D-Lab offers twelve different courses at the intersection of technology innovation and international development, exploring areas such as development, design or social entrepreneurship. D-Lab embraces MIT's education principle, mens et manus, providing project-based learning with real-world impact in all its courses. Learn more
In this lab, the class does a charcoal burn from start to finish, loading the drum, lighting it, and sealing it after some of the burn. While the burn is going on, they grate yucca to make a binder and make briquettes using the contents from a previous burn. Speaker: ...
This lecture reviews solar cooker technology and a case study in D-Lab's Creative Capacity Building workshops. The session ends with final thoughts on trip preparation, including how to get good information from community partners, and how to pack. Speaker: Amy ...
This video contains three student team presentations previewing their plans for upcoming visits to Nicaragua and El Salvador community partners, and feedback from instructor Amy Banzaert about those plans. Speaker: MIT Students, Amy Banzaert
Four student teams (juice bag sealer, charcoal barrel improvement, solar charger for cell phones, rice dehusking) give final presentations and demonstrations of their projects, at the D-Lab Spring Showcase event. Speaker: MIT Students
This lab consists of three modules: - Characterize the peak power output of the solar cell - Measure how power output of a solar panel changes with the angle of light - Measure how solar panel efficiency drops when the panel is shaded Students also get more instruction ...
In this pre-lab lecture, students learn the basics about how photovoltaic solar panels work. They also learn about various solar thermal technologies, and the advantages to using SODIS bags for solar water disinfection. Speaker: Amit Gandhi
In this lab, students use soda bottles, wire, and magnets to construct small wind turbines on wooden bases. They use the Savonius wind turbine design and troubleshoot various problems that come up, finally calculating voltage and current when finished. Speaker: Amit ...
In this pre-lab lecture, students learn about the sun and its pluses and minuses as a source of energy, and the various inefficiencies throughout the process of harvesting, storing, then using solar power. Speaker: Amit Gandhi
Three student teams give 20 minute presentations about their week-long visits to community partners, in which they test and refine various energy project designs. Speaker: MIT Students, Amy Banzaert
Four student teams (juice bag sealer, charcoal burn, solar charger for cell phones, rice dehusking) present initial designs, preliminary test results, and next steps, and get feedback from guest reviewers and mentors. Speaker: MIT Students
In this pre-lab lecture, students learn about using organic matter to create biogas for cooking and when biodigesters are advantagous vs impractical. Finally, they go over a specific biodigester design in great detail, learning how each part works. Speaker: Amit Gandhi
In this lab, students connect several small PV panels together into a circuit. They then take their solar arrays outside and compare the output of each individual panel to that of the array as a whole, and measure the effect shading has on the array. Speaker: Amit ...
This lecture introduces design as iterative process, reviews techniques like Pugh and Gantt charts, and provides guidance on project design and deliverables during the remaining 6 weeks of the course. Speaker: Amy Banzaert
This lab consists of three parts: - Water pumping, with a PVC hand pump and a cement rocker pump - Water carrying, with a tump line, head carry, hand carry, and Q-drum - Woodshop training Speaker: Amy Banzaert, Amit Gandhi
In this lab, students make small working biodigesters, building a base and piping and putting an animal waste slurry into a small soda bottle. They also learn about the design of SODIS bags and, using sheets of plastic, make SODIS bags. Speaker: Amit Gandhi, Rebecca ...
In the developing world, widely used cooking technologies (especially biomass) pose mounting health risks, high expense, and enviromental damage. This lecture considers alternative fuels and stove designs, with a focus on the D-Lab charcoal project. Speaker: Amy ...
Wind and water are important potential energy sources in the developing world. This lecture covers design considerations and examples of wind and micro-hydro energy systems. Speaker: Amy Banzaert
Alistair Horton, from Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) speaks at the Scaling Development Ventures (SDV) conference meet-up at D-Lab on Feb. 9th.
Alex Carracuzo, Sloan Management & Finance Librarian: Alex discusses research resources for students taking Action Learning labs. Recorded October 2012
Dr. Howard Heller, Chief of internal Medicine, MIT Medical Dr. Heller discusses health issues pertaining to international travel, and required immunizations. Recorded October 2012