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How can we improve window screens?
Challenge Type: engineering
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$1,600
top 50%
54
submissions
DONE
90 months ago

Window screens are one of the most important technologies in modern homes. Their key functionalities include:

Keeping things out: Bugs, dust, and whatever else is trying to get into your home are unable to penetrate the mesh protections of a screen.

Allowing airflow in: You can still get fresh air from outside without worrying about everything else that might come with it.

These functionalities are very helpful to day to day lifestyles, however they still leave a lot to be desired because of a few key setbacks:
Flimsy: They break down over time when in contact with sunlight and the elements. Screens need to be robust yet remain minimalistic. Because of construction, they don’t ship well separately and are subject to damage in shipping and installation.

Fit: Due to flimsiness and tolerance of windows and screens, they often don’t fit well and are hard to insert and remove.

Blocking vision/light: You can see through screens but they hinder visibility and light.

Aesthetically unappealing: Window screens aren’t the most attractive looking feature on a home and lead to a more utilitarian versus minimalist or modern look.

Fall protection: Current news events indicate children falling through screens can happen and there have been both litigation/legislation around this.

We make windows and want to know: How can we improve the technology of window screens? We’d love to hear new ideas to keep window screens positive functionalities and avoid some of the drawbacks associated with them as well.
Deliverables

Propose a new system, technology, format, or functionality to improve window screens:

1. What is your idea to improve window screens?

2. How does this functionality improve on the functions of screens and/or avoid some of their setbacks?

3. Why will consumers be excited to purchase new windows with your advanced screens?

4. (Optional) Sketches, CAD renderings, drawings, mock-ups, charts, videos, graphs or any other visuals that better illustrate your idea.

Your idea doesn't have to be a screen, it must be something that lets air flow in and out but not bugs, debris, children etc... maintain the function of a screen with less or no drawbacks.

Things to consider:

- New ideas only: Please make sure your idea isn't something that is already in production such as retractable window screens.

- How it's currently done: Screens are typically built from roll formed steel or aluminum or extruded aluminum with fiberglass or steel mesh and plastic injection molded corner keys. Screen mesh is held in place by a flexible rubber spline pushed into a groove in the aluminum or steel and pinching the mesh in place

- Keep it practical! Unless you have a compelling methodology as to how it could be accomplished, things like lasers or force fields are a little too far outside the scope of this project.

- Cost is key! Ideas that have a sky-high price point are not the best fit for this project, we want consumers to purchase these new screens!

- Illustrations help! It's not required, but an illustration of how your idea works could go a long way towards helping us understand it. We won't judge based on artistic ability!

    Submissions will be graded on the following criteria:
  • Meets Deliverables
  • Creativity
  • Clarity
Reward Tiers
Top 10%
will share $1,000
Next 15%
will share $400
Next 25%
will share $200
Actual individual rewards will be based on the total number of eligible solutions.
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