Thursday, July 30, 2009

MIT-UoN FABLAB DESIGN CHALLENGE

The newly acquired MIT Fablab at the University of Nairobi’s Science and Technology Park is a unique and exciting design environment created to encourage innovation. The Fablab is equipped with mostly table-top CNC machines will serve as a rapid prototyping center in the Science Park’s business incubator.

This new set-up requires furniture suited to laboratory work. The Science Park Management is launching a competition for the design of the furniture. The winner of the competition will receive a special mention at the forth-coming MIT Fab 5 meeting in India, and a feature on the Fab web-site. They will also be given the opportunity to be part of the team that fabricates the furniture using the ShopBot CNC router.

The specifications are as follows:

  • Working surfaces made from block-board which can be used for placing computers on (neat arrangements that ensure that cabling is barely visible)

  • Facilitation in the working stations for localized lighting so that work can continue at night

  • Lockable storage space for electronic components and materials for laser cutter, vinyl cutter, CNC sewing machine, laser scanner

  • Lockable storage space for workshop tools such as drills, hammers, vices...


Contact me if you would like to participate!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Maker Faire Africa: Ghana, Aug 14-16

From Afrigadget, WhiteAfrican

Maker Faire Africa (MFA) is a new event celebrating the innovation, ingenuity and invention within Africa - happening August 14-16 of this year in Accra, Ghana.
Maker Faire Africa in Ghana

It'll be a convergence of the types of individuals who show up on AfriGadget and Timbuktu Chronicles, and the ethos of the greater MAKE community, all with the blessings of the good folks at Maker Faire. The dates were chosen to coincide with Amy Smith’s and MIT’s International Development and Design Summit (IDDS), which will run for 3 weeks before MFA, also in Ghana.

As Emeka puts it:

The aim of a Maker Faire-like event is to create a space on the continent where Afrigadget-type innovations, inventions and initiatives can be sought, identified, brought to life, supported, amplified, propagated, etc. Maker Faire Africa asks the question, “What happens when you put the drivers of ingenious concepts from Mali with those from Ghana and Kenya, and add resources to the mix?”

How You can Support MFA

get a Maker Faire Africa badge!First off, help spread the word! Let people know where and when it will be. Share the link to the site, grab a badge, blog it.

Second, help us find sponsors. If you know an organization or individual who would like to support this amazing event, put us in touch with them. It could be monetary, or it could be donating some cool gadgets, gear, tools or devices for people to hack on while there. (example idea: we’d love to get some LEGO Mindstorm kits for the local high schools).

Third, come. If you have the time and ability, we’d love to have you, your ideas and your gadgets at MFA.

The Team

Want to get involved yourself? Get in touch!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

2nd Strathmore Mobile BootCamp

A mobile boot camp is a crash-course session usually spanning 2 – 3 days, whereby participants will gain insights on mobile application development as well as acquire practical skills on the use of current platforms, frameworks and tools used for the development of mobile applications.

Strathmore University’s inaugural Mobile Boot Camp was held was held on 28th and 29th of November, 2008. More than 100 information technology developers (programmers) and students attended the event. Strathmore Research and Consultancy Centre (SRCC) hosted the event in collaboration with the Faculty of Information Technology (FIT).

This year Strathmore University will hold the mobile boot camp on the 9th to 11th July, 2009. The camp will be held under the theme; “Mobile Applications for Development in Africa“. The event will be capped off with a mobile development competition, inviting mobile applications in the fields of M-Learning, M-Health and M-Agriculture.

Charges for this 3-day event are:

Students: 700 /= (inclusive of lunch for the 3 days)
Non-students: 1500/= (inclusive of lunch for the 3 days)

Register on Facebook and check out http://www.strathmore.edu/aboutus.php?id=171

Also see what was discussed on our live blog then. Watch this space for more!

Monday, July 6, 2009

ROBOCON KENYA 2009


The ministry of higher education has organized a Robot Contest between kenyan universities and middle level colleges. The contest will be based on the need to provide sufficient food to the Kenyan communities for their upkeep. For this to be achieved the food must be transported from the granary to different communities by a community leader referred to as “MFADHILI” (our robot in this case). Read more

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Budgeting for UoN Electric Vehicle Project

Following up on the Electric Vehicle we will be building, I collected sample quotations and the budget would look something like this. Since we have been generously granted a sufficient budget through Atelier Vrijdag we have these two otpions either for remodelling the Subaru to a 144V EV System or building a smaller 72V system from scratch!

The 144V (30hp Continuous) Subaru conversion using 12v Batteries with a full drive system and battery system. We however would like to change this to an AC Induction motor since Regenerative Braking which is an important consideration for our EV.


QUOTATION






ELECTRIC VEHICLES OF AMERICA, INC.


16 LEHNER STREET P.O. BOX 2037


WOLFEBORO, NH 03894


(603) 569-2100


FAX (603) 569-2115


EVAmerica@aol.com






144 V SYSTEM - CAR PACKAGE


USING 12V BATTERIES







UNIT TOTAL
QTY DESCRIPTION PRICE PRICE

DRIVE SYSTEM

1 FB1-4001A Advanced DC Motor with dual shaft $1,550.00 $1,550.00

( 72V - 144V ) 18HP - 30HP

1 1231C-8601 Curtis Controller $1,495.00 $1,495.00

96V - 144V 500 Amp Limit

1 Aluminum Plate/ heat sink compound/ 12V fan $50.00 $50.00
1 PB-6 Curtis Potbox $90.00 $90.00
2 Albright Contactor SW-200 (12V coil) $150.00 $300.00
1 Adapter Plate with Spacers (2) $400.00 $400.00

Manual Transmission - Clutchless

1 Motor Coupling (Aluminum) $325.00 $325.00

Manual Transmission - Clutchless






BATTERY SYSTEM

1 Quick Charge Charger Programmable QPXW-144-20/8 $880.00 $880.00

144VDC 230VAC 20Amps 115VAC 8Amps

24 Battery Terminal Protective Covers (Red & Black) $1.50 $36.00
25 ft 2/0 Cable - ( Black ) $4.00 $100.00
25 ft 2/0 Cable - ( Red ) $4.00 $100.00
40 2/0 lugs - Magna lug ( includes 6 90 degree ) $2.50 $100.00
5 ft Heat Shrink with sealant $6.00 $30.00





INSTRUMENTATION

1 80-180 Voltmeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00
1 0-400 Ammeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00
1 50 mV Shunt - 400A $30.00 $30.00





POWER BRAKES

1 Gast Vacuum Pump (12V) $225.00 $225.00
1 SquareD Vacuum Switch $135.00 $135.00
1 In-line Fuseholders with 20 Amp Fuse $5.00 $5.00





SAFETY

1 Littelfuse L25S-400 $55.00 $55.00
1 Littelfuse holder $25.00 $25.00
1 KLK Fuse & Holder - HV Control Wiring $20.00 $20.00
1 Pair Anderson connectors SBX-350 (Red) $64.00 $64.00
1 Fuseholder (4) - Control Board $15.00 $15.00
1 First Inertia Switch - Auto Shutoff (12V Sys) $45.00 $45.00





TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A/R EVA calculations
N/C
1 EVA Installation Manual
N/C

Includes schematics, drawings, etc.

1 Safety First & S-10 Conversion Video DVD
N/C
A/R On-Line Assistance @ EVAmerica@aol.com
N/C

1 year Subscription to EVAmerica
NC



---------------

SUBTOTAL
$6,205.00

EVAmerica Coupons - Package
-$170.00



---------------

TOTAL ( Shipping - not included)
$6,035.00









New Hampshire has no Sales Tax!


This saves people in some states - hundreds of dollars!










OPTIONAL EV COMPONENTS


TO REPLACE OR SUPPLEMENT ABOVE






DRIVE SYSTEM

1 203-06-4001A Advanced DC Motor with dual shaft $1,350.00 $1,350.00

( 72V - 120V ) 16HP - 26HP

1 Motor Mount for FB1 motor $180.00 $180.00





BATTERY SYSTEM

1 Quick Charge Charger Programmable OP-144-8 $500.00 $500.00

144VDC 115VAC 8Amps

1 Quick Charge Charger Programmable QPX-144-20 $800.00 $800.00

144VDC 230VAC 20Amps

1 Zivan NG3 Charger On/Off Board 144VDC 220VAC 2800 Watts $1,030.00 $1,030.00
12 Trojan T-1275 12V Batteries Upon Request





INSTRUMENTATION

1 0-500 Ammeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00





POWER BRAKES

1 Vacuum Gauge (Initial Set-up) $15.00 $15.00





SAFETY

1 Astrodyne SP-480 DC-DC Converter $280.00 $280.00

132-370VDC Input (pair Anderson SB-50 red and Relay)


Recommended for headlights, wipers, etc.

1 Zivan DC-DC Converter 144 VDC Input 14 VDC Output $530.00 $530.00

Recommended for headlights, wipers, etc.

1 Littelfuse L25S-400 $55.00 $55.00
1 Pair Anderson connectors SBX-350 (Red) $64.00 $64.00
1 Pair Anderson connectors SB-50 (Red) $20.00 $20.00
1 Electric Heater Components $180.00 $180.00

(Heater, mount, contactor, Anderson SB-50 connector, fuse)

14 Ft - 1 1/2 inch clear vinyl hose for 2/0 cable protection $1.50 $21.00
10 Insulated Metal Clamps for Vinyl Hose $1.00 $10.00


The 72V (2-12hp) 'Vortex-like' NEV construction also using six 12v Batteries with full drive system and battery system. Have a look at the XP-HUMM-E to have an idea of what I have in mind.


QUOTATION






ELECTRIC VEHICLES OF AMERICA, INC.


16 LEHNER STREET P.O. BOX 2037


WOLFEBORO, NH 03894


(603) 569-2100


FAX (603) 569-2115


EVAmerica@aol.com






72V SYSTEM







UNIT TOTAL
QTY DESCRIPTION PRICE PRICE

DRIVE SYSTEM

1 A00-4009 Advanced DC Motor $575.00 $575.00

24-72V 2-12Hp

1 ALLTrax AXE-7245 Controller 24-72V 450 Amp Limit $640.00 $640.00
1 PB-6 Curtis Potbox $90.00 $90.00
1 Albright Contactor SW-180B (12V coil) $90.00 $90.00





BATTERY SYSTEM

1 Quick Charge Charger Programmable OP-72-20 $500.00 $500.00

72VDC 115VAC 20Amps

12 Battery Terminal Protective Covers (Red & Black) $1.50 $18.00
10 ft 2/0 Cable - ( Black ) $4.00 $40.00
10 ft 2/0 Cable - ( Red ) $4.00 $40.00
32 2/0 lugs - Magna lug ( includes 6 90 degree ) $2.50 $80.00
4 ft Heat Shrink with sealant $6.00 $24.00





INSTRUMENTATION

1 0-100 Voltmeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00
1 0-400 Ammeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00
1 50 mV Shunt - 400A $30.00 $30.00





SAFETY

1 ANN-400 Fuse and Fuseholder $67.00 $67.00
1 Fuseholder (4) - Control Board $15.00 $15.00





TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

1 EVA Installation Manual
N/C

includes drawings, manufacturers data, etc

1 EVA "Safety First" Video
N/C



------------

SUBTOTAL
$2,339.00

EVAmerica Package Discount
-$74.00



------------

TOTAL ( Shipping - not included)
$2,265.00









Notes:


1. Shipping extra.


2. Battery Prices may vary slightly with location.










OPTIONAL EV COMPONENTS


TO REPLACE OR SUPPLEMENT ABOVE






DRIVE SYSTEM

1 203-06-4001A Advanced DC Motor with dual shaft $1,350.00 $1,350.00

( 72V - 120V ) 16HP - 26HP

1 1209B-6402 Curtis Controller $780.00 $780.00

48V - 72V 400 Amp Limit

1 Magura Twist Grip 0-5 K pot $55.00 $55.00





INSTRUMENTATION

1 Curtis Fuel Gauge 72VDC - 900R $150.00 $150.00
1 0-500 Ammeter (Westberg 2in Black) $65.00 $65.00





BATTERY SYSTEM

1 Zivan NG1 Charger On/Off Board 72VDC 115VAC 900 Watts $530.00 $530.00


I have a tough task ahead to source for the parts locally since the shipping may cost us half our budget. If you are in Kenya I would appreciate any information on the best deals in town. I will keep you posted...