WHEELBARROW ELECTRIFICTION
STEM PATHWAYS PROJECT
ABOUT STEM PATHWAYS
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Pathways is a yearlong course which aims to provide a platform to those interested in STEM to realise their ideas. Those that chose to pursue this course then work with a mentor to design and build their projects which must provide a solution to real-world problems of global significance.
MY PROJECT
The process and the thinking behind it
I have a passion for automobiles, therefore, wanted to make some sort of automobile project for a long time. Looking at the requirement of the community around me I have decided to work to electrify and improve wheelbarrows for off-road use and implement them in the rural areas of Kenya. Some personal aims of this project are -
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To learn more about the components that go into a project like this such as the electric powertrain, batteries, and structural components that I am going to be looking to incorporate.
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Learn more about electrical components in general such as wiring and how they function.
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Gain more hands-on experience actually fabricating parts through welding.
The first stage of the project involves a lot of research and planning with dimensions and finding the materials required to build it.
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The second stage involves collecting all the materials required along with a finalized plan on the dimensions of the wheelbarrow and knowing where all the parts are going to go.
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The final stage is actually getting to electrifying the wheelbarrow. This means fabricating any parts that need to be custom made and then adding other pieces onto the build such as a larger wheel, battery, motor. Another challenge is taking parts of the pre-made wheelbarrow and seeing how the components would either work within that frame or how the frame could be edited for improvements.
