Integrated Human Practice

Overview

“Human Practice is the study of how your work affects the world, and how the work affects your work.”--Peter Carr, Director of Judging.

Our main achievements of integrated human practices were to get valuable feedback for our product improvement, as well as to raise the public awareness on the issue of indoor air quality. To upgrade our prototype, we discussed with experts in different fields in algae culturing, protocol design, and product application, etc. During the discussion, we received a lot of practical and useful advices from these experts, and we further integrated those into our project and made CAir^TM as our outstanding product to meet customers’ expectations.

Timeline of Integrated Human Practices

Motivation & Brainstorming

Measurements of CO2

We measured the air quality in many places with a sensor, Air Mentor. At the beginning, we took the sensor outdoor into those places, which the sensor was measuring constantly. Thus, we could see the data of all places are begin at the ppm around 400 to 700. Except for the gym, there are no people in those places at first, and then people flocked into rapidly. The following is the details and photos of those measurements:

1. Classroom: 40 people in one class, second class of senior second grade in Mingdao.
2. Outdoor: On the fence outside the biolab in MingDao.
3. TEDex Hall: 85 people in the TEDex Hall in MingDao.
4. SUV: 3 people in Mazda CX5 with closed circulation.
5. School Bus: 40 people in one school bus.
6. Table Tennis Room: 42 people in one table tennis room in Ming Hung department B1.
7. Gym: 30 to 40 people in civil sport center gym in Changhua county.

The CO2 concentration was over 3000 ppm after starting the measurement 30 mins in half the places we measured. It will make people feel uncomfortable with symptoms like headache and lethargy, but we usually don’t aware of the effects that CO2 cause to people. It is really a crucial problem for us to solve.

Project Design

Visiting department of environmental engineering in NCHU

Spot:Chung Hsing university environmental engineering department
Date:2019.01.11
After we aware of the indoor air quality of CO2, we searched for the current methods to solve the problems, which made us ask for professors of Chung Hsing university. They let us know several current ways to solve the problems by physics, chemistry and biology methods, respectively. There are absorbents like carbon or Zeolite in physics and chemistry ways to absorb CO2, but these methods take up a lot of energy and time. While the biology way, reducing the CO2 concentration by plants photosynthesis, have low efficiency. They also gave us ideas that we can use algae to reduce the CO2 indoors and the modeling of rising CO2 concentration while there are some people in closed places. Thanks to them, giving us more opinions to our project and made our solution come true !

Lecture by algae specialists, Ms.Huang

Spot:Mingdao High School
Date:2019.02.22
In order to have an in depth knowledge for algae,we invited algae specialist Ms.Huang to Mingdao high school. Ms.Huang gave us many practical suggestions,which made us understand more about what part of our device need to be improved. For example, the regulation of the photoperiod of algae will affect the growth efficiency.Ms.Huang said that the most appropriate day and night alternation is 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness.She gave us ideas about how to control the illumination of our device.She also provided us with the requirements of keeping the algae. What's more,Ms.Huang explained the functions of different types of algae as well as the application of them.After listening to her introduction, we decided to choose cyanobacteria as our algae in our device.We really learned a lot from this lecture.We understand a lot more about algae. These can help our experiment and device become better.

Visiting Team Tunghai_TAPG

Spot:Tunghai University
Date:2019.5.17
For more further understanding in our project,we went to Department of Chemical Engineering of Tunghai University. They introduced the current methods of chemical absorption of carbon dioxide to us,such as their disadvantages,advantages and how the absorption works.We learned what function we need to reinforce to cover the shortages of the current methods and what advantages we have currently through their introduction. Apart from this, we also exchanged our ideas with them as well as having a look of their laboratory. This visit to Tunghai University gave us some ideas about how to strengthen our device.These surely have made our project more faultless.

Prototype Development

Asking questions about air stones from Central Environmental LTD.

Date: 2019.8.17
We met up with the employees from Central Environmental LTD., which was a company produced a variety of air stone. We demonstrated our project design to them while they introduced their product to us. They also gave us lots of useful suggestions. Because we had a problem of the blocking of air stones for a long time, they taught us to stop the water flow for a while and turn it on after a moment, then the trouble would be solved easily. Besides, they recommended us to filter the air ventilated through air stones.
Also, we appreciated that Central Environmental LTD. provided us with their own products in our device. We also got much knowledge about different types of air stones, not only the methods to use but also the respective characteristics. For instance, bobble disk could make finer bobble than air stone but it needed more space to place. Finally, we chose air stone in our project due to its efficiency and size, in addition to the trait of uneasy attachment of algae.

Taiwan indoor environment quality management association

Spot:Taiwan indoor environment quality management association
Date:2019.8.16
We met up with the Indoor Air Quality Association of Taiwan. As they are more familiar with the air cleaning field as well as customers' thoughts, we considered visiting them was the best way to solve our problems and improve our devices.
The Chairman of the Association, Mr.Zheng, told us that our idea had been developed for a long time but hardly put into practice, which meant what we did was quite challenging ;hence few people working on this succeeded. However, if the effect of our device was evident enough, this would have been a giant progress in the air quality field. Besides, the Chairman also mentioned the low efficiency of plant photosynthesis.What’s more, a normal-sized conference room needed at least three walls of pothos to get rid of the carbon dioxide produced by 5~6 adults.
Most importantly, the usage of algae was actually brilliant because the photosynthesis efficiency of algae was much more times better than normal plants.

Visiting Environmental Protection Administration

Spot: Environmental Protection Administration
Date: 2019.08.16
In order to comprehend the law of indoor air quality (IAQ) standards, we went to Environmental Protection Administration on August 16th in order to get information about law legislating and device feasibilities.
First of all, we inquiry about the reason why they set 1000 ppm as the highest standard and the difference between public place and labor’s work place. Environmental Protection Administration’s scientific researcher (Dr. HONG, MING-JUI)answered that according to the research, the maximum endurance of carbon dioxide for elders and children is 1000 ppm. Notwithstanding, due to some extraordinary workplace such as mines, they set 5000 ppm as the highest standard for special workplace. After that, we asked about the most efficient method of reducing indoor carbon dioxide. To our surprise, opening the windows is still the most eminent method, but everyone prefers to turn on the air conditioner instead of opening the window. What’s more, Dr. Hong invited an engineer (Ms. YE,HUI-FEN) to provide professional suggestions about our hardware device. He suggested the parameter should be clearer, such as rpm, as well as how many squares should contain one device to have the best efficiency.
In conclusion,we not only realize the meaning of indoor air quality (IAQ) standards but obtain a number of practical suggestions. All these will help us to make progress on our device.

Online discussion with Prof. TSAI,YAO-HSIEN of Taiwan Society of Indoor Environmental Quality

Date:2019.9.9
Because of the Professor Hong’s suggestion, we decided to contact Taiwan Society of Indoor Environmental Quality to ask some professional opinions. Professor Tsai is a secretary-general of Taiwan Society of Indoor Environmental Quality, which is the most professional and specific association related to indoor air quality. To know more about the actual applications of our product, we had an online discussion with Professor Tsai.
Professor Tsai first asked us the reasons why we chose this project theme, as most people do not have the awareness of carbon dioxide. Secondly,we ask how the most commercially available CO2 meters measure the concentration of carbon dioxide with constant accuracy? He answered that those meters utilize one trait of carbon dioxide that it absorbs infrared easily. Furthermore, we discuss the problem of whether it is important to develop the device setting in the low concentration of carbon dioxide . However, it’s the distinction that makes our product have development potential.

Algae plant of VEDAN Biotechnology

Spot:Algae plant of VEDAN Biotechnology
Date:2019.9.17
On September 17th, we visited VEDAN Enterprise Corporation, which are excel in algae cultivation field and has already sells algae caplest for a long period of time.
At first, the factory manager introduced the facilities of the factory, inclusive of the open-culture system and the high-temperature dryer. Then, we saw dried algae being made into numerous caplets. Factory manager told us that algae is high in nutrition, which can improve our metabolism and the peristalsis of our stomach. After realizing the process of making algae caplets, we discussed about the recycle method of the left algae in our product. Factory manager taught us that there will be no algae poison once we grow algae only in few days.
Moreover, without well-being drying process, algae is likely to be harmful to human beings. Thus, He suggested us to heat the algae on our own. Despite the uncertainty of food safety, it can still be good fertilizer or animal feed. After the visit and discussion with factory manager, we solved the recycle problem and learned a lot about the algae. We decided to adopt this recycle method, and improve our product with the new knowledge.

Conclusion

For integrated human practice, we visited lots of professional authorities from different fields, all of them gave us countless useful comments, which prevented many problems that might happen. We are all grateful for those people’s help, regardless of components providing or advice offering. We put those suggestions into practice and improve our project. In sum, without those support, CAirTM could definitely fail.

Education & Public Engagement

Overview

About education and public engagement, we introduced synthetic biology and our project to the public, raising awareness of the danger of terrible indoor air quality. Through those activities, we gathered a group of people interested in science and inspired more young kids’ love of synthetic biology through simple experiments and easy-understanding explanations of Biobrick. After all, science should not only exist in the lab but be spread to all the people.

Biotech Workshop

Biotech Experiments for junior high school students

Spot: mingdao, STEAM FAIR
Date: 2018.12.18,20
We host a STEAM FAIR in our school to intrigue junior high school students’ interests of synthetic biology. First of all, we taught them some simple knowledge about gene editing and the pros and cons about GMOs. Surprisingly, almost everybody had known GMOs to some degree, showing curiosity of what our project mainly about. Therefore, we started our experiments with total excitement.
On December 18, we first introduced the equipment in our lab to the students, and they all tried these gears with novelty. Afterward, we did the experiment of DNA extraction. Although they just simply used pipette and added different buffer into eppendorf, these novel experiments also inspired their interest and wanted to know further about synthetic biology.
On December 20, we did the experiment of running gel. This one was much more challenging than the former. However, the harder the experiment was, the more the students wanted to finish it!
By means of this event, we knew that synthetic biology was actually quite a new thing for the public. Through this activity, we believed that they had learned deeply about what iGEM was and the secret world in DNA!

Education project in Jiou De elementary school

Spot: Jiou De elementary school
Date:2019.3.8
In order to introduce some basic concepts of synthetic biology to primary school students, we went to Jiou De primary school for our education program.
As our first topic, we introduced iGEM to them. They looked at us confusingly, but after we explained to them, their eyes sparkled with excitement and kept asking us about it. They surely have learned much about iGEM. After introducing iGEM, we told them some facts about GMO products, including the principle of GMO, application, and how they have affected our lives. We also play games to make the concept easier to understand, such as charade and quiz contest. Last, we asked them how would you do with GMO, one of them even said he wanted to modify a cockroach!
The other students also shared their ideas to everyone. By doing this education project, not only the students but also us learned a lot. What’s more, we successfully make them understood the facts about iGEM and some GMO related things. In general, this education project was a great experience and reminiscence.

Biotech experiments for grade six students

Spot: Mingdao High School
Date:2019.04.28
To introduce the foundation of synthetic biology for new students to our school. Owing to their young ages we first use storytelling way and some vivid humorous sentences , in order to adjust this part of student’s mood , simultaneously could arouse students’ interest , so students will have fallen in love with basic synthetic biology , also no longer felt that was that aridly tasteless.
Initially, we teach them how to use pipette, the basic part of synthetic biology. Although it is easy for us, they still spend some time to learn it,and we are still worried that they will do some unexpected actions. However, to our surprise, there weren’t any errors until the end. Next, we taught them transcription as well as translation. They were so eager to learn it that they kept asking us questions. Eventually, we do PCR , which was the hardest part of the day. We help them carefully. Luckily, the results of experiments were extremely exceptional. In the end , some students even said that they want to do more , which encouraged me.
In this one-day camp, I believed that we had brought the elementary students some useful skills. In conclusion, through this event, there will be more people to care of synthetic biology.

Biotech class for Da-Dun Junior High School students

Spot: Mingdao High School
Date: 2019.7.3
In summer, we designed a course, which was similar to a science camp for junior high school students. We taught them the basic theory of synthetic biology in easy- understanding ways.
In the class, they tried to imagine that they were superheroes with gene editing bodies. Afterward, they needed to figure out how to save a person falling down from a skyscraper. We invited them to share their ideas about this story. We had a wonderful time discussing with them, also surprised by their imaginary thoughts.
After that, we did a simple experiment about DNA extraction of bananas. By adding alcohol, dishwashing liquid, and so on into the cup of banana juice, the DNA soon appeared. That was the first time the students saw the real DNA, which was such a novelty for them. We were all glad to see their happy faces when they found out they succeeded in their experiments.

Taiwan iGEM Conference

Spot:National Chung Hsing University
Date:2019.08.05-2019.08.06
On August 5th and August 6th, we participated in the Taiwan iGEM conference hosted by National Chung Hsing University. At the beginning of the first day,we listened to the lecture presented by the professor from NCHU, and we surely learned a lot from the lecture.After the lecture ,it was the time for team presentation. NTHU and Tunghai University introduced their project to us,and the others bring up questions.Through the process of asking and answering questions, both the presentation group and the audiences made progress.
For day two,the rest of the groups made their presentation,including us.The university groups and the professors provided a lot of advice as well as inspirations ,which really benefited us.The presentation of other groups also gave us a lot of ideas.As for the poster area,we introduced our poster and exchange ideas with other groups.While listening to other groups introducing their posters,we learned how to make our poster better and ameliorate our problems.This two days was a great and useful experience.We also acquired a lot from the presentation. The advice that each of the group gave us will surely do us good as well as make Mingdao a better team.Thank to NCHU for providing us such a great chance for us to exchange ideas with the groups in Taiwan.

Raising Public Awareness

Communicate to Mingdao Voice Club

Spot:Hungdao Library at Mingdao High School
Date:2019.09.24
We communicated to Mingdao voice club to listen to other's opinions and making our project more complete. Mingdao voice club is a place for students to share different ideas,and discuss with others through speaking up their own perspectives on social issues.To spot the weaknesses through mutual discussion, we show them some videos concerning our project at first,and then provide them with some issues about our project.
At the beginning, we shared some ideas about Indoor Air Quality, for many people may neglect its importance. However, as more and more people tend to stay home, we should face this problem and start to deal with the bad condition. There are various probable causes of poor Indoor Air Quality, including CO2, microbe, particulate matter (PM), etc. This is how we find out the solution. First, we focused on the effects of CO2 concentration. Next, we introduced our project to lower CO2 concentration indoors, which helps awakening people who are going to fall asleep in highly CO2 concentrated areas. Club member gave us lots of feedbacks and suggestions, such as environmental problems the project may cause, or the possibility to install our device on the air-conditioner. In addition, we also discussed about the urge to raise public awareness of Indoor Air Quality, for which we’d come up with some terrific ideas like shooting a video or through school education.
We could exchange our ideas and views about our project, understanding what they thought. Using our device might cause the problem that pouring some useless chlorella could damage to environment, but to decrease CO2 concentration, our project could be an alternative solution.

Project Introduction in Classes

Spot:Grade 11 class 2
Date:2019.10.4
On October 4th, we measured the CO2 ppm in our classroom. Fifteen minutes after the lesson started, I measured the air quality and showed it to all the students in that classroom. Simultaneously, I conducted a survey about the instant feeling to the air quality then, which CO2 ppm was already 1000. Then I taught the danger of high concentration of CO2, which may cause human beings to be drown, throw up, and even pass up. Before the lesson ended, I measured the air quality again, which CO2 ppm rose up to 1500. Then, I asked the same questions to the students, the number of people who felt uncomfortable increased a lot. Many students began concern of the air quality, which is up to 23 people hope we can figure this problem out.
In a nutshell, completing this experiment and survey, we learned how fast the CO2 ppm increase and how much the students be influenced. We also learned that many people are still unknown about this dangerous situation, so we should keep teaching people and developing our product.

Project Demonstration in Mingdao High School

Spot: Mingdao High School
Date:2019.10.9
On October 9th, we host a special event in our school, which was the project presentation. Because every student and teacher was very interested and curious about our project, we prepared for a long time and decided to present it in front of all of them.
We cherished this opportunity to practice and viewed it as a formal competition, thus getting lots of positive and useful feedback from the audience. The audience was interested in our novel theme and asked many questions about it. What they cared the most were the price of our product as well as the functional efficiency. Besides, we realized that we still had lots of things to improve, not only the fluency of our presentation but also the details of our demonstration.
We were also grateful for the listeners under the stage, especially the iGEMers from Mingdao 2018 iGEM team. They gave us many useful suggestions about Giant Jamboree and presentation. We would definitely remember those and did a great performance in the competition.

Conclusion

By human practices, we realized that synthetic biology can be spread to more people with our efforts. We promoted our ideas to the public by education, public engagement and integrated human practices. Education programs let us have the chance to get students in different ages have some understanding about synthetic biology. Through the sharing step by step, we found out that most kids considered science interesting, which inspired us a lot. Through surveys, we found that they were quite interested in our project and willing to give us advice to make our project better. We not only promoted our project to people but also raised their awareness about carbon dioxide. We had never thought how influential we could be. Therefore, there was no doubt that our love of iGEM and synthetic biology would last, and the inspiration would be passed down to more and more people by our efforts.