 24/7
access to the lab. Team needs to keep track of
inventory and be responsible for students' safety.
 Ozz: The lab looks great. Seems that the TA's had
a good idea of what Luis wanted and could work
autonomously.
- Apparently people are tired of pizza.
- Need to remember to explain the process to
everyone beforehand. (especially TA's).
- Luis needs to fix spreadsheet bugs, but
otherwise the picks seemed to go smoothly
compared to last year.
 Bryan: We spent 2:30-4:30 p.m. preparing the
lab for showing. The setup process probably only
took a half- hour since things were already ready
to go. On the tables were examples of all of the
toys and tools available and some examples such
as arduinos with sensors and lights, sounds and
servos, microfluidics with pretty colors, working
examples from the previous year, raspberry pi
and camera, 3D printing running, Roomba and a
robot car running around, and a demonstration
of software.
- Everything we needed for the showcase was in
place the night before so that the day-of was just
setting up.
- The capstone project selection process could
have been more clear.
Course Design
 Students were introduced to the Innovations
Workshop 2013 lab room and given their
capstone project assignments.
 Students were introduced to the projects with a
document that explained all of them. They
submitted their preferences and were then
assigned to their projects.
 Students were assigned to teams and allowed
to change their preferences. They were able to
meet with the people in their second choice and
then change one last time before being told
which team they would be on.
 In glue lecture, Prof. Perez-Breva tells students
they can gain innovative results using everyday
parts instead of having to invent what is needed.
 Video presentation includes past innovators
such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Apple co-
founder Steve Wozniak.
TA Comments
 Katey on students’ first trip to the lab:
Students were very impressed and couldn't
wait to start to tinker. Luis showed them a
bunch of inventor examples (for example,
Apple). Students got to stay after the glue
lecture to "play" in the lab and most of them
didn't want to leave.
 Bryan: The morning lecture was informative,
talking about defining problems and looking
for impact. I don’t think most of the students
still get it based on the questions they ask, but
I also think the projects will help solidify this.
The students were engaged in the project
selection portion, but lost it a little at the end.
The glue lecture was inspiring with the videos.
Overall it didn’t look like most of the students
were that excited, but when I asked them, they
responded very positively.

3. Page 3
Student Feedback on Workshop Lab
 I was disappointed at first because the lab looks pretty much the same as other labs at the MIT. In my
understanding the lab should look like a place with shelves (not tables), machines, apparatus, tools, should have a
specific smell, and should have something ancient. Our lab looks like a workshop. But it doesn't matter. The most
important thing is what I am planning to create there. I hope it'll be awesome.
 First reaction was: OMG! THIS IS OUR LAB! But when I saw the small booths for each team and lack of equipment,
my first reaction changed really quickly to the opposite one. This doesn't looks like a lab at all! It looks like a
classroom. Lab is a space, where we can mess with things. And what did we see? Chairs! No, I'm not saying that we
don't need chairs, but workshop is about working, not about sitting on chairs. Well, I don't know exactly how this
lab is going to be used. I probably have the wrong expectations about it and this particular lab will meet all our
needs. Anyways, thank you guys, who made this possible, this is really cool and I appreciate it!
 I was amazed by all of the equipment of the laboratory. I`m thinking about how to use all this stuff.
 1. It is really cool to have different stuff for student activities. 2. Actually, the stuff is actually like toys and I think
that what you expected from us are not –so-hard projects and those are ones that we definitely can do until the end
of the workshop.
 I am really excited by the variety of components for tinkering. I've never worked with a 3D printer and want badly
to start as soon as possible. There is a bunch of great biotech devices, too, which I have yet to understand. It's also
great that our team is so multidisciplinary. Each and every one can teach the others something.
 I was delighted and got that feeling like a crazy scientist and butterflies in my stomach. Can't wait to start it!
Rapporteur Workshop Notes: Bryan
 Dr. Perez-Breva tells the students that they need to be thorough and rigorous, not kick the tires of everything –
challenge everything with hypotheticals. Engineers are smart and should not waste their time challenging the
smarts of others. This goes back to the three high level learning objectives – Expertise is not denial. Change “no it
can’t be done” to “let’s get started.”
 Survey responses about thinking of technologies:
- Day 2: 26/32 responded, 6 copied the professor, 10 said “Yes”, 10 came up with problems. Most of the responses
are solution, not problems!
- Day 3: 20/21 responded, 5 copied the professor, 9 said “Yes”, 6 came up with problems.
- Day 5: 19/19 responded, 8 copied the professor, 4 said “Yes”, 7 came up with problems
- Day 6: 6/6 responded, 2 copied the professor, 1 said “Yes”, 3 came up with problems.
 Dr. Perez-Breva addressed the issue of problems vs. solutions. Problems are things that lead you to more
discussion and iterations and lead to solutions. Solutions are not problems. You know it is a problem if a solution
can specifically answer what it is.
 The questions are getting better and more specific. Class is more of a discussion interested in learning. The first
week was more argumentative and skeptical and unwilling.
 Students seems bring up little assumptions to pass judgments quickly, putting unneeded constraints on the
project and limiting what they can do. They have a hard time coping with uncertainty, but the class feels more
relaxed today.
 Impressed by the discussions students had about their projects. Almost everyone was participating in the
discussions, but they still had a hard time with defining problems.
 Students were into the discussion, but had a lot of questions of the type that Luis does not like (what kind of stuff
will we be given or how are we supposed to do this).
 Several were not happy with their assignments, which may have been from a hiccup in the Excel sheet.