E-Crackers — Next-Gen Green Crackers
Crackers have been an integral part of almost every Indian occasion, be it the big fat Indian weddings or festivals such as Diwali. There is some kind of charm that these crackers add to almost every celebration.
But “all that glitters is not gold”. These crackers pose a serious threat to the environment and have a considerable contribution to the overall climate change over a period of time. Some of the evident consequences of using firecrackers are:
- Global Warming
- Smog and Air Pollution
- Fire Accidents
- Land Pollution
- Harmful Effects on Animals
E-Cracker — The Story Behind
“ Pollution in the Indian capital Delhi exceeded the safe limit by 66 times on Thursday, shrouding the city in toxic fumes the morning after millions of firecrackers were burst for the Hindu festival Diwali ”, read the Guardian.
This statement was intimidating enough to set the mind restless to find an alternative to the menace caused by firecrackers. Delhi could not be left into blurring smog and its residents could not be left vulnerable to the respiratory discomfort, cognitive decline, and other chronic diseases.
So what could be the solution? While the administration went into damage control mode by banning crackers, we at Banaao Makerspace started thinking of better solutions. Equipped with hardware tools and a DIY mindset, we started brainstorming a tech-savvy yet eco-friendly solution.
In a world where everything is going digital, why not the conventional crackers. The E-cracker has Arduino at its heart which is a digital microcontroller unit. The other components that have been used are the Bluetooth audio receiver modules and electronic sensors to bring the fun of firecracker alive.
From Version 1 to Final Product
Good things take time and a lot of patience. While our first version was out last year (video link), as our first prototype came in less than a week, we conducted a few workshops to help students build these crackers by themselves. The first version caught everyone’s imagination but was still far from what we had imagined. Over the period of time, and with continuous user feedback on design and functionality, we bring to you the intricately designed, thoroughly tested and creatively made E-cracker.
The advantages of the E-Cracker:
- Fire it up like a matchstick or even any remote — safe for younger kids.
- While green crackers reduce the rate of pollution, e-crackers completely eliminate the threat of air pollution.
- The e-crackers are a one-time investment and thus are cost-efficient as compared to the green crackers.
- The e-cracker doubles up as a Bluetooth speaker and thus can be used for music playback.
So this Diwali let’s pledge to be more responsible by boycotting the conventional firecrackers and switching to the eco-friendly and durable e-crackers and contribute towards making the earth a better place to live in and India truly digital.
Disclaimer: I’m the founder of Banaao — A Makers’ Playground, which is a multi-disciplinary lab focused on the democratization of hardware technology and conducts hands-on workshops around STEAM learning. The E-Cracker has been ideated, prototyped and produced as a result of our team efforts.
Content Credits: Ms. Asfa, Content Development Team, Banaao — A Makers’ Playground
