JERUSALEM, Israel — Continuing our late-summer, early-fall showcase of student design projects, we wanted to show you this innovation by Bezalel Industrial Design student Guy Feidman Reshef.
His “Sahar” design uses a UV device powered by a solar battery to sterilize milk at homes in developing countries. It seems to be inspired in particular by the Bedouin nomadic culture. In their writeup of the work, Tuvie design states that Bedouin peoples use goat milk as a staple of their diet, so much so that each family keeps a herd of goats for the milk. A problem that arises is that for various logistical reasons many families do not pasteurize this milk, putting themselves at risk of disease.
The Sahar, which in Arabic refers to the time between night and dawn, will purify up to 10-liters of milk at a time. In terms of aesthetic, we love the blurred line between industry and tradition. The Sahar gets its shape from traditional terracotta pots common in Bedouin households, but it also has busy orange metal clasps, a cool blue light and a hand pump. There are warnings written in different languages not to open the device while it is under pressure, and if something like a safety warning could ever look pleasing this is it.
The Sahar works like a filter. It requires power, but this can be accomplished with the solar powered battery. Tuvie describes how the Sahar is used:
Step 1: Pour the milk into the upper vessel and then cover the lid. You can use hand pumping to create light pressure inside the vessel. The milk would pass through two levels of filters before entering the electronic part of the device.
Step 2: This chamber is operated by rotating the external rings. That filtered milk then gradually flows and exposed to UV treatment for purification.
Step 3: Approximately 20 minutes after initial filling, the milk is now at the bottom vessel. There’s an audible tone and a flashing light that alert you the milk has been processed and is safe for consumption.
Reshef created an incredibly useful device and it looks like it’s ready for a hard day’s work. Still, in that sense of usefulness it has a very satisfying industrial flair.
Bill Rodgers is the Managing Editor of cfile.daily
Do you love or loathe this example of contemporary ceramics? Let us know in the comments.
Photographs by Oded Antman.
What a life-changing device, akin to ceramic water filters! See how utilitarian ceramics can become part of the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs for food etc.
From what materials is the unit manufactured?
the discussion of the Sahar is inspiring – great layout images and story.
The innovation is ingenious practical beautiful sustainable.
Love the c file student design features