Friday, March 18, 2005
Zach Koenig, Plymouth, Minn., senior, jokes around during a break in his “Industrial Design IV” studio class. The class has been making designs for new fishing devices, some of which hang on the walls in front of Koenig. Students will present their designs at the beginning of April.
Industrial design students have a challenge: Create a fishing product to attract young people to the sport that costs less than $20 to buy.
For some of the students, there’s another problem: They’re vegetarian.
“It’s kind of strange thinking up different ways to kill living things,” Ben Thompson, Ottawa senior, said.
Moral dilemmas aside, Thompson and Sean McCue, Roeland Park senior and a vegetarian, worked on creating a product aimed at the youth market for Zebco, a Claremore, Okla., fishing gear company for his “Industrial Design IV” studio class.
Instead of focusing his product on catching fish, McCue made a product to help anglers cast better and would be a game for children.
His product would be bright and colorful cartoon-like targets of ducks, fish and frogs that could float.
The user throws the target out and tries to catch them with the fishing rod. This practice helps the angler’s aim and casting technique, McCue said.
McCue plans on making the targets biodegradable in case they float too far away to be retrieved.
“Fishermen are wanting to preserve this kind of hobby,” McCue said. The targets won’t harm the lake, McCue said.
Thompson created a bobber — a plastic float attached to the fishing line to keep bait at a certain depth — that keeps the hook next to the bobber until it hits water.
This prevents the hook from being caught in the angler’s skin or clothes when casting, Thompson said.
Before designing, students split into research groups to study Zebco’s competition, why or why not people fish and fishing technology.
This research helped the students get a better grasp of the sport because most of the students haven’t fished for a long time, said David Starr, adjunct professor of industrial design.
Bryce Ludwig, Olathe senior, is developing a reel with a digital screen that shows how much line the user casts and other statistics, aimed at keeping children 12 to 16 years old from being bored while fishing.
The reel will give the fisher something to do while waiting for a fish to bite, Ludwig said.
Students are developing their designs from a variety of methods including sketches, three-dimensional rendering software and clay models.
Students will present their prototypes to Zebco representatives April 11.
The assignment gives Zebco an untainted look at fishing from a younger generation, said Marde Burke, manager of industrial design for Zebco.
Three of the designs will be selected to get an interview for a summer internship with Zebco, and a fishing trip to Lake Texoma in Oklahoma, Burke said.
Thompson said he would pass on the fishing trip.
“I would ask for the cash equivalent,” the vegetarian said. “Maybe I could sell it on eBay.”
Edited by Jesse Truesdale
Fishing not so leisure after all
Neighboring states of Kansas have made jug fishing legal and blogs on ...
Professor receives Grammy nomination
Koenig, a professor in the department of music and dance, stacks up ...
Student group focuses on animal rights
Compassion for All Animals, or CAA, works to raise awareness of the ...
Department of theater and film splits
Theater, film and media studies will be separate with new School of ...
Students turn to vegetarianism
Young people are increasingly deciding to not eat meat, many of them ...
McConnell: Fish-eaters should stay alert
Is that salmon on your plate a delicious menu item, or an ...
Students start business venture
The Silver-Gerald Show Chair, or May Chair, won two students $7,200. Now ...
Gross: Vegetarian diets don't limit athletic excellence
Some world-class athletes succeed with vegetarian diets.
Students can try hip-hop class for free
The recreation center is offering a new dance class that will be ...
Studio completes trailhead project
Student-constructed structure complements overlook deck northeast of Lawrence.
The art of making money
Even with the economy in turmoil, KU students prove there’s still a ...
Kansas City family to receive final product
Graduate architecture course recognized
Graduate Design Studio VII will receive an Education Honor Award from American ...
Students sacrifice sleep for perfect floats
Float builders strive for originality
The designs of a Carpenter
Young KU professor is an expert in an ever-changing world.
Fishing a fulfilling, inexpensive hobby
State parks are trying to promote an interest in fishing among children ...
Crappies abundant in lake
Student architects’ project wins award
Trail shelter built by third-year architecture students wins prize from American Institute ...
Johnson County stigma doesn’t always stick
Students from Johnson County make up 41 percent of the University’s population. ...
“The Real World” comes to KC to ...
For it’s new season of “The Real World”, MTV chose downtown KC ...
Rumors are wrong; ‘Jocasta’ clothes stay on
Tomorrow's news
Knife hooks
From film to folklore, awards help students ...
Undergraduate research awards, ranging from $750 to $2,000, went to student projects ...
Learning how to survive
Over the weekend, Air Force ROTC cadets from the University learned basic ...
Overworked students' dangerous race against time
Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...
Reporter recalls writer’s visit
Students create musical recording for national promotion
Musicians and singers at the University recorded the soundtrack to ‘The Girl, ...
Fitness options abound for the summer
Anyone looking to get or stay fit during the summer have plenty ...
Professor helps plan eco-city building
Innovative design of self-sustaining building makes way-finding an important study.
Student Recreation Fitness Center addition to open ...
The add-on will feature a virtual golf simulator, martial arts studio, four ...
Students work to finish innovative house
Architecture students are wrapping up construction on a state of the art ...
Department of theatre diversifies
A new student organization will address the issue of race in its ...
Students inspired by museum exhibit
Graphic design class puts their own spin on advocacy posters.
Students test space invention in zero gravity
KU engineering students experienced zero gravity on a "Weightless Wonder" aircraft. The ...
Who's cooking in Lawrence
Four chefs at downtown restaurants tell what it takes to survive in ...
Oil spill could change dining options
Some Lawrence businesses anticipate lower supply and higher prices for seafood.
Art and Design building evacuated
The Art and Design building was evacuated Monday afternoon after smoke alarms ...
Idealistic design a hope for future
Topeka junior Natalie Bonebrake worked with Shane Ball to create an environmentally ...
Slugger in the spotlight
Junior third baseman Tony Thompson leads by example.
Clinton Lake fishing report
Fishing conditions from Clinton Reservoir.
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID