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Introduction
Introduction
After researching patents and products pertaining to our problem statement, we started to brainstorm solutions. Initially, we each conducted independent brainstorming sessions. This allowed us to be creative in our unique ways and prevented any "bandwagon" effects from occurring in the initial stages of brainstorming. After the individual sessions, we presented our ideas to the group and brainstormed together, allowing us to build off of each other's ideas. During both of these types of brainstorms, we kept the feedback from our survey in the front of our mind and used concepts from different patents and products as inspiration to ensure that our ideas would be relevant.
30 Brainstorms
30 Brainstorms
The top two images refer to using wastewater to power a turbine generator in the pipes. Similar ideas appear in other brainstorms and is further developed on the following image.
The middle left idea involves using cabinet or pantry door hinges to generate power. This idea was further developed in a meeting and would eventually become our final design.
The middle right brainstorm was a turbine attached to the top of a vehicle. We discarded this idea shortly after conception because we found a similar, if not identical, patent.
The bottom left idea is describing a system which uses a hydrogen fuel cell to convert shower or other waste water into electricity. Although we were intrigued with this concept, we ultimately discarded it during the decision matrix due to its potentially high cost and our extremely limited expertise in this field.
The bottom right idea is a chair which slowly lowers, generating electricity in the process via gears or electromagnetism. This idea was discarded after we determined that the chair would likely not get enough use to produce a meaningful amount of electricity.
The very bottom image refers to a similar idea to the top two: rainwater collected from gutters would generate electricity via a turbine generator.
A more detailed drawing of the pipe or gutter turbine. As this idea was present in all of our notebooks after the individual brainstorming session and proved itself after the first round of the decision matrix (discussed in the next section "Decision Matrix"), we drew a more conclusive and detailed design.
Above is a more detailed design of the door generator which was initially explored in the brainstorms. This particular design was fleshed out during the one of group brainstorm session.
The top idea is another member's take on the rain gutter turbine.
The bottom idea is a vertical or horizontal axis wind turbine based of pelton water wheel. We determined that this idea was too similar to current devices.
This idea is a scaled down wind turbine with or without solar cells on the blades. This idea was discarded when we found a similar patent.
The top left idea is a pen which generates electricity by harvesting the force applied during writing. This idea was discarded due to the small energy available and its small scale.
The top right idea is a backpack hanger which converts motion to electricity as backpack lowers to ground. This idea was discarded due to the limited energy output.
The middle left brainstorm is a wind turbine placed in a window. This idea was discarded due to the limited energy output.
The middle right is a tank which fills with snow. When melted, the runoff moves turbine, generating electricity. This idea was ultimately discarded due to how unpredictable melting is.
The bottom left image depicts a watering can which contains a turbine. This idea was discarded because we decided we would be able to produce more electricity with the pipe or gutter turbines.
The bottom right idea is a computer which uses piezoelectric elements in or under the keyboard to harvest energy. This idea was discarded after we discovered a similar patent which used piezoelectric elements as actuators in the keyboard.
The very bottom brainstorm is a belt which generates electricity as the person runs. This idea was discarded after we found a similar patent which used a combination of piezoelectricity and electromagnetism to generate electricity as the person moved.
The top left depicts a shoe with piezoelectric soles to harvest the energy produced when as the wearer walks or runs. This idea was discarded after we found a similar idea had already been developed.
Below that is a system which uses microbial cells to convert waste water into electricity. We discarded this idea due to the expertise, time, and funds need to create this.
The idea on the right is a balloon which carries a system of turbines up. As the system falls back towards the ground, the turbines would turn, generating electricity. This idea was discarded due to the potential complications with allowing a balloon to float freely and then letting a system of turbines fall towards the ground.
The top idea is a piezoelectric fabric or string which would generate electricity from the wind pulling at it. Optionally, a piezoelectric attachment point, which would generate electricity as the rope pulled on it was included. This idea was discarded due to piezoelectricity's nanoscale generation ability.
The bottom image depicts a piezoelectric system which uses an airfoil-like device with flaps and springs to use wind to oscillate some sort of piezoelectric system. Again, this idea was discarded due to piezoelectricity's nanoscale generation ability.
The top design is a piezoelectric mat intended to be placed under a fridge or machine to harvest the vibrations caused during running. This idea was discarded due to piezoelectricity's nanoscale generation ability.
The second idea is a system of piezoelectric siding which uses wind to oscillate the spines. This idea was discarded due to the amount of spines required to generate a meaningful amount of electricity
The top idea is a piezoelectric element placed within a gutter. This idea was discarded due to piezoelectricity's nanoscale generation ability.
The second idea is a system which rotates a solar panel throughout the day to follow the sun. Optionally, a type of wind harvester was suggested to power the rotation on cloudy days. This idea was discarded after we found a similar product already existed.
The top idea is an interlocking system of green solar panels. The justification behind the green solar panels was that we had found green was the most efficient at harvesting energy (citation). This idea was explored in other member's brainstorms and eventually came in second in our decision matrix.
The bottom idea is a flag pole which utilizes electromagnetism and the up/down movement of the rope to generate electricity. This idea was discarded due to the limited amount of electricity it would produce.
These are another member's take on interlockable solar panels.
This idea is a system of solar panels which move around the roof of a house to maximize sunlight harvesting. This idea was discarded after we decided that the amount of power needed to move the solar panels around the roof of a house would decrease the efficiency too much.
Similar to the rain gutter turbine, this idea uses snow or water is harvested from a roof to power a turbine.
The top idea is a wind turbine on sides of house where wind is most active. Like the solar panels, this system would also be connectable. We discarded this idea after determining that the average wind speed near ground level was too small for us to harvest any meaningful power.
The middle idea is a wind turbine placed in the exhaust pipe of car. This idea made it to our decision matrix but was eventually discarded due to small electricity generation and potential issues with regulations.
The bottom idea is a silent wind turbine. We discarded this idea after determining that we did not have the expertise necessary to improve upon existing products, especially since many engineers have already visited this problem.
Other brainstorm ideas (not pictured):
piezoelectric spring
water-based cooling system
lowering garage door turns gear
pyro or piezoelectric shower mat
tile system which uses piezoelectricity or electromagnetism
Narrowing Our Ideas
Narrowing Our Ideas
As a group, we came up with a large variety of ideas, making narrowing our ideas essential. We automatically eliminated ideas that we thought would take more energy to run than they produced most of the time. To further narrow our selection, we discussed which ideas would be the most feasible given our time, budget, knowledge, and ability constraints. This left us with eight ideas to put into the decision matrix.
Decision Matrix
Decision Matrix
Criteria
Criteria
We derived our criteria from our design specifications, giving the most important specifications a higher weight (on a scale from one to 10). Our most important criteria was the quantity of electricity generated. Additionally, we added a feasibility constraint, feeling it was important to take our time, knowledge, and budget into consideration. We used these criteria to narrow down our choices to a top three.
Decision Matrix
Decision Matrix
As can be seen, our top 3 ideas were the door generator, pipe turbine, and connectable solar panels.
After further discussion we decided that although the pipe turbine was well within our expertise, it would be too invasive, would be too similar to existing products, and could cause too many issues with regulations.
We also decided that the connectable solar panels were too similar to currently existing products and required expertise which we did not possess nor would be able to acquire in the short time span.
Ultimately we decided to pursue the door generator as we did not find any similar existing products and it appeared to be within our expertise and budget.
Our mentor agreed with our reasoning and encouraged us to pursue the door generator.
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