The Hippo Roller is frequently cited as an example of Appropriate Technology (AP), as is the case in this article.
According to Wikipedia AP is “an ideological movement encompassing technological choice and application that is small-scale, decentralized, labor-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sound, and locally autonomous.”
It’s worth quoting the full description of the Hippo Roller in this article:
“In some African villages, fetching potable water can take most of an entire day, and is typically a chore left to women and children. The Hippo Roller is a simple tool for transporting water from distant watering-holes back to homes and villages – an alternative to the traditional 5-gallon-barrels-on-heads approach. The product itself is similar to a barrel with a handle that you push ahead of you like a steamroller’s drum, and has a capacity of 90 liters / 24 gallons. That’s nearly a 5X increase in productivity.”
