Fooblo

Air Food Scraper

4 Weeks

Tools

Rhino-3D, Solidworks, 3D-printing, Arduino

Project Overview

Fooblo is a food disposal system that utilizes compressed air to remove food scraps. Instead of relying on physical tools or water, it uses airflow to efficiently clean plates. This not only provides convenience for users but also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing water usage and eliminating the need for manual scraping.

research

Observational research

At the Portfolio Café at RISD, I conducted a 30-minute observation of student behavior to assess the necessity of implementing a new food disposal system.

Students’ improper food disposal causes us to waste a lot of water every day

by Donna l Dining Staff l RISD

Interview

In an interview with Donna, it was observed that many students failed to properly dispose of their food scraps. She also raised concerns about the pre-wash process, citing excessive water use and its cumbersome nature.

persona

Profile

Name : Eric
Age : 23
Pronouns : He/Him
Interest : Drawing, Watching Netflix
Spending : $700/Month

Bio

Eric, a student at RISD who lives in 15 West, visits Portfolio Café over 12 times a week. He often brings too much food, served in bowls, resulting in leftovers. Disposing of these leftovers is inconvenient, as he has to scrape them off using a fork or spoon onto the trash bin shelf.

Pain Point

• Scraping leftovers off plate is inconvenient
• He dropped a fork while scraping food
‍

Needs

• An easier solution for scraping leftover food scraps.
• An alternative tool for scraping food without using physical tools

User scenario - Student

Fooblo helps students clean up more efficiently, so they can head to their next class on time.

Profile

Name : Michael
Age : 57
Pronouns : He/His
Interest : Cycling, Fishing
Spending : $1000 / month

Bio

Michael works as dining staff at the RISD Portfolio Café, where his main responsibility is washing dishes. He finds it frustrating to deal with food scraps that aren’t fully removed, which can cause drain blockages. Additionally, Michael believes the dishwashing process uses an excessive amount of water.

Pain Point

• Too many food scraps remain on the dishes.
• Excessive water is used to clean the dishes.
• Food scraps frequently block the drain.

Needs

• Ensure most food scraps are removed before washing the dishes.
• water-saving method to reduce excessive water usage during dishwashing.

User scenario - Faculty

Fooblo enables cafeteria staff to efficiently remove food scraps and eliminates the need for pre-rinsing, thereby reducing both labor and water usage.

User Journey

Experience with Fooblo

This is the journey of Eric, a café customer, and Michael, a staff member. Fooblo streamlines the food disposal process for both of them, saving time and effort while also promoting water conservation.

concept sketch

Style reference

My goal was to design a simple product that fits naturally into any cafeteria. I drew inspiration from a form with a clean shape and minimal color palette, made up of two main body components.

Form exploration

The design evolved through sketches that merged elements from reference images and airflow-generating products like graphics cards and hair dryers.

Concept Validation

20+
m/s
Air Flow

<2
inch
Nozzle Size

15~20m/s air flow from a hair dryer is sufficient for drying hair, but not powerful enough to blow away solid debris.

With a nozzle diameter of about 2 inches, the Revlon dryer is too wide to blow food off a plate effectively.

Feasibility testing

I conducted this test to validate the idea before building the actual prototype, explore its feasibility, and identify the appropriate specifications.

Airflow experiment

I manually adjusted the nozzle size and recorded the airflow changes. Narrower nozzles led to reduced airflow, highlighting the need for higher air pressure over raw thrust.

Optimized impeller blade for Fooblo

I found that an optimized impeller blade was necessary to create high-pressure airflow through narrow gaps. Using SolidWorks simulation and 3D printing, I developed a blade design best suited to Fooblo’s specifications.

Enhanced airflow performance

The blade was 3D printed and mounted onto the BLDC motor, demonstrating performance that far surpassed the original airflow strength.

prototype

User testing

Observing users interact with the product without guidance, I used the feedback to improve the design.

Prototype development

Based on the sketches, the prototype was created using laser cutting so that the final product's scale and shape could be preserved as much as possible, while keeping the design and fabrication process simple.

Final design model

The final design model is simple but actively incorporates user feedback. The centrally placed hole not only enhances the visual appeal but also allows users to see their food being properly cleaned, providing both form and function.

Work-like model

For the fully functional model, the placement of all components was carefully considered, and an accurate and aesthetically refined model was produced using LCD printing technology.

exploded view

Gravity-filter system

With the floor-level inlet effectively preventing food scraps from being drawn in by gravity. This thoughtful design maximizes efficiency by minimizing unwanted obstructions, ensuring smooth operation in real-world conditions.

branding

Logo design

The logo was designed to align with both the form and concept of the product, "Fooblo."

images

Contact

Let’s connect!