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Type 1 Civilization Builder

Futuristic dwellings & new types of efficient structures made by dynamic "Bottle Brix" : trash composites found anywhere, used everywhere!

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See short vid of mold subsystem: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kGl-kjG-mgA

This system allows users to clean up local areas of plastic and other non-perishable trash by sharing its whereabouts using smartphone data, placing it in a diy "smash unit," made of paper shredders, blenders and a garbage disposal units , and by adding other readily and globally accessible materials in order to make variable-shaped Dynabrix. The core of these "brix" will consist of cylindrical bottles and other beverage containers (40% of all trash I've found in different cities), the shape of which allows for the greatest strength per unit of its own (plastic) volume used, and whose "emptiness" lightens the weight of the building material. These new non-square components can be traded, bought or shared and will be used to construct users' semi-permanent dwellings, including energy and materials-efficient geodesic domes, pyramidal structures, as well as lab tables and work holding for scientific equipment!

  TYPE 1 CIVILIZATION BUILDER

Please understand before reading the fancy language that I primarily wanted to clean up trash in my city, get people talking and employ kids in my neighborhood!


Type 1 Civilizations (T1Cs) are those described by astro-biologists, philosophers and futurists as theoretical groups of sentient beings that have obtained mastery over their planet’s resources- including efficient and productive use of all would-be waste materials (needless to say that on a scale of 1-3, humanity rates at a zero according to these same thinkers!)

While it may be obvious that no group or series of objects alone can prompt human beings to be truly “civil” towards each other- or develop an acknowledged conscious civilization for that matter- the optimized construction of dwellings and structures designed for integration with science learning, made specifically from non-perishable refuse, will greatly facilitate more than a few infrastructural, social and financial needs for our species.

All mass-produced objects Earthlings develop should be subject to re-puposing or serve as components for re-fabricating once its collective categorization as wholly unwanted trash becomes ubiquitous. As unused remnants of plastic containers, bags and bottles increasingly permeate much of our habitable landscape, we should vie to create tools with readily obtainable parts, that could- by their very creation and the best of associated social mechanisms– help further progress human beings towards a qualitatively new stage.

             DYNABRIX (DBX) SYSTEM:

1) Users share dynamic data (images, description of materials and address) thru a smartphone app about where local trash and other, smaller area refuse is located- especially sites with bottles, cans, plastic bags and containers, as well as overgrown grasses in city lots.

2) Persons equipped with open-source "Smash Unit" hardware visit best local sites to obtain materials and build based on network users' need of "Bottle Brix"- dynamically fabricated blocks formed into an array of components to build geodesic, ovoid and other efficiently shaped, semi-permanent structures. The Brix are basically other-than-rectangularly-shaped blocks of hardened aggregate and trash fibers suspended in a colloidal emulsion long enough to surround and solidify around common liquid containers. The Smasher could be understood as an optimized brick-making device hacked from paper shredders, trash compactors and other easily-obtained articles, preloaded with designs saved onto and controlled by an Arduino-Raspberry Pi unit, with updates on proximal need for various Brix forms being received remotely through the Smasher operator's phone, or other packet data sent through the cloud.

3) "Brix Inventory" is shared between app users over regional network for bartering, trading or delivery. Local businesses and organizations may both contribute to material aggregates used in making Bottle Brix, along with serving as outlets for Brix Distribution.

  • 1 × 12 STAPLES Sheet Paper Shredder
  • 1 × 10 STAPLES Sheet Paper Shredder
  • 1 × Raspberry Pi - MCM Model B (XBMC)
  • 3 × Arduino DUEMILANOVE Microcontrollers
  • 1 × Durabond 5 MIN Mix

View all 14 components

  • TEST BUILD: Desktop

    Mink Stacktrane08/20/2014 at 06:50 1 comment

  • TEST BUILD: Maker Faire

    Mink Stacktrane08/03/2014 at 18:21 0 comments

    I'm exited to announce that the first DYNABRIX build to leave its birthplace (my home) was a featured booth at a local Mini Maker Faire! The event was sponsored by an all-around great local teen maker space named LevelUp. The build was considerably slow, but it was great to meet and field questions from a variety of engineers, students, parents, as well as a few military and professional leaders! Now, on to putting into effect several design improvements!

  • TRIAL 7-8: Actuator Selection and Chopper Array

    Mink Stacktrane08/01/2014 at 08:35 0 comments

    NEMA 17 -type steppers have been picked up locally and placed where gantry/slides/gimbal for dynamic moulding has my design "optimize" their number and position. Four stackable motor shields from a company that shall forever remain nameless are being wired for control of the EIGHT motors in this subsystem. An alternating blade shaft and motor from a common 450 W food processor/blender will serve as one unit in an array of three within another, chopping-preprocessing system. Any sort of substantial build for the Maker Faire in which I'm registered for tomorrow seems more and more likely to disappoint the kiddies...

    I have to keep pushing for them!

  • TRIAL 5-6: Motor, Aggregate-Foam Testing

    Mink Stacktrane07/27/2014 at 04:36 0 comments

    My lack of having much remaining time has necessitated bringing on a good friend that also helped in making my CNC router over 4 years ago! I've also spent a whole workday (at work) deciding to scrap an old, well-made, rigid, but easily-overheated AC motor and deciding on the best AC/DC inverter or bridge rectifier to use with several reclaimed DC units for interfacing with home outlets. During the proceeding day, I conducted the next-to-final phase of deciding which aggregate-foam mix (and sequence) to use in forming DYNABRIX. In other news, my CAD workflow- which I'd hoped to hone in order to more clearly lay out an overview of both the system and main machine build- is dripping like winter molasses. At least I've solidified the schedule for the YouTube video production and upload!

  • TRIAL 2-4: Polymer Testing, Schematics Designing and Electronics Fitting

    Mink Stacktrane07/24/2014 at 14:48 0 comments

    The DYNABRIX pieces will be optimized by injecting polyurethane foam around a semi-cured trash-aggregate shell. FreeCAD is proving to have a somewhat arduous learning curve. I've also been fitting electronics components into a found, neighborhood recycling bin that no one was using. It's "recycling the recycler," I guess...

  • TRIAL 1: Brix Forming

    Mink Stacktrane07/18/2014 at 04:57 1 comment

View all 6 project logs

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kathietoomer wrote 08/08/2022 at 13:55 point

Cool Project. Can we do it for kitchen projects? I am already working on guides and tutorials for kitchen appliances on (https://blendersguide.com)

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grmaryp1 wrote 01/02/2015 at 13:53 point

If you are thinking of buying a garbage disposal, try checking Waste King 9920 here http://garbagedisposerreviews.com/waste-king-9920-legend-series-disposer/

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Mink Stacktrane wrote 08/21/2014 at 12:02 point
!! As of the *minute* it was necessary to do so and remain in the running, a simple video has been uploaded to show progresstt since bags of concrete and a few computer chips were first bought: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kGl-kjG-mgA

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Mink Stacktrane wrote 07/13/2014 at 18:19 point
TYPE 1 CIVILIZATION MAKER
DYNABRIX SYSTEM

1. GOALS:
a. To complete an open-source means by which assigned network users can share data about local, littered, non-perishable refuse and construct a machine to quickly turn that trash into new, readily usable, dynamically-formed building materials.

b. Foster community recycling efforts, waste management and repurposed-materials sharing.

2. OBJECTIVES
a. RESEARCH
i. Collect informational resources for system component viability and best practices.
ii. Wikipedia, CNC Toolzone, MAD Sci, Open Chemistry Project, Vex Engineering, Robot Shop, Society of Robots, MagPi Magazine, Reddit, www.raspberrypi.org, Arduino Playground

b. DESIGN
i. Create written descriptions, and visual design prints for each iteration of system components, along with projected lead times. Compile open-source models for small dwellings, scientific furniture and tool/material workholding.

c. BUILD -Construct and connect Smash Unit to DynaBrix Web Server.

i. TOOLS (open source) : FreeCAD, Raspberry Pi, Arduino Duemilanove, ORDBOT Hadron 3-D Printer, Python, WebIDE

ii. MATERIALS: TBA

iii. COMPONENTS: TBA

d. TEST – Examine and analyze data from practical experiments using several local area sites.

3. DELIVERABLES
a. DynaBrix blocks
b. Reports on functionality regarding:
i. Machine use, network integration
ii. Physical metrics incl- average weight, Insulation, friction and adhesion density
c. Information Packet
d. Working full-scale model

4. TIMELINE
a. Written Posts: Updated regularly
b. Video: Uploaded Weekly

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