In our first unit, Stronger, in our STEAM class Design and Engineering, we studied the evolution of tools, simple machines, volume, surface area, vectors, work, and force. For our action project, we had to work with a partner to redesign a common gardening tool to appeal to senior citizens. Senior citizens are very commonly gardeners, and yet, there are a minuscule amount of tools designed for them. This project challenged us to use our sense of empathy to try to feel what elderly people would have issues with in the garden and to think about how we could make it better. If you would like to see my partner, CG's blog, you can find it here.
Research and Background
Leading up to this project, we had many research opportunities. These were very helpful in giving us a solid base for our project. We went to Home Depot and got to discuss our tool ideas with the gardening experts there, and even got to try out the tools that they sell there. We also interviewed a real gardener, finding out what they enjoyed about their tools and what they didn't, while they demonstrated how the tools work. For this project, we had to truly understand empathy. Empathy is the process of feeling what others are feeling, or 'putting yourself in somebody else's shoes.' This project made us put ourselves into the shoes of elderly gardeners, which we did by researching health problems that are common in older age and reading articles about how seniors have to adjust in the garden. Adjusting your tools or your behaviors because of pain or a disability is called a workaround. We wanted to make a tool where workarounds wouldn't be necessary, even for those who commonly have joint pain and less mobility.
Tool Outline
Parts (Diagram above)
Our Tool V. The Competition
This chart shows our tool compared to the other most popular hoes. We found this information on our field experience to Home Depot and on the Home Depot website. Although we don't have a price for our tool since it is not in existence yet, we compared the sizes of the blade and handle, and the materials. As you can see, our tool is adjustable in length and uses a modern material, carbon fiber, which is lighter and more long-lasting than wood or fiberglass. Our tool is also multipurpose, which allows the user to continually use one tool without switching back and forth, which can be tiring. One of the biggest complaints from my interview was how much the wood hurt the gardener's hands, which is why we decided to add gel grips.
Simple Machines
The edge of the hoe is a wedge because it tapers into a blade. This makes it easier to break up soil because all of the force behind it is concentrated onto one thin line.The entire tool is a lever, which is why we made the handle longer, to allow for more leverage. The longer the tool is, the easier it is to push it into the ground or move dirt. The fulcrum or balancing point of the lever would be at the end point of the handle, where one hand holds it steady.
Vectors
Volume and Surface Area
This diagram shows how I calculated the volume and surface area of the blade of the hoe, in inches. I calculated these as if the hoe were a rectangular prism, so even though it is slightly curved at the top edge, it fits best with a prism.
Storyboard
Conclusion
I think this project was very helpful in understanding the concepts of empathy and the basic skills needed to design. I enjoyed getting to work together and learn how to communicate with my partner, and I think we worked well together and split up the work well. I had issues with formatting all of the information to make it easy to read and understand, but I eventually decided to split up each section into their own parts.
Works Cited
Leading up to this project, we had many research opportunities. These were very helpful in giving us a solid base for our project. We went to Home Depot and got to discuss our tool ideas with the gardening experts there, and even got to try out the tools that they sell there. We also interviewed a real gardener, finding out what they enjoyed about their tools and what they didn't, while they demonstrated how the tools work. For this project, we had to truly understand empathy. Empathy is the process of feeling what others are feeling, or 'putting yourself in somebody else's shoes.' This project made us put ourselves into the shoes of elderly gardeners, which we did by researching health problems that are common in older age and reading articles about how seniors have to adjust in the garden. Adjusting your tools or your behaviors because of pain or a disability is called a workaround. We wanted to make a tool where workarounds wouldn't be necessary, even for those who commonly have joint pain and less mobility.
 |
| The C-hoe-tivator 2000. MDS and CG, 2017. |
Tool Outline
Our new tool, the C-hoe-tivator 2000, is intended for people who don’t have as much strength and for those who have joint pain, like senior citizens. As I learned in my interview with a gardener, “I like to use the hoe because of the increased leverage, but I always get bad blisters because of the handle. It’s also annoying to switch between tools.” It has 3 gel and rubber grips to make it easier to move and carry. It also is multipurpose, as it has 2 heads: a cultivator and a hoe. Also, each of the heads can unscrew from the end to become hand tools.
Parts (Diagram above)
Gel grip- lower amounts of joint pain
Adjustable handle- to lower back pain for people of different heights
Gel coated buttons- to flip either of the heads up and to lower stress on fingers
Hoe blade- for turning the soil, pulling weeds, moving soil, smoothing soil, and harvesting root crops
Cultivator blade- for breaking up soil, controlling weeds, stirring in compost/fertilizer, blending soil
Unscrewing point- makes each blade a hand tool with a gel grip
Gel coated buttons- to flip either of the heads up and to lower stress on fingers
Hoe blade- for turning the soil, pulling weeds, moving soil, smoothing soil, and harvesting root crops
Cultivator blade- for breaking up soil, controlling weeds, stirring in compost/fertilizer, blending soil
Unscrewing point- makes each blade a hand tool with a gel grip
Our Tool V. The Competition
 |
| Tool Comparisons, MDS and CG (2017) |
This chart shows our tool compared to the other most popular hoes. We found this information on our field experience to Home Depot and on the Home Depot website. Although we don't have a price for our tool since it is not in existence yet, we compared the sizes of the blade and handle, and the materials. As you can see, our tool is adjustable in length and uses a modern material, carbon fiber, which is lighter and more long-lasting than wood or fiberglass. Our tool is also multipurpose, which allows the user to continually use one tool without switching back and forth, which can be tiring. One of the biggest complaints from my interview was how much the wood hurt the gardener's hands, which is why we decided to add gel grips.
Simple Machines
The edge of the hoe is a wedge because it tapers into a blade. This makes it easier to break up soil because all of the force behind it is concentrated onto one thin line.The entire tool is a lever, which is why we made the handle longer, to allow for more leverage. The longer the tool is, the easier it is to push it into the ground or move dirt. The fulcrum or balancing point of the lever would be at the end point of the handle, where one hand holds it steady.
Vectors
 |
| Vector Diagram, MDS and CG (2017) |
Volume and Surface Area
 |
| Volume and Surface Area, MDS and CG (2017) |
This diagram shows how I calculated the volume and surface area of the blade of the hoe, in inches. I calculated these as if the hoe were a rectangular prism, so even though it is slightly curved at the top edge, it fits best with a prism.
Storyboard
 |
| The Life of Mildred, CG and MDS (2017) |
This storyboard shows the sequence of how the tool is used, what is special about it, and how you can store and clean it. It also includes our target audience, an elderly gardener, whom we have named Mildred.
Conclusion
I think this project was very helpful in understanding the concepts of empathy and the basic skills needed to design. I enjoyed getting to work together and learn how to communicate with my partner, and I think we worked well together and split up the work well. I had issues with formatting all of the information to make it easy to read and understand, but I eventually decided to split up each section into their own parts.
Works Cited
"Gardening Tools." The Home Depot. Sept 18, 2017.
S.Shaffer, personal communication, Sept 17, 2017.
Comments
Post a Comment