Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation
The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation is UC Berkeley’s interdisciplinary hub for learning and making at the intersection of design and technology. From its home in the College of Engineering, its reach extends across campus and offers a nexus where engineers, artists and makers of all kinds can gather and collaborate. Here, technological breakthroughs build upon Berkeley’s deep academic strengths and consistent focus on social good, uniquely equipping students to tackle the pressing challenges of today and tomorrow. In a space designed to mix students of different disciplines, expertise levels and modes of engagement, there are unlimited opportunities for hands-on, team-based learning.
Did you know?
- 8,000 square feet of makerspace gives access to a wide range of cutting-edge prototyping and fabrication equipment, including 3D printers, laser-cutters, welding, water-jet cutting, sewing machines and more.
- In spring 2021, Jacobs Institute launched the University of California’s only Master of Design (Berkeley MDes), a professional degree program in design for emerging technologies.
- Since the inception of the Innovation Catalyst Grant program, 127 projects and over 300 students have been supported. In 2021, three Master of Design students won a Core77 Design Award for Limb-O2, a multipatient attachment for medical ventilators.
in Design Innovation, spring 2023
Marissa Lumpkin
B.A.’26, ME minor
Where empathy and engineering meet
In a new course, Augmenting Human Dexterity, students from mechanical engineering and bioengineering use human-centered design to envision a novel solution and prototype a piece of assistive technology for a community member with a disability, focusing on upper-limb mobility or dexterity. In the process, they learn advanced theory, including biomechanics of human manipulation, tactile sensing and haptics, and actuation and mechanism robustness, while also developing their empathy and ability to design a device that truly meets an individual’s particular need.
Diverse perspectives spur innovation
In another new course, Robotic Fabrication, students from engineering and architecture collaborate to explore the possibilities of robotic manufacturing — including integration with other emerging technologies such as AR/VR, 3D scanning and data-driven 3D printing. These teams envision a novel workflow for smart fabrication and human-robot interaction that could fundamentally change how we are going to produce, assemble and operate products and buildings in the future. The resulting products demonstrate the incredible creativity and innovation that result from cutting-edge technologies and faculty mentorship.
