Ben Eder

Johns Hopkins essay #2, question 9. choice #3

-Using a piece of wire, a Hopkins car window sticker, an egg carton, and any inexpensive hardware-store item, create something that would solve a problem. Tell us about your creation, but don’t worry: we won’t require proof that it works!

Thousands of people die each year in car accidents. A large percentage of these are caused by vision deficiencies. If the driver of a car cannot see well, his or her performance is adversely effected. While the problem has been solved in many of the newer cars, older cars often have ineffective defrost systems. These older systems take time to warm up and time is something most early-morning drivers do not have. The National Traffic Safety Board estimates that 20% of all non-alcohol related traffic accidents can be blamed on lack of adequate vision through car windows. The Board also states that this inadequate vision is caused by morning frost, or dew inside the car window, 94% of the time.

You could go out and refit a vehicle with an new and effective defrost system for about $350 or you can use a Hopkins Operational Moisture Remover, patent pending. The HOMR can be cheaply constructed from a sturdy piece of wire, a Hopkins car window sticker, an egg carton, and an inexpensive rag purchased at a local hardware store. The assembly and installation of the HOMR is easy and takes only a few minutes.

The first step is to obtain some sturdy wire. I recommend taking apart an old metal coat hangar or used industrial welding rod. This wire must then be affixed to the front windshield of the desired motor vehicle. The only acceptable way that this can be done is with a Johns Hopkins University window sticker. Using this sticker to attach the wire to the inside of the front windshield not only does a good job of keeping the wire in place, but it also advertises for one of the best Universities in the nation.
After the wire is attached, the second component can be constructed. An egg carton and a rag must be obtained. I would recommend using a dozen egg capacity egg carton but an eighteen capacity one will also work. The rag can be found around the home or purchased, relatively inexpensively, from a hardware store. The next step is to insert two rolled up ends of the rag into different holes in the egg carton lid. Open the lid and tie the two ends together on the inside of the carton. Try to do this in a manner where much of the rag surface area is exposed on the lid side of the egg carton. This rag surface will later be used for wiping those deadly water drops off the windshield. We will call this egg carton-rag apparatus component B.
The final step to completing your HOMR is to attach component B to the wire affixed in the first step. This can be done by poking the wire through the bottom section of the egg carton. The rag covered top section should be facing the window. The wire that has been poked through the carton needs to be bent in a manner that prevents the carton from falling off the wire.

You have now constructed the HOMR. In front of you, you should have a egg carton hanging from a wire, which is attached to your window by a Hopkins sticker, and on the egg carton a rag should be attached. This convenient system can easily be employed to wipe away pesky water resting on the window, preventing you from safely traveling to work or wherever your destination may be. Watching my mother for many years, I am aware that a swipe of the hand has been the traditional method for removing dew, but this leaves an annoying oil residue and should not be considered a viable option. It is my hope that the HOMR will cut down on moisture-related traffic accidents and possibly save lives, as well as $350.