CHRISTIAN AAGE LUNDSGAARD - 8/1/2015
Draft Design -- Evaluation and Recommendations
The purpose of this report is to evaluate two designs against Life´s Principles, and provide feedback as to how the designs meet these principles as well as suggest design improvements.
1. EZ-Pack Sacks, by Katie Newton
The purpose of this report is to evaluate two designs against Life´s Principles, and provide feedback as to how the designs meet these principles as well as suggest design improvements.
1. EZ-Pack Sacks, by Katie Newton
The EZ-Sack Pack is being designed for children in developing countries. The goal is to help these children reach their academic milestones and thereby helping them to a better life. The functions performed are listed to the left. The key elements of the design to meet these functions are: - Symmetrical design - Weight distribution inside main compartment - Multi-adjustable wings (top and bottom) - Extra symmetrical carabiners for optional further distribution of weight - Aesthetic inspiration from butterflies in the visual design |
EVALUATION - Life adapts and Evolves _________________________________________________ "+" indicates a point where the design meets the principle "-" indicates a suggested design improvement to meet the principles to a higher degree _________________________________________________ Locally Attuned and Responsive (runs on information) +The adjustability of straps + The flexibility of the main compartment - Solar powered cooling compartment for food - Cooling element or air gap in back area to prevent sweat and dehydration - Add water bladder Integrates Cyclic Processes + Sack is reused every school year - Create take-back programme to refurbish and reuse products - Add water bladder that is filled every morning Resilient + The load distribution internally reduces wear and makes this sack last longer + The adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt allows the user to grow, to change and he/she will use the product longer - Cleanability could be a feature to add. If the sack can be cleaned completely, chances are it will remain in use for a longer time Redundant + The many adjustments + The added carabiners (another way of carrying is added) - Add water bottle holder AND bladder system Decentralized and Distributed + The distributed weight in the main compartment + The weight - Create a distribution programme in the market (at school!) where kids can return and have their bags refurbished, cleaned, exchanged, etc. for a new school year. Diverse + The color schemes inspired by butterflies - Add boy and girl version - Add different bags for smaller and older kids Cross Pollination and Mutation + - Have schools design their own color pattern - Make the visual design of the bag an integrated part of their school curriculum - They can design bags for a neighboring school Feedback loops + - Include a thermometer and temperature (in bag and outside of bag) - Include a step counter (how many steps to school?) - Include a weight (how much am I carrying?) Learns and Imitates - The straps are adjusted to the user and stay in that position - Information on what designs have been made by the children in different regions could be gathered and used for future products for that region Antennae, Signal and Response + - GPS trackers in bags could be used by school (especially if the walk to school is long and/or dangerous) - Feedback signal when the cooler is above a certain temperature Free Energy + Using the butterfly´s color creation - Solar power to cool food and person - Wind: some bags create a shadowy area between the person and the back of the bag to ventilate the back Resourceful and Opportunistic + - Local production sites of the bag can be set up in the villages to create jobs (and keep kids in school) - Use leftover discarded tents from more developed countries for raw material Simple Common Building Blocks + The design is simple but beautiful + The same material used throughout in different shapes + The same ways of adjusting used throughout - Larger used pieces of fabric from an old bag, can be cut to a smaller size and reused somewhere else on the bag Shape Rather than Material +The central compartment is just the right size + The wings offer support only where needed + The straps are thin but strong - If including solar panel this should be included into part of the bag already there - Some pockets or dividers could be just straps rather than full "walls" Cellular and nested + The adjustments can be made many different places - The straps could all be identical and replaceable with each other - The wings: the same | EVALUATION - Life Creates Conditions Conducive to Life _________________________________________________ "+" indicates a point where the design meets the principle "-" indicates a suggested design improvement to meet the principles to a higher degree _________________________________________________ Optimizing Rather than Maximizing + Dividers create lots of storage space without a massive volume + Wings create support effectively, instead of "padding" the whole strap - Easily have your bag fixed at school or local shop rather than a bag that lasts 20 years - Use the bag for carrying food as well after school Leveraging Interdependence + The dependence between the bag, the child, the education, the future, the region is a strong foundation for this product - Connect this with producing the bag locally and repair/refurbish locally and design locally (in school) Using Benign Manufacturing + - Use recycled tents and bags - Sow and stitch locally using solar for power - Make product cleanable using only water Using Multi-Functional Designs + The shoulder strap also holds a compartment - The sack could be used for other tasks as well: - Carrying and cooling of food - Transportation of water Fitting Form to Function + The form appears to be very well thought through + The form follows the curves of a human body but can be adjusted (only) where necessary + The divided compartment organizes contents nicely - The "Adapting to environmental conditions" function could be met even more: - Include sun barrier for person - Ventilation between back and bag - Shaded compartments for food Recycling all materials + - Through local repair shops as previously mentioned - Through (safe) disassembly and cleaning of used bags to be re stitched to new designs Fostering Cooperative Relationsships + Again: the relationship between bag, child, school, future, region - Relationships can be created between bag, child, local production site, local repair shop - Relationship between schools designing bags for each other - Relationship with the industrialized world donating their used tents and bags to the organisation Self-Organizing + The layout of the compartment - The material for the bag could be "self-cleaning" or very easy to keep clean Using Life Friendly Materials + Creating colors using structure - Recycled tents are probably not life friendly, but they already exist, and if the can be reused over and over in a circular sack production it might make sense. Using Water Based Chemistry + - Cleaning of the fabrics should be done without dangerous chemicals - Coloring without dyes. Either integrate structural color as suggested or simply use the colors of the recycled raw material available Using Self Assembly + - The children could even build the back packs themselves - Local shops set up to produce using local energy |
Here is a sketch of some of the ideas that evolved from the evaluation.
2. Torpedotron by Ben Marquardt
EVALUATE – Life adapts and Evolves _________________________________________________ "+" indicates a point where the design meets the principle "-" indicates a suggested design improvement to meet the principles to a higher degree _________________________________________________ Locally Attuned and Responsive + The product runs on local energy + The product runs in changing conditions (low/high pressure, temperature) - The product could have a dial or similar to adjust how much energy it generates. For places with low pressure, the resistance in the product could be turned down to still allow sufficient flow Integrates Cyclic Processes + The energy gathered charges the battery – stops charging – uses the energy stored in the battery – and recharges the battery - Create a take back / service program to refurbish and service worn products and give them back to users Resilient + The product is designed to fit standard fittings and normal plumbing parts, allowing easy service by any plumber - The product should be designed so that it works immediately after a water outage - The battery and charging settings should be set up to maximize battery life (let battery run empty and charge fully. Maybe this requires more than one battery, to always have one that is operable) - Change of battery should be possible by user or normal plumber Redundant + Energy directly from generator or from battery - Sell the product in kits with more than one power outlet - An option could be to connect it closer to the water main for higher power, but with bigger battery and more outlets Decentralized and Distributed + This is a very decentralized energy source - The energy could be distributed even more: kitchen sink, wash room sink etc. Diverse + The product fits a wide variety of installations + Apply the product to more applications: car, boat, kitchen, office - Make a wind driven variant Cross Pollination and Mutation + - Offer the product as a kit in parts and allow plumbers to create their own versions and have them document and share their result at an online site or at a local service shop or hardware store Feedback Loops + Automatic shut off charging - Water flow meter could be included - “Power saved” meter could be included - Feedback when discs become filled with calcium or other deposits Learns and imitates + The product fits in its local environment due to its many installation options - An app could log information about the power consumption through the product, and make recommendations like “get a bigger battery”, “Get a back up battery”, change battery etc. - The relationship between water flow and electrical energy could be measured and report to the user in an “efficiency index” informing the user of when to replace the product or clean the discs or other maintenance. Antennae, Signal and Response + The product plugs itself in and out of the circuit when needed - Equip system with a transmitter that sends information to an app on a device - The app would give the user information about the power saved and how to get the most out of the system. It would also make suggestions for improvements like: one installation has power surplus, another is closer to the limit, so reorganize the appliances that use the power or reorganize the batteries. Free energy + This product uses free energy (although water is not supplied for free.) + The product uses the gravitational energy stored in the water and this energy is already there. But looking at the bigger picture, this energy was put there using pumps so it is not really free, but it is available in today’s water supply network. + Looking at the product at the right scale, however, the energy IS there and often the pressure of the water coming out of the faucet is far greater than needed, so there is energy available - How about connecting it to a rain water pipe instead, that would truly be free energy! - Another option could be connecting to toilets flushing Resourceful and Opportunistic + This product is very opportunistic. It utilizes a set up most households in the world already have installed + It creates energy using what is already there + It uses parts and technologies that already exist in the market - The opportunistic element could be expanded to kitchen, rain pipe, toilets etc. - Maybe it would be more resourceful to have one system on the water main that charged a bigger battery? Simple Common Building Blocks + Yes, it uses standard building blocks, that allow it to be service by any skilled plumber out there + The product uses water, water pipes, which are very common in our modern households - An option could be to make the battery more common: USB port for phones and laptops, - The battery could be modules that connect to each other (like conventional batteries). Your storage capacity depends on how many battery modules you plug in. Shape rather than material + The discs are thin and light + The product is mounted behind a wall that is there anyway + No material is needed for creating a nice visual cover - The battery and generator could also be stored behind the wall (with access door), this would save having to provide them with a nice looking cover Cellular and Nested + Power from the generator OR the battery + Having multiple discs would allow power generation to continue, even if one disc fails + Having these device built in at every sink in the house with a small power outlet by each is a good example of cellular and nested energy - The batteries of all devices in the house could be connected to increase the efficiency. If all devices charged and all the energy was used, the benefit of the product would be greater ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did not include an design sketch for the Torpedotron, since most of my suggestions relates to other application for the product, the setup of a service and take-back shop, and a few thoughts on materials. End of report. Christian Aage Lundsgaard 8/1/2015 | EVALUATE - Life Creates Conditions Conducive to Life ____________________________________________ "+" indicates a point where the design meets the principle "-" indicates a suggested design improvement to meet the principles to a higher degree _____________________________________________ Optimizing Rather Than Maximizing + The product does not need to maximize electricity generation, but just enough to power a few devices - Having small modular batteries that can be combined could be beneficial. Just the right amount of battery capacity for the appliance. Leveraging Interdependence + There is interdependence between the water flow, the use of water by the user, the use of the appliances by the user - Applying a similar product to waste water would further be leveraging interdependence - Sharing the electrical energy collected across the house between different rooms or users would also be a good step in that direction Using Benign Manufacturing + Copper pipes - If the unit could be produced using standard plumbing parts that already exist it might be possible to utilize scrap parts for some components (old water pipes) - The discs could be biodegradable Using Multi-Functional Design + Capturing energy + Storing energy + Powering devices - Extra low power consuming features could be added: nightlight, glow in the dark faucet and toilet seat (that actually exist!), Auto/open close toilet seat etc. Fitting Form to Function + Form of discs is fitted specifically to function + Connection points with water pipe - Battery function: store correct amount of energy while not being visible: Form to function would be to conceal battery behind a nice looking wall cap that can be opened to access batteries, but also serves as plug in Recycling all Materials + - Recycle the entire unit through a take-back program - Refurbish parts that can be saved and recycle the rest - The manufacturer to take this as his responsibility – otherwise the product will end up in a landfill after ending its life - Perhaps some pieces can be made from recycled old water pipes (has to be plenty of those around!) Fostering Cooperative Relationships + It is a cooperative relationship to use the water supply (and waste water management maybe) to generate energy - What if this system was built into capturing energy from the rain water that lands on a house. That energy could be used for outdoor low voltage appliances, i.e. fostering a cooperative relationship with a solar powered outdoor lighting system on rainy days, when the solar power is scarce. Self-organizing + The system charges the battery when it needs charging and stops when it is full - The discs could be self cleaning - If several systems where connected through an app, they could distribute the power to where it was needed, without the interference of the user. Using Life-Friendly Materials + - Use formulations of steel that can be re-melted and used at the same quality level - Use clean thermoplastics that can be re-melted and reused at the same quality level Using Water Based Chemistry + Production of energy using water - The discs and maybe other parts could be 3D printed using waste products from other industries Using Self Assembly + - The discs could position themselves on the shaft based on water pressure - The discs could be angled in relation to the shaft (like other turbine blades) and the angle could adjust according to the flow rate of the water (like wind turbine blades change pitch and yaw) |