Building a tricycle

We've been working on a tricycle prototype for a while now. A CANUGAN representative (Navin) brought in a mini model of the tricycle that was built by Kio (the local guy who makes all the tricycles) and was being used by the PWD (Persons with Disabilities) in Kasese in the beginning of the year. We've been looking at that and trying to remake it in real life size so we can get a feel for size, shape, manufacture, rational, etc. Of course we are trying to keep it as close to the original as possible so we broke apart two unwanted bicycles and used those pieces to build ours. I can officially say I know how to steal bicycle parts off a bike now. (watch out archi-hipsters!)

It's been a month now and we sort of slacked on the building due to other commitments, but I went in the shop to work on it today. Tomorrow is welding and then the shops are closed on the weekend. The tricycle is still in "Flintstone mode" but once we get that chair on it, the last thing we'll need to figure out is the brake system. We're cheating a little (because we need to speed up the process) and are using angle iron to fix our mistakes. (Kio doesn't have mistakes) In the same tune to sticking to the original, we also chose not to use any sort of measurement tool and figured we could eyeball the whole thing in the same way Kio did. So our work is pretty lopsided and messy. Nonetheless, I don't think any of us can wait until this baby is up and running.

We all looked at it and said, "hmmmm, I think we can call it a day..."

These photos are a little outdated, so we've progressed since then. The tricycle prototype is for the group, but we all have individual things we need to focus on. There's a lot to think about, so I made a list of personal project priorities for the week (plus or minus a few days): 

• Compare specific handcycle power-trains
• Determine optimum gear ratio, and average wattage output
• Consider what types of tools you will need to power 
• Consider different methods of power transfer
• Determine how to build a test model in the upcoming month (multiple gears that are interchangeable and a chain on a wood block?)

Also! During this week, we made the news! (twice!)

Spotted in the local Ottawa newspaper, there's a little blurb about our team and the project that we're working on. I'm going to clip one and send it to my mom. It's motivating to see people become just as excited about the project as we are when they hear about the project. That means we have to work harder. Aja!

Metro Ottawa, Core77

IBLYARC Logo

A few months ago, I was asked to help lead the Art and Design team for the IBLYARC (International Buddha's Light Young Adult Regional Conference) held in Toronto this year. This is a fairly big project, containing (and will probably grow), a logo, posters, banner, souvenirs, all print media, handbooks, signs, stage decoration, all event decorations, and etc. And not just designing everything, but getting the right suppliers, people to help with production and logistics of everything coming together, looking good and being on time. (August 2013)

Illustration isn't my thing, I'm an industrial designer I say, not a graphic designer, but I took the proposal anyway seeing it as mini side project for myself and creating a temporary brand identity package for a five day event. It could be fun!

There are a few key items that were important in the making of the logo:

1. The theme is "From the ground up" and so it should play on that

2. Strike a balance between both a traditional and modern idea at the same time. (The temple being very traditional and the youth bringing it's modern touch)

3. Don't look the same as the Toronto youth conference in 2005!

4. Simple, clean, versatile because we'll need it on everything and everywhere

Below are the concepts from my team:

1. A lotus root. The seed of a beautiful flower, which grows from the muddy ground, up and out!

2. A ladder means you go up, a snake means you go down.

3. A calligraphy dot. A single calligraphy stroke begins and ends with a dot. 

nice clothes

There's a well dressed guy in my class today with a blue bespeckled shirt and maroon pants.

Design Innovation for Disability

My final thesis this year will be working with (and for) a disabled community in Kasese, Uganda. It's a really exciting project because I've never done anything in this area before, and I chose it because of the challenge of doing something different.

The project description went like this:

Theme: Design for Low Income Communities
This is a collaborative design project between CanUgan, Read Initiative and the School of Industrial Design. Students will work on designing products related to disability in the rural African district of Kasese in Uganda. The main focus will be design of a tricycle and related products tat will be built locally in Kasese utilizing very simple manufacturing means... There are design opportunities both for improving the existing product, associated products and tools and fixtures  The project is suitable for students who are interested in co-developing design with people in developing countries taking into consideration the context of their cultural, economic, environmental and technical knowledge and input. Interested students are scheduled to travel to Uganda and meet with end users and the manufacturer in Kasese.

It's been a few weeks now of narrowing down to an area of focus for me and my team. Sometimes I fall under the lure of the "naive-designer-optimism-syndrome" so it's been a shapeshifting few weeks for me. But! Today! We've settled that we would all work together on the tricycle with a specific individual focus on certain areas in which the outcome (pertaining to that area) will not only improve the tricycle but consequentially lead to an increased potential capacity outside of just the tricycle as a method of mobility. In fewer terms, we each hope to hit two birds with one stone. With the four of us, that's eight birds and four stones!

I'm looking into the power train of the handbike and improving it in a way that will create a better driving tricycle as well as source of power for tools (and things). For example: farming, processing grain, water, very low tech items such as light,  etc.! We'll see how things go.

As I am currently the biggest bicycle noob, tomorrow I will be visiting a bike enthusiast and drilling him with stupid questions. Wish me luck!



Currently, in Kasese, they have these:

A hand tricycle manufactured by one man in the community, and each one is a one-off.



And here are some really great case studies (and inspiration) of similar ongoing projects in Africa that we learned a lot from:

Cooper-Hewitt's Design for the Other 90% really helped me to understand how different designing for low income communities will be. http://www.designother90.org/

The Leveraged Freedom Chair, MIT x Continuum, What can go wrong?
http://gogrit.org/lfc/ and core77.

Whirlwind Wheelchairs, including manuals and how-to build videos
http://www.whirlwindwheelchair.org/


"Bicimaquinas" (pedal powered machines)
http://www.mayapedal.org/, core77

data collection

"Please show your information in a creative manner" Fancy dancy? more like cutesy wutesy.

What's the story morning glory

This doesn't count as a doodle, but I like the texture that evolved over time. It's a rub on tattoo, tattoo-ed into my sketchbook. But seriously, I never got over this line. I mean, well, I need a little time to wake up, wake up...

In my closet

I have a shirt that looks like it has silver cupcake sprinkle balls on it. 

Steve Portigal, Muscles vs Methods: Skillbuilding for designers and innovators

Steve Portigal came by and dropped us a few tips in his lecture about building good designerly skills to survive out there. Listed is his top seven.

Are you a robot?

We are going through student presentations for concepts for the future in 2030. Of course there is an ironman-eque human-robot transformer concept thrown in there. But if this was for real, that someone could wear a thin supersuit that acts like a second skin but enhances your capabilities and turns you into a robot, how would you be able to tell the difference between a human and a human-being-a-robot?

Blarraghh-raah

Winter is cominggggg

Future food

When we run out of room for agriculture, energy for food production, biodiversity for nature's equilibrium, who says we won't be eating insects for reals by 2030?

Design activism agendas

Advancement

indeed.

Guffaw

And here you thought school was going to be all fun and games!

Octopus

I can't remember the context of this octopus, but I suppose everyone needs saving.

Window of opportunity

Who doesn't love an extension, or a general hand-it-in-around-whenever time?

future food

Save the food crisis.