The London based 3D printable model sharing platform, MyMiniFactory, has announced the winners of the Hope3D Design competition. They partnered up with Snapmaker for Hope3D, a crowdsourcing platform for humanitarian 3D printing projects which integrated the UN Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 to find 3D printable environmental and education solutions.
“There are some great entries in the competition that tackle a variety of global challenges faced today. I could envision each project as a successful initiative on Hope3D, and I look forward to collaborating with some of the contestants,” said Sam Suchin, Founder of Hope3D. He continues “The winning entries identified a significant issue and produced solutions towards a sustainable future. I’m very excited to continue developing Hope3D with such an amazing community.”
In third place: 3D printed Garden
Alex Rodriguez, an Orlando-based lawyer, placed third for his Modular Hydroponic Garden/Farm System.The goal was “Life on Land, to promote fair and equitable sharing of resources.”
Anyone with a 3D printer can now use this Modular Hydroponic System to begin farming or even start a small business. Rodriguez explained, “I felt a deep desire to leave a large, lasting, positive impact on the world. This deep desire mixed with some influences from Henry David Theroux, Jaques Fresco, Justice Scalia, Elon Musk, among others, led me to where I am today with this project.”
Rodriguez’s design has already been downloaded and printed by a number of people in Cambodia, Rodriguez will get a Versastack System Tower offered by Craftsman for placing third.
In second place: The SMARS car
Kevin Thomas, a Swiss management engineering student placed second in the competition with his Screwless Modular Assemblable Robotic System (SMARS) car. The goal was “quality education, helping to prepare youth and adults with skills for future employment or entrepreneurship.”
The robotics system is optimized for 3D printing, eliminating the need for screws and major supports and is designed to encourage beginner robotics enthusiasts with limited resources. Thomas shared that as a child he sought out a similar solution to learn from.
As the runner up, Thomas will receive a V20 Cordless Brushless 2 Tool Combo Kit from Craftsman.
The first-place winner: The Ina Light
Of the hundreds of entries, taking first place in the 45-day competition is Okpamen Jimklien Obasogie, a social entrepreneur and Mechanical Engineering student from Landmark University, Nigeria. The goal was “Affordable and Clean Energy by developing a solution that converts heat to clean electricity.”
Thus, the Ina Light, a lightweight, portable, thermoelectric generator solution for off-the-grid use. There are approximately 622.6 million Africans lacking access to electricity, with 80 million of this population being Nigerians according to the team.The Ina Light is meant to convert the thermal energy from domestic activities such as cooking to electricity using the thermoelectric generator. This produces 10-15 Watts of energy channeled to a USB port for charging phones and LED lights.
Obasogie added, “Regardless of this lack of power supply, local households and street food vendors generate heat from domestic activities like cooking, lighting and keeping warm using fuels like charcoal, firewood, kerosene and the likes unaware that heat could be converted to electricity.”
As the winner, Obasogie will receive a Snapmaker 3-in-1 3D printer. Previously, Obasogie and his team presented at the Commonwealth Centre, Hult Prize International, and Four Points by Sheraton.
Petch, Michael, et al. “3D Printing for a Better World: MyMiniFactory Announces Hope3D Design Competition Winners.” 3D Printing Industry, 28 May 2019, 3dprintingindustry.com/news/3d-printing-for-a-better-world-myminifactory-announces-hope3d-design-competition-winners-156177/.