One of the most impossible things that human being couldn’t conquer until today is walking on water. That is because of the incapability for violating the rules of nature, that anything that gets in to water either floats or drowns. Even though, walking on water is impossible, biking on water has recently been made possible, thanks to technological innovations.
I have recently met Mulugeta G/meskel, 29, an innovator of a water bike, who replicates the cycling experience on water. He has recently registered and patented the first water floating cycle pedal or hydro-cycle bike in Hawassa, Ethiopia.
“I finally have realized my dream to bike on water,” he says. According to him, the water bike is like any bicycle that could easily be ridden above water. “Biking on water gives you a surreal experience to cycle in a stream solace of nature,” he says happily. Mulugeta is an entrepreneur based in Hawassa who make a living by supplying power saving products that ease the lives of society such as lights, bulbs, stoves and other household materials on a business venture.
He initiates together with his colleagues. His passion for electronics and working on workshop comes early starting from his childhood. “As a child, after school I used to spend my spare time working on some wood and metal workshops in my neighborhood, and at home I used to toy with electronics devices, separating and rearranging them gives me joy,” he said. Mulugeta earned his first Degree in Applied Mathematics and decided to follow his field or passion of crafting, creating and designing woods metals and electronics.
“After graduating, my friends and I initiated Bana Electronics taking credit funds provided to us from government social small scale enterprise agency.” Asked how he came up with the idea of creating such a machine, Mulugeta explains, “Just like most inventors, I observed my environment and saw problems that could be solved and improved to be safe and easy for the society.
Lakes are polluted by wastes from visitors and also hyacinth is an endemic treat that is affecting our natural blessings. Currently, most of our lakes are in high risk of drying out and polluted by this endemic leaf hyacinth. And if somebody didn’t do something we are bound to lose our natural bliss in front of our eyes.
That is where my ideas started and turned in to a project that grew each day into practical realization of this innovation.” As to Mulugeta, the water bike is designed to float over water easily by using only pedals which more energy saver than motorized boat and hyacinth remover machines that are used mostly. “I designed, engineered and assembled the water bike which is made out of collected materials that can be found easily in our daily life.
The water bike has no tire in stead a roller, which drives a prop under the bike’s front wheel via a flex shaft that enables one to easily handle the bars and pedal to sail on water.
The challenging part in working on the machine was that I had to redesign it every now and then to make it suitable to float on water, for that as the machine is not suitable for transportation and the workshop is a bit far from the lake, my friends and I had to walk carrying it.
That was a bit challenging but it creates great feeling of excitement of achievement in all of us now,” he added. On a testing of the water bike to claim his patent right, Mulugeta’s innovation saw great acclaim from residents of Hawassa.
He has also obtained encouragement and praises of medals, trophy recognition certificates from governmental and nongovernmental organizations. “Through hard work and determination it took me above eight months to finish and present the water bike.
My motivation was my friends and family. The water bike is climate friendly innovation and it has a capacity of carrying 80 kilogram additional load. Besides to being useful for removing hyacinth, the water bike is useful for recreational purposes, fishermen around the lake, transportation and cleaning tool to keep clean lakes and over environment.
Currently, I am making a deal with Haile Resort to provide prototypes as the water bikes also could be very useful for visitors for relaxation and sporting and exercising on water.
“Ethiopia is growing and we need technology and innovation to cope up with the modern digital world. Many youths of this generation have the capability to invent and renovate such technologies easily from materials around them if they got suitable environment and for that the government’s should initiate youth centers with labs and workshops that the youth can be engaged in creativity instead of spending time doing invaluable things,” Mulugeta emphasized.
Herald December 25/2018
BY FASICA BERHANE
