Simplify Gardening - Close to perfect tools?

Dear Forum Visitors,

Hello and good day to you. My name is AK and I'm working on a University project where we are required to design and manufacture a gardening tool (either manual or battery powered). Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about gardening and the information out there is quite overwhelming - so my question to you wonderful green thumbed gardeners is this:

If there was a process or an action in gardening that you could simplify with the aid of a tool, what would that be? Now this can be anything at all - digging equally spaced holes for seeds, a lawnmower that adjusts its blade height depending on the angle of the ground you're cutting, etc. These are just very random ideas I had, ahaha.

Any information would be great - the more I have for reference material, the better. After all, I'd be lovely to get some information from the target demographic, ahaha.

Thank you for your time.

Kindest Regards,
A.K

 

There is a chore that I've never found a solution to. I've been struggling with this for years, but try as I might, I just never seem to be able to find a way to make ice cold beer manifest at will, without having to ask the wife to fetch it from the fridge. If you could somehow invent something that senses hand gestures, and teleports ice cold bottles of ale straight into my hand, that would be great. I'd pay up to about £5.96 for such a piece of kit if you can make it for me. I'd want a five year guarantee with that though.

 

I'm a bit thick.
No dont push the agree button just yet.

But why would someone be working on a project at university to manufacture a gardening tool, when they know nothing about gardening?

I sometimes wonder if there is actually any point in going to university.

 

Weed recognition and laser killer tool...

 

Trouble is, I built one of them but unfortunately I'm told that descendent technology would become self aware in the future, then wage war against all garden plants and not just weeds. A resistance fighter came back fromthe future and told me this, so I had to destroy the prototype, sorry about that, no laser weed zapper anymore. Sorry.

 

A machine that can climb a tree and remove overhanging branches . A simple idea that will make you tens of million s of pounds.
Have you seen how much a tree surgeon will charge to come out and trim a tree

This machine would pay for itself in one visit.

 

@ pete: Ahaha, well I'm afraid we didn't have a choice in the matter - it was the brief we were set so we have to suck it up and get on with it.

@ CanadianLori: Laser weed removal wouldn't be that bad of an idea, ahaha.

@ WeeTam: Sounds interesting - are you thinking of something along the lines of a 'chainsaw on a pole' taken a step further?

 

@ pete: Ahaha, well I'm afraid we didn't have a choice in the matter - it was the brief we were set so we have to suck it up and get on with it.

@ CanadianLori: Laser weed removal wouldn't be that bad of an idea, ahaha.

@ WeeTam: Sounds interesting - are you thinking of something along the lines of a 'chainsaw on a pole' taken a step further?

 

How about a self propelled petrol driven rotary mower that has...

a) 5 wheels. b) a fuel tank that holds enough for 8 hours running. c) is ergonomic d) is quiet e) runs on E85. f) cuts vertical edges, g) weighs under 20kg, h) doesn't cost the earth and finally j) has a self sharpening blade?

 

Well that would depend on the degree they are taking
The key word isn't "gardening", but "design" (with a manufacture thrown in to take it a step further). As long as they know something about design (and manufacture) the fact it is garden focussed isn't as relevant as you initially thought.

Maybe .... to acquire the ability to recognise key words

My advice would be to design something reasonably simplistic on the K.I.S.S. principle; e.g. you may want to mind blast ideas for specific types of gardener (children, disabled, elderly?). That way you are more likely to come up with something different from others doing the same project. So turn your question around first. Instead of:

"Is there a process or action that you could simplify gardening for x group (children/disabled/elderly/whatever you focus on) with the aid of a tool"

Some of our members experience back issues for example ... so, the process of reaching forward while kneeling down to get to weeds at the back of a border might be simplified with a tool that could extend reach perhaps?

Good luck with your project @AKdaBAOUS Please may I ask something of *you*? Once you have your design in mind, come back and let us know? We often have students pop in asking for surveys to be completed or some such and once they've got want they want from us, we never get to hear from them again. With a design project, it would be of real interest to hear feedback from you.

 

Speaking from my point of view, the big problem with virtually every garden tool on the market is ergonomics. It seems the manufacturers have not yet realised that as people get older, comfortable, easy to use tools are a requirement for many. Some dont grip as well as in the past, have back troubles, as well as various other problems. If a wrinkly can use a tool easily, anyone can!

 

Breathable, water resistant, insulated and non clumpy gloves for weeding/potting.

 

@ "M": Perfectly said. I kinda didn't want to spam the post with the entire details of the project, etc. but in regards to some back-story, I'm a Product Design student so as you said, as long as I can design and manufacture it, everything is good.

As for your specific type of gardener, that's where things get tricky - you see our marking criteria describes that on top of having a functioning brand new and "innovative" design, it has conform to the design style of our parent company, which for this project turns out to be Bosch.

So we have to design something completely new for Bosch while taking into consideration their design ethos - so blocky, function-over-form tools that concern themselves with people that are able to use them as opposed to the more physically 'fragile'.

The thing with garden tools is that everything worth doing has been done so it's 'challenging' to come up with something fresh, hence the post to gather some feedback; I quite like the idea of extending the reach though, that's got some gears in the old brain turning.

Thanks - I'll definitely get back and post the design (or as close as I can without getting sued by Bosch; damn NDA form) so you guys can see what I went with.

@ Sandy Ground: Yeah I definitely agree - the ergonomics kinda just work their way into the design anyway, ahaha - it's one of the things we have to consider along with anthropometrics, etc. Fun times.

 

@AKdaBAOUS this indeed is a tricky situation. Asking amateurs to help design a product that has copyright ownership predetermined to belong to a big company like Bosch...

Big and boxy..... hmmm, Why don't you think about a composter for dummies? Throw stuff in and it rotates, mixes, and tells you when it's done or what needs to be added to create perfect garden additive. And also has capacity to make compost tea.... just an idea for a big item....

This idea first written by @CanadianLori .....

 

Ah I was thinking about something very similar Lori! Fab twist with the fact it tells you if you need things and when done. Get it patented quick Or maybe a manure spreader.. yet to see a small one for the garden!