Product/Service Development

Olufunke Cofie of the International Water Management Institute in Ghana will develop and test fortified fertilizer pellets from treated human excreta for market sale. Production at large scale could enhance agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa, while also contributing to reduction in environmental health risk from untreated human waste. In Phase I Cofie tested several materials that are inexpensive and locally available as binding agents for producing robust fecal sludge pellets suitable for packaging and transportation.

This project, run in collaboration with international partners Daisa Enterprises (formerly Wholesome Wave) and the McGill University Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics, aims to pilot an innovative entrepreneurial approach to provide economic benefits and increase agricultural production, nutritional intake, and overall health to women in resource-poor rural and urban communities.

This project aims to utilize ultrasound to move and settle human waste collected in a specifically designed latrine. This redesigned latrine uses less water and therefore provides a more sustainable solution to collect human waste.

This is a proof-of-concept development for using viral agents to target and kill pathogens and odor-producing bacteria in fecal waste and also develop for ways to integrate this into waste treatment systems. The potential of this project is immense as, once thoroughly tested; it will provide a completely natural alternate to managing pathogens in waste water.

This project aims at refining a biological-agent based technology to understand the optimal conditions needed for its efficient use in India. It aims to use Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) to consume the human fecal matter and other bodily wastes. The team will test the optimal environmental conditions, in terms of temperature and humidity, for Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) to reduce the amount of human feces in waste septage.

This project aims to redefine the receiving material for human waste from water to granular material, thereby completely bypassing the need for water in this process. The project aims to redesign the conventional toilet to use a bed of granular that will ensure that there is no fecal staining of the system, fecal matter is cut-off from vectors, does not contaminate surface waters and that the user is always presented with a fresh, clean and dry surface.

With providing compact ultrasound devices, many pregnant women can benefit from prenatal diagnosis.

Making disposable tableware from fallen leaf in Cambodia

Our project aims to increase the energy efficiency and improve the living conditions of households who lack access to electricity by providing efficient and environmentally-friendly lamps.

To solve the disconnection to the information world by making and developing low priced, easy-to-carry, braille assistants for Kenya, Africa and 3rd world areas using the multi active actuator technique along with technical and educational contents.