IMPORTANT NOTE: The invention convention will finish up with a presentation at the grades 7-9 Science Expo during the morning of Wednesday, May 20th. All work will be due at that time.
Invention Convention is just around the corner. As you know, 'inventions' come in all sizes, shapes, and forms and serve many different purposes.
Today I would like you to use your research skills and find the best inventions for the following topics. Take a screen shot and paste information about the inventions in the following google doc (make a copy of the doc first and put it in your science folder): Invention Convention Scavenger Hunt
Invention Scavenger Hunt
Best Invention of all time
Best invention of 2014
Best Invention by a teen
Best invention from 1930's
Best invention to help others in need
Best medical invention of the last decade
Best invention to help people with disabilities
Best invention by a Mexican inventor
Best tech/gadget invention
Craziest/silliest invention of all time
The Engineering Design Process
No matter what they are designing, all engineers and inventors follow the sam basic process. You will have a choice of challenges, but no matter which you choose you will follow the same process.
Important Vocabulary: Prototype: According to sciencebuddies.org, "a prototype is an operating version of a solution. Often it is made with different materials than the final version, and generally it is not as polished. Prototypes are a key step in the development of a final solution, allowing the designer to test how the solution will work." Essentially, your prototype is a model of the real product that will allow you to test your solution to see if it will work in real life. Think of the models some people built for the Huasteca project - these were prototypes.
Project Work File:
One member of the group needs to make a copy of this file and share it with the other group members and with Ms. Davis. Like in the Huasteca Project, this is where you will outline the process of your project. Invention Convention Work File
Option 1: Engineering and Empathy - The Off-Road Wheelchair
The Problem:
When we were on our day out at DIF you got a chance to try out using wheelchairs. You experienced how it was not that easy to use them on the grass. Many disabled people are not able to enjoy the same activities as you and I because their wheelchairs won't travel across uneven ground. With that in mind, take this chance to design and build a prototype (model) of an off-road wheelchair that will allow people who use wheelchairs the freedom to move around in areas with rough terrain.
Constraints:
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to build the model
- Must be able to cross 3 simulated environments with little force required: grassy field, sandy beach, wooded trail
- Must fit and carry a client model (doll, action figure, etc.) across the 3 simulated environments
- Must be easy to transport and operate
- Must be different from anything currently on the market (give the idea your own outlook and style)
Research Tips:
- Look up past and present wheelchair designs
- Examine off-road and mountain bike design
- Research various medical reasons for why people need wheelchairs
- Research other related topics to help you answer the research questions and gather ideas to consider when brainstorming a solution
Option 2: Design Squad - Green Alternative to Plastic Rings for Beverage Cans
The Problem:
We have a profound effect on the environment around us. At this very moment, there are virtually uninhabited islands with beaches covered in plastic trash from around the world, carried there by ocean currents. One of the worst of these plastics are the rings used to hold together soda cans. These strangle and deform many animals, as in the example you can see below.
Try your hand at designing a green alternative to these beverage rings - how can we hold the cans together for carrying without using these harmful pieces of plastic?
Constraints:
- Must not be made of plastic
- Must be recyclable or reusable
- Must be easy to remove soda cans
- Must cost less than 200 pesos to create (consider what will be cost-effective for beverage companies)
- Must be different from anything currently on the market
- Must be able to hold together 6 full cans of soda while someone is carrying them across a room by holding onto the invention
Research Tips:
- Define the problem: what are the harmful effects of plastic rings for cans? What happens to the plastic in our oceans?
- Research cost of plastic rings for beverage cans
Option 3: Creative Engineering Design - Prosthetic Hand
The Problem:
You are working with a team of engineers from a biomedical engineering company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of prosthetic devices for amputees. Your team’s challenge is to design a prosthetic hand that can perform ONE function to help improve the quality of life of the amputee who uses the prosthesis.
Example functions to design for:
holding a pen or pencil, clasping, using sign language, throwing, brushing teeth, picking up an object, holding a utensil, eating spaghetti
Cool example of work other teens are doing: Texas Teens Create Prosthetic Hand for Little Boy Missing 3 Fingers
Constraints:
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to manufacture
- Must be different from anything else currently on the market
- Must consistently complete the chosen task
- Must be designed to comfortably fit onto a person's arm
Research Tips:
- Research materials commonly used in prosthetic devices (do these vary based upon the desired task?)
- Research past and present prosthetic designs
Option 4: Inventor's Choice
Do you have a problem in mind for which you would like to design a solution? Do you want to head out on your own and find your own challenge? Then this option is for you! Come up with your own problem that you would like to solve and go from there.
The Problem:
The sky is the limit. Find a real-life problem that affects people and for which you could design a solution. Your problem must be important to many people.
FYI: NO FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS!!!!
See here if you don't know what I'm talking about - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_world_problems
This is a new invention that solves a REAL and IMPORTANT problem:
Constraints:
- Must be approved by the teacher (problem and solution)
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to manufacture
- Must be different from anything currently on the market
- NO FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS!!!!
See here if you don't know what I'm talking about - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_world_problems
Research Tips:
- Research your problem and how it affects the quality of people's lives
- Research how other people have addressed the problem
Invention Convention Scavenger HuntTable of Contents
Invention Convention is just around the corner. As you know, 'inventions' come in all sizes, shapes, and forms and serve many different purposes.
Today I would like you to use your research skills and find the best inventions for the following topics. Take a screen shot and paste information about the inventions in the following google doc (make a copy of the doc first and put it in your science folder):
Invention Convention Scavenger Hunt
Invention Scavenger Hunt
The Engineering Design Process
No matter what they are designing, all engineers and inventors follow the sam basic process. You will have a choice of challenges, but no matter which you choose you will follow the same process.
Important Vocabulary:
Prototype: According to sciencebuddies.org, "a prototype is an operating version of a solution. Often it is made with different materials than the final version, and generally it is not as polished. Prototypes are a key step in the development of a final solution, allowing the designer to test how the solution will work." Essentially, your prototype is a model of the real product that will allow you to test your solution to see if it will work in real life. Think of the models some people built for the Huasteca project - these were prototypes.
Project Work File:
One member of the group needs to make a copy of this file and share it with the other group members and with Ms. Davis. Like in the Huasteca Project, this is where you will outline the process of your project.
Invention Convention Work File
Environmental and Social Impact Document:
RUBRICS (this is still a work-in-progress, but it should look something like this):
https://docs.google.com/a/asfm.edu.mx/document/d/12LtY3imbUnCD7EIDE-UetZ3BCA-K3KLm--9fydc-oQE/edit
Option 1: Engineering and Empathy - The Off-Road Wheelchair
The Problem:
When we were on our day out at DIF you got a chance to try out using wheelchairs. You experienced how it was not that easy to use them on the grass. Many disabled people are not able to enjoy the same activities as you and I because their wheelchairs won't travel across uneven ground. With that in mind, take this chance to design and build a prototype (model) of an off-road wheelchair that will allow people who use wheelchairs the freedom to move around in areas with rough terrain.
Constraints:
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to build the model
- Must be able to cross 3 simulated environments with little force required: grassy field, sandy beach, wooded trail
- Must fit and carry a client model (doll, action figure, etc.) across the 3 simulated environments
- Must be easy to transport and operate
- Must be different from anything currently on the market (give the idea your own outlook and style)
Research Tips:
- Look up past and present wheelchair designs
- Examine off-road and mountain bike design
- Research various medical reasons for why people need wheelchairs
- Research other related topics to help you answer the research questions and gather ideas to consider when brainstorming a solution
Option 2: Design Squad - Green Alternative to Plastic Rings for Beverage Cans
The Problem:
We have a profound effect on the environment around us. At this very moment, there are virtually uninhabited islands with beaches covered in plastic trash from around the world, carried there by ocean currents. One of the worst of these plastics are the rings used to hold together soda cans. These strangle and deform many animals, as in the example you can see below.
Try your hand at designing a green alternative to these beverage rings - how can we hold the cans together for carrying without using these harmful pieces of plastic?
Constraints:
- Must not be made of plastic
- Must be recyclable or reusable
- Must be easy to remove soda cans
- Must cost less than 200 pesos to create (consider what will be cost-effective for beverage companies)
- Must be different from anything currently on the market
- Must be able to hold together 6 full cans of soda while someone is carrying them across a room by holding onto the invention
Research Tips:
- Define the problem: what are the harmful effects of plastic rings for cans? What happens to the plastic in our oceans?
- Research cost of plastic rings for beverage cans
Option 3: Creative Engineering Design - Prosthetic Hand
The Problem:
You are working with a team of engineers from a biomedical engineering company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of prosthetic devices for amputees. Your team’s challenge is to design a prosthetic hand that can perform ONE function to help improve the quality of life of the amputee who uses the prosthesis.
Example functions to design for:
holding a pen or pencil, clasping, using sign language, throwing, brushing teeth, picking up an object, holding a utensil, eating spaghetti
Cool example of work other teens are doing:
Texas Teens Create Prosthetic Hand for Little Boy Missing 3 Fingers
Constraints:
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to manufacture
- Must be different from anything else currently on the market
- Must consistently complete the chosen task
- Must be designed to comfortably fit onto a person's arm
Research Tips:
- Research materials commonly used in prosthetic devices (do these vary based upon the desired task?)
- Research past and present prosthetic designs
Option 4: Inventor's Choice
Do you have a problem in mind for which you would like to design a solution? Do you want to head out on your own and find your own challenge? Then this option is for you! Come up with your own problem that you would like to solve and go from there.
The Problem:
The sky is the limit. Find a real-life problem that affects people and for which you could design a solution. Your problem must be important to many people.
FYI: NO FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS!!!!
See here if you don't know what I'm talking about - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_world_problems
This is a new invention that solves a REAL and IMPORTANT problem:
Constraints:
- Must be approved by the teacher (problem and solution)
- Must cost no more than 500 pesos to manufacture
- Must be different from anything currently on the market
- NO FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS!!!!
See here if you don't know what I'm talking about - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_world_problems
Research Tips:
- Research your problem and how it affects the quality of people's lives
- Research how other people have addressed the problem