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Massoud Hassani Turns Childhood Toy into
Wind-Powered Mine Sweepers
Afghani designer Massoud Hassani transformed a childhood toy into
a giant bamboo minesweeper powered by the wind.
There are more land mines in Afghanistan than there are people, so
Massoud Hassani turned a childhood toy into an extraordinary
wind-powered bamboo mine sweeper that destroys and tracks them. Made
out of bamboo and biodegradable plastic, the rolling Mine Katon’s arms
self-destruct when they hit and simultaneously destroy a land mine.
Equipped with a GPS chip, this incredible design also maps out which land
mines in the country have been wiped out so that local Afghanis know
which areas of the country are safe.
Toys for grownups
Massoud Hassani recalls on his personal blog childhood memories of making
wind-powered toys and chasing after them in areas of Afghanistan that
were pocked with destructive land mines.
Many of his friends were killed or seriously injured when they accidentally
encountered one of humanity’s most destructive inventions.
Twenty years later, as a student of Design Academy Eindhoven in the
Netherlands, Hassani scaled up his childhood toy by twenty times and
equipped it with tools that literally save lives.
Sniffing out land mines
Although Afghanistan only has 10 million land mines on record, Hassani says
there are many more – up to 30 million in a country with a total population
of 26 million.
It is uncertain whether government agencies in the country have
commissioned the ingenious minesweeper, but Hassani will be available to
talk about this and other designs at the upcoming Design Indaba in Cape
Town that starts on February 29th, 2012.
According to Design Indaba, the talented designer from Afghanistan will
also discuss his latest project, “..a series of cooking products called “Silk
Cooking”, inspired by Afghan traditions.”
http://www.greenprophet.com/2012/02/...er/#more-66355
Wind-Powered Mine Sweepers
Afghani designer Massoud Hassani transformed a childhood toy into
a giant bamboo minesweeper powered by the wind.
There are more land mines in Afghanistan than there are people, so
Massoud Hassani turned a childhood toy into an extraordinary
wind-powered bamboo mine sweeper that destroys and tracks them. Made
out of bamboo and biodegradable plastic, the rolling Mine Katon’s arms
self-destruct when they hit and simultaneously destroy a land mine.
Equipped with a GPS chip, this incredible design also maps out which land
mines in the country have been wiped out so that local Afghanis know
which areas of the country are safe.
Toys for grownups
Massoud Hassani recalls on his personal blog childhood memories of making
wind-powered toys and chasing after them in areas of Afghanistan that
were pocked with destructive land mines.
Many of his friends were killed or seriously injured when they accidentally
encountered one of humanity’s most destructive inventions.
Twenty years later, as a student of Design Academy Eindhoven in the
Netherlands, Hassani scaled up his childhood toy by twenty times and
equipped it with tools that literally save lives.
Sniffing out land mines
Although Afghanistan only has 10 million land mines on record, Hassani says
there are many more – up to 30 million in a country with a total population
of 26 million.
It is uncertain whether government agencies in the country have
commissioned the ingenious minesweeper, but Hassani will be available to
talk about this and other designs at the upcoming Design Indaba in Cape
Town that starts on February 29th, 2012.
According to Design Indaba, the talented designer from Afghanistan will
also discuss his latest project, “..a series of cooking products called “Silk
Cooking”, inspired by Afghan traditions.”
http://www.greenprophet.com/2012/02/...er/#more-66355
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