Carleton Now newsletter

Article posted in the Carleton newsletter!
"Designing on the ground for Ugandans with disabilities" By Susan Hickman
read it at: http://carletonnow.carleton.ca/?p=10709

CAAS Conference

My team and I are participating in the CAAS (Canadian Association of African Studies) conference hosted by Carleton University this week with our project. The topic is: Communicating Social Innovation; Co-developing New Products for the Disabled. Two of our friends from Uganda will be arriving tomorrow, so it will be nice to see their faces again.

For the roundtable discussion, we hope to cover:
1. How to improve communication in the co-development process?
2. How PWD’s (people with disabilities) in Uganda are not only looking for mobility aids, but also a way to gain more economic independence through the use of better mobility aids.
3. Communicating through physical prototyping and the branding of ideas. How to sustain innovative ideas and commercialization of such ideas.

I need to go do some prepping, but I hope I'll be able to share the good insights with you in a few days time!

Dean's award

My team and I won this year's Dean's award for Innovation through Collaboration!

Carleton Community Engagement Event

Our team participated in the Carleton Community Engagement, which was an event relating to projects that address accessibility within the university. Here's the blurb on the Carleton industrial design website. I've clipped it into this post because I'm not sure how long it will stay on the id-carleton site.

The School of Industrial Design, the READ Initiative and the CanUgan Disability Support Project display student design work done for people with disabilities in Uganda at the second annual Carleton University Community Engagement Event. The School has a long history of working on accessibility related projects and has a close working relationship with the Research Education Accessibility and Design initiative as well as community partners such as CanUgan. (Bjarki Hallgrimsson (SID), Alyssa Wongkee (SID), Dean Mellway (READ), Navin Parekh (CanUgan Disability Support Project)

http://www.id.carleton.ca/2013/04/15/carleton-university-community-engagement-event/

Takeaway cards

I convinced my team to make takeaway cards for the exhibition, but most people saw the pile of cards and were too scared to take them, even though I put a sign that said, take one! I'm still convinced, however, that this is a good idea..

Final presentation, slides

The final presentation is a ten minute run with a small panel and classmates behind them. We presented as a group and then branched off into our individual projects. First starting with the tricycle, then my tool adaptation for livelihood, the solar panel charger, and lastly the rollator. With the limited time, I needed to be succinct so I chose to focus mainly on the final design decisions made and the reasons for those choices and concluded with it being open to the future, just as I had intended its design to be.

presentation plans

The final presentation is in less than a week. I've been thinking about it for a few days now, and it's strange how much it baffles me on how to present everything I've learned in only ten minutes. Not only that, but I have no idea where to start. It's been such a long eight months! I made a linear 'speech structure' but I can't figure out if one should start their presentation with the final result and work backwards, or start from the beginning and then show the final result. The work is not linear, A did not lead to B, necessarily, so I re-did my plans and made a bubble instead. I wonder if I can present in a non-linear way and people will still understand me...

Figuring things out

I'm getting into a good routine now, waking up super early and getting to work when it's all quiet and the residue of the day doesn't weigh you down. Still lots of work to do though, but it's getting done. I'm in the process of building a new connector that works similarly to a universal joint, because the one I prototyped for Uganda had alignment issues that could not be resolved by Kio, our welder. Hopefully this one will work better! (In theory, it does)

Anyway, proof that I'm actually working:

Final model begins

I'm starting to build my final model for the project now. I estimate two full weeks of work, but we'll see. On the outside, there won't be many changes.. at first glance, I think many people will assume that I am simply rebuilding what I had done five weeks ago, but the devil is in the details and the changes, albeit small, are necessary technical adjustments.


Today's problem: Finding a thick large sprocket with a small hole.

Onward ho!

But, it's coming along! I've been offering grain grinding services to classmates, but it seems that nobody here needs anything ground.

update

I've practically been camping out in the metal shop for a week and a half now. There are a lot of small alterations to the maize mill that need to be done in order for it to work and we've been attacking each little problems as we approach them. The simplest way is to weld steel to the cast iron mill but nobody knows if it's a safe idea, that the iron will not turn so brittle that it will crack under the torque produced by the system I'm building.  I'm pretty sure when I bring this to Uganda they can do everything I've done, but in two days time with some extra African ingenuity. However, on an exciting note, with a few more cuts on the lathe and some welding and this baby will be ready to grind!

Informal mid-crit review

This was an informal midcrit review, but because I felt like my project was on fire (not in a motivational way) I decided to prepare slides in order to clearly show:
1. Concept validation, and 2. My plan, and 3. My goal

Since we are leaving together to Uganda quite soon, I really wanted to make sure everybody (ie. profs and advisors) was on board with the idea, and my choices.

Shelling

Been looking at maize shellers because it's part of the process before one can put maize into the mill. (Taking kernels off the cob).

The maize process goes something like this:

Sometimes, husking and shelling is done at the machine as well, depending on the quality of flour needed.

    Here's some basic 'ancient' technology on shelling and husking:

The three shellers in the image above:
Corn sheller wtih an engine, http://www.old-engine.com/keystone.htm
Patented sheller, 1877: http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/sheller/goddard.htm
Common cast iron sheller, http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/hand-crank-corn-sheller/feed-mills


Extras:
Corn shelling in action: http://youtu.be/z6iXViuw24o
A cool and inspirational sheller by GCS: https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10150323945951671

No answers, just more questions

Today, we had a good session with our client, and we reviewed the project thus far and discussed what was next. We made a chart to mark a list of our priorities and our to do list. It seems I need to add some elbow grease. I've been spending my time trying to create an attachment part from the tricycle drivetrain for the tool, when perhaps I should be focusing on the tool first. Because maybe that attachment part isn't as necessary as I believed it to be. Of course, my research proves that indeed pedal power > single hand power, but under what varying variables? There are assumptions I have had to make in order to move forwards, and as a result, I have a good hypothesis, but a potentially wrong direction. And at the same time perhaps I was just solving a technical challenge and not really doing any design work.

So at the end of the day, back to the drawing board, does the benefit of the idea outweigh the cost of the part?

ideas

It's been fairly quiet, but that means I've been working hard! I had a nice Christmas holiday, and now I'm pulling up my sleeves, ready to get to work in the shops to test out some ideas.

plus a shaft, plus a mill...voila? 

Progress in a box

Look what arrived in the mail today! Progress! Now... the tricycle..

ChocoSol

I came across a place in Toronto called ChocoSol that was said to have a 'bicycle machine' and use them to grind chocolate in Oaxaca, Mexico. Although they used to use these machines when they started the business, the volume has grown so much so that they use electric machines to husk and grind cocoa beans now and use the bicycle for demo purposes only. Nevertheless, it was still a learning opportunity and a chance to see a working bicycle machine.

Electric assist

Grinding by hand

Tension adjustment and leather chain

vaccuum pipe filled with cement as a flywheel

bolted in

For the record, the chocolate is really tasty.

First crit

Oh god, winter is coming.

Disability around the World infographic

That's today!
click to see the full poster here.
section of infographic from CMB Australia, cbm.org.au, 2010-2011

Tricycle features and links

This is just a collection of research on certain interesting features on tricycle wheelchairs seen on youtube and etc. A lot of which has influenced and fueled inspiration for the project. Enjoy.


TRICYCLES

Leveraged Freedom Chair v1, lever powered wheelchair on tarmac and off road:
http://gogrit.org/lfc/

Whirlwind Rough Rider, $799
http://whirlwindwheelchair.squarespace.com/roughrider/

Kien Tuong Tricycle Wheelchair, Three wheel foldable tricycle:
http://www.kientuong.net/Pages/3Wheeloutdoorchair.aspx

Motivation tricycle, 135 GBP, hand powered and good for long distances:
http://www.motivation.org.uk/our-products/tricycles/

Three Wheeled outdoor / spike chair, 12kg, pigging, for sports:
http://www.handinor.no/index.php/3-hjuls-piggestol

Mountaintrike, Small radius, adjustable:
http://www.flo-design.nl/mountaintrike.html

Free Wheelchair Mission Gen 1, simple construction, $71.88:
http://www.freewheelchairmission.org

Free Wheelchair Mission Gen 2, adjustable:
https://vimeo.com/fwm

Hand bike ride, Adaptive Cycling, Tricycle for paraplegic wheelchair user:
http://youtu.be/Uth_n8QZxZ0

TEAM HYBRID HANDCYCLES, Hand cycle:
http://youtu.be/xNYMe3DeTfI

TRUmobility - Assistive Mobility devices for the disabled:

http://10000solutions.org/solution/assistive-mobility-devices-disabled-developing-countries

FEATURES
Fietsen met benen en armen (1942) Hand propulsion system:
http://youtu.be/QRS5rKhNHSk

Assistive Technologies OBOW II, open sourced, modular:
https://vimeo.com/37032126

Assistive Technologies at maker-faire:
http://youtu.be/e0txmOLieac

DIY Assistive Technologies, one arm drive attachment, $35:
http://youtu.be/fP2gt5bOcBI

DIY Assistive Technologies - Mini Handychair, small turning radius, good for transfer:
http://youtu.be/HinhllYjBOE

DIY Assistive Technologies - Garden Off Road, Wheelchair steering by hand or pole:
http://youtu.be/uZAKbO6iSkc

DIY Assistive Technologies - Beach Handychair, Wheelbarrow-esque:
http://youtu.be/F6W3UIKG7IQ

DIY Assistive Technologies - Wooden Handychair, Outside simple gardening @5:13:
http://youtu.be/D4ou4LIQ3VA

DIY Assistive Technologies - Tracktor, uses two bicycles, @0:30:
http://youtu.be/dT141PxU8eo

Electric bike adaption for wheel chair, turns standard trike into an electric one:
http://youtu.be/JikRgENekuw

Handbike for wheelchair user, Rio Dragonfly:
http://youtu.be/h4I4UUMgsks

Wheelchairs for developing countries:
http://youtu.be/oJMg8J_E4fc

Cargobikes, Mobility for Good:
http://worldbike.org/our-work-two

ACE, The tennis wheelchair for developing countries:
http://youtu.be/nGxh-q_k-j4

Wheelchairs For Kids, $125, donated:
http://www.wheelchairsforkids.org/videos/model09.html

DIY-AT, Wooden Handychair - water bottle upholstery @4:30:
http://youtu.be/fP2gt5bOcBI

Skywheel - Rainbow H, single hand or body steer:
http://www.skywheel.kr/

Da Vinci Handcycle, manual wheelchair attachment:
http://www.davincimobility.com/

Sunrise Runner, attachable to any wheelchair:
http://bit.ly/SZ140h

Rehatri 24, £790.00 pedal back brake:
http://www.missioncycles.co.uk/disabled_cycling.asp

One-Off Handcycle, DC model, made from local parts:
www.oneoffhandcycle.com

The XLT, 15deg camber for stability, and seatbelt.. £1899:
http://www.allabilitycycling.com/handcycles.aspx

Figure 8 drive:
http://web.mit.edu/mbollini/www/tricycle/Concept.html



PEDAL POWER
Spin cycle: pedal powered bicycle machine
http://bit.ly/WnK7lN

“Bicimaquinas” (pedal-powered machines) bicycles into machines:
http://www.mayapedal.org/

Pedal powered farms
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/05/pedal-powered-farms-and-factories.html

Cycle cinema:
http://www.magnificentrevolution.org/

Seed cleaner
http://bit.ly/XHSIfV

Global cycle solutions, sheller kit:
http://gcstz.com/products

Fully Belly project, nut sheller:
http://www.thefullbellyproject.org/Products/UniversalNutSheller.aspx

Standard bicycle with pedal power attachment:
http://www.technologyforthepoor.com/PedalPowerReport/PedalPowerReport.htm

Make electricity while you exercise:
http://bit.ly/11Zz4mH



DOCUMENTS/ PROJECTS
Provision and Sourcing of Manual Wheelchairs:
http://www.streetsie.com/provision-manual-wheelchairs/

Design with the other 90%:
http://designother90.org/

Nothing About Us, Without Us:
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/global/david/dwe001/dwe00141.html

Bicycles and Tricyles, an elementary treatise on their design and construction, 1986:
http://bit.ly/d7LKjG

GhanaMoves project, Sander Projects:
http://ghanamoves.weblog.nl/
http://ghanamoves2007.weblog.nl/
http://www.sanderprojects.com/