Rainy Daze

 In our second class at Artscape, we consider whether the umbrella needs reinventing. We've all had an uncomfortable encounter with an umbrella. Whether it's the classic inside out one in a wind squall or colliding with a passerby on a crowded sidewalk or just the damp soggy dripping mass after the rain. And could the umbrella just be more fun or do more?

Sometimes invention is about adapting a pre-existing design. Quite a few attempts have been made to innovate and beautify the umbrella. Here are our attempts. Some of our students wanted to see more clearly when walking with the umbrella. In this design a whole segment of the umbrella is replaced with clear material.

This design improved the underside of the umbrella by adding animated video game characters.

This defensive umbrella included a slingshot and ammo basket on the underside.

This designer considered functionality by adding a backpack shield and later a hanging storage unit and  removable front visor screen. Nice job!

This umbrella will extend above the crowd with a seussical candy-striped handle.

Two of our inventors, decided to turn the umbrella into a water collector. Tubes were connected to the top surface and the water drips down into a drinking cup attached to the handle. In one case there is also a filter unit. 

And here's a space like poncho design for those sudden downpours.

Lunchbox!

One of our workshops this week was about form and function. We posed the question: is it time to redesign the school lunchbox?

Could it be easier to transport? Could it be more eco-friendly? Could it be adapted for other types of food? Could it be multifunctional?

This industrial design challenge may seem pedestrian at first sight- especially for those of us who have to scrape leftovers from a school lunchbox every evening. You might think that a lunchbox is just a box with a handle, but in the hands of a set of eager kid inventors there are many interesting possibilities for lunchbox innovation.

Consider the eco-lunchbox. It comes with a lidded rain-catcher (in case you forgot to fill your water bottle) and in sunny conditions you can use the solar panel for re-heating food. In another design, the students felt that lunch was sometimes too heavy to carry. What about a food buggy. It has a colourful cupcake holder (6 slots, so you can bring cakes for all your friends), a flexible sandwich pouch, a snap clipped rain cover and has a robust frame and wheels for street transport.

In some of the designs, the lunchbox was transformed into something else: a racing car (with a zipped closure) or a table with mounted plate to eat on or an extra pouch for a friendly lunch buddy.

At the end of the session, we had demo time. This is a chance for our students to show their designs and get some great feedback from their friends. They did an excellent job of describing their creations!