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Solutions

Upper Hutt College

Click here for a PDF of Jason, Mike and Cam's device   Click here for a PDF of Jason, Mike and Cam's poster John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness -  Your ideas are good.  Storing water to ensure there is still enough for hand washing when there is a dry period is important.    Durability -  Using locally available materials such as containers used for shipping other materials and bamboo is also important but there maybe a problem in sealing the joint between the hand washing container and the bamboo. It would be hard to seal the joint with the bamboo going through at an angle.   Perhaps you should tilt the bottle? User-friendliness -  Your device should be relatively easy to use, but using dirty hands to pull and push the bamboo in and out could be a problem, contaminating the bamboo for other users.   How do you make sure the water is sterile? Communication - Your poster pictures are wonderful and would make a real impact, with the top line representing sickness and the thumbs up  for the second line  My only comment would be that many PNG children will not have access to a clean white basin with soap and lots of running water. Prof Norris comments...Communication - The tap, sink and soap all look wrong. The poster shows some really nice ideas and it's very simple but even so the message needs to be a bit clearer. Jess, Jess and Hanna's device and hand sanitiser   Jess, Jess and Hanna's device and poster.   John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness  - Jess, Jess and Hannah, congratulations on a brilliant idea of using an inner tube to stand on to produce a hand washing squirt.  This gets over the big problem of how to get water for hand washing without using of dirty hands.  I like the Coke bottle top with small holes to provide a spray squirt.   Durability - Your device should be very durable and there should no problem to get an inner tube, timber for the deck, containers and plastic tubes. User-friendliness - It should be very easy for users to thoroughly wash their hands. Collecting the waste water for use on gardens is very important in water scarce regions - an excellent idea to help families grow vegetables.  You would need to make sure that when standing on the inner tube there was some sort of one-way valve on the inlet from the water tank.   Also you would need to be careful that water did not flow out of the spray nozzle when not in use, possibly using another one-way valve.  Using Llang-Llang bark for helping to wash hands is also a good idea.  How would you provide this to the users and keep it clean? Communication - Your "Germs Kill you, Kill germs" is really well done.  Short, easy to read messages with good pictures are important and you have achieved this.  Congratulations! Elaine Burgess, plant scientist comments....This is good referencing to the anti bacterial properties of the plant, Llang-Llang. However, it is found in the bark. Also, you are right, the the oils in coconut milk would provide a moisturising effect. Unfortunately, it would not grown in the highlands because it has a moderate rather than tropical climate. Prof Norris comments... Communication - It assumes people know what germs are so it would be OK as part of a wider campaign. The sink is Western. The best part of your poster is the the wet, rub, and rinse message. The same message should be taken on in NZ. It gives you the impression that the process of handwashing should take some time. Well done. Shaun, Joel, Vinura and Jordan's work John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness - Shaun, Joel, Vinura and Jordan,  what an excellent idea to use locally available  bamboo tubes to control the flow for hand washing.  The spring push device could be operated with an elbow or knee to overcome to problem of contaminating the valve with dirty hands .   Durability - Using local bamboo is a good idea.  Provided there was plenty of different sizes of bamboo available, you should be able to find different sizes to provide a reasonably good shut off with the small hole sliding out as proposed.  There should be no shortage of plastic containers but finding the right size of spring with the right springiness might not be so easy. User-friendliness  The device should be easy to use and when operating in accordance with your design; users would get a good clean hand wash. Communication  Your message "Push my button and I'll make you clean and happy" is brilliant.  Very catchy and I'm sure children would be quick to take up the message to wash their hands.  Your card game  looks great - germs water drops and clean hands - well done! Prof Norris comments... Communication - I would be interested to know what games you could play with your cards. There is a huge potential they could be used in a great variety of games but not enough information here which is a real pity. Kelsi, Shameela and Amy's work. John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness - Kelsi, Shameela and Amy,  your artistic skills and comic strip are wonderful - you have real talent!  I do like your tipping bowl idea with a funnel lined with Aloe Vera.  My only concern would be the pull rope that could become contaminated.  It should however be relatively easy to connect this to a foot pedal or if the bottom end was fastened, just to push the rope sideways with shoulder or arm to tilt the bowl avoiding the dirty hands contamination.  Durability -  All the materials you have shown should be easily available and they should be reasonably durable. User-friendliness -  The device would be easy to use and if the rope contamination problem is overcome, users would get a good clean hand wash. Communication - Your comic strip and happy faces will be instantly recognisable to children.  Well done - excellent! Prof Norris comments... Communication - Comic strips are a very good idea for all kids. It is cute but just a little complicated. The story might be hard to get across. The drawings are really good though. Felicia, Chaneen, Emma and Bex's work Prof Norris comments... Communication - This is a really cool game. I really like how it doesn't need a die. You do need to add some education about germs but I really like this game and it is one of the best. It's also very attractive to look at. Elaine Burgess, plant scientist comments.... There are no references to coconut milk being anti bacterial but it is certainly moisturising and methylated spirits (methanol plus denatured alcohol) also would certainly kill bacteria as well as acting as a preservative. Oil of cloves is is the principal form of clove used medicinally. Clove oil is virtually pure eugenol, a powerful, multifaceted phytochemical that numbs pain and kills bacteria and fungi. Clove's antibacterial power in employed to treat colds, dental abscesses, gum disease, earache and arthritis pain. Oil of cloves kills bacteria that can cause food poisoning, and is uses in treating viral infections. Their teacher reports that the girls actually made up the sanitiser and had it at school for people to try. It was really gorgeous to use - and left your hands moisturised. Amy, Hannah, Kieran, Alex and Zeke's work John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness - Amy, Hannah, Kieran Alex and Zeke, what a good idea to use a flap which can be operated by the wrist to bend a plastic tube to open and close off the water for hand washing.   This is a very good idea to overcome the possibility of contamination with dirty hands.  Very well thought out.  However, I suggest that you  would need better fixing for the tub rather than a rope when the flap is pushed down, so as not to spill the water out of the container.   This would not be difficult to arrange.  Durability - All your materials should be east to obtain locally and be reasonably durable.  The size and softness of the plastic tube would be important and it might harden in sunlight. User-friendliness - The device would be very user friendly proving users with a good hand wash.  If the container is too small it would have to be refilled frequently.  You would not want it to be empty when needed!  Communication - I like your "Mad Max" comic strip  easily recognisable and likely to get the right message across very effectively.  Your health education game should be fun for children and reinforce the message about germs and clean hands. Prof Norris comments... Communication - The drawing on how to use your device is nothing less than excellent. I do like it. It's lovely to see the relationship between your device that you designed and information about how to use it. The game is cool, but kids have to know exactly why they are playing the game - otherwise it is just tag. There is nothing there to represent handwashing. Natalie and Laura's device   Natalie and Laura's poster John la Roche, engineer comments... Effectiveness - Natalie and Laura,  what a good idea to have a dispensed with hand sanitiser operated by a foot pedal.    It might not be easy to get the rubbing alcohol in remote places in PNG, and there could be a danger in the alcohol being used for the wrong purpose.   I'm not sure what you have in mind for the gear wheels.  These might be hard to find in PNG.  Durability -  Durability of the device might be difficult.  Finding gear wheels that were durable might be difficult and replenishing the hand sanitiser in remote locations would not be easy. User-friendliness - Provided the device works as proposed it should be  relatively easy to use and provide hand cleansing where water is very scarce. Communication - I do like your pictures of hands, starting with a clean hand and finishing with one covered with germs and dirt.   This would be very effective in getting the message to children about how important it is to wash hands.  Well done! Elaine Burgess, plant scientist comments.... Antibacterial soap is any cleaning product to which active antibacterial ingredients have been added. These chemicals kill bacteria and microbes. They do not kill viruses. Extracts from Aloe Vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing or soothing properties. However, there is nothing anti bacterial about the plant. It would, however be very much a moisturiser. Alcohol would certainly kill bacteria as well as acting as a preservative. Prof Norris comments... Communication - I laughed at your germs. The graphics are great. However, I found the same graphic on Google which may be subject to copyright. Whoever drew it was really clever. You show white hands. It also assumes that people know what germs are - imagine if you did not know what a germ was - then what would you think of your poster?