Henry Carter
I’ve had a passion for building since I was small, the satisfaction of tactile problem solving, of pieces fitting together and components forming a whole. This originally steered me towards engineering, however the freedom and focus on aesthetic function ultimately led to my study of industrial design. 4 years later and my project, SeaFeeder is a culmination of my learning and experience through my bachelor and honours degree.
Email: mailhenry.carter@gmail.com
SEAFEEDER
SeaFeeder is a helping hand on the seafloor. Designed to make the laborious process of hand planting seagrass saplings more efficient.
Designed by Henry Carter
Climate Change has had a severe impact around the world, nowhere more than in the marine environment, the effects of which we have all felt and seen. Seagrass planting is crucial to the upkeep and rehabilitation of our marine ecosystems. However marine biologists, and the dive teams that fight these damages are woefully under euquipped and under funded for the monumentous task they have. This limits their access and upkeep of equipment, team members, and work time. Seagrass saplings are fragile - they must be hand planted to minimise the damage to the leaves or roots. Therefore any solution must assist in the hand planting process to save time and effort without being expensive.
CONTEXT
SeaFeeder is hand held. Handle and trigger action comfortably contained within the one hand to enable to diver free use of their other hand, to access tools, their sapling bag, burying saplings and cover the roots.
Step by step:
The user buries the planter in the ground, submerging the jaws. Sharp and shaped to a point, they are able to break through the seafloor without difficulty.
With a simple squeeze of their fingers, they pull the trigger, opening the jaws and digging a hole for the sapling’s roots.
Sapling in hand, the user is able to fit their hand through the planter’s ring, depositing the sapling into the freshly dug well.
With the sapling in place, the planter is removed, the spring ensuring the trigger resets, shutting the jaws once more.
Planter removed the user can then secure the sapling either by burying its roots, or attaching a peg if necessary.
Planting done, the user can move on.
When not in use the product can be easily clipped to the user’s dive harness.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The product is contained all within the one hand, an ergonomic grip and trigger leaves the user’s other hand free as they operate along the seafloor.
HANDHELD
Seagrasses are the mainstay’s of marine environments around Australia, and indeed the world, with this comes a range of sediments and seafloors to plant in. The SeaFeeder then, is modular, designed to fit several ‘jaws’ depending on the planting ground.
MODULAR
SeaFeeder contains no electrical components, the function of its mouth opening entirely mechanical. This removes the need for waterproofing or sealing, making the product cheaper, lighter and easier to manufacture. A simple tool for a simple task.
SIMPLICITY
Designed to be no larger than a power drill, a tool already used extensively by divers, the Seafeeder is contained within a small body. Comfortably held with one hand, or easily attached to a divers harness when not in use.
COMPACT