Jugaatronics
Thesis project
RISD | 2023-24 | 1 year
Individual
Industrial Design | Packaging Design | Branding
Keywords
E-waste | Jugaad | Sustainability | 5R | Repurpose | co-creation | Consumer electronics
Awards
RISD ID Outstanding Thesis Award, 2024
RISD Commons Grant Award, 2024
RISD Marc Harrison Fund, 2024
Background
E-waste. In 2022, we produced a massive 53.6 million metric tonnes of E-Waste, equivalent to piling up 5,300 Eiffel Towers! Most of this e-waste is still functional. While recycling is one way to reduce the impact(which in reality has a much lower impact), this is not a one-solution-solves-all problem. There is a need for more interventions throughout the lifespan of an electronic device.
Jugaad. It is the Indian way of solving any problem (materialistic or not). Jugaad is an informal Indian practice of frugal innovation to extend the lifespan of objects, reducing waste. It's a flexible approach to finding a solution using limited resources in the most innovative way. Rooted in the art of repurposing the most unlikely of items into practical tools, Jugaad is an unconventional response to everyday problems.
If Jugaad is a world of rule-breaking and repurposing objects to reduce waste, could that be implemented in Consumer Electronics and reduce E-waste?
The Concept
Jugaatronics is a system of objects designed to be repurposed into other devices and objects, inherently extending their lifespan and reducing E-waste. By showcasing potential repurposing opportunities at every stage/level of product malfunction, Jugaatronics showcases the potential each product contains beyond its intended function and form, through small yet mighty design changes for a more sustained yet compatible lifespan of a product.
It is purely based on a product's various malfunction scenarios and provides repurposing options for making other new objects. With compatibility with other common objects like mason jars and commonly found spare parts, the system aims to deliver an accessible ecosystem of objects open to repurposing. The ease in repurposing these objects starts with the idea of building a community that bridges user satisfaction with sustainability efforts. This system is demonstrated in a hairdryer and showcases the potential use case scenarios that communicate the best experiences for the consumer.
"Just a Hairdryer" Hairdryer
The “Just a hairdryer” is a hair dryer that can become 7 other repurposed objects - a vase, tea strainer, pen stand, vacuum cleaner, desk fan, fabric shaver and clothes steamer.
How?
Through various product death scenarios and a convenient user experience. The hair dryer can be broken down into fragments every time it partially dies and the attachments to repurpose into other conventional objects. This is done using the Design for Repurpose strategy.
The Hairdryer comes with a "normal" nozzle & diffuser attachments that are used as intended.
With a simple thread-locking mechanism, the attachments are easy to work with, first as a nozzle that directs airflow for more channelled blow drying and a diffuser that helps diffuse the airflow for curly hair, reducing frizz and creating defined curls.
Hairdryer to Desk Fan
The death of the weakest internal component leads to the first repurpose scenario - the heating element. The heating element has the shortest lifespan and is removed without a hassle while the motor and fan are fully functional.
The Heating element component in the front is simply unscrewed and repurposed into an organizer. The diffuser's grill can be detached and flipped to turn into a fan grill. This, when screwed onto the hairdryer's front sections, makes a repurposed mini desk fan.
Hairdryer to Vacuum Cleaner
The death of the weakest internal component leads to the first repurpose scenario - the heating element. The heating element has the shortest lifespan and is removed without a hassle while the motor and fan are fully functional.
Repurposing the External Housing
The death of the weakest internal component leads to the first repurpose scenario - the heating element. The heating element has the shortest lifespan and is removed without a hassle while the motor and fan are fully functional
Hairdryer to Fabric Shaver
The death of the weakest internal component leads to the first repurpose scenario - the heating element. The heating element has the shortest lifespan and is removed without a hassle while the motor and fan are fully functional.
Hairdryer to Clothes Steamer
The death of the weakest internal component leads to the first repurpose scenario - the heating element. The heating element has the shortest lifespan and is removed without a hassle while the motor and fan are fully functional
Technical Design
The internal components of the hairdryer are designed to be detachable from the major components and continue to work even after individual components have failed and been removed. To add a layer of safety and protection, there lies a layer of mesh in between each modular section of the housing.
Packaging Design
As the primary connection for instructions and community building, the app builds and promotes the jugaad lifestyle with open-source resources and jugaad ideas shared and celebrated within the space. By uploading images/ideas/questions into the space, users can redeem incentives and offers for their next purchase, creating a sense of encouragement And the ease it provides in terms of user experience, making even the procrastinator of a consumer jugaad in style.
The Packaging of Jugaatronics
The App
As the primary connection for instructions and community building, the app builds and promotes the jugaad lifestyle with open-source resources and jugaad ideas shared and celebrated within the space. By uploading images/ideas/questions into the space, users can redeem incentives and offers for their next purchase, creating a sense of encouragement and the ease it provides in terms of user experience, making even the procrastinator of a consumer, jugaad in style.
The app has a community space called "The space" and helps in sharing ideas, custom 3d printable files and start a thread to build a sustainable community.
The app has a community space called "The space" and helps in sharing ideas, custom 3d printable files and start a thread to build a sustainable community.
The app has a community space called "The space" and helps in sharing ideas, custom 3d printable files and start a thread to build a sustainable community.
Common object compatibility
To encourage this jugaad culture and increase accessibility, jugaatronics is compatible with existing daily objects like mason jars and fabric blades while also having components that are compatible within the system- aiming to create a community of people who can jugaad with ease in an open-sourced eco-system of products which benefits both the consumer and the earth.
This project may have engineering and technical complexities, but its mission to incorporate repurposability remains the same. This is more than a design project; it is a call to action for both designers and consumers to reconsider how electronics are designed, consumed, and disposed of.
Thank you!
