ANKUSH

Intuitive fire extinguisher

About

ANKUSH

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'Ankush' Is designed to make the process of using a fire extinguisher easy and intuitive without creating any cognitive load on the user while using it with a single hand in small domestic fires before they get out of control to avoid unnecessary risks.

The most important feature of Ankush is to assist the user to aim at the base of the fire and this is achieved by the design of the handle which tilts extinguisher in the forward direction to aim at the base also this handle is designed for better ergonomics, In common fire extinguishers, the actuation is done by squeezing action whereas users are more familiar with trigger action which is used in Ankush.

This fire extinguisher goes with the interior of the house and hence can be kept at a visible and easily accessible location, unlike conventional fire extinguishers which are either hanged in a corner of the house or kept in a cupboard because of which, they are often ignored and lack proper maintenance. Also at the time of fire break out, it gets really difficult to locate these fire extinguishers.

1 AESTHETIC

A fire extinguisher that compliments

your interior with its form and colours

2 INTUITIVE

A Fire extinguisher that is easy

to understand and intuitive to use.

3 ERGONOMIC

A fire extinguisher that is ergonomic

and easy to use by a single hand.

Research

BACKGROUND

In 2018, a total of 13,099 cases of fire accidents were reported in the country. As many as 12,748 people died in 2018 Female accounts for about 57% of those. Every day around 35 people die in India due to fire. Probably many of these deaths could have been prevented if we had enough preventive measures

Out of 12,748 fire deaths in 2018, 7,244 (57%) were women while 5,503 (43%) men lost their lives in a fire.

Around 56% of the deaths were because of home fires. The total number of fire accidents reported in residences were 7,208, which is 56 per cent of the total fire accidents.

Source - https://ncrb.gov.in/sites/default/files/ADSI-2018-FULL-REPORT-2018.pdf

70%

People were confused about how to remove extinguisher from the mounting

Almost everybody forgets to check the pressure gauge and those who do don’t know how to read the pressure gauge.

67%

of women think that fire extinguishers look bulky and complicated.

People forget that they have to aim at the base of the fire and they target flames thus wasting all the fire extinguishers.

Pain points

Household fire Extinguishers weigh almost 4-5 Kg and are difficult to handle.

Handles are not designed ergonomically and also these fire extinguishers usually need high dexterity and two-hand use.

Fire Extinguishers aren’t designed keeping universal design thinking in mind.

Triggering Mechanism and action is confusing and unusual for users, also it is difficult for them to locate safety pin due to complicated mechanism.

Ideation

Inclined handle helps the user

to aim towards the base of the fire inductively

Inspiration

Form

Exploration

Features

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Providing information according to the hierarchy of importance simplifies the process also reduces the time to check and understand the compatibility of the extinguisher

FEATURES

Pressure Gauge

In the moment of emergency, the first thing that user should check is whether the fire extinguisher is pressurised or not this information can be conveyed by just two states rather than a numbered scale

Fire Type

The user needs to know whether the fire extinguisher is meant for the kind of fire in progress depending on the material that is burning, and this information needs to be conveyed through clear and concise graphics.

Handle

Aiming at the base of the fire is the most important part of using fire extinguishers, but in such situations, users forget to do so, This handle is designed such a way that it is ergonomic and also helps to tilt fire extinguisher at an angle.

Instructions

In case of emergency, it is very difficult to understand instructions through small texts and complicated graphics. Also, the placement of the graphics is very important to avoid cognitive load

Body

For better grip and sweeping action user needs to hold the extinguisher by two hands, Smaller diameter makes it easy for users to hold the fire extinguisher easily

Simple pressure gauge and Fire type

The first thing that the user should do before using a fire extinguisher is checking the pressure. therefore here pressure gauge is placed in such a way that the first thing noticed by the user is a pressure gauge. Also, the graphics are simplified for users and it is colourblind friendly unlike existing pressure gauges

The second thing that user should pay attention to is a type of burning material and can they use that fire extinguisher for that type of material. Usually, this information if made complicated showing type of material used in the fire extinguisher(Water, CO2, Foam, etc.) along with the type of fire extinguisher (A, B, C, E, K,) where the user has to identify whether the material used can work for this material or not. Here infographics are made more visible and clear for fire types reducing the confusion caused by Letters (A, B, C) and Materials used.

Mounting Bracket

Unmounting fire extinguisher can be very difficult as the bracket is hidden behind the extinguisher, here the user has only one option of pulling the fire extinguisher as the handle is facing towards user. Also, this bracket is equally simple to use for both right and left-handed user.

Appearance Model

Fire extinguishers in their current form are chunky, create a cognitive load, and are not intuitive to use. In a state of emergency, the human mind reacts with stress and fear and is unable to efficiently follow finer tasks like reading instructions or handling a difficult-to-hold object.