Power Estimation

Assignment: Estimate the amount of power used for typical objects: light, TV, computer, car, motorcycle, fridge, oven and radio. Document any sources you used, thought processes, calculations, etc. NO INTERNET.

Radio
Easy peasy. I looked at my radio.

18V, 1.6A
Power = Volts x Amps
Power = 18V x 1.6A
Radio Power = 28.8W

Light
Although the strength wasn't specified in the directions, I found a 60W bulb in the storage closet on my hall.
Light Power = 60W

Computer
Based on the amount of heat my old computer generates because the fan is partially broken, and the heat of a bare light bulb, I'd guess the wattage of my computer is about three bulbs.
Power = 60W x ~3 light bulbs
Computer Power = 180W

Oh wait a minute! I have a computer!

Power = Volts x Amps

Power = 19.5V x 3.34A

Computer Power = 65.13W

TV
Let's assume a 20-inch TV. My computer is 18 inches, and I think a TV would have about the same power, so with rounding I think a TV and computer are similar.
Power = 180W (Computer)
TV Power = 180W

Car- Electric
An electric car probably uses about 10,000 times the power of a light bulb.
Power = 10,000 light bulbs x 60W
Car Power = 600,000W

Motorcycle
A motorcycle is about a third of the size of a car and might use a third of the power.
Power = 600,000W / 3
Motorcycle Power = 200,000W

Fridge
My fridge is about 2' x 4' x 3', or 24 ft sq. If one light bulb energy can freeze two square feet, we'll need approximately 12 light bulbs.
Power = 60W x 10 light bulbs
Fridge Power = 720W

Oven
An Easy Bake oven takes one light bulb to cook a mini-cake. A real oven is probably 20 times hotter.
Power = 60W x 20
Oven Power = 1200W

This estimation and talk of Easy Bake ovens is making me hungry. I'm going to go use my 800W microwave to cook a snack.

Water Challenge #2: Oops I Used Water

Since Monday, my resolve has lessened and I was not an active participant in the water challenge, although I did maintain a few of the easier categories:

Toilet
I used the ones in my dorm, for health reasons.

Hand-washing
I continued using hand-sanitizer after using the restroom to reduce water.

Teeth-brushing
On Monday night I had forgotten to refill my water bottle that I used for brushing my teeth, so I used the tap water and then never went back to the bottle.

Shower
Since I didn't shower on Tuesday (sorry, people in close proximity to me) I used the shower in my dorm twice between last time I posted and now. However, I timed my showers to see how much water I used. The first one lasted 9 minutes, and the second one lasted 4 minutes, since I didn't wash my hair. Total gallons used:

13 minutes x 5 gallons/minute = 65 gallons

Drinking Water
I continued carrying a water bottle that I filled up at dining halls.

Laundry
No laundry this time. Thank you, jeans, for being so unnecessary to wash.
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On Sunday I joined the Facebook group that Olin created for this challenge. The site wasn't as active as I had hoped, but when I asked the group why they were participating, Alison Shin responded with the following (shared with her permission):

"My motivation has changed over the past week. I chose to participate this year because last year, I didn't even try to take on the challenge due to some personal inconveniences, like the frisbee tournament that was going on that week, but after talking to people who actually completed the challenge, I felt like I was just making up excuses. And this year, when I started the challenge, I realized how wasteful I had been with my water, so I was motivated to actually finish the challenge to get into a more minimal and aware mindset."

I'm really happy to see that she felt more of a commitment during her second time, and that she was motivated beyond a class requirement. If I were to participate in this challenge again, I would try harder. I was very surprised on Thursday when Amy announced that as soon as we left class we couldn't poop in our own dorms. Perhaps with a week of emotional and practical preparation I would have been more willing to put time and effort into garnering an emotional response that this challenge so clearly is meant to elicit.

PackH2O Response

In 2012, companies Impact Economics and Greif developed the PackH2O, a collapsible backpack designed to hold 20 liters of water.

The developers of this pack believe that this backpack will ease women and children's physical strains of carrying 5-gallon buckets or other containers on their heads. The PackH2O is seven times lighter and seven times smaller than an average plastic jerrycan, reducing the physical burden of carrying water.

Source: packh2o.com

Additionally, this pack will keep water cleaner. The pack has a protected spout that keeps the water pure for drinking and hand-washing. The lining of the bag can easily be removed and washed.

This product was designed and tested in Haiti in response to the 2010 earthquake. Greif used local NGO's that consulted local women to develop the PackH2O. The initiative's goal is: Deliver a PackH2O water backpack to every person who needs one.

Besides the pros of this product that are glorified in its website and in the article written by Darren Quick, there are several drawbacks to this product.

First, the cost of the PackH2O is $10 and can only be used by one person- if you have one mother and one child carrying water, the family's expenditure is $20. Plastic buckets cost much less.

Second, reducing the amount of physical strain is a noble goal, but is the small relief provided worth the $10? Women and children are still making the physical trek with effort.

Third, sustainability is untested. This product is new and has only been in the market for several years. While the bag may be "puncture-proof," I couldn't find any section that described how the bag's straps or lining were tested with repeated use, or if the bags remained popular.

Fourth, this solution is for short-term. To make any sort of measurable impact, every single person who needs to transport would need a backpack in a 1:1 ratio. As the PackH2O website mentions, the pack was designed after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, when clean water was available but distant. In that instant, the people needed an emergency solution, but for a more long-term improvement I think the company should focus on installing pumps or another technology that decreases walking time, not just walking pain.

Overall, this product is well-intentioned but impractical as a long-term solution. If I had $10,000 to spend on addressing water issues in developing countries, I would not apply it towards the PackH2O.

Water Rights and Wrongs Response

Heartstrings, consider yourself tugged. The young people's summary of the United Nations Human Development Report 2006 Beyond Scarcity: Power, poverty, and the global water crisis entitled Water Rights and Wrongs included so many pictures and infographics about heart-wrenching poverty and hopeful goals for the future.

The medium that the contributors chose- flashy colors and basic shapes- is a good way to communicate. I know that may sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not. I slightly scoff at the seemingly unscholarly method of education, and I wouldn't choose this source first when writing a paper, but I remember bits and pieces much more clearly. For example, did you know that:

Now you know.

The poetry was a bit much. Maybe cut that down.

Water Challenge #1: Oops Now I Can't Use Water

I am not the most dedicated to this challenge, and that's okay with me. If you're looking for more participatory statuses, I would recommend my classmates. Click any link.

Toilet
For current medicinal reasons, I decided for my own sanity, safety, and health to let myself off the hook in the toilet category.

Hand-washing
Introducing hand sanitizer into my bathroom eliminates the need to de-germ with water. I figure that saves about 1-2 gallons of water every time.

Teeth-brushing
I keep a bottle of water (refilled elsewhere) in my little bathroom cubby that I use to wet and clean my toothbrush at night and the morning.

Shower
I have twice ventured from my dorm to use the shower. It added at least 20 minutes.

Drinking Water
I have started carrying a water bottle, which is honestly something I should have been doing anyways, considering my propensity for getting dehydrated.

Laundry
Friday, the day after the challenge was announced, was the day I ran out of clean underwear. I used the laundry room in my dorm. I did, however, make myself go up and down the three flights of stairs 8 times instead of the required three.
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Plans for next week:
Toilet use, hand-washing, water-drinking, and teeth-brushing will stay the course. I won't need to do laundry again for another two weeks. I might try to shower more outside my dorm; at least once in the science center, once in the KSC, and once in a different dorm. However, I've decided that the one increase in participation will be the following: if I do need/decide to take a shower in my dorm, I'm going to run down to the lake, splash myself with water, and then hike back to my room. I figure that it's not exactly the same as hauling water, but it'll add the time and some of the physical effort of bucketing water.

2006 UN Human Development Report on Water Response

"Of course I wish I were in school. I want to learn to read and to write-- and I want to be there with my friends. But how can I? My mother needs me to get water, and the standpipe here is only open from 10-12. You have to get in line early because so many people come here."

                             -10-year-old girl queuing for water by a standpipe in El Alto, Bolivia (p. 47)

The choice is terrible. Give your daughter an education, or keep her home where she has a bathroom separate from the boys. Proper water availability in school isn't something that is in the front of my mind, usually I think about water at home. Reading the article gave me a wider perspective on the water crisis in cultural institutions besides the home.
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"As already noted, national figures hide large inequalities in coverage between rich and poor and between urban and rural areas. Cost factors help to explain why these inequalities exist. Aid programmes are currently marketing latrines for low-income households for $35-$90.28. On average, these spend 72% of their income on food. Were the remainder of their income to go to the purchase of a latrine, this would imply an enormous diversion of resources from health and education." (p. 127)

 The "aid programmes" in question should consider their market. Even if the materials are available, and even if the product would increase the local economy, the initial cost of the product is simply unreasonable for the area. Researching the feasibility of introducing a new product to "help" low-income households is necessary.
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Out of all the concerns we have, the lack of information available about crucial figures should be a major one. Accomplishing the Millennium development goals is a noble goal, but it'll be hard to figure out when we reach the goal if we don't know where we stand currently.

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Read page 380 in the report, Table 29, and check out Kuwait's stats. Women received the right to vote in 2005, and they still don't have any women in government at ministerial level. I don't exactly want to explore political repression in this engineering class, but it's something I'm going to examine on my own time.

Sharps Container #3

After hearing feedback from Corporate, we added a giant blaring "Sharps! Sharps here" sign on the label.

I don't understand why we need that sign. The container clearly says "DISPOSE OF USED OR BROKEN BLADES HERE."

Objection 1: I can't see what the label says from across the room!
Solution 1a: Walk to the can. You'll need to be within arm's length to use it anyways.
Solution 1b: Be aware of your workspace. If you're going to be using a sharp, you should know where this container is.

Objection 2: It doesn't say sharps! I might accidentally put some radioactive material in it!
Solution 2a: Why are you working with radioactive material in this lab?
Solution 2b: Blades = sharps.
Solution 2c: If you don't know what sort of container to put radioactive material in, I'll give you a hint: it's not a tin can.

Objection 3: The lid might come off, or if I take the lid off I might lose it.
Solution 3a: Fair point. We looked at several other options. We tried a piece of cardboard with a duct tape hinge, but it wasn't secure enough. The best option I saw was a manufactured cover:

House of Cans, Inc.

Unfortunately we didn't have time to order this cover, but I think it's a good idea.

Best [Male] Friend Result: Razumikhin!

With a stunning win of 75% of votes, our lovely friend Razumikhin is officially the most desired male best friend!

Shown here played by Shaun Dingwall.

Through murder, alcohol, and love, Razumikhin stays by Raskolnikov. I like your style, man.

Gravity Light

Assignment: estimate the weight required for the GravityLight. List all assumptions, and determine whether this product seems viable. 

Things I Know
*LED bulb = 3.2V, 20mA
*Energy produced from the bag being pulled down powers an LED bulb for 30 minutes
*Gravity = 9.8m/s^{2
*An average person must be able to lift the weight above eye level, according to the picture:}

*The size of the bag is approximately 6" x 18" x 4" (length of a hand x height from mid-chest to forehead x approximate distance between his thumbs). 

      Taken from the video at 1:26.

Assumptions
*When I fly, I pack a suitcase that weighs 50 pounds. That suitcase is hard to carry up stairs, much less lift above my head. Therefore, I'm going to assume that the average person can comfortably lift no more than 35 pounds of dead weight. to eye level, but since the GravityLight bag is much smaller than my suitcase, I assume the weight is closer to 20-25 pounds.

Estimations
Approximate volume of bag:
          6" x 18" x 4" = 432 inches cubed
Approximate weight of 432 inches cubed of sand (source):
          25 lbs

Take away some weight from the area at the top of the bag that isn't filled:

          25 lbs - 3 lbs = 22 lbs

I estimate that the GravityLight requires about 22 pounds, or 20 pounds if we're rounding, to light an LED bulb for approximately 30 minutes.

This product seems like a viable alternative lighting source. Once production costs can be lowered to an ideal cost of under $5, it seems like a great light source, especially compared to kerosene lamps. 

One small issue is the LED life. LED's are cheap, much cheaper than batteries and solar panels. As Amy said, LED bulbs are cheap but not free. If the initial product came with 4 or 5 LED bulbs the length of the package life would be much longer.

Bonus: I checked out the Soccket. I'm surprised this technology hasn't pervaded every part of the world, considering soccer's (or futball's) global popularity.

Estimations

While perusing my favorite Internet comedienne's YouTube channel, I found this video, in which she estimates the amount of time she spends doing things like stalking people on Facebook.

Warning: contains strong language.

 

Best [Female] Friend Result: Hermione!

This survey yielded a 200% increase in voters compared to the last survey; thank you to everyone who voted! The indubitable winner of the Best Female Friend survey is...

Hermione!

Source

Well done, you role model you.

I would personally like to be bestest friends with all four. Hermione, of course, but also:

Galinda                                                             Juliet Butler                           The Wife of Bath

I'd like to make a special case for Juliet Butler. Juliet Butler is the younger sister of Domovoi Butler, butler to Artemis Fowl in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. First and foremost, Juliet's training in combat scenario and instruction in personal bodyguarding make her your go-to friend for any scenario where a roundhouse kick might come in handy. Beyond her extreme strength and physical prowess, however, is the kind of person you would want beside you when you're having a bad day. You can count on her to listen and sympathize, but she'll also check your emotions when you're being needlessly whiny.

Come back soon to vote again! Or comment and tell me who YOU would pick as a best friend.

Lantern

Assignment: Create an LED lantern using a resistor, LED light, and 9V battery.

Provided items:

9V battery

3.5V LED light

270Ω resistor

Other items used:

-Styrofoam cup

-plastic cup

-switch

-aluminum foil

-duct tape

-scotch tape

-pen

-hot glue

-white foam

-white, red, and black paper for decorating 

Although I had thought about various purposes (headlamp, flashlight) I ultimately decided to base my design off my summer experience in Maine and create a lighthouse-shaped lantern:

Figuring out which resistor to use was difficult, and I think I may have chosen the less-than-optimal strength. It works, though, and my LED lights up, so if my math is wrong my actions are right.

9V battery - 3.5V LED = 5.5V

5.5V/20mA = .275kΩ = me choosing a 270Ω resistor.

Although using wires found in the classroom may be a reason for docking points, I decided that my circuitry knowledge wasn't good enough to experiment with anything else. My circuit diagram began as this:

and ended as this:

After poking around the classroom I found the drawer filled with switches, and this classic light switch caught my attention.

I cut the rim off a plastic cup and lined it with aluminum foil in the hopes that shiny materials = reflection. I cut a hole through the bottom of the cup and stuck the LED through the hole. As it turns out, when the resistor wires touch aluminum foil the light turns off, so I wrapped a tiny piece of duct tape around the wires to prevent any shortages.

Because I really threw myself into the theme, I decided to make a turning mechanism for the top of the lantern, giving my lantern the movement akin to a lighthouse. I cut a circular piece of foam small enough to fit on the top (bottom) of the Styrofoam cup base, then stuck a pen through the top (bottom) of the Styrofoam cup and into the circular piece of foam. I hot glued the pen to the foam, making a hand-turning mechanism on which to glue the aluminum-covered cup containing the LED light.

I didn't want the wires hanging outside the cup, so I cut a hole in the back of the cup and stuffed the battery and wires in the base. I then fitted my switch snugly into the hole:

Here's the view from the inside:

You can see the battery is duct-taped on the side. You can also see the pen that I use to turn the top of my lighthouse. As the lighthouses of old, mine is manually operated.

I added a few classic stripes for decoration, a peep-view window, and my lighthouse can effectively guide little ant boats across a tiny puddle of water:

On a bid for creativity points, I added a background diorama to complete the effect:

The only detail I would change about the design is the placement of the LED. I originally wanted to minimize the amount of wire outside the cup, so I placed the light low. If I were to recreate the top bit, I would place the light in the middle to hopefully create a more clear ray of light.

I am looking forward to moving away from circuitry. As much as I tried to understand the subject, and as much as I Googled "beginning circuitry volts watts ohms" I simply don't get it. I'm confident in my lantern, though, and I believe it's a good tool for creating a small sphere of light in darkness.

P.S. Many thanks to Anjali Kayal for her help and love!

Sharps Container #2

After class I continued thinking about potential problems. While we were contemplating which design to use, we considered a water bottle. That idea was the simplest, but the blades might cut through the plastic and could potentially create a problem during transportation. 

Solution: use a tin can:

I used my screwdriver to puncture a slit in the top of the can. I made the slit 1 inch long and ¼ inch thin, in order to accommodate the sharps if you insert them long-ways. I poured out the broth and removed the label:

Note: I had originally tried this concept with a can of green beans, but after I made the slit in the top I realized there was no way to get the green beans out. I needed a liquid, and a quick trip to CVS yielded broth. Note: I ate the green beans.

Another necessity was the ability to securely cover any opening. Solution: duct tape-covered cardboard. We measured cardboard to fit the top, covered it with duct tape for durability and aesthetics, and added two pieces of Velcro to adhere the "lid" to the can:

 A printed label with a bold warning symbol clearly states the purpose of the container:

We needed to mount the container to the wall. Solution: more Velcro! We used a strip height-wise on the can and a corresponding strip on the lab wall right next to the door:

We were initially concerned that the Velcro wouldn't sufficiently hold under the pressure and movement of removing and replacing the lid, but vigorous testing proved the Velcro reliable.

Our design yielded a durable, safe, and compact container that can securely store and transport sharps.

Sharps Container #1

Assignment: Design and construct a container to safely store broken-off sharps.

We had many initial designs:

Boxes

Cardboard box with a sack inside and a sealing cover:

Cardboard box lined with foam:

Unsharpen the Blade

Foam Box to Secure Sharps

Foam Corner Covers

After deliberating, we decided on a white foam five-inch cubewith a slit on top to drop the sharps in. We cut the foam on a map with a blade, then hot-glued the six pieces together. We added magnets on the bottom panel to attract sharps.

Favorite Tool Result: Lightsaber!

Congratulations to the lightsaber, winner of the "Favorite Tool" survey! A stunning 100% of respondents elected this all-purpose gadget to be their first choice over a hammer, laser cutter, and solar panel.

Source: Wookipedia

New surveys will be posted whenever I feel like it, but most likely every week.

Poor People's Energy Outlook 2010 Response

Although it was not in the required reading, I read the Introduction prior to Chapters 1 and 2. I'm not very well-versed in public policy or energy or sustainability, but I feel like the introduction gave me enough understanding and gave itself enough credibility to allow me to read it without feeling worn down or confused.

The most striking part of the reading, I found, was in the introduction.

“Further, the people who have the least access to energy are reflected least in the limited data that are collected. Their voices and experiences are lost – and thus the expression of their needs, desires, and preferred solutions.” (p. vii)

This statement reminds me of the relatively recent political debate and scandal of the Congressional Panel on birth control, where there were no women on the panel despite the fact that the results of the eventual congressional and presidential decision would be affecting almost exclusively women. Similarly, we need to listen to the people that we are trying to help, and fully comprehend what they need, and include them in the process.

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I’m surprised that “globally, deaths from the use of solid fuels are second only to tobacco smoke as an environment risk, and represent the tenth largest risk overall” (p. 9). The fact that cooking your food and warming your body so you don’t die can kill you, and does so on an alarmingly regular and steady basis, is atrocious and should be preventable. This part of the article also widens the sphere of influence to the entire globe when it states “burning solid fuels in open areas and traditional stoves cause global warming” (p. 10). Anyone who thinks that whatever is happening in parts away from them is not their problem is a) probably a terrible person, and b) not considering all the implications, such as global warming.

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The zeer pot industry and development (p. 22) intrigues me. I like how the product is made from materials found in that area, which eliminates or drastically reduces the time, materials, and cost accumulated from importing. More importantly, it fulfills the need that “funding should aim to support the creation of markets” (p. 45). That market isn’t a result of a foreign entity that could be stopped should the funding run dry; it has been incorporated into their economy, which makes the product more accessible and brings the jobs and business that comes with any local economy.

Personal Goal

Name: Katie Tingle
Year: 2014
Major: Psychology
Minor: Religion
Only engineering class I've ever taken and will take at Wellesley: EXTD 120

There are two main reasons why I decided to take EXTD 120. First, I'm graduating in December and still haven't finished up my math/science distribution requirement. Engineering seems like a favorable option over chem or bio. Second, in high school I was a member of the robotics team, competing in FTC, VEX, FIRST Robotics, and mentoring a middle school team in FIRST LEGO League. I bounced around roles frequently, from programmer to designer to publicity chair to driver. Every job required, to some degree, creative engineering. I enjoyed the practical application of blueprint plans, whether it was building the robot, inevitably fixing the robot, presenting our team in the most favorable light possible to the judges, or creating a game plan for the matches.

My goal for this year is to create something magnificent that has the potential to change the world. I plan to reach this goal by learning how to use the tools that are available to me and by researching the current and future additions to global improvement.