SP.721/11.025/11.472 D-Lab: Development
D-Lab Development addresses issues of technological improvements at the micro level for developing countries—in particular, how the quality of life of low-income households can be improved by adaptation of low cost and sustainable technologies. Discussion of development issues as well as project implementation challenges are addressed through lectures, case studies, guest speakers and laboratory exercises. Students form project teams to partner with mostly local level organizations in developing countries, and formulate plans for an IAP site visit. (Previous field sites include Ghana, Brazil, Honduras and India.) Project team meetings focus on developing specific projects and include cultural, social, political, environmental and economic overviews of the countries and localities to be visited as well as an introduction to the local languages. Enrollment limited by lottery; must attend first class session.
Course Information
| Instructors: | Amy Smith, Bish Sanyal, Victor Grau Serrat |
| Teaching Assistants: | Derek Brine |
| Semester Offered: | Fall (offered since Fall 2002) |
| Lecture Location: | 4-163 (First Session Meets in 4-370) |
| Lecture Times: | MWF3:30-5 |
| Units (credit hours): | 3-2-7 |
| Class Size: | 50 students |
| Grading: | A/B/C/D/F |
| Resources: | |
Recent Projects
| 2008 | Bicilavadora | Pedal-powered washing machine |
| Biodigester Workshop | Community workshop on how to install a plastic bag biogas generator to produce methane for cooking and fertilizer for farming |
| Ceramic Water Filters | Prototypical ceramic water filters using local clay and materials found near New Longoro, Gomboi and Dwere (Ghana) |
| Charcoal Technology Demonstration | How to make charcoal out of agricultural waste using an oil drum and readily available starch |
| Drip Irrigation Kits | Technology demonstration for the $2 drip irrigation kits from International Development Enterprises (IDE) |
| Hand-held Corn Shellers | A practical, economical hand-held corn sheller to quicly and easily remove corn kernels from the ear |
| Hand-powered Walnut Cracker | Adaptation of the Universal Nut Sheller from the Full Belly project to crack walnuts |
| Low-cost Bacterial Water Testing | Simple low-cost method for testing bacterial (fecal) contamination in community water sources |
| Portable Solar Cooker | Portable solar parabolic concentrator designed with nomadic peoples of the high-altitude regions of central Tibet |
| Rural Energy Usage Database | Quantitative monitoring mechanism for the implementation of energy alternatives in the Himalayan region |
