KayaWata
About
This project ran the duration of the Biomimicry class. Inspired by the biological mechanisms utilized by the Leatherback Sea Turtle and the Bayleen Whale, our team created a system for water transportation and purification to be used in environments where a user would need to travel to collect water, but also would benefit from filtering collected rainwater.
The vessel itself is expandable, and can hold a tremendous amount of water, but is also able to be rolled when it's weight is over the carrying capacity of the user.
The vessel nests into the filtration system which is super low-tech, needling only gravity to move the water through each layer, including a biological layer that removes potentially dangerous micro-organisms.
Tools
Methods
Biomimicry
Blue Ocean Strategy
User Research
Strategy Canvas
Secondary Research
Book Design
Challenges
We approached this project by way of the Biology to Design practice of Biomimicry. Through this framework, we began the project with being inspired by multiple organisms, and the incredible mechanisms they utilized to survive in their environments. We were struck by how adaptable the Leatherback Sea Turtle was to the intense pressure that the ocean can put on it when the turtles dive to escape predators, and began to investigate how we could adapt the function of the turtle's namesake dermis in novel ways. Eventually, this led us to creating a water containment unit of some kind.
Setting that idea to the side, we looked for populations that would benefit from a product of that nature, and settled on isolated regions of Ghana, where water was scarce and needed to be carried long distances, often from natural sources like rivers or ponds. This provided multiple new opportunities for our design, and we found that we needed to seek further inspiration from the mechanism in the pleated throats of Bayleen Whales that allow them to hold immense amounts of water as they hunt for krill.
One of the bigger issues we had was seeking materials that could withstand not only the weight of the water, but also the friction and bumps from the vessel being rolled. Not wanting to contribute more to the epidemic of plastic waste found in Ghana, we opted for bio-degradable TPE that would allow for repair and reuse, but ultimately could be disposed of properly and safely.
Finally, wanting to filter the water, and decrease the amount of sickness in the region, we paired the vessel with a filtration tower which is inspired by the Biosand filters which work without electricity, and are cost-effective to set up.
Deliverables
Impact and Learning
This was the first big project of my Master's program at SCAD, and it was eye-opening to the scope of the projects that would be ahead of me. The process of Biomimicry itself is going to stick in my design toolkit for the rest of my life. Having that deep understanding of, connection to, and curiosity for the natural world is nothing short of a boon to any designer.