Most home refrigerators with ice makers are connected directly to the household water supply, which often contains minerals that can give ice cubes a cloudy appearance. This project introduces innovative filtering technologies designed to produce perfectly clear ice cubes. But why stop at just clarity? We also plan to create ice in captivating shapes, such as octahedrons. Additionally, for those with kitchens adjacent to family rooms, the noise of motors and churning ice during movie night can be a distraction. Our project will tackle this issue with a novel mechanical design that allows for silent ice dispensing—the only sound you’ll hear is the satisfying clink of ice falling into your glass.
Key features of this technology include:
- Clear ice cubes from household water supply
- New and compelling ice cube shapes
- Low noise from internal mechanism
Risks
- Production Speed: Ensuring the filtering method does not become a bottleneck that significantly slows down ice production.
- Design Constraints: Maintaining the unit's dimensions within the confines of a standard ice maker space to ensure compatibility with most refrigerator models.
- Maintenance Ease: Developing an effective and user-friendly method for cleaning and removing mineral deposits from the filter.
- Noise Reduction Effectiveness: Ensuring the new mechanical design effectively minimizes operational noise without compromising the ice maker's functionality.
Ditty Labs can provide:
- Electrical Engineering: Expertise in designing and implementing the electronic components of the ice maker.
- Prototype Construction and Testing: Capabilities to build and rigorously test prototypes to ensure functionality and reliability.
- Project Management: Comprehensive oversight of the project timeline, coordination of team activities, and management of deliverables.
Resources needed:
- Funding: Investment to cover research, development, and initial production costs.
- Mechanical Engineer: Specialist to design the mechanical systems, particularly the innovative filtering and quiet dispensing mechanism.
- Industry Partnerships: Establish relationships or partnerships with appliance manufacturers, potentially exploring licensing agreements.
- Manufacturing Partner: A reliable manufacturer to scale production once the prototype has been finalized and tested.
- Quality Assurance: Expertise to ensure the product meets regulatory standards and consumer expectations.
- Marketing and Sales: Strategies and resources to effectively promote and sell the product in a competitive market.
