Fuel Cell Manta

This project took place in 2004 and was meant to be a collaboration with Case Western Reserve School of Engineering, who were at the forefront of the studies on fuel cell technology.  In the end, I don’t remember having interacted with a single student there but doing the research and working on that project sparked a life-long interest and fascination in fuel cell technology and the seemingly unlimited potential it has for the future.  That was almost twenty years ago and very little was done at the time with that energy, but now, the technologies have progressed significantly, and I can’t wait to see what develops, mostly, I hope that I can be a part of it.

Over the years I had developed a close friendship with two other students, Zack Simmering and Ariel Vergez, we were rebels of sorts, determined to give ourselves challenges and learn everything we could while we were in this extraordinary learning environment.  We paired up and our theme was “extreme environments”, I chose the underwater universe. It seemed an obvious connection for me to work with water since a fuel cell produces water and needs hydrogen and oxygen to function, thus I designed an underwater propulsion unit.

When going diving, the oxygen tank is essential, but it is heavy, and you are limited in distance by the quantity of oxygen in the tank.  With this as propulsion, and a clear spot on the unit to nestle/lodge the oxygen tank, a diver can go much further while using less oxygen.  The unit is attached as a backpack would be, it is unisex and the belt wraps around the waist for stability.

In addition to the apparatus of the propulsion unit, I had included a control handle with easy navigation.  Within that handle was a control unit which provided the diver’s location, depth, dive time, speed, oxygen level, and an alarm for when to go up/return.  Long before iPhones, this was a comprehensive, simple, intuitive interface.  I had designed the casing in specific materials that would protect the fuel cell from a naturally corrosive environment, and had given it an organic and ergonomic shape, reminiscent of a manta ray, thus the name.