Daniel Sheridan, a student on the combined master’s Consumer Product Design degree course, at Coventry University in the UK, designed a simple see-saw which when played on by children at schools in the developing world, generates electricity to help power up their school.
My final year MDes [Coventry School of Art & Design, Industrial Design Program] research was inspired by the time I spent in Kenya and Tanzania, during the summer of 2007. After traveling, working and living in East Africa for two months I decided upon my return to the University that I would focus my final MDes research and major design project on products to benefit African communities like those I had been involved with.
My research report entitled ‘Power Through Play’ explored how a positive aspect of African communities could be combined with a need that would benefit daily life. After in depth research including speaking to experts on Africa, meeting African nationals and students in Coventry and recalling my own experiences, I concluded that the joy and energy of children was one of the most positive aspects. The need for electricity at school communities in rural and poverty stricken locations was one of the key needs. Without any electricity access, development can be difficult. Thus the idea of ‘Power Through Play’ was born and the concept of an electricity generating see-saw was born.
I decided to enter my electricity generating see-saw, final year design project into Bizcom, the student business ideas competition at Coventry University as part of my search to fund a prototype. I made a pitch to the ‘Phoenix Den’ panel at the Enterprise Festival from 27 – 28 February 2008. My idea won the award for the ‘most innovative product’ and went on to win the overall 2008 Bizcom prize. For this I received a total prize of £1000 which I would successfully use to take a prototype of my design out to install and test at a school in Uganda, East Africa during Easter 2008.
I was also granted a placement on the SPEED programme (Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education) at the University. This gave me access to a business start-up grant of £3,300, training on all factors of starting up a business and the support of business development mentors. This assistance enabled me to setup PlayMade Energy Ltd in May 2008, whilst still completing my studies, in order to further develop my design and take it into production.
The see-saw design known as the ‘Energee-Saw’ will be supplied in kit form with local materials also used to build the main structure of the see-saw. This greatly reduces logistical costs and the carbon footprint of transportation. It also engages the local community into the build of the product – fostering a pride of ownership. This was one of the key points informed by my research in order to ensure the installed product is a long-term success. The product is intended to power low-drain electrical appliances such as LED based classroom lighting, mobile phones, radios and MP3, and potentially low-wattage laptop computers.
I have successfully secured the support of the West Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service for the final development and testing of the product. My dream is now to see the Energee-Saw installed at several schools and orphanages around parts of the developing world. PlayMade Energy has already confirmed the interest of some of the charities working in the field of international child development and school building and I hope to work with as many of these as I can in order to bring benefit to as many schools as possible. I have now witnessed how much enjoyment underprivileged children take from having a piece of playground equipment at their school and the useful effects that small amounts of electricity can have in their classroom.
In the future I am hoping to design further products which utilize the acts of fun and play for power. For more information on the Energee-Saw including pictures of the prototype, and to follow or support PlayMade Energy’s work please visit my website at www.playmadeenergy.com
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