Enki Energy

Data visualization for a bio-digester in a communal kitchen in Amersfoort, to support the cooking process and raise awareness for the system.

Enki Energy Light-strips

role ⟶

physical prototyping

conception

info ⟶

09/2019

client: Enki Energy

cooperation ⟶

Matthijs Nolst Trenité

Leila Farhood

Boaz Prinzen

Problem Space

A bio-digester is a machine that digests bread into methane through a biological process with bacteria. The obtained methane powers the communal kitchen in a housing complex in Amersfoort. As the system is very technical, it is not apparent to the residents how much methane is left in the tank for cooking. The goal was to make this data visible to the residents and sensitize them to the connection between the bio-digester and the kitchen.

Enki Energy Bio-digester
Communal kitchen Amersfoort

Solution

In our ideation process, we connected a light concept as an omnipresent indicator for the charge of the tank, with a more in-depth and informative mobile application. We use an LED-strip to connect the bio-digester spatially with the kitchen and tablet. The length and color of the LED-strip are changing due to the gas's consumption and indicate the current status in live data visualization. On the tablet, the user will get further information about the states and general information around the bio-digester, which even includes an explanation video.

Kitchen Layout with Solution

Physical Prototyping

To understand the impact of light on our concept, we built a prototype with an Arduino Leonardo and LED-strip. We brought this prototype to Amersfoort to test it with the residents and implemented the feedback in the next iteration.

Prototyping
User-testing

Implementation

For the client presentation, we built the LED-strip into a light diffuser to create a softer light-beam and a cleaner look. We eventually connected the tablet to the lights to get more feedback on the interaction between both components.

Implementation 01
Implementation 02

Mobile version

In the application – that is supposed to run on a tablet – the user has the chance to make pre-settings, such as the selection of needed stove tops for the cooking process so that the system could calculate the usage beforehand and provide more accurate data. Furthermore, the user gets instructions on how to maintain the bio-digester or call for help if a more significant issue appears.

Mobile application – green
Mobile application – orange
Mobile application – contact
Mobile application – warning

Introduction video

For new residents, the mobile application includes a short introduction video to get the user familiar with the process and explains some mandatory features.

next project



Feel free to contact me. I am always interested in new projects. Just leave a message or visit me on social media.