Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Flush less Toilet design for Bill and Melinda Gates foundation

Mr Bill Gates spoke to Indian news media in New Delhi recently and said  "One of my ultimate dreams now is to reinvent the toilet - find a cheaper alternative to the flush toilet that does not require running water, has smell characteristics better than the flush toilet and is cheap.". The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has invited proposals for new design of such toilets by Aug, 2012 this year.



Using principles from  '5 Core Methods of Innovation', I have identified that the material "LIQUIGLIDE" could be a key to creating such a toilet requiring no flush/water.  Liquiglide is a structured liquid, it is rigid and can be applied like a solid, but has a surface like a liquid.




A coating of Liquiglide inside a plastic or glass container ensures that the surface becomes completely non-sticky. When it was applied inside a ketchup bottle, there was not even a drop of ketchup that could stay inside the bottle once the bottle was turned upside down.

(
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/mit-harvard-battle-create-life-changing-product-non-170117941.html
)



(News source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-01/india/31958462_1_new-toilet-flush-toilet-practice-of-open-defecation )