ACIDO Rocket Research Award presented by Entro
Hesper: A thermo-powered winter outerwear system designed for safety on the streets of Northern communities.
Hesper, named after the Hesperides constellation containing the morning and evening stars, is always your guide through the dark no matter the time of day. Equipped with an integrated lightweight circuit, the lights are powered by the heat of the human body and the cold winter air. The circuit contains RGB Neopixels, an Arduino microcontroller and lightweight flexible Peltier modules for thermal energy harvesting. It also includes a rotating dial in the collar that controls LED brightness and an inner jacket containing the completely removable circuit for ease of maintenance. Designed with the Indigenous People of Mayo, the Na-Cho Nyak Dun, this garment brings out elements of their cultural identity and is a potential business opportunity. These jackets can be manufactured locally in Mayo and exported to Northern communities worldwide to generate a self-reliant source of income. With Hesper, the Na Cho Nyak Dun can share their culture and values with the world in a garment that is also a tool empowering them to continue living off the land as they have for generations.
About the Designer
Sofia Parra, Carleton
Hi I’m Sofia Parra. Passionate and skilled designer. Advocate and practitioner of collaborative design. Graduate of the Bachelor’s of Industrial Design at Carleton University. Having won the Marc C. Gauthier Award for Innovative Technologies for my capstone project, I’m on the lookout for the next opportunity where I can co-design to create functional, impactful and empathetic solutions.