This project is for my Math and Science class named Design and Engineering. The purpose of this project was to redesign a tool to make it more fit for the elderly to use. the reason we targeted the elderly as the user is because we learned that companies usually do not make products with the elderly in mind. We learned a lot about different tools for gardening and other tasks and also their use. I also learned that carbon fiber is commonly used in tools now-a-days because it is lighter than wood but it has more recoil when you strike a hard object. I am proud of our tool because we put a lot of thought and effort into designing the tool and I feel we also explained it very well
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| BKJ Cultivator (2014) |
The purpose of this assignment is to design a tool that would be easier for old people to use. Our users are old people and what makes them unique is that it’s harder for them to do tasks that may seem simple to us.
We learned about the different purposes of different tools. For instance, a carbon fiber shaft may be more lightweight than a wooden or a metal shaft, but it also creates more impact shock on the hands. They also told us that the size of the handle can make a difference because some people cannot bend down without pain so the longer handle will make the job easier. Also the longer handle will make it easier to cover larger areas.
When we were at Home Depot we learned that most tools are not that sharp because some people will run their fingers across the blade and cut themselves by accident. When we did our interview HP's mom said "Hand cultivators need to be sharp so they can dig through clay soil or hard compacted soil." After evaluating both points we decided to add little rubber guards that you put on after each use and take off when in use to give the user protection from our sharp blade.
Some things that we learned about hand cultivators are that the hand cultivator doesn't always have a short handle. It also doesn't always have a wedge on the back of it. The hand cultivator is sometimes pushed like a lawnmower.
Our tool is a multi-purpose hand cultivator that can not only stir up dirt, but it can also take out rocks and weeds from the soil. It does this by using its two different blades on the top to stir up the dirt. The flat side is used to break up the dirt into big pieces and the prongs on the other side are used to break up the dirt into smaller pieces. The claw at the top is used to pick up rocks using a rope at the handle that the user pulls. Weeds can also be hacked apart and then pulled out using the flat wedge on the tool.
Our new tool makes the task at hand so much easier for everyone because not only do we have add-ons but we also improved the parts that were already there. We added serrated edges to the prongs to cut up weeds and also to break down hard dirt into smaller pieces. We also made the flat side have a sharper end which allows us to cut into the dirt better with less force. Then we decided to add a claw on top of the tool to remove unwanted objects out of your garden such as rocks, glass, feces, etc. We also added it to transport dirt from one plot in your garden to another with less work and also less tools. It uses a wedge to get into the dirt so that it can be stirred up so that oxygen can get into it. It also uses wedges to get out weeds and rocks from the soil. A wedge is a triangular shaped object the goes from small to large and is used to insert itself into objects. In conclusion, our tool is better, stronger, lighter, and has more uses than most hand cultivators. At first we sketched up the design with ash wood for the handle but then realized that with all the add-ons it was going to be too heavy for an old person to use so we decided to use carbon fiber because we learned from the people at Home Depot that carbon fiber is way lighter and easier to use
We learned about the different purposes of different tools. For instance, a carbon fiber shaft may be more lightweight than a wooden or a metal shaft, but it also creates more impact shock on the hands. They also told us that the size of the handle can make a difference because some people cannot bend down without pain so the longer handle will make the job easier. Also the longer handle will make it easier to cover larger areas.
When we were at Home Depot we learned that most tools are not that sharp because some people will run their fingers across the blade and cut themselves by accident. When we did our interview HP's mom said "Hand cultivators need to be sharp so they can dig through clay soil or hard compacted soil." After evaluating both points we decided to add little rubber guards that you put on after each use and take off when in use to give the user protection from our sharp blade.
Some things that we learned about hand cultivators are that the hand cultivator doesn't always have a short handle. It also doesn't always have a wedge on the back of it. The hand cultivator is sometimes pushed like a lawnmower.
Our tool is a multi-purpose hand cultivator that can not only stir up dirt, but it can also take out rocks and weeds from the soil. It does this by using its two different blades on the top to stir up the dirt. The flat side is used to break up the dirt into big pieces and the prongs on the other side are used to break up the dirt into smaller pieces. The claw at the top is used to pick up rocks using a rope at the handle that the user pulls. Weeds can also be hacked apart and then pulled out using the flat wedge on the tool.
Our new tool makes the task at hand so much easier for everyone because not only do we have add-ons but we also improved the parts that were already there. We added serrated edges to the prongs to cut up weeds and also to break down hard dirt into smaller pieces. We also made the flat side have a sharper end which allows us to cut into the dirt better with less force. Then we decided to add a claw on top of the tool to remove unwanted objects out of your garden such as rocks, glass, feces, etc. We also added it to transport dirt from one plot in your garden to another with less work and also less tools. It uses a wedge to get into the dirt so that it can be stirred up so that oxygen can get into it. It also uses wedges to get out weeds and rocks from the soil. A wedge is a triangular shaped object the goes from small to large and is used to insert itself into objects. In conclusion, our tool is better, stronger, lighter, and has more uses than most hand cultivators. At first we sketched up the design with ash wood for the handle but then realized that with all the add-ons it was going to be too heavy for an old person to use so we decided to use carbon fiber because we learned from the people at Home Depot that carbon fiber is way lighter and easier to use
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| BKJ Storyboard (2014) |
In the first slide it shows a picture of a person grabbing the tool for a garage. the second slide depicts a person using the serrated edges on the prongs of the tool to rip out weeds from the ground. In the third picture it shows a person picking up feces with the claw on top of our tool by pulling the rope which closes the claw allowing him to move it. In the fourth box it show the person using the flat side of the tool to loosen up the dirt to get air into the soil
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| BKJ Storyboard (2014) |
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| BKJ Forces (2014) |
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