Idea: Edited Edifier Headphones (w/promotional content and solar panels)
Sustainable Capabilities:
Environmental: Has built-in “ad breaks/reminders” that remind the user every three songs to recycle properly, turn off lights, bring a reusable bag to a grocery store, etc.
Economic: Comparatively low price due to abundant/renewable resources, allow for consumers to spend less and save more finances in the future
Social: Ability to listen to songs, podcasts, and videos on a global network allows for more interconnectivity amongst the human population, breaking down barriers such as age, gender, race, location, etc. For example, an elderly person living in Peru can learn about what life is like in the point of view of a college student in the UK.
Sustainable Properties:
Environmental: Headband made of polished bamboo, ear cushions made from interconnected fibers of mycelium/cellulose (both of which are renewable and have minimal carbon emissions), carbon footprint of all electronics offset with carbon separate sequestration efforts. Graphene solar panels located at the top of the headband allows for constant charging while walking in the sun.
Economic: Most resources such as bamboo, mycelium/cellulose are renewable and therefore extremely cheap and easy to obtain. Low costs allow for prolonged production of headphones.
Social: Graphene solar panels remove the need to charge near an outlet, allowing for continuous usage no matter the location, allowing users to listen to music/podcasts/videos everywhere they go without interruption. Foldability of the headphones allows for efficient storage and packaging, allowing for more convenience and ability to pack more items in space-limited bags.
Sent to slack:
Hello! I found that especially on the airplane or outside while walking across campus when I was in Denver, my headphones would often run out of battery and I would have no way of charging it until I got back to the dorm. I was thinking that adding thin-film graphene solar panels to the top of the headband would allow for more convenient charging and efficient energy usage, while eliminating the use of single-use batteries. Using materials such as bamboo for the main structure of the headphones (such as the headband) and a network of mycelium/cellulose for the ear cushions would also open up a new market of renewable resources, leading to more cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly manufacturing that can persist for decades, while also lowering the price for potential buyers (economic sustainability). Carbon emissions produced when manufacturing the electronics involved (speakers, chips, etc.) would be offset by carbon sequestration efforts or carbon rewards to ensure net zero carbon emissions. Foldability would allow for more convenient storage, improving the quality of life for consumers (potentially falls under social sustainability?). I also had kind of a crazy far-reach idea— having built-in ads or reminders (every five to songs or so?) to remind the user to recycle properly, turn off the lights, bring reusable bags to grocery stores, etc. (mainly environmental tips), and could also double as a reminder to stop and rest to improve overall productivity if they are using headphones to listen to music while studying.
This aspect is questionable but it would be great if I could get some feedback on this product overall. Thanks!
Edits:
Remove the built-in ads/reminders (gets annoying too quickly)
Solar charging may be too inefficient or expensive to effectively charge headphones
Possibly use a separate charging station instead
New idea:
A portable charging battery that can clip onto your backpack, with a waterproof cover that shields it from weather conditions such as rain.
Positive changes:
Wider surface area, etc.
(JUST CAME UP WITH ANOTHER IDEA)
Newer idea: A charging station at bus stations, that is solar powered (wide surface area) and contains a moderately substantial battery system. When the sun is out, it can charge the battery and other devices such as headphones, though when there is no sun, it uses the stored energy from the battery to charge these devices. This way, as long as there is intermittent sun, it is able to consistently provide energy to our everyday devices. Solar power…
(ANOTHER IDEA)
I was thinking about ways to improve my previous idea but I just thought of another completely different one relating to solar power while staring out the window and feeling too hot:
Passive solar heating: It consists of a device that can open and close windows and/or blinds in order to adjust the temperature through the natural heat of the sun or the already existing temperatures outside. The goal is to reduce the amount of energy needed for regular AC and heating, which normally uses lots of electricity from the grid. An example of its use is that if it is cold but sunny out and you want warmer temperatures, the window will close and blinds will fully open to allow sunlight to heat the room as much as possible. If you want colder temperatures, then the blinds will close more and the window will slightly open to allow more cold air to travel in. I feel this can become a relatively energy-efficient form of temperature control, which also reduces the electricity bill families will receive.
Could this also be a viable option?
Windogo —> name
Sustainability!
Sustainable Capabilities:
- Environmental: Reduces reliance on grid power that is generally drawn from fossil fuels
- Social: Allows for efficient temperature control, helping to increase productivity and comfortability at home
- Economic: Reduces electrical bill received at the end of the month, initial investment greatly outbalanced by cost savings in the future
Sustainable Properties:
- Environmental: Made of renewable resources, like bamboo and bioplastics made from mushrooms, minimal carbon emissions
- Social: N/A
- Economic: Lower costs of manufacturing due to cheaper resources, allows for prolonged production of the Windogo
AIming to take place in the perspective of a low-class citizen in the bay area, where minimum wage income is barely enough to support the expenses of living in ac and heating.
Human-centered: talk about positive personal and social impacts, such as higher productivity and sociability with friends