MIT IDEAS Competition2005 IAP Design Challenge:

Invent a gizmo to process manioc/cassava!

Design Challenge Kick-OffJanuary 6, 2005

AGENGA

• MIT IDEAS & why have a design challenge?

• What is manioc/cassava?• Tim Heidel: EnGhana and cassava

pounding • Amy Smith: Haiti and cassava grating • The 2005 IAP Design Challenge &

Getting your hands dirty• Important dates• Resources & materials information• Team-building• Scrap-heap open and session sign-up

Getting to know manioc/cassava

Drought resistant crop in tropical and subtropical areas (Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America) that can grow in marginal soil conditions.

Produced mostly on small-scale, non-mechanized farms as a subsistence farming crop.

Versatile

Food source for people and livestock Edible roots can be made into high calorie pastes/flours and leaves are a good source of protein and vitamins A & B

Commercial applications Binding agent (paper/textiles)

Big potential A 40% increase in cassava production helped Ghana reduce undernourishment more rapidly than any other country between 1980-1996.

Current limitations

High yield losses to pests and diseases

Reproduction by stem cutting

Harvesting is labor intensive

Current limitations Processing methods (grating, pounding, scraping, drying, etc.) are labor intensive.

Any new processing methods or devices must be thorough and fast.• Some cassava varieties contain cyanides, which must be removed. • Cassava roots can deteriorate quickly after harvesting.

A better processing method/device can have a positive impact on nutrition (Ghana example) and economic development (substitute for imported grains/flours).

Background and Demonstrations

• Tim Heidel: EnGhana and cassava pounding

• Amy Smith: Haiti and cassava grating

The design challenge

Important dates

• Jan 7 Design Process Workshop. 6:00pm-8:00pm, 4-402

• Jan 13 Cassava Culture Lunch. 1:00pm-3:00pm, 4-402

• Jan 20 Design Review Session. 1:00-3:00pm, 4-402

• Jan 27 Prototype Demo and Judging. 6:00-8:00pm, 4-402

• Feb 3 IDEAS Generator Dinner and Design Challenge Awards. 7:30-9:30pm, Bush Room

Please sign-up!

MIT workshops

Edgerton Student Shop, 44-023http://web.mit.edu/Edgerton/www/Shop.html

Hobby Shop, W31-031http://web.mit.edu/campus-activities/hobbyshop/

Edgerton Lab, 4-409

Central Machine Shop, 38-001http://web.mit.edu/cmshop/mshop.html

MITERS shop, N52-115http://miters.mit.edu/index.php/MITERS

Resources

Materials

The scrap heap…

Other sources of materials

Team-building

Scrap heap open for business!