13F02 Team Asian Size
Design 2D Essay
It can be said that humanity is the driving force for advancement in design and
innovation. The roots of most designs stem not from the urge to design, but the needs of
people. This is applicable for Team Asian Size’s product. As with this term’s HASS theme of
modernisation, doubt is the basis of all scientific progress. In a microscopic way, we question
whether our homes are keeping up with the ever increasing reliance on electrical appliances
in a way that is favourable both to the environment and mankind- in terms of being able to
deal with the heightened level of energy consumption and wastage. There is, hence, an
apparent need for us to promote the efficient use of energy.
We were, however, considering the ethical impacts of new technology - brought up by
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. While our product offered some degree of automation, we did
not want users to become over-reliant on our product to manage their energy wastage. As a
result, the user is actively involved in the energy saving process by being able to programme
the cut-off threshold current and time delay for the product to be automatically switched off
once the criteria have been realised. This balance ensures that while vampire energy is
ultimately reduced automatically, the user’s awareness of energy wastage is not compromised
but more importantly, to allow the product to be customised to suit the user's own unique
lifestyle.
The precedent research and ideation processes played a big role in determining the
concept of our product. We had to survey a large pool of people on their habits and lifestyles
in order to determine the crux of the problem. Eventually this led us to realise that laziness
and inconvenience were the issues the product had to tackle. The precedent analysis and
research carved out our design strategy which was to marry automation and adaptability in
order to solve the issues of laziness and inconvenience as well as to ensure that the product
meets the needs of different lifestyles.
With the aid of physics concepts on electricity and circuits and linear systems of data
collection and processing, we derived an enhanced circuit that actively measures the amount
of current flowing through an appliance at regular intervals. Upon measuring a fall in current
to standby rating, the system is programmed to cut off the power of the appliance
automatically. This ensures that the appliance does not cause energy to be wasted in the form
of vampire energy. The users are able to set their cut-off threshold current and time delay for
each appliance depending on their respective lifestyle. The user also has to switch manually
switch on the appliance the same way he or she switches on the lights and fans.
While the present set-up is rudimentary, it exhibits the flexibility the microprocessor
has in making decisions. Using a variety of inputs and a system based on priorities and user
requirements, the product is able to avoid false positive (where the product cuts off power
even when the appliance is in use) and false negative (where the product fails to cuts off
power to an appliance on standby). This system of managing and over-riding commands,
though primitive compared to established systems in the real market, is the main form of
intelligence demonstrated by the product - of which the Team believes that there is an
incredible amount of potential in.
Word Count: 566