IH02-Andrewprasetyo
From IEOR 170 Spring 2007
Contents |
[edit] Problem Overview
Currently, many agencies have proposed different solutions that encourage people to do recycling. The recycling company, for instance, will give reward to every recycled bottle. In every street corner, there are separate bins for recycling and bins for regular trash. Even in apartment complex, there is almost always a blue recycling bins. However, how often do people recycle? Even there are many recycle bins in our neighborhood, people still rarely recycle. Maybe because they are too lazy to separate the trash or just do not want to be bothered. In addition, we often see that only homeless people collect recycled bottles and exchange them for money. The programs mentioned earlier are very good program; however, it has not been able to attract people’s interests in recycling.
[edit] Solution
People do not do recycling because they think the task is tedious and time-consuming. However, what if we make recycling a little bit interesting? What if recycling is some kind of games in which people can relief their frustration from daily chores and possibly gain prizes? Thus, the proposed solution should include the element of stress-reliever and the fun of playing game, but still encourage people to do recycling.
[edit] Design Proposal
The solution is called “Recycle-Box”. It is a gaming machine that will allow users to recycle as well as relieve their stress. The machine is a modification of a gaming machine, World Boxing Championship (WBC) (fig.1), which can be found in many arcades. The WBC machine allows player to literally punch the cushion in the middle, and the machine will measure the strength of the punch. With a modification, this arcade game can be modified into a recycling punching game.
Fig.1
The Recycle-Box has similar model as the WBC machine. However, the inside of the machine is modified from a point measurement into a catapult that can shoot a glass bottle upward (fig.2). First, the user should mount a glass recycle bottle on the inner part of the catapult. And then, the user should hit the cushion just like when he/she plays the WBC machine. Once the cushion is punched, the top part of the cushion will drop and hit one end of the catapult. When the catapult is hit, it will launch the bottle upward (fig.3). Inside the machine, there will be wall made of material that is strong enough to break bottle, such as cement or steel. The bottle will be launched to hit the top part of this wall and if the punch is strong enough, it will break the bottle into glass shard (fig.4). Once the bottle is broken, the shards will fall to the bottom part of the machine and it will be hold in a tray below. In addition, the cushion and the catapult will move back up to their original positions.
Fig.2
Fig.3
Fig.4
This machine should replace the recycle bins on some street corners and the recycle bins in residential area. People, especially young adults, are often attracted by the fun of playing games. As a result, using this machine will encourage young adults to do recycling. This device can also be used as violence prevention because by hitting the cushion, people can transfer their anger to this machine. For older people who may not be strong enough to punch the bottle, they can simply throw the bottle into the slot, and the slot will slide the bottle to the tray (fig.4). The employee from the recycling company should empty the tray on regular basis as to avoid overflow.
[edit] Limitations
• This machine can only be used to recycle glass since it requires greater power to crash cans or plastic bottles.
• The machine might be broken if some people punch the cushion too strongly.
• The glass shards should be contained as to avoid any injury.
• The machine should be well maintained and should be able to resist any weather conditions.
