3 in 1

For those of you who forgot, Jacob is working with a group to help alleviate poverty for his graduate degree. His thesis is researching and developing something called collaborative products. Basically it's taking a couple of products that can be used separately and then combining them to make an entirely different item. For example, sometimes a large plastic spoon and a fork are put together to make salad tongs!
Anyway last summer he invented a block plane that when you re-adjust some of the components it turns into a chisel and a sanding block. Thus, those who need tools for their livelihood but don't have enough money to buy them all, can have three tools for the price of one.

The professor Jacob is working with just got back from Africa to demonstrate a well drill made in one of his professor's class, but he also took Jacob's block plane. He showed it to this guy, who LOVED it! He figured out it was three tools and knew how to utilize all three tools. They didn't have great communication, so they couldn't really communicate too well with him, but he kept saying, "It's 3 in 1!"


I'm so proud of Jacob. It's exciting to see something that he designed being loved in another part of the world! I know that he will do great things in the future. What can I say, he's amazing!