2024 Galleries
The Spark Gallery pages are one of our most popular design destinations, with thousands of visitors each year. Check out some of the latest Spark entries, in the galleries below.
Galleries // 2024 Spark:Spring Student // Owa
Owa
Finalist
Competition: Spark:Spring Student
Designer: Youmin Shin
Design Type: Product & industrial, web,UX,Ui
Company / Organization / School: Hannam University
Team Members: Eunseo Yun, Yunjung Lee, Hanbin Jeong, Jiyeon Yun, Nayeon Kim, Youngwoong Min & Woowon Kang
Low-lying or tropical regions often face manhole cover explosions during heavy rains due to internal water pressure. With global warming, these rains are intensifying, necessitating enhanced safety measures. Additionally, most countries lack efficient complaint systems for manhole issues, underscoring the need for improved urban safety networks. The 'Owa' system addresses these challenges with a two-stage pressure relief mechanism designed to manage rising water pressure effectively. The manhole cover features a rotating lock and a chain-connected donut holder that adapt to internal pressure changes, ensuring the cover remains secure and preventing dangerous displacement. One of the standout features of the 'Owa' system is its use of LED lights that change color from green to red upon detecting water, providing an immediate visual alert to citizens about potential dangers. This proactive warning system significantly enhances public safety by preventing accidents related to sudden manhole cover explosions. To further augment urban safety and efficiency, the manhole cover is integrated with a QR code. This QR code links to a comprehensive web-based complaint system, allowing citizens to report issues promptly and efficiently. This streamlined process ensures that maintenance teams can quickly address and resolve manhole-related problems, fostering a proactive approach to urban infrastructure management.