Category:Pages needing expansion: Difference between revisions

The intention of this category is to give ideas for appropriate technology Research and Development projects

They may be, for example:

• personal,
• academic (Phd/Senior projects)
• organizational,
• commercial (provided it is not simplly for advertising purposes)
• joint, with other people or groups that you connect with on Appropedia.

They may be large or small, from a few hours work or less, to a PhD topic.

If you are an NGO or similar entity, you can post your specific design needs and someone might take up the project.

How to put pages in this category

The pages in this category use the {{suggested project}} template. To find the specific idea for the project, go to a page (linked at the bottom of this page), search the page for the text "suggested project" which will appear next to the question or proposal. Note there are sometimes several suggested projects on a single page. Additional ideas are listed under #Additional suggested projects, below.

Please don't remove the {{suggested project}} template without very good reason. If a project is underway or complete, and has been written up and linked, change the template to the {{suggested project (partly done)}} template or the {{completed project}} template (to be created).

Suggestions

Note that for some projects, a literature review will be enough, while for other projects more research will be required.

A step at a time

You don't have to do everything. Just because you can't see a project through to completion, it doesn't mean you can't contribute. You may choose to do one or some of the first steps (e.g. a literature review, or some very simple experiments) and write them up on Appropedia. If so, please be sure to link the new page from where the suggested project is described.

Literature review

A literature review is very valuable, either as a project in its own right, or as the first step in a larger project. Important findings are often difficult to find or examine more deeply, especially for time-poor development professionals and those with limited English skills, so writing up the results of your review on Appropedia can provide a valuable resource for others.

Places to look:

• Wikipedia - is often a great starting point. A good Wikipedia article gives more than one side to arguments, and lists very good internet resources for the topic.
• A good library (large community library, state library or university library).
• Google Scholar - some results are restricted access, but some are free.
• Google books
• Google search - with the right search terms, and you can often find very good sources. Experiment.
• CD3WD The CD for the 3RD world project is an excellent resource

Remember to view all sources critically, especially when claims are not sourced.

When writing up the literature review, use references, whether the name and page of a book, or a link.

Research projects

If the literature review doesn't answer all of your questions or if you can think of a better way to approach the project - especially if only one or two have done it:

• Follow sound principles of scientific investigation, and your work may help to confirm important findings - or show where other studies were flawed. (Scientists often make mistakes!)
• You may discover additional results, refine the results further, or show where the results are or aren't applicable.

Practical project

To increase your chances of success, try networking with other users with similar interests - look at Category:Users by interest; also check who has contributed on articles in your area of interest (click the History tab). You can also leave a note on the Village pump (and give time for people to answer).

To propose a project

You may propose a project using one of these methods:

• mention the idea on a relevant page, followed by the {{suggested project}} template.
• create a new page, also using the {{suggested project}} template somewhere on the page. A separate project page is suitable for a very long project description.
• describe your idea briefly in the Additional suggested projects below (if it's not listed elsewhere and tagged as described)

Additional suggested projects

You may wish to sign and date your suggestion. This does not mean you are responsible for carrying out the project.

You may add comments below a suggestion, (using a double colon, :: at the beginning to double indent the line). For example please mention if you are doing the project, or have written it up (with a link to the page).

• Low cost medical incinerator for use in third world medical clinics to dispose of medical waste

I plan to start this project next fall as part of my senior engineering project as part of the Appropedia Action Projectfor use in a medical clinic being built by Engineers Without Borders San Francisco Professional Chapter and you are invited to collaborate with me --David.reber 22:06, 28 March 2008 (PDT)

• Solar-Water generator design a device that uses mirrors to boil water (similar to a solar cooker) and uses the steam expansion to drive a turbine.
• treadle pump smaller, cheaper and more efficient capable of pumping deeper.
• Motorized rope and washer pumps for irrigation
• Low cost wind pumps and solar pumps
• Low cost drilling tools
• Design a more efficient sickle
• improved solar dryers
• Hand held device for dispensing pharmaceutical powder
• Machine for express seed removal
• Drying mechanism for rice
• Heat powered LED lighting
• Inexpensive portable incubator
• Vegetable oil engine research - find out which vegetable oils perform best in combustion engines
• Cold weather composting toilet
• Machine for removal of grain from a seed stalk
• Natural cooling methods
• Improved cook stove design
• Low cost water filters
• Compare the cost-effectiveness of low-environmental-impact hot water systems in a particular setting. This may consider home-made options (expected to be suitable for tropical and developing word settings) and the low cost mass-produced Chinese systems, mentioned at Wikipedia:Solar hot water.
• The "Universal Nut Sheller" or ^W is made with fiberglass molds costing $300. Is it possible to use cheap cardboard forms instead?[1] Check first whether this has already been done, and what the results were.
• What exactly is the environmental impact of plastic bags, and what are the effects of different strategies? E.g. "biodegradeable" or UV-degradeable petroleum based plastic; bioplastic; banning plastic bags as in Bangladesh; or mandating HDPE bags only^{[verification needed]} as in South Africa. (Are there other options...?) How significantly do bags and plastic film contribute to landfill, and is newer technology, thinner film, helpful in reducing landfill?^{[expansion needed]}

See also

• Prizes and competitions - some of which pose specific problems which can be explored as projects.

Note regarding subcategories

All the entries below should be regarded simply as articles, not as subcategories of suggested projects. (Where a topic page appears under subcateories, this just means that the above template is used on that topic page, not that it is meant to be a subcateory of "Suggested projects.")

Notes