Educational Multiplayer Outlet (EMO); The Hidden Cost of Cutting Costs: How Corporate Shortcuts Undermine Consumer Trust and Safety

Technical Project Abstract My technical project primarily focuses on creating the Educational Multiplayer Outlet (EMO), a two-player educational game console designed to help 3rd graders improve their reading skills and social interactions. Many students who started school during the COVID-19 pandemic missed out on in-person learning, which affected their communication and teamwork skills. EMO is meant to bridge that gap. The console is powered by a Raspberry Pi 4 and uses two plug-in controllers. It plays a story-based game coded in Lua with the Pico-8 platform, where players answer reading comprehension questions that match Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs). The storyline is a fun twist on the classic "Three Little Pigs" tale, keeping kids engaged while practicing their reading skills. The console is built with safety and kid-friendly design in mind, using smooth wood and 3D-printed plastic parts. EMO isn’t just another game console—it’s made to help students build teamwork, communication, and academic skills all at once. By making the learning experience interactive and fun, EMO aims to help students who might have fallen behind socially and academically during the pandemic catch up and feel more confident in group settings. STS Project Abstract My STS research project looks at how companies' choices to cut costs can lead to serious safety problems and break consumer trust. I focus on three case studies: Mattel’s 2007 lead paint recall, the Takata airbag scandal, and the Chinese drywall crisis. In each case, companies tried to save money by outsourcing manufacturing or skipping important safety checks, which ended up hurting people and damaging their reputations. I use Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to study how different actors—companies, suppliers, governments, even materials—interacted and where the breakdowns happened. For example, Mattel trusted its long-time suppliers too much and didn’t check the safety of its toys, leading to a huge recall and public backlash. Takata, on the other hand, covered up problems with their airbags for years, which ended in deaths, lawsuits, and the company going bankrupt. The drywall case showed how weak global regulation made it almost impossible for American homeowners to get justice when imported materials damaged their homes. These stories show that when businesses focus too much on saving money, they often overlook important safety steps. My research highlights the need for stronger global rules and more accountability so companies are pushed to prioritize safety over profits.