Estimations

For class Monday we are tasked with estimating the power required to run typical objects. We are not allowed to use the internet, and are supposed to document all of our thought processes. Here is my attempt at this challenge:

1) Light

I assumed that a typical incandescent lightbulb is 60 watts. 

2) Computer

For this calculation I checked the bottom of my laptop to see if it said the power it required to run. Luckily, there was some information. It stated that it required 16.5 volts at 3.65 amps maximum. I plugged these numbers into the equation for power, P=VI, to get the wattage.

P=VI

P=16.5V X 3.65A

P= ~ 60 watts max

I was surprised that the wattage was the same as a lightbulb. This could be correct, or I could be misinterpreting the information on the laptop.

3) TV

I visualized a TV and estimated that about 120 lightbulbs would fit inside. Estimation of the volume in lightbulbs: 8 (height) X 5 (width) X 3 (depth). I then multiplied the 120 lightbulbs by 60, because each lightbulb is 60 watts. I ended up with 7,200 watts. 

4) Car

From earlier calculations I knew that a bike pedaling at about 20mph could power two 60 watt bulbs. I then estimated that a car traveling at 20mph would need 100 bikes to power it, and a car traveling at 40mph would need 200 bikes to power it. With 2 bulbs per bike, I multiplied 200 bikes by 2 bulbs. Getting 400 bulbs for this calculation, I then multiplied this by 60w to get the wattage.

400bulbs X 60W = 24,000 watts

5) Motorcycle

I estimated that a motorcycle would require a quarter of the power of a car.

24,000W/4 = 6,000 watts

6) Fridge

I estimated that a fridge required twice the energy of a TV to run.

7,200W X 2 = 14,400 watts

7) Oven

I estimated that an oven requires 2/3 the power that a fridge does. 

14,400W X 0.66 = ~ 9,500 watts

8) Radio

I estimated that a radio would require 2/3 the power that a laptop computer does. 

60W X 0.66 = ~40 watts

Water Challenge Reflection

Last Thursday the water challenge ended. Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Waking up on Friday morning and being able to shower in my dorm was a very lovely experience. This challenge has really made me appreciate the convenience of my life. I was asked only to not use the water in my dorm, and that small change in lifestyle really affected my every day life. I can't imagine to have to take time out from the day to walk for miles to get water. At Wellesley, not only do I have 24/7 access to water, I have access to clean water. I never realized how privileged I am to be able to trust the quality of my water wherever I go.

In participating in this challenge, I also became more conscious of how much water I use. After brushing my teeth with a toothbrush and water bottle, I realized that I use a lot of water just brushing my teeth! I am now trying to take shorter showers and turn the faucet off quicker.

Now the class has been tasked with calculating how much energy we use on average per day. Stay tuned for the results!

WaterWear Backpack

Water is very very heavy. I have learned this firsthand this week, from carrying water in 5-gallon buckets in different ways in class this week, to lugging my own water to my dorm so that I can flush the toilet as part of the water challenge. I am in awe of the women and children who carry more water than seems humanly possible on their heads every day for miles. On average, women and children carry water 3.5 miles a day. A family of six needs approximately 90 liters (24 gallons) of water a day. The time spent providing this water is huge. "More than 25% of the population in several countries of Sub-Saharan Africa spends over 30 minutes to collect water in one trip."(http://www.packh2o.com/Crisis/index.html)

In light of these statistics, Greif and Impact Economics teamed up to design a way of transporting water that is safe and efficient. The WaterWear Backpack provides an interesting alternative to the traditional methods of carrying water. 

Some facts about the backpack:

-Collapsable

-Lightweight

-Durable

-Holds up to 20 liters (5.3 gallons)

-Can remove liner for cleaning

-Sealed off from contamination

-Protected spout @ rear to provide for clean hand washing and drinking

In addition to the great features listed above, here are some things that I really like about the backpack:

-No contamination

-Easy to clean

-Lightweight, so that most of the weight you're carrying is actually water weight

-Design seems quite simple - doesn't seem like there are many parts that could break or go missing.

-Seems long-lasting

And here are some reservations:

-Doesn't have the capacity to carry much water. Compared to what women normally carry on their heads, it doesn't really seem reasonable. Won't women just have to make more trips, or get more help? 

-Relatively expensive, compared to a bucket.

-Maybe a backpack isn't necessarily the most efficient way to carry water? Backpacks, although taking the strain off of the spine and head, just transfer that pressure to the back. Based on my limited experience carrying heavy objects, it seems as if a backpack would cause the least strain - but this may not be the reality. There is probably a reason that head-carrying techniques were developed and are so widespread.

Would it be smarter to develop a head-carrying method of transporting water in a clean, lightweight way? The WaterWear Backpack design could be manipulated to create something like this. WaterWear seems to have developed a 15 liter version of the backpack that includes a head-carrying option. But that is a very low volume of water...could something be designed that is capable of holding more water?

Overall, I'm inclined to view this technology as potentially really useful. It seems like the backpacks could be distributed fairly easily. The product is very straightforward, so it does not require any training. Although the low water capacity seems like a real drawback, I think this technology provides a really safe option for women in developing countries who have to walk miles every day to provide water for their families.

If I had $10,000 to spend, I would spend a small portion of it sponsoring a trial of this product in several areas in developing countries. Then, if the technology seems to really help, I would spend the rest distributing the backpacks!

Check out more about the WaterWear backpack here: http://www.greif.com/outreach/packh20/

Soccket!

Soccket is a soccer ball that stores energy when you kick it. "15 minutes of play provides 3 hours of LED light." (http://us.soccket.org/howitworks/)

It seems like such a brilliant technology! Amazing that two students thought of this in their first engineering class....The story is inspiring.

I'm excited to see what else comes out of the company Uncharted Play.

I would definitely invest in this product. It has already earned a lot of praise, and is only three years old.

Gravity Light - a viable technology?

Below are my calculations to determine whether the gravity light detailed in this article (http://www.electronicproducts.com/News/LED_lamp_is_powered_by_nothing_but_gravity.aspx) is a viable technology:

Unless some of my assumptions or calculations were incorrect, it appears that this design, although a brilliant idea, is not possible to execute. The weight required to run this light for 30 minutes is enormous. I hope these engineers are not asking for money for a faulty product. Maybe I am wrong?

2006 UN Human Development Report on Water: women, children, and policies

Lack of access to clean water and good sanitation cause a host of problems throughout the globe. Deemed The Silent Crisis in the UN's young people summary of their 2006 Human Development Report, the issue is mostly hidden from the public eye, with most people unaware of the implications associated with lack of access to clean water and sanitation. From child mortality rates to health care costs to women's empowerment, it is evident that this issue affects women and children disproportionately.

Child Mortality & Lifelong Problems
Diarrhea is the number two cause of death during childhood. A high percentage of these deaths are associated with unclean water. 1.8 million children under five die from diarrhea each year. This is way higher than the amount who die from HIV/AIDS, a way more publicized issue. One problem with combatting diarrhea is that it easily develops resistance to antibiotics.

Children struggling with water-related illnesses are severely disadvantaged in school. According to the report, "Poor health directly reduces cognitive potential and indirectly undermines schooling through absenteeism, attention deficits and early drop-out." (p.45)  This will lead to higher levels of poverty, which will in turn negatively affect any country struggling with these issues.

Clean water and sanitation can improve the situation tremendously. Not only do they act as preventative medicines for children, but they also reduce health care costs, both of which always go hand in hand.

Girl's Education
Young girls are incredibly affected by lack of access to water and sanitation in the realm of education. "In Tanzania school attendance levels are 12% higher for girls in homes 15 minutes or less from a water source than in homes an hour or more away." In addition, when girls hit puberty they are much more likely to drop out of school. This is because of concerns about privacy and security in the bathrooms at school. I can't imagine the feeling of being prevented from getting an education purely because I can not deal with my period in a safe, healthy way. That is a tragedy that can and should be prevented. Girl's education is key for the future: "educated girls are more likely to have smaller, healthier families - and their children are less likely to die and more likely to receive an education than the children of less educated mothers." (p.47)

Women - Time-Poverty & Dignity
The following fact stunned me: "...40 billion hours a year are spent collecting water in Sub-Saharan Africa - a year's labour for the entire work-force in France." That is shocking. This type of time-poverty greatly affects women and lowers their agency and income. The less agency women have, the less dignity. Improved access to clean water and sanitation would be a huge step for the women of the world. "Underfinancing of sanitation provision in the allocation of household and government resources is thus partly a product of the weak voice of women in setting priorities." (p.48)

Policy
When combatting this issue of water, increased political will is a requirement. The problem here is that water is a crisis of marginalized groups. The issue needs to be dealt with as a societal problem, instead of just a problem facing women and children. "It will...require a stronger voice for poor people and women among policy-makers and water providers." (p.61)

This issue, as it applies to women and girls, really interests me. I hope to be able to study this in more depth in the future!

P.S. Here is the link to the Report: http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR06-complete.pdf

Water Challenge #2

I've got my bucket! Two lovely friends helped me acquire it.

The most interesting part of this project so far has been explaining it to people. It's fascinating to see the different reactions. The more I explain it, the more I realize what my goals are for the challenge.

So far I have learned just how consuming it is to have to think about where your water will come from and when. It was a new experience to wake up this morning and have to think about where I will use the bathroom. When I have to focus on how some of my needs will be met each day, I am distracted from studying, relationships, sleep, and all the things that are my usual focus. I'm not saying I have it hard, but it's just interesting to think about....

Water Challenge!

Tonight marks the beginning of Extd. 120's water challenge week! My colleagues and I are required (unless it endangers our health or safety) to use only water outside of where we live. For Wellesley students: no water from our dorms. For our teacher, Amy, she has to knock on her neighbors' doors! This challenge is intended to make us understand what people in developing countries go through every day. We take readily available, clean water for granted, and I'm sure this exercise will make us think twice about the lives we lead and better value what we have.

My plan for tonight: use the bathroom and brush my teeth in the science center and hope for the best. Tomorrow morning I will go to a friend's dorm to shower before classes. I will also go pick up a bucket from a friend so that I can flush the toilet in my dorm. My water bottle is filled up so I will be all set for drinking water.

Here we go!

Sharps Container.

Extd. 120's first group project was to make a container to hold the very sharp, disposable blades that come out of a knife that we use in the classroom. The container needed to be totally safe for the person disposing of the blades, and my group (consisting of Kelsey, Mackenzie, and Alex) decided that being environmentally friendly in this disposal was important.

We first designed a container that was a lot more complicated than necessary. We wanted to have one box within another, to provide for extra protection from the blades. Below is a simple sketch of that first idea:

Then, on second thought and more design experience, we decided to go with only one box. We knew cardboard would be the best option, because it degrades pretty easily. We then estimated that a box with a 4" x 4" base and a 3.25" height would be sufficient for a significant amount of sharps. The box has a volume of 52 in^3. In calculating this we took into account the relatively small size of the sharps and the fact that they would fall flat on top of each other, and therefore take up little room.

We then put together the box out of one piece of cardboard. We decided on this for aesthetic reasons, and to minimize cracks through which the sharps could escape. Below is a picture of the outline of the soon-to-be-cut box:

Before assembling the box we cut a slit in the lid, so that the sharps could be inserted and not unintentionally released.Then, we glued the box together with a hot glue gun so that the cracks were totally sealed. Here is a picture of the glued-together box:

Finally, we added a small piece of cardboard to cover the slit in the lid. This cover is fastened to the lid with velcro, and can be removed and re-attached easily. Below is a picture of the lid, with the slit and velcro clearly visible:

Once the box was completely assembled, Mackenzie did a wonderful job of decorating our sharps container. See the finished product below!

Thanks to my team for working together to create such a great sharps container!

Creating Light!

Below I will detail the creation of my first independent project in Engineering: a flashlight/lantern! The challenge was to create a lantern/flashlight out of three given parts (a 9 volt battery, 3.2 volt LED light, and a resistor) and however many found materials we wanted. The goals of the project were broken down into three categories: functionality, aesthetics, and creative use of materials. In designing my flashlight/lantern, I tried to mix creativity with cuteness, with power.

Designing: 

Here is a sketch of my flashlight/lantern, and a diagram of my circuit:

Calculating: 

Before I set up my circuit, I had to choose the right resistor. To do so I used Ohm's law, V=IR (V for voltage, I for current, and R for resistance). Here are my calculations:

9v battery - 3.2v LED = 5.8v

5.8v = (20mA)(R)

R = 5.8v/20mA

R = 0.29 kΩ

R = 290 Ω

The closest resistor I could find to 290 Ω was 265 Ω, so that is what I used!

Building:

First, I assembled my circuit and made sure the LED lit up. Then, I made the switch and double-checked to make sure the circuit was still working. Below is a picture of the circuit with the switch.

At this point I realized that it would be helpful to have a removable base, because the battery could then be changed when need be.  Below is a picture of the assembled circuit inside the water bottle. 

After this, the decorating process began! I cut holes in the plastic at the base and added ribbon so that the base could be removable. I added colorful card-stock-type paper to the outside of the bottle to cover the messy tape within. I added tinfoil around the head of the bottle to reflect the light from the LED and make it brighter. I then added an obvious tab with an "F" on it to the switch so that it is clear how to use it and to whom it belongs. Below is a picture of the finished product!

As one last touch, I decided to utilize the bottle cap that was left over. I covered the cap in pink tissue paper and fastened it with a rubber band. If the light is used as a lantern, this cap can rest over the LED and create pink light. See below!

 

Reflecting:

In the end, I think I could use this lantern/flashlight in a variety of ways in my room: from ambient lighting to light for reading. If I were to use more LEDs, I might be able to use this as a flashlight outside. 

Although intimidated at first by this project, I ended up really loving the process of creating this useful tool. I learned a lot about circuits, and feel I will retain all of this because I now have the knowledge in my hands. 

I have already gotten commissions from friends who want there own, so maybe I'll make some more of these cuties!

Aquifers Found in North Kenya.

An exciting thing appeared in the news yesterday!

A large network of aquifers was discovered in the Turkana region of Northern Kenya. This region is historically incredibly dry, and the population is mostly nomadic, so the news is very good for the region. The project was funded by Japan and facilitated by UNESCO. Officials are hoping that there will be water available within a month!

Judy Wakhungu, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Energy, said "We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations." It will be interesting to see how the situation develops, and what methods are used to sustain this water supply far into the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24049800

What surprised me about Poor People's Energy Outlook 2010, chapters 1 & 2

This reading gave me whole new insight into what energy deprivation really means. There are many energy-related aspects of my life that I take for granted, and I realize now that there are significant consequences if energy needs are not met. Energy goals should be included in the Millennium Development Goals, because it is evident that if progress is made, a huge facet of the global population's hardships could be lessened.

For example, a large amount of patients in hospitals in underserved communities are there because of burns from flames used at home. Because fluorescent light is so expensive, many are forced to use candles and wick lamps that are unsafe. This affects especially the women and children who are around them the most. The ramifications of being without access to electricity are vast. 

Another part of the reading that struck a chord with me was the point that it is essential for women to be included in decisions made about improving energy access, safety, and efficiency. Women are most affected by energy deprivation, and therefore should be involved in the process of its amelioration.

I was interested by the point (however obvious) that the more efficient stoves get, the worse they are in fulfilling space heat needs. This proves that solutions to energy poverty must not be centered solely around the environmental effects of the solution, but also the practicality and overall consequences of said solution. 

Lastly, I had an "ahHA!" moment upon reading that "...women entrepreneurs operate in a policy vacuum..." (p.52) This is because many businesses run by women operate out of the home, and are therefore confused with household tasks. I think it is important to make the effort to include these businesswomen when evaluating and writing energy policy. These small businesses are essential for rural women's empowerment. 

Introduction.

Welcome to my design blog!

I'm Fiona, a Sophomore at Wellesley College. I am from a small town on the coast of Maine. My plan is to major in political science and minor in music (I play violin). I am interested in a variety of subjects within these disciplines, including human rights & environmental justice. I am currently toying with the idea of becoming a speechwriter. However, my idea of what I want to be when I "grow up" changes every day, so stay tuned!

I am thrilled to be taking Making a Difference through Engineering! I have never taken a class that combines design with math, with construction. My strengths are in the more artistic part of the process of engineering a product. I am insecure about my math skills, so I hope to be able to improve my self-confidence in this area. In taking this class, I hope to strengthen my quantitative skills and my ability to construct things effectively. I am excited, and nervous, to be pushed out of my comfort zone in this class. Beyond the obvious personal benefits, I hope I will be able to make a small difference in the lives of people in underserved communities.

I will be posting regularly to this blog throughout the semester, so come back and visit!

Sincerely, Newbie