Anakin
An entity aimed at developing our infrastructure by re-materializing waste into a resource for additive manufacturing.
Project Brief
As designers we often find ourselves in a position to predict trends and forecast the needs of users. This project was built on that idea and gave the students a unique opportunity to design for the needs of 2050.
The Challenge
The initial research focused on understanding the catastrophic issues we might face in the near future and the problem that stood out of the list was waste management. From that point on the goal of the project was to develop an entity that eradicates the problem of waste, making 2050 a zero waste environment.
Research
Research showed that we roughly produce 2.6 trillion pounds of trash in one year. Out of which only 30% is being recycled, though 30% may seem like a lot it is nowhere near enough to save us from a catastrophe we ourselves have created.
Low rates of recycling stemmed from two issues, first, the lack of a more efficient processes to convert waste back into a useful resource and second, the lack of commitment from us, the people as a whole.
This got me thinking, is there method where the process of recycling is made 100% efficient and if this process can be incentivized.
Conceptualization
Waste has always been perceived as a substance with no use or potential. Though in the recent past, recycling has begun to become a norm it is still not able to meet the rate at which we dispose.
An immediate repurposing system is the need of the moment and with technologies like additive manufacturing that is slowly becoming a reality.
Therefore after a series of thoughts in similar lines the idea was to develop a means of reusing waste as a resource for additive manufacturing and 3D printing.
Anakin
Anakin is envisioned to be an autonomous entity aimed at developing our infrastructure by re-materializing waste into a resource for additive manufacturing.
Anakin only requires us to dispose thoughtfully and responsibly for it to rematerialize and repurpose our disposables into a part of a pavement, a tiling for a building or even the cup we may drink our next coffee from.
The name "Anakin" stems from the Star Wars lore. Just like how the dark side saw potential in Anakin after he was abandoned by the Jedi, our Anakin pushes us to identify the potential in waste and forces us to think twice before disposing.
Mechanisms
Anakin achieves its re-materialization through a series of processes. The first step is to turn any waste into particulate matter, almost a powder like form. Later this processed waste is extruded along with a binding agent like silicone or cyano-acrylate using a custom built mechanism.
This mixture is being extruded through a nozzle that gives it a filament like form and is then ready to be used for any FDM based additive manufacturing.
This process promises a much more efficient means of recycling and encourages us to be much more involved in the process as we are equally a part of it. This means that we as humans would be more thoughtful and responsible of the waste we put into the environment.
Technicalities
Working Prototype
Anakin
An entity aimed at developing our infrastructure by re-materializing waste into a resource for additive manufacturing.
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