{"id":60186,"date":"2024-07-16T11:18:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=60186"},"modified":"2024-08-02T19:28:24","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T23:28:24","slug":"tiny-helmet-big-hope-engineering-compassion-for-a-chihuahua-in-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/tiny-helmet-big-hope-engineering-compassion-for-a-chihuahua-in-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Tiny helmet, big hope: Engineering compassion for a Chihuahua in need"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UC

UC Foundation Associate Professor Trevor Elliott and recent UTC graduate Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, to try out 3D-printed helmets for Niblet at Chattanooga’s Humane Educational Society. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

When the call went out seeking assistance for a puppy requiring special care, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga mechanical engineering faculty member Trevor Elliott and recent graduate Connor Mackey were \u201call in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several weeks ago, Elliott\u2014a UC Foundation associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science\u2014received an unusual request from Chattanooga\u2019s Humane Educational Society (HES).<\/p>\n

Niblet, a 2.5-pound Chihuahua puppy, had arrived at the shelter and quickly captured the hearts of the staff with his tiny size and energetic spirit. However, it soon became clear that the dog had a unique medical condition requiring special attention: a soft spot on the top of his head\u2014about one and a half centimeters in diameter\u2014indicating that his skull had not fully fused.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The soft spot and lack of fusion in the skull are usually associated with hydrocephalus, \u201cwhich is water on the brain,\u201d HES Director of Veterinary Services Sarah Callahan explained. The condition can make even the simplest household accidents potentially life-threatening, as \u201cit makes him very susceptible to any kind of injury. Simple things falling around the house could hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recognizing the seriousness of Niblet\u2019s condition, HES animal services officers were determined to find a solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur animal services officers wanted to see the best outcome for him and started brainstorming ideas like, \u2018How could we get the head protected? Do we know anybody who can do us a favor?\u2019 That\u2019s when Dr. Sam brought up the contacts that she had from over at UTC,\u201d Callahan said. \u201cShe made a couple of phone calls, and I want to say later that afternoon, they were scanning the dog\u2019s head for a helmet and coming up with a little prototype.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Sam is Dr. Samantha Blair, a full-time animal services officer with HES and a part-time faculty member at Dalton State College in Georgia.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, Blair participated in a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program hosted by Dr. Bradley Harris, an associate professor and director of the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science\u2019s Chemical Engineering program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we realized that we were going to have to make a cap, I immediately thought of my experiences when I was doing the RET program at UTC,\u201d Blair said, \u201cand I remembered the amazing 3D printing abilities that the graduate students had. I called Bradley Harris, and he immediately put me in touch with Dr. Elliott.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Elliott said, \u2018Yes, we can do this,\u2019 which was amazing\u2014because without this helmet, this dog won\u2019t be able to live. I mean, this is necessary for him to be able to grow up and to continue to have a good life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

The process toward building the protective headgear included scanning Niblet’s head and 3D printing. The 3D scanning was done by Justin Stephens from Volkswagen.<\/p><\/div>\n

After learning about Niblet\u2019s situation, Elliott immediately felt compelled to lend a hand. \u201cAs soon as I saw his cute little face, I said, \u2018We\u2019ve got to help,\u2019\u201d he recalled. So he enlisted the assistance of Mackey, a May graduate who led the 2024 UTC Rocket Mocs team in winning the 3D Printing Award at this spring\u2019s NASA Student Launch competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s interested in 3D printing and he\u2019s very good at it,\u201d Elliott said, \u201cand he was all in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as I saw the email chain, I knew exactly how to do this. I knew I could actually help this dog,\u201d said Mackey, who will begin pursuing a Master of Science: Engineering at UTC this fall.<\/p>\n

Elliott solicited the help of Volkswagen’s Justin Stephens to scan Niblet\u2019s head to get a 3D image. He and Mackey then took different approaches toward creating headgear for Niblet; Mackey\u2019s resembles a football helmet, while Elliott\u2019s is more of a skull cap.<\/p>\n

After multiple iterations, they met with Niblet at HES on Monday, July 15, to fit the now 10-week-old puppy with protective headgear.<\/p>\n

\"Connor

Connor Mackey and Niblet<\/p><\/div>\n

Niblet quickly took to the football helmet design.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just kind of crazy what you can do,\u201d Mackey said. \u201cIt was honestly a very simple process of getting a scan and then modeling around that. It\u2019s really cool that you can save a dog\u2019s life using this kind of manufacturing process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Elliott, \u201cIt was pretty cool to see him walking around with it and knowing that it looks like at least one of our solutions is going to help him on his journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fitting a puppy with protective headgear is \u201cunchartered territory for us,\u201d Callahan said, \u201cso yeah, we\u2019re hopeful for him. We really do think that he\u2019s in the best possible place to have a good outcome and the longest life that he possibly can in a happy home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline Smith, HES director of animal protection services, was quick to praise how quickly everyone rallied in support of Niblet.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes in this line of work, you don\u2019t always get happy endings, so it\u2019s so nice to see everyone come together to help out an animal,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis definitely took a lot of teamwork\u2014starting with Dr. Callahan for letting us run with this idea\u2014and we\u2019re so thankful for UTC that they were willing to step in and help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science<\/a><\/p>\n

Mechanical Engineering<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo gallery by Angela Foster<\/h4>\n
\"From

From left: Humane Educational Society Director of Animal Protection Services Caroline Smith, HES Director of Veterinary Services Sarah Callahan, Dr. Trevor Elliott, Connor Mackey (holding Niblet), HES animal services officers Stephen Nunley, Dr. Samantha Blair and Leigh Stacy.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Trevor <\/a>
Trevor Elliott and Connor Mackey work Monday, July 15, 2024 to try out 3-D printed helmets for a puppy at the Humane Educational Society. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the call came from the Humane Educational Society seeking assistance for a puppy requiring special care, UTC mechanical engineering faculty member Trevor Elliott and recent graduate Connor Mackey were \u201call in.\u201d Niblet, a 2.5-pound Chihuahua puppy, had arrived at the shelter with a soft spot on the top of his head\u2014about one and a half centimeters in diameter\u2014indicating that his skull had not fully fused.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":60190,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12740,70,123864,15,59,3,7712,52,64,48007,8325,661],"tags":[124507,122564,123827,123826,124503,124508,123828,124505,123829,124506,124504,934],"class_list":{"0":"post-60186","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-campus","10":"category-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","11":"category-community","12":"category-faculty-and-staff","13":"category-graduate-school","14":"category-mechanical-engineering","15":"category-news","16":"category-research-academics","17":"category-service","18":"category-students","19":"tag-caroline-smith","20":"tag-connor-mackey","21":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","22":"tag-cultivating-a-culture-of-innovation","23":"tag-humane-educational-society","24":"tag-justin-stephens","25":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","26":"tag-niblet","27":"tag-operating-with-excellence","28":"tag-samantha-blair","29":"tag-sarah-callahan","30":"tag-trevor-elliott","31":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nTiny helmet, big hope: Engineering compassion for a Chihuahua in need | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - 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