Design Project - 2
Academic Project | 8 weeks | Nov 2019
Guide: Prakash Vani, Naim Shaikh
This project is a form of inquiry on what the future of Consumer Products and manufacturing them could be.
Context:
India generates about 2 million metric tonnes of e-waste (2016) annually from which only 20% is recycled formally. A large chunk of this waste either ends up in landfills or informally scavenged by locals to be recycled. And this image is changing, many start-ups have emerged in the country which process e-waste. But recycling is not the only way, upcycling and reusing the components takes less energy, uses less resources and increases the lifespan of the components.
Visuals from Ahmedabad's Flea Market (Ravivari) and one of many Alang's warehouses filled with e-waste
Introducing The Waste Fellow
"Rethinking the future of sustainable living, by transforming waste into thoughtful products"
What?
'The Waste Fellow' is a concept business of upcycling e-waste and manufacturing waste conscious consumer products.
Why?
Because a large number of what is labeled as "e-waste" is actually not waste at all, but rather whole electronic equipment or parts that are readily marketable for reuse and can be upcycled.
How?
Utilising the local electronics experts and repair shops to create valuable technology crafts. Creating employment in a dying sector of local hardware manufacturing and questioning traditional manufacturing practices.
PRO-CON
Pro-Con (short for Professional-Console) is a macro pad made out of upcycled e-waste and open-source electronics. The casing and all the plastic components are made out of recycled e-waste plastic and injection moulded. Compared to proprietary consoles, Pro-Con is affordable and sustainable.
Macro functions allow combination buttons, dial and joystick and other complex commands which can meet various usage scenarios while working on professional software. With increased productivity, it also provides tactile feedback for intangible elements.
Ideation sketches
Pro Con is designed to save you time without sacrificing creative integrity, and can be used to create and edit your photos, videos, music, and designs. It is designed to be used with your mouse, keyboard and pen tablet.
Pro Con puts the tools you use right at your fingertips with buttons, dial, and joystick you can completely customize and organize to your own personal way of working.
Contextual GUI (Graphic User Interface) example
