As a child, I was captivated by the magic in the world around me, from mythical creatures to superheroes. Although those illusions faded with time, I found a new kind of magic in technology. As the eldest son in an immigrant household, I often had to get creative to make toys for me and my sister. Through origami, drawings, and a touch of imagination, I turned random scraps into robots, mechs, and dolls.This childhood spirit of innovation and creativity only grew into ever more convoluted projects as I grew.

This summer, I embarked on a new quest: creating a liquid-lens phoropter. As someone with astigmatism and myopia, I often experienced the inconvenience and cost of routine eye check-ups. When I learned about liquid lens technology, I immediately jumped at the chance to apply it to the phoropter, a bulky device with hundreds of lenses used universally for vision testing despite its inefficiency. With liquid lens technology, the cost could be dramatically reduced, making it more accessible.

My team, composed entirely of freshmen with no faculty advisors and only our savings, faced significant challenges. Despite our limited resources, we set our sights on the grand stage of the Rice360 Global Design Conference. Competing against teams from prestigious universities, many with multiple faculty and graduate advisors, we persevered. After months of research, consulting professors, and scrutinizing the machine with my optometrist, we discovered innovative ways to integrate liquid lens technology into phoropters. Our breakthrough could be produced, marketed, sold, and shipped for just $300, achieving a 90% weight reduction compared to existing models.

However, the most unexpected lesson came from my participation in a summer entrepreneurship program. This program taught me how to transform our prototype into a viable startup. I received mentorship and advice on creating a business model canvas, validating ideas, securing finance, and communicating with manufacturers. I advanced our prototype and learned about gaskets, pressure, exploded views for manufacturing, creating a bill of materials, and engineering tolerance drawings.

The program also emphasized the importance of idea validation. We conducted surveys and interviews to ensure our product met the needs of potential users. This feedback loop was crucial in refining our design and pitch. I learned how to present our project compellingly, highlighting its potential impact and feasibility.

One of the most valuable aspects of the program was the mentorship. Experienced entrepreneurs provided guidance and shared their insights, helping us navigate the challenges of starting a business. Their encouragement and advice were instrumental in building our confidence and determination, and are vital as we now embark on the goal of raising money to bring this product in the hands of those who need it the most.

Although we haven’t yet produced “”sufficiently advanced technology”” to be mistaken for magic, the path toward that technology and its impact is nothing short of magical. Learning the process of bringing an idea to fruition, researching current applications and constraints, and understanding funding and pitching has pushed me toward pursuing engineering. Whether studying math, learning more about liquid lens technology, or performing undergraduate research, I’m doing the same thing I always have: seeking magic.