Team:BGIC-Global/Integrated Human Practices
HP throughout the project cycle
This year, our team has successfully participated the Integrated Human Practice. Basically, our IHP can be categorized into three parts: market survey, inquiry on government control, andsurvey. We integrated our results and data and created a product that can both detect and remove formaldehyde.
Our IHP activities followed the cycle of the project: design, build, and learn. All of the activities play significant roles in the cycle, and they are interconnected to our product.
(Summary of Online Market Research)
(Summary of Market Research at Furniture Stores)
The most common types used include activated carbon, mist spray, sponge, filter net, pellet bag and electronic devices. Through our investigation, we found that the current detection methods were generally unreliable and some were unnecessarily expensive; moreover, the removal methods were similarly costly and inefficient and often times short-termed. The prevalent methods of detection, such as formaldehyde detection device and cheap detection box, were easily influenced by other particles in the air. The popular removal methods, such as active carbon and green plants, were unreliable. The most used products like active carbon and filter net mainly absorb formaldehyde instead of degrading it. As a result, the product will be saturated in a short period of time. Similarly, though mist spray can degrade formaldehyde, it can only work for a short while. Besides, the electronic devices have relative high prices, so they are less chosen.
As a result, our project aims to solve the ineffectiveness of the detection and removal of existing products by using synthetic biology methods. Our product will attempt to outlast and outperform the current products in efficiency in both detection and removal of formaldehyde, all at a relatively low cost.
Our IHP activities followed the cycle of the project: design, build, and learn. All of the activities play significant roles in the cycle, and they are interconnected to our product.
Market Research
Before finalizing our own preliminary design of the product, we conducted market research on the current products and their functions, thus understanding the general need of the consumers. We focused our research on the detection and the removal of formaldehyde. We sub-divided our team members into two groups; one focused on online research, analyzing products using online shopping websites such as Amazon and Taobao; the other did field research in super markets and used questionnaires to obtain information about what products people used at home.
(Summary of Market Research at Furniture Stores)
The most common types used include activated carbon, mist spray, sponge, filter net, pellet bag and electronic devices. Through our investigation, we found that the current detection methods were generally unreliable and some were unnecessarily expensive; moreover, the removal methods were similarly costly and inefficient and often times short-termed. The prevalent methods of detection, such as formaldehyde detection device and cheap detection box, were easily influenced by other particles in the air. The popular removal methods, such as active carbon and green plants, were unreliable. The most used products like active carbon and filter net mainly absorb formaldehyde instead of degrading it. As a result, the product will be saturated in a short period of time. Similarly, though mist spray can degrade formaldehyde, it can only work for a short while. Besides, the electronic devices have relative high prices, so they are less chosen.
As a result, our project aims to solve the ineffectiveness of the detection and removal of existing products by using synthetic biology methods. Our product will attempt to outlast and outperform the current products in efficiency in both detection and removal of formaldehyde, all at a relatively low cost.
Inquiry on Government Control
We did research about the national standard of formaldehyde in home furnishing materials and the current situation of manufacturers in dealing with formaldehyde. Though some acts limiting the amount of formaldehyde was proposed, it is still very hard to ensure that all the furniture reaches the standard because selective examination is applied. In addition, this examination only takes place when the furniture is sold in large famous market. The small points of sale are very hard to monitor. What’s more, the alleged “No Formaldehyde” in China is based on different standards. Some products said to be without formaldehyde are approaching 0 formaldehyde while others only reach national standard. Basically, the propaganda is a marketing tool. After doing these researches, it is discovered to be necessary for consumers to know the exact amount of formaldehyde in there house.
Therefore, we realized the importance of detecting formaldehyde in the surroundings. This inquiry gave us idea to consider how to make E.coli a detector of formaldehyde.
Therefore, we realized the importance of detecting formaldehyde in the surroundings. This inquiry gave us idea to consider how to make E.coli a detector of formaldehyde.
Survey
In order to understand the public’s awareness of the problems that formaldehyde poses and their need for formaldehyde detection and removal products we conducted a survey on 156 people.
Most of the subjects are aware of the potential danger of high formaldehyde concentrations, yet almost half of them lack confidence in the efficiency of current formaldehyde removal methods.
There are still a fair amount of subjects do not pay effort to detect or remove formaldehyde, including some of who are aware of the danger of formaldehyde. This result may be caused by the method to remove formaldehyde is invalid, revealing that the public’s knowledge about ways to treat formaldehyde is still too little.
The second half of the survey focuses on people’s preference of types of formaldehyde detection and removal products.
We were able to see that safety of the product was among the major concerns; secondly, the efficiency to remove formaldehyde is valued as well.
Based on subjects' preferences on detecting and removing formaldehyde products, we found out that formaldehyde is the most popular because it can test the temperature, formaldehyde value and indicate its seriousness simultaneously. Activated carbon is the most popular for removing formaldehyde because it is portable and has no odor.
Therefore, based on these results, we finalized our product with nice portability, less odor, and combine the functions of detecting and removing formaldehyde.
The second half of the survey focuses on people’s preference of types of formaldehyde detection and removal products.
Therefore, based on these results, we finalized our product with nice portability, less odor, and combine the functions of detecting and removing formaldehyde.