Project Brief
2024
4th Year - 8 weeks
Skills: Research, User testing, Developing and Applying Design Constraints
When the power goes out, stay connected and stay powered with Solpak, the ultimate portable solar energy solution.
Designed for emergency preparedness, off-grid living, and everyday use, Solpak harnesses the sun’s energy to power your laptop, appliances, medical devices, and more. No reliance on finite resources, such as gas, just clean, sustainable power at your fingertips.
Challenge
Design a product that is an incremental innovation on solar panels, adhering to one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, namely Affordable, Clean Energy, and Climate Acation. Action.
Opportunity
Create a reliable renewable energy source for individuals living in crisis zones, at-risk communities, or underserved regions.
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Interface
1 USB-A Port 3A 2 USB-C Ports 5A
3 AC Outlets 120V 5A
2 DC5521 Output Ports 12V 5A
1 DC Car Socket Output 12V 10A
On/Off Switch (DC Outlets)
Cable Storage Compartment
Display & Power Button
Reset Button (Circuit Protector)
AC Input Port 250V 10A
DC Input Port 125V 7A (Solar Power)
Expandability
The 100W solar panel can be folded and stored compactly in the SolPak. It has aluminum folding joints that automatically lock into place for added stability and rigidity.
Scenario
The 80Ah battery bank and solar panel fit together into a pak for portability and ease of use.
Pull out the folded solar panels, and then open them like a map.
Set the Solar Panel to 3 different angles, morning, midday, and afternoon.
The pak has a compartment for cables, 2 charging inputs and 9 outlets for all devices and appliances.
Optimizing Energy Needs for Disaster Preparedness
Important Devices to Power
Participants were briefed about their context: being in a hurricane, and were asked to fill out a questionnaire about which appliances they would find most important to power during such crisis.
Smaller
Larger
Battery Size
Electronics
Phones
Laptop
Fan
Mini Fridge
Lamp
Router
Burner
Sump Pump
Participants were given different sized battery banks and a solar panel they were tasked to unfold. Testing determined that the unfolding process was not intuitive and needed to be simplified for the user. Participants also preferred the larger battery bank, with less added solar panels.
Refining Expandable Solar Panels
Secondary Research
Participants: John, Sarah, Leo, Zara
Collaborative exercise with peers making a grafiti and Researching how solar panels work, the 5 Ws, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and a SWOT analysis.
As the world faces more frequent natural disasters, damage to critical infrastructure can affect communities, with underserved areas losing access to electricity for up to 28 days. Gas generators have been used for back up energy, but they are unreliable, provide limited electricity, and are dependant on fossil fuels. There is an urgent need for an independent, dependable and sustainable energy source for those in at risk zones.
Sketch Iterations
Original Concept
- 2 charging options, directly to the battery, and separate for wall mounting
- Stand attached to the the battery bank, flimsy
- Solar panels fold and attach to battery bank
Battery & Solar Panel Combined
Before Refinements
- Screen size, way too big
- Lightning bolt makes it feel like a toy
- ports all squished with each other
Proposed Battery Bank
After User Testing
- Solar panel stand inspired from laptop stand
- Three angle settings
- Unfolding and locking method, fit when collapsed
New Folding Method
Front
Side
Back
Top
Back
Front
45॰
60॰
30॰
- Visual separation for input and output ports
- Larger compartment for cords
- Smaller screen size
- Greater space between AC, DC, and USB ports
Final Iterations on Interface