Updates from Morocco

The Fortune Cooker is a hybrid a cooking device that combines solar energy with another heat source like a wood stove or a gas stove. For the next three months, we will be taking the first steps towards the project’s mission: to make a product that people want to use and that can improve their living conditions. Therefore will we start by learning and understanding the culture and cooking habits…

Time flies, the second week is already over. It was a useful week in which we were able to do a lot of things. Firstly, we made some adjustments in the planning and our test plan, to make it more realisable. The main focus in this will be the user. Why do people either want or do not want to use the Fortune Cooker? Secondly, we spend three days collecting all the necessary materials and tools.

It took some time, but the first prototype is ready! Since the Fortune Cooker had never been built completely, we started with cracking our brains over the best way to conduct it. Therefore we have defined multiple options. Does there have to be a drawer or a cupboard door? And then, do there have to be one or two drawers? How does the mirror have to be fastened? How do we make a double-glazed…

The last couple of days we went to Aïn Sfa, a village in the mountains of Bni Snassen, to carry out field research. We observed the cooking habits of a Moroccan woman an gathered information on why she does things in a particular way. For example, how does she know when the meat or vegetables are ready? Does she experiment with new recipes or are all the recipes traditional? Why does she use a…

Our second prototype is finished! Last week we re-designed the prototype, considering all the results from field research and technical tests. This resulted in the height of the Fortune Cooker being lowered, to receive more sunlight into the pan. Also, as an aspect of the user experience, we made this prototype with a cupboard door instead of a drawer. Now we can research how this difference is…

The time the thee of us worked on the Fortune Cooker Project has passed and it is time to move on with studying in Delft. On Friday the 29 th of January we gave a presentation on our results for all the people doing the minor International Entrepreneurship and Development, some teachers and a jury panel. Also, the results of our research are processed in a report. This report includes a List of…