Design of Devices for Making Beads from the Stems of Holy Basil

This paper addresses the challenges faced by artisans in India who rely on traditional hand-operated lathes to craft beads from the stems of Holy Basil for making garlands, resulting in discomfort, physical strain, and fatigue. The research focuses on the design improvements of a wood-turning lathe specifically customized for this purpose. It details the design of two bead-making devices: one incorporating a timing belt and pulley system and another with an electronic drive mechanism. The design methodology employed the Systems Engineering Process along with Human-Centered Design approach. A participatory design process was followed, with the design team collaborating closely with bead-making artisans, local entrepreneurs, and manufacturing partners to develop the devices. The effectiveness and performance of the new devices were assessed by comparing them to traditional hand-operated lathes based on productivity, maintenance requirements, earnings, and affordability. Results indicated that artisan productivity and earnings doubled with the new devices. Affordability was demonstrated through the sale of over 90 units, with increased earnings justifying the investment. This integrated design approach facilitated the broader adoption of the new bead-making devices, thereby promoting livelihoods of artisans and the sustainability of the design intervention. Drawing on over three years of experience, this paper presents a framework for designing products for Base of the Pyramid sectors. The framework can be applied to develop similar cluster-specific technologies for resource-constrained communities in rural areas.