Paperwork is a pain, and largely becoming a thing of the past. With the passage (and upholding) of the Affordable Care Act, almost 40 million Americans are anticipated to go online for health care needs come January 2014. The California Health Care Foundation, along with a coalition of nine public and private organizations, enlisted Ideo to create an exchange--or online interface--that will simplify the intimidating, overwhelming, and labyrinthine process of exploring options and signing up.
As ever, Ideo applied its signature human-centered approach to Enroll UX 2014. The team talked to people on all sides of the federal poverty line to “establish empathy” for those who will be bringing their disparate backgrounds to the table. “Those at different points on the income spectrum have had different experiences because of what they’ve been eligible for,” project leader Christian Palino tells Co.Design. “Going out into the world helped us to synthesize and develop our design principles.” They looked at analogous models like the social security administration and financial services, but also more wide-ranging sites; yes, your future health-care exchange was partially informed by OKCupid and Match.com. “All of those deal with the same issues when people are going through a complex application enrollment process online,” he says. Early sketches and prototypes were made and tested, taking into account the needs and input from a growing number of stakeholders.
The result actually represents a huge opportunity for states that extends beyond this particular bill. “This is the largest infrastructure change that they’ve had on the digital enrollment level in 35 years,” Palino says. “A big part of the innovation is to develop a ‘federal hub,’ where ultimately, a consumer won’t have to enter in the same information for different organizations across the federal government.” Benefits like food stamps and energy tax credits will all be linked, using this same database.
The federal government is also building its own exchange--this will be used by any state that chooses not to develop one, or any state which doesn’t meet the deadline to create its own--and its close work with Ideo means that it’s likely to share some of Enroll UX 2014’s key characteristics. “We’ve also had some states that have reached out to us and said, hey, we’re interested in leveraging what you’ve done,” Palino says. “For us at Ideo, those materials are done and those deliverables are out in the world, but they’re a springboard in a way, to help the way forward.”
London design brand Hulger has launched a mini version of its award-winning Plumen 001 lightbulb and it’ll be available at Dezeen Super Store from Friday. (more…)
While we usually look at wind turbines chiefly as a cleaner, better source of electricity. But in many parts of the world, electricity is only one of several needs faced by much of the population. In answer to a broader set of needs, the Eole Water WMS1000 turbine uses some of the power that it produces to extract as much as 1200 liters (more than 315 gallons) of clean water per day by condensing it from the air.
The WMS 1000 produces up to 30 kW of electricity, in addition to the water it provides. That may not seem to be much compared to the grid scale turbines being installed throughout the developed world, but that can be significant to a community with more moderate energy needs. It is also designed to require little maintenance, since trained technicians may not be readily available where these turbines are deployed.
The turbine is a 13 meter (about 42.5 feet) diameter rotor with a 24 meter (78.75 feet) hub height. This makes it manageable and transportable, which are important considerations for deployment in remote locations. The WMS1000 is designed to be entirely self-sufficient, making it well suited to locations where there is no supply infrastructure for power or water. It also has very little environmental impact, emits no CO2, and does not impact surface water or underground water supplies.
Expected pricing for the turbine is around $600,000, but these units should have a lifespan of more than 20 years.
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-09-10 00:37:48 UTC
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Concerned about the lack of fresh water in the developing world, designer Gabriele Diamanti wanted a solution to desalinate water that was available to households rather than relying on giant centralized plants. He also wanted it to be something inexpensive that could be made by local craftsman. The result is a ceramic solar still called the Eliodomestico that operates like an “upside-down coffee percolator”... Continue Reading Solar-powered oven makes fresh water
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-09-10 08:22:53 UTC
Safe sex and contraception are awkward subjects for many people, especially when it comes time to actually use them. In a moment that's all about maintaining the mood, nothing can spoil the romance like struggling to pry open a condom wrapper like a bag of airline peanuts. With that in mind, imagine what a minefield a night of intimacy could be for someone suffering from hemiplegia, a somewhat common disorder that causes paralysis on one side of the body. That's why one designer developed the One-Handed Condom, an easy-open contraceptive that can be flicked open just by snapping it between two fingers... Continue Reading One-Handed Condom is a snap to open
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-09-11 02:57:34 UTC
Heating and cooling a house are two of the biggest ongoing costs for homeowners and are responsible for the bulk of the average household’s energy consumption. A new kind of roof-and-attic system field tested at the DoE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) improves the efficiency of both winter heating and summer cooling. Importantly, the new system can be retrofitted to most existing roofs... Continue Reading ORNL roof-and-attic system keeps houses cool in summer, warm in winter
Honey bees are some very hard-working ladies. Why not show them a little love with a beautiful, comfortable place to come home to after a hard day of pollinating? Industrial designer Philip de los Reyes has designed artificial hives that incorporate modern style with traditional apiary layouts. Crafted with both professional and amateur beekeepers in mind, the structures attempt to combine the functional with the fashionable, adding a splash of color and architectural elements to the boxes.
San Francisco industrial designer Philip de los Reyes hopes to make backyard beekeeping simpler, easier, and more accessible. By infusing beekeeping with a sense of style, he strives to encourage pollination and local honey harvests as an extension of urban gardening. A version of the popular Langstroth hive, the interlocking boxes incorporate louvered handles on the exterior. Alternating interior brood and super frames resemble tabbed file folders, and are housed within cell foam containers. The boxes are interchangeable and expandable, and the queen bee can be separated from the workers, ensuring that the honeycombs remain free of eggs. Sleek and modern, the hives bring a new perspective to an old art.
A team of Finnish researchers from Aalto University has developed a new concept for computing that doesn’t require standard electric power. Instead, the team creates collisions of water droplets on a highly water-repellent (superhydrophobic) surface. The research, which was published in the journal Advanced Materials, could form the basis for tomorrow’s electricity-free computing devices.
I was walking the aisles of Home Depot when I happened upon a screaming deal for the L Prize winning LED light bulb by Philips. This is the bulb, you may recall, that caused a national fuss over the reported price tag of $60. Turns out you can get the same bulb just five months later for the more reasonable price tag of $40 at Home Depot right now.
So I picked one up, and I’ll say this is one impressive bulb. The L Prize light bulb is brighter than the 12.5-watt AmbientLED with a similar yellow exterior. I have several of these, and they’re excellent but not as powerful as the L Prize bulb.
The L Prize LED bulb uses only 10 watts of energy and delivers 940 lumens, 92 CRI, 2700 Kelvin, and 30,000 hours. In addition, the light bulb is dimmable and installs in a cinch with the Edison-type base. The one thing you may not like is the sealed plastic packaging it comes in. After you hatchet through that and recycle the remains, you’ll be well on your way to conserving energy with a nice dose of soft and warm light.
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-07 08:01:28 UTC
The Ahrend 360, an ultra-light visitors' chair with a magnesium frame and a one-piece seat shell, has won a Red dot Award from the internationally ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-06 06:43:37 UTC
The IFA Berlin, on of the worlds biggest appliances fairs is coming to an end today. And how about sustainability in the latest offerings. Not bad ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-04 12:31:57 UTC
Amy Prieto, Colorado State University assisting professor, re-imagines the lithium-ion battery in a 3D solid state form, with no liquid electrolyte ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-04 09:58:41 UTC
A few years ago, while living in Shanghai, I stood in a supermarket to buy sparkling water. Since not many chinese like to drink the stuff, they also ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-03 09:10:03 UTC
And the winners are ...... again Philips for its Smart TV and Sony for its Smart Phone. Smart seems to be the clue for sustainability nowadays! :) ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-09-03 07:29:01 UTC
You can cut wasted standby power switching off TVs and connected appliances at the power source (and back on again) with your remote control and the ...
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