Initial Proposal

Initial Proposal: Water Bubbles

Background

Currently, there are 315 billion pounds of plastic waste in the ocean. This is a huge problem, because it strains wildlife, and pollutes a natural resource we so desperately rely on. Our project, "Water Bubbles", aims to help fix that. Our senior capstone project would be to create a biodegradable / edible water bottle, so that we can reduce the 46,000 pieces of plastic bottles that float in the ocean today. The two main ingredients that the edible bottle would consist of is sodium alginate (found in seaweed), and calcium lactate (found in baking powder). The calcium lactate is used in reverse-spherification, which gives it the "bubble" look. The sodium alginate gives it the "gel" texture, which makes for a bubble of water that can be safely eaten or composted.

Objectives

1. Identify the engineering issue & current product weaknesses

2. Compile significant background research about the product

3. Specify the requirement of a project, estimate figures (costs etc...)

4. Design and evaluate project proposals and select the best solution

5. Do a complete material analysis to find:

1. Relative strength

2. Time to decompose

3. Manufacturing constraints

4. Forms it comes in

5. Price

6. Use / quantity of product

6. Develop a prototype of the best product design

7. Hold prototype testing sessions and survey the public.

8. Analyze results and data

9. If statistics show an unfavorable response to the design:

1. Review information and project procedure

2. Make changes to improve the design

10. If statistics show a positive majority response:

1. Communicate results and officialize the final product

11. Present project to panel of judges

Broader Scope

Our final goal for this project is to create a biodegradable water bottle that would reduce plastic and pollution in the world and improve upon the prototypes that are already out. Our main focus will be on creating a sturdier shell for the water that will be able to be transported and given out in activities like marathon races. We will also look into other possible liquids to go into the "bubbles" like medicine or vitamins, that will be more appealing to kids. Over all, we want our final product to be more diverse, sturdier, and appealing than the preexisting designs.

Timeframe

Phase            Task                                                                           Deadline  

1                      Project Proposal                                                       December 14th, 2018

2                     Research                                                                   February 15th, 2019

3                     Product Construction                                                March 20th, 2019

4                     Final Product                                                              May 21st, 2019

Project Budget

The cost of this project will be fairly cheap. The only two materials we need to buy are the calcium lactate and the sodium alginate. They are both $19.95 for 14 ounces and 16 ounces, respectively. This ensures we have more than enough for all of our tests and final product, as only a few grams of each are needed for each batch, which produces water bubbles that contain five cups of water.

Development Process

• Research and study the problem: We will research into the significant problems plastic has on our planet, and how long it takes to biodegrade. We will also research into the already existing prototypes and their pros and cons. We will use these pros and cons to help us construct our own model.

• Design: After researching, we will create the design of our product.

• Prototyping: We will create a sample of our product using the calcium lactate and sodium alginate formula, and test its durability and gage its usefulness.

• Surveying: The next step would be to conduct a survey to understand the needs of our market, and discover possible upgrades.

Current Solutions

In the market, there is currently a company which uses a similar model (below). The company, called "Ooho", whose product consists of an entirely biodegradable outside packaging that holds the water made from seaweed, has patented this but is still in the idea stage. It has already been used in a marathon, with the edible water bottles used at the water tables for easy access.

Our Team

Team Member          Job                                                      Tasks

Eliza Roesler             Manager, and Communicator             Approve assignments, turn in final                                                                                                       work, and update mentor and Mr.                                                                                                       Tronconi

Caitlin Dwyer            Facilitator, and Fabricator                   Manage incoming of new tasks and                                                                                                    create timelines, manage materials,                                                                                                    and run mentor meetings

Our Mentor: Mrs. Jennifer Carlomagno

Occupation: Biology and AP Biology teacher at San Marin with a specialty in all life sciences

Degree: Graduated biology major from University of California, Santa Barbara

Research - Need to Know

1. Specifics of Environmental Engineering

2. Other shell ingredients

3. Best place to implement a water solution

4. Packaging to other countries

1. Inspections

2. Customs

5. Durability

6. Market survey

7. Sustainable engineering concepts

8. Life cycle analysis report

1. Effect on environment

2. Biodegradablility

3. Potential harm of calcium / sodium deposits in the soil

9. Economics

1. Cost

2. Value

3. Distribution

4. Return on investment

5. Future value

Monitoring and Evaluation

Our official evaluator will be Mr. Tronconi, and our mentor will guide us before we turn things in. The final analysis of our project will commence in June 2019.

Official Proposal Document