PRODUCT DESIGN
Heating & lighting equipment designed to be airdropped during disasters
Reinterpreting an existing product with respect to its efficiency and manufacturability while integrating its functional details aesthetically.
Usra, a name of Indian Origins, means the first dawn of light.
Reinterpret an existing product with respect to its efficiency and manufacturability while integrating its functional details aesthetically.
In the event of a Disaster, power outage is inevitable. During Search and Rescue or at the Medical Camps, electrical lighting is of paramount importance. Low visibility may lead to problems in identifying survivors and their treatment. While electrical lighting gets prioritized use in these situations, there exists a primitive need for light in times of trouble to sustain refugee or survivor camps.
Carbide Lamps, or Acetylene Gas Lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn Acetylene which is created by the reaction of Calcium carbide with Water.
Acetylene gas lamps were used to illuminate buildings, as lighthouse beacons, and as headlights on motor-cars and bicycles. Portable acetylene gas lamps, worn on the hat or carried by hand, are still widely used in mining.
For decades the carbide lamp was the only lighting system considered suitable for rugged lighting. Its unmatched durability and economy made it the only logical choice for any caver who valued his or her hide. However, the carbide lamp was slowly abandoned for electric lights as they became more reliable and less expensive.
Integrate the functional details of a Carbide Lamp aesthetically, while improving its efficiency and manufacturability with focus on Disaster Scenarios that need offline backup lighting systems.
Best of all, the Carbide Lamp continues to be a cheap and dependable source of illumination. There are no heavy acid batteries or kerosene/petrol jerrycans to carry around, and the Carbide Lamp will run as long as there is Calcium Carbide and Water available.
Most of my Research was from Secondary Sources like old Patent Filings and Abandoned Caving Forums filled with discussions and tips. I also managed to get my hands on an old J.K. Dey and Sons lamp, and it still worked!
The form inspiration and mood board was formed primarily of Art Deco architecture, the prevalent design style of the time during which Carbide Lamps were at its peak popularity and usage.
Exploded View of Usra. Note that Flatpack Sensibilities have been applied to ease Manufacturing, Assembly, and Transportation.
A Carbide Lamp is a more humane lighting system.
