Design Presentations for IDDS

Several of the participants of this international conference at MIT have come to the Fab Lab for assistance in fabricating parts of their designs.  Their work is very interesting, and the presentations would be worth checking out.

Please join us on Wednesday, August 6, from 4-6pm in the Bartos Theater and
the lower-level of the Media Lab for the final celebration of the
International Development Design Summit (IDDS) at MIT.
(Bartos is located here: http://whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?mapterms=e15)

The summit has brought more than fifty participants from over
twenty countries to MIT to spend a month learning about design and creating
technologies to improve the lives of people in the developing world.  The
participants will present their projects in Bartos Theater from 4 – 5  and
then display their prototypes at the reception that follows. This year’s
projects include:

a device for decreasing the transmission rate of HIV/AIDS from mothers to
their babies
a charcoal crushing machine to help make charcoal briquettes from carbonized
corn cobs
a rope way system to help craftswomen in the Himalayas get their products to
market
a pearl millet thresher
an incubator for low birth weight babies in the developing world
a super low-cost computer for educational programs
an interlocking stabilized soil block maker
a pico-hydro electric generator
a hand-held tool for isolating DNA for improving diagnostic capability
a device for generating electricity from a treadle pump

Please spread the word about this final event and feel free to invite
friends and colleagues whom you think would enjoy the gathering!

IDDS is hosted by MIT, Olin College and Cooper-Perkins, and is sponsored by
the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Collegiate Inventors and
Innovators Alliance.  The Final Celebration is located in Building E15 and
is sponsored by the MIT Public Service Center — http://web.mit.edu/mitpsc/

Hope to see you there!

IDDS website- Link

D-Lab website – Link

Amy Smith is in charge of D-Lab – Link

This is a good video of one of her presentations – Link

Nelson Mandela

On Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, my daughter’s friend said she didn’t know who he was. When I explained that he was the leader of the African National Congress, and then President of South Africa, she replied “How would I know about that, and why should I?”

Personally, I think Mandela’s story is compelling. He fought against his country’s unjust policies of Apartheid. When he was tried and convicted for his role in the antiaparthied effort, he spoke of how he would give his life for democracy. After 27 years in the jails of South Africa, he was released. Instead of anger and bitterness, he led his country through the Truth and Reconciliation process. There should be more leaders with Nelson Mandela’s vision.

Links

Mandela Celebrates his 90th birthday: Link

Wikipedia bio: Link

Nobel Prize bio: Link

Nelson Mandela Foundation: Link

Time 100 Entry on Nelson Mandela: Link

NPR audio about his trial: Link