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EEUM invests ergonomic and sustainable picks Back

Monday, 4/30/2018   
Marspicks
The Marspicks project counts on the collaboration of the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC) and the Pole for Innovation in Polymer Engineering (PIEP), the interface unit of the University of Minho (UMinho).
Producing picks for string instruments is one of the main objectives of the Marspicks project, which is being developed by a team of five researchers from the School of Engineering of the University of Minho (EEUM). These picks are produced of various polymers with different types of rigidity and flexibility, depending on the type of musical instrument, but with a competitive advantage: the ergonomic component. “In addition to having a format that does not slip from the users’ fingers, the picks can be produced with mixtures of polymers, tailoring rigidity/flexibility to the instrument and user characteristics”, Fernando Duarte, coordinator of the project and Assistant Professor from the Department of Polymer Engineering of the EEUM, clarified.

The picks that currently exist on the market gather various flexibilities with different thicknesses, but the Marspicks ensures that users can buy this product always with the same thickness, in order to maintain the ergonomic characteristics, which is only possible if different types and mixtures of polymers are used in the design of the picks. “This project is innovative because the picks have a central positioning system, where we have created a different design from the current picks that exist in the market. We believe that this will be a product of success also by these differentiating characteristics”, Mário Nadais, one of the researchers of the project, explained.

Combining research with the practical application of the project, researchers foresee – in the short term – to replace existing polymers with biopolymers obtained from renewable sources, with the aim and the advantage of obtaining a sustainable product, while minimising the environmental concerns that are present at the end of the useful life of the picks. “The Marspicks is the evidence that the ideas developed during the academic path of the EEUM’s students can be put into practice and result in real projects”, Fernando Duarte reinforced.

The Marspicks has two years of duration – 2016 to 2018 –, and counts on a funding of five thousand euros from the IPC, one of the EEUM research centres.

+ info: http://www.ipc.uminho.pt/
Marspicks