ION Energy Systems
University thesis project. Vehicle-powered energy harnessing system focused on frugal innovation and community empowerment.
Overview
ION Energy is a system of speed bumps that transform potential energy from passing vehicles into electrical energy.
The goal of the project is to foster sustainable progress in small Ecuadorian communities through local empowerment, frugal innovation and education.
This page focuses on the digital platform integrated into the system.
You can view the industrial design project here
Framework
What’s the Problem?
Many rural communities in Ecuador lack reliable access to electricity, hindering development and growth. Additionally, there's a general lack of understanding about energy generation and usage in rural communities.
What’s the Solution?
A system that converts the kinetic energy of passing vehicles into electrical energy. This energy is then distributed to local vendors and community spaces. A digital platform complements the system by tracking and displaying energy production and usage data.
Who’s the User?
The primary users are roadside vendors, local community members, and drivers in rural Ecuadorian areas.
Why is This a Need?
Ecuadorians need sustainable energy sources to power their businesses and engage with their communities. Additionally, they need to learn about energy generation and consumption in order to foster sustainable practices, community engagement and a sense of empowerment.
Deep-Dive
With the main focus being to empower small business owners in rural communities in Ecuador, it was crucial to understand the context as well as the motivations of the central stakeholders. To do so, we conducted in-depth primary research which revealed areas of opportunity in both tangible and intangible aspects.
At this stage, it became clear that there was an opportunity to design a culturally relevant solution with high potential for positive impact.
Critical Findings
How might we take advantage of the way stakeholders are already positioned?
How might we provide a reliable energy source that benefits for both business and community?
The topic of energy is shrouded in mystery.
How might we spark curiosity and an interest in learning?
Vendors strategically position their stands near tolls and speed bumps on busy roads.
After affinitizing the qualitative research and uncovering key insights, guiding questions were crafted to help direct the ideation and prototyping phase.
Access to energy is essential for economic growth and well-being.
Ideation & Prototyping
How did the key findings shape the final product? The guiding questions directed this stage towards looking for solutions that could not only supply dependable energy but also empower local communities.
Th educational aspect of the project became essential to create a well rounded solution that focused on long-term impact.
A Monumental Solution
A kinetic sculpture allows us to create a dedicated space for community to gather and learn about energy. From a functional standpoint, the monument serves as an electrical utility box, housing all components needed to transform and distribute energy.
To make the data tangible and readily accessible to the public, a digital platform was created to track and share energy production and usage.
Community centered monuments are equipped with an interactive screen that displays real-time and historic data about energy production and usage.
A free app allows drivers to view how many times they’ve driven over the energy converting speed bumps and how much energy they’ve contributed into the system
Learn about energy and view real-time and historic impact
View each tower’s stats and learn about energy usage by location.
Discover who are the largest contributors to the system.