This was a live project in partnership with the UK based charity, ShelterBox. ShelterBox are devoted to providing emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis.
The aim of this project was to develop a low-cost device to generate, store and deliver electrical energy as part of ShelterBox's disaster relief. I chose to focus on providing a light source to ease travelling during night-time and also to provide illumination during the evening to enable the user to carry out various tasks such as cooking a meal.
See the short film below for detailed information about the Piezo Flip Flops.
As described in the film, through analysis of secondary research I concluded incorporating a form of footwear into the design would be highly beneficial for the user due to it providing them with an element of injury prevention from hazards common in refugee camps such as broken glass or nails. Furthermore, selecting Flip Flops as the form of footwear minimises cost and also carries an essence of familiarity for the user.
The chosen method of generating electrical energy is through the implementation of Piezoelectric Disks. The Piezoelectric Disks are strategically housed under the heel and ball of each foot. This is due to the disks harnessing energy through mechanical strain exerted from a footstep.
The energy harvested through the process of walking and moving around is then safely stored in a Nickel Metal Hydride Battery. Through interaction with the switch, the electrical energy can be used to power the oLEDs. These oLEDs will illuminate the surrounding area of the user enabling them to clearly see if any hazards are near them allowing these dangers to be easily avoided, preventing any injury.
As detailed earlier, as well as providing safety, this light also enables the user to perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible without a light source.
