As part of MIT's new Curricular Initiative for Development Design, I will be traveling to Haiti in January with the Haiti class to begin investigation of water filtration and rural electrification design projects. Having little Mechanical Engineering background, I would like to modify and prototype some low-tech devices designed in past project seminars at the Edgerton Center. These learning exercises will provide some knowledge foundation in water filtration and rural electifrication techniques.
Guided by Amy Smith, co-instructor of the Haiti class, I will prototype a water filtration device that will hopefully be used as a model for future 2.008 (Design and Manufacturing Lab) semesters. Currently, students design and mass-produce toy yoyos. It would be nice if students would use the lab assignment to design and mass-produce devices of global need and importance. At the end of each semester, the water filters would be distributed appropriately.
Possible extension: portable electronic water tester
visualization: globalization and movement
Inspired by involvement in the organization of a Filipino American conference recently held at MIT (October 26) on the political and economic issues of the Pin@y diaspora, another possible project could be a visualization of the effects of globalization on the movement of people. The Philippines is the second largest exporter of people, behind Mexico, sending Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs) to 162 countries.
Using statistics from the Philippine Migration and Overseas Employment Administrations, I will create a globe-like visualization with fiber optic strands. The educational art piece could be extended within the user interface; sensors on the globe could trigger factual displays on a laptop.
