a research project for a low budget university

Try designing improved farming equipment or water pumps.

Interesting. Something has been talked about that, but I fail to see how one could innovate in that area.

I would suggest the processing of whatever post harvest wastes you have into material components that could be additives for an epoxy/composite material or replacement of nanotubes for structural or other properties. for whatever local technology applications that are indigenous to your area. <I saw a study about using processed chicken feathers as a cheaper replacement for carbon nanotubes for enhanced capacity to store hydrogen... That kind of thing. Degree of chop, particle size, chemical or thermal processing, and lay or distribution are attributes to be studied to determine suitability and or properties. isotropy, anisotropy, property enhancement. I'd be happy to collaborate. I am adjunct at a small university here in Ohio, USA. milo

That's more like a project for the Materials Science department.

However, maybe we could design the equipment while they design the product.

Please, tell me your area of work.

Metallurgist.Technology and Research Director for Machining Industry Association and Adjunct Faculty at a local University. milo

You are preaching a preacher. I am the president of the Austrian Objectivist Society in Uruguay, you won't get any more Libertarian. But I work for a state university and have to do the best I can being there. At least my project's money won't go to yet another stupid psychology/sociology project.

How about fibre grass reinforced polyester or cement as a construction material? Probably boats as well. Post harvest use of waste after suitable treatment for permanence.

Victor Papaneck advocated socially responsible design. Please check for this book in the library: Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change by Victor Papanek There are a lot of interesting ideas given in this book. http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i:stripbooks,p_27:Victor%20Papanek&field-author=Victor%20Papanek&page=1 http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Design-for-the-Real-World:-Human-Ecology-and-Social-Cha_W0QQitemZ250577718929QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100210?IMSfp=TL100210145001r10829 http://www.idsa.org/WHATSNEW/SECTIONS/ECOSECTION/pdfs/thegreenimperative.pdf

You are welcome to join this thread.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/49156/Feasibility-Discussion-on-Modular-Vehicles

also, we had a similar thread on here a while back that was packed with good ideas.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/41100/Looking-for-a-Problem

Chris

Great posts Chris!! Thanks.

The first looks like something we could do. Automotive industry is only starting here, regulations are not too severe and we could get funds from industry. I will write down that modular design idea.

The ideas in the other post look too ambitious for my taste. This will be my first serious research.

great! I hope you post to that thread and we can work up some more ideas. Feel free to use anything of mine that you see.

there is more of my stuff here. (but not all)

and if you get more specific in what you want to do, maybe I can throw a few more ideas into the pot for cooking.

ciao,

Chris

Hi,

A: first of first you should decide on your own interests, what makes you happy?

To work in these fields you will be much more efficient than doing anything else.

B: Then you should decide about pure research or helping local industry or population?

C: Then you should get some cooperators in neighbour countries. I visited once UFSC in Florianopolis, Brazil, they do top mechanical and electrical and measurement developments. Some of my students have been there for half a year or so.

Porto Allegre would be a good partner too.

D: Post processing of grains: the hull is a source of high purity silica that is a source of high quality silicon for photovoltaics.

E: Processing any type of organic fibrous material into finely distributed (activated?) carbon and mixing this carbon into local soils will produce artificial "terra preta" and enhance the soil quality by a factor of 2 to 4 in yield of useful crops.

Think about an installation that is converting any fibrous organic material into burnable gas and charcoal. (There is a new German patent on this I came across by chance, if you like I can dig out the No.)

Start a brick fabrication where you include much fibrous material into the clay thus getting a very good thermal insulation by porosity. Mix the fired but no good waste with the charcoal from above to further enhance the conversion of soils into optimum quality. This is achieved by the absorption properties of charcoal (best if activated) and fired porous clay. May be some natural or artificial zeolite would make a still better result.

Help your local people by introducing and optimising solar cookers - a lot is known about.

Same with water purification to get healthy drinking water.

Need some more?

Make sure you read any existing related patent on www.uspto.gov and

http://ep.espacenet.com/quickSearch?locale=en_EP

Good luck, any questions welcome.

RHABE

Thanks. We already are in touch with UFRGS.

I worked in the past in a project for designing a machine to make low density (floating) spherical composite bricks. Maybe I could start that again.

Given the talents involved I think I would tend to think in terms of converting a hazard to a process. Namely grainery explosions. If it is feasible to have a central drop off point for a huge amount of grain, can the conditions of combustion be duplicated to provide a continuous supply of fuel for a combined cycle unit?

Cogeneration for mills. Yes, sounds good.

Prior to your topic selestion .as a public funded universiy, you got to choose your reearch based on burning problems of your country or region-say social, economical, engineering, technological,industrail or trade based[ say a major import susbtitute option]

You may conduct a web based or questionaire based or interview based survey to various audiences , so that you could take up an important issue.

On a rough projection- Hydro energy, solar power,applications, solar desalination, solar driers for grains,bio mass and similar lines.

Dear Professors As a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research at a University in a Developing country my advice is as follows: It is quite obvious that you wish to embark on a research project that has relevance to humankind. I am also reasonably certain that you are aware of the fact that almost a third of humanity suffers from hunger and malnutrition. Millions of people are homeless an illiterate and suffer from ill-health These are some of the basis needs of every human being. Apply yourself to the issues of hunger, housing ,education and health and you will find a project that will not be highly relevant to your country but the world. Within the ambit of the four basic needs identified, try to structure a project that will help to sustain a human being, especially against the scenario of a world that is suffering from global warming, food and water insecurity, health pandemics and other disasters. Think of something that is relevant, affordable and useful for all of humanity! Do some brainstorming and include researchers from the humanities and health sciences in your team. Act as if you were spending the last amount of money on earth for the most relevant research. Should you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Dhiru V Soni