2. A low cost lighting solution for children in developing nations
3.
4. Only 40% of Nepal's population has
access to electricity. Load shedding up
to 16-18 hours/day.
Around 28 % of electricity produced in
Nepal in the year 2005 was consumed
in the Katmandu valley alone.
6. • Nepal relies heavily on traditional energy resource
_ Ghee lamps
_ Jharro sticks (resin soaked pine woodstick)
_ Crop residues
_ Animal manure
_ Kerosene – $ 4-6 per household per month
• These solutions are not sustainable
_ Health setbacks
Asthma, respiratory diseases, blindness, heart
disease, low life expectancy for women
_ Deforestation - 20-40 kg firewood/ day
• Non-traditional/commercial energy sources
_ Rentable, rechargeable battery
_ Hydroelectricity
sources: Alex Zahnd, Rids,The Himalayan (newspaper)
6
Background
8. 8
Available
Lighting
Solution
Village Lighting Project, Lamjung
Light Up The World - Chauganphaya and Kholsi, Humla Annapurna
Rural Integrated Development
Service - Humla
Lumina Project - Kathmandu
Luxtreks – Morung
Barefoot Power - Kathmandu
9. 9
Why do they need light?
Not connected to grid
Gives a sense of security
Warding off wild animals
Night schools in Nepal use lamplight
Manual cottage industry (also by night)
To study in the evening
Limits social activities
Household chores
10. 10
Perimeter of Ambition
Accessible/affordable light
Low maintenance
Replace kerosene
Build a sustainable ecosystem
11. Nepalese landscape primarily terraced rice fields
Prelim. Brief
Supporting day-to-day living activities in rural and urban areas of Nepal through
a low cost lighting solution. Additionally formulating a rapidly adoptable and
sustainable business model.
15. Prototyping
15
• Solar panel: 0.7 Watts
• Batteries: AA rechargeable
• LED: 1 Watt, 70 lumens, warm white
• Switch: 12 V
• Joule thief: included to regulate voltage and control charging
Technical Specifications
32. Field Test – Nairobi, Kenya
Usability test
Price-point gauge
Product Feedback
33. 1. The lamp was tested by 9-15 year old
Kenyan children.
2. About 20 children participated in the
testing.
3. The children are from poor families,
mainly from slum areas, where power
cuts are frequent and many do not have
access to electricity at all.
4. Testing was done with children from
Children Garden Home School
34. 34
“ We have power cuts continuously. During the rainy season we have
them more often ”
Misheck, 15 years
35. “ We do our homework in the living room. I spend about one hour
doing my homework. During a power cut we use candles to do our
homework and read storybooks”
Regina, 11 years
36. “We have one kerosene lamp at home. I am not able to use it
because it is needed in the kitchen.”
Sara, 11 years
37. “I have never used a solar lamp before,
but I would be interested in using one.”
“I use candles at home, but they are bad
because they illuminate such a small area”
38. Feedback
• Additional stand for the product
• Built-in handle, easier to carry
• Replace rubber bands with a more durable
closing mechanism
• Clearer instructions
• Removable part of the switch can be
swallowed
• Attach removable parts so they do not fall
out
• Brighter LED
• In Kenya, yellow is the color of the Kamba
tribe. The students found this fun and
amusing. Many asked for blue, red and
brown colors.
• The price people were be willing to pay for
the lamp is 100-300 shillings. (€ 0.92 – 3)
• If the lamp reaches the Kenyan market at
some point, the school would be interested
in purchasing some of them.
40. • User – Children, Families
• Design Team
• Collaborators – Aditya
• Aalto Design Factory
• Organizations
a) Kepug
b) Nepal Polytechnic Institute
c) Lumivia – Solar panel provider
Stakeholder
41. 41
Future Collaborators
• Local Schools
Focusing on the requirements of young
children and help them study at home in the
evening/sunset.
• Youth Self Help Groups
Focus on collection of child/youth issues, and
finding ways to minimize them.
• Woman Entrepreneurship in Small and
Cottage Industry
Cottage industry workers can can utilize the
LED lighting in the evening to increase effective
work hours.
• Community Healthworkers
Village health workers (VHW), Maternal child
health worker (MCHW), Female community
health volunteers (FCHV).
