A break for university students : A lecturer and his students at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica in St Andrew believe they have found the perfect solution to address crammed living spaces in the university

BY INGRID BROWN Associate Editor - Special Assignment browni@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, March 08, 2015    

A lecturer and his students at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica in St Andrew believe they have found the perfect solution to address crammed living spaces in the university community through the invention of a multi-purpose bed which also doubles as a table and display area.

Dean Reid (left), UTech lecturer in the Industrial Technology Department,
 and his students (from second left) Jevonne Simpson, Marlo McIntosh,
 Montel Thaxter, Starate Cameron, and Kevin Beckford.

The team is currently looking at ways to add a chest of drawers to the design which would see students not requiring to have anything else in their dorms or small rented rooms.

Dean Reid, lecturer in

the Industrial Technology Department, said the invention has great commercial potential.

"We believe we have created the solution that can help boarders -- and this is an idea that can be published all over in every university environment -- and so it has great commercial potential," Reid said as he gave the Jamaica Observer a preview of the item which will be on display at the university's Research and Technology Day on

March 12.

According to Reid, the idea for the multi-purpose bed was conceptualised by the students in their science and technology seminars which required them to come up with solutions for problems existing in the society. He noted that while he gave them basic guidance, they were the ones who did most of the work. more