Amelia Houghton Boyle

What are you looking for?

University of Nottingham > Engineering > Departments > Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering > PDM Exhibitions > 2024 > MEng students > Amelia Houghton Boyle

Creating a water dispenser that cleans the bottle before refilling.

I chose to study Product Design at the University of Nottingham because of its outstanding reputation and innovative approach to design education. The university's emphasis on combining creativity with technical skills provided the perfect environment for me to explore my passion for transforming ideas into tangible products.

Throughout my course, I gained a deep understanding of the design process, from initial concept development to final production. The hands-on projects and collaborative environment refined my skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective communication. These experiences not only solidified my love for product design but also sparked a keen interest in project management.

The skills I acquired during my studies, such as planning, organization, and team coordination, have inspired me to pursue a career in project management. I am eager to leverage my design background and the project management competencies I've developed to oversee projects that bring innovative products to life, ensuring they are delivered successfully and make a positive impact.

Amelia Houghton Boyle, MEng Product Design and Manufacture

VIVE

Vive is a water dispenser that allows you to clean your reusable bottles before refilling them. Every year 7.7 billion single-use plastic bottles are used in the UK alone and less than 58% of those are recycled meaning 9 million are littered, landfilled, or incinerated every day.

58% of UK residents now own a reusable water bottle to cut down on their use of single-use plastic. However, some people have started to get ill from their bottles due to bacteria and mould buildup. As a result, people are using reusable bottles less frequently causing the rise of single-use bottles again. Recent studies have even found that reusable water bottles can contain up to 40,000 times the bacteria count found on a toilet seat!

Vive was designed to provide a solution to these problems. It has three stages; a rinsing unit that allows the user to rinse their bottles, coffee mugs or protein shakes before being placed in a UVC chamber to fully sterilise the bottles in only 16s, which is powerful enough to inactivate all bacteria, viruses, and moulds. The final stage allows the user to refill their bottles if desired with a choice of two different water temperatures (Ambient and Chilled).

Vive provides the user with a quick and convenient method to clean their bottles without costing them a penny. These machines will be located in public spaces including gyms, universities, hospitals and offices. By having the machines in public, people are made aware of the importance of cleaning their bottles. Vive also reduces the chance of contracting foodborne illnesses from reusable water bottles, especially in gyms and hospitals. Vive also has an antimicrobial coating on all contact surfaces which kills pathogens transferred through people touching buttons and handles thus ensuring a high standard of hygiene and user safety.