Developing Nations Laundry Solutions
When reporters from the Discovery Channel Canada came over to film James Dyson’s new ideas factory they also took the opportunity to find out all about the SpinCycle project. Both features were part of the Daily Planet ‘Garage Guru’s’ inventors slot. You can see both features via the following link:
The Shell Live wire awards go to young entrepreneurs with the best business start-up ventures.
I sent Shell this one minute pitch, to fill them in on the SpinCycle story so far…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5KyrDK8Pw4&feature=youtu.be
Thanks to over 100 voters SpinCycle Solutions won one of four January 2012 awards.
‘To mark Global Entrepreneurship Week, Matt Chorley meets some of Britain’s brightest young business brains’
“A very innovative concept”
“I love your spin cycler – I would like one in Oxford to attach to my own bike.”
I sent some messages out to several charities to get some feedback on the SpinCycle.
Here’s some of the responses I received…
“I am the Chair person of MAD4Africa and I received your email about your cycle invention (which I thought was brilliant)”
“Your product looks very interesting!
WaterAid utilises solutions that are low cost and sustainable, and this certainly touches upon these criteria”
“Wow what a great idea!…
I’m sure your project would be taken on well in India and all of the options could work”
“fun and certainly useful!”
“This is a great idea, I can see our volunteers using this sort of machines in our orphan centres.”
“Great idea!”
After doing some more research and meeting with a range of people who have a good understanding of the needs, wants and culture surrounding many Sub-Saharan African nations, I have come up with 3 models in which I feel the SpinCycle would be suited to.
When/if I get back out to Africa, I plan to test the prototype in each of these environments.
Take a look at the pictures below which illustrate the 3 models and feel free to let me know which idea you think is the best and why.
Yesterday I went to visit the EWB society at Sheffield University. It was great to meet some more people with ideas for putting pedal power to good use and they were surprisingly welcoming to say I’m an ex-Hallamer! Over the past year they’ve built several prototypes for pedal powered machines including a pedal powered projector and a pedal powered blender…
The team will be visiting the SpinCycle project at the Load Hog factory next week and giving their verdict on the design.
I’ll let you know how we get on.
Take a look at the Look North report on the SpinCycle project.
The SpinCycle passed the well-known Tom Ingall pants cleaning test. However, it did highlight a small leakage issue in the drum as well as my inability to grate soap under pressure…keep an eye out for a bloody-bandage-handshake…
Throughout the past week I have been doing some more interviews and photo shoots for the papers so keep an eye out for those and I’ve also been looking into a more streamline, lightweight and more easily manufactured SpinCycle design while continuing to network with different charities and organisations.
To give you a sneaky peak into how the next SpinCycle prototype might look I’ve mocked up a quick Solidworks model…
There is also a new idea for how the SpinCycle might be used in developing countries. In order to give communities the best access to this invention there could be several SpinCycles permanently located at a water source where the washing usually takes place…
Like a laundrette I suppose. Apart from the view is better and you can keep fit and chat while you wash.
Any thoughts?
