Marble Sorting Project

Our first idea was to use momentum to sort the 3 different marble materials from eachother (wood, glass, and metal).

• We later ditched that idea once we realized that we couldn't make a marginable difference from the moment on the length of track we could make. We then used a magnet on a track to catch the metal and a fan to blow the wood off the track.

• This is the colored glass marble sorter, it isn't operational yet but has very good stability and is consistent with the conveyor belt system.

Egg Drop Challenge - Iteration #1

Total # of Achievements Earned: 14







4) Justify (list and explain) your Achievemtns. Use images as appropriate. For organization's sake, use the categories provided in the Egg Drop Achievement List.


X = Achieved


Material Weight:
(your egg is not included in material weight)
-Your materials weigh less than 500 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 300 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 200 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 150 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 100 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 50 grams. X
-Your materials weigh less than 25 grams. X

My project was -9g due to the helium in the balloons

Drop Achievements

Drop Accuracy:
-You hit the butcher paper! X Hit it.
-You hit inside the third ring!
-You hit inside the second ring!
-You hit inside the first ring!
-You hit the Bullseye!

Egg Resilience:
-Your egg broke but the yolk remained intact. X
-Your egg cracked but the yolk stayed inside and intact.  X
-Your egg cracked but was still together. X
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times) X
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times) X
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times) X

Egg was alive.

5) What designs from your class did well? Based on the achievements you earned,how would you redesign your solution to score better? Be specific (sketches with labeling work well for this).


I would redesign my solution so that it would be more accurate and take up less space. Heavily padded designs did very well.

TED

1) What is the TED organization about?


TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading
2) What is the purpose of their website and how does the functionality of their site support that?


The purpose of their website is to deliver videos to viewers. The layout of their website makes access to videos fast and simple and highlights the most interesting ones by size

3) As Engineers and Problem Solvers, which topic areas (the choices from the "Show talks related to:" section on the sidebar) are of most interest to us? Justify your answer.


Design to me would be the most important one for engineering, ideas for new designs can create new ones in your head and help you design solutions around ideas that have already been answered.
4) Based on your previous answer, what are 3 talks (videos) on the site that appear like they would be of most interest to you as an Engineer/Problem Solver? Justify your choices.

George Whitesides: Toward a science of simplicity

Tom Wujec: Build a tower, build a team - I think this one is the most interesting because it discusses how team bonding works when dealing with projects and how it benefits teamwork. 

Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world

5) Each student will watch a unique video. Claim your video on the following period specific posts: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. If no one else has claimed your video, leave a comment on that post to call the one you want. If someone else has already claimed the talk, go back and pick another one. Watch the video. Embed the video in your blog post and create a bulletized outline of the key issues presented in the talk.

Dimitar Sasselov: How we found hundreds of potential Earth-like planets

6) How could you get involved in the field/technology/issue you chose to hear about? What experience/skills/training/education would you need to learn to get involved with this field?



Education in astronomy and engineering will help you discover earth like planets.

RoboPro: Subprograms and Meters

I used Michael photos due to my laptop's hard drive dying. 

The task was to create a program that increased variables while utilizing subprograms. The sub program contains all of the actual functions which allows the main program to stay organized. 


The main advantage of using subprograms is that subprograms can be saved when created, and can be attached and inserted in other programs easily.

RoboPro: Variables & Branch Functions

We turned a variable to a desired variable in 5 cycles. I chose to go from -5 to 0 and added 1 unit with each cycle

Machine Control: Project 3.1.7 Machine Control Design - Part IMachine Control: Activity 3.1.2 Flowcharting

• Flowcharting is like a map to plan a route for a trip, because like a car the program follows the different steps in order of how they are arranged.  
• In the morning I wake up, take a shower and eat breakfast, go to school come back from school, watch some tv or read some articles online, do homework, go to the gym or play sports come back eat dinner relax and go to sleep. 
  
  
  
  
  Wake up > School > Homework > Gym > Relax > Repeat

3.1.1 Inputs and Output

1. Examine the wire diagram on the mini switch and describe how the diagram relates to the concepts of normally open and normally closed.

• When the switch is normally closed it goes from 0 and goes to 1 when pressed.
• When the switch is normally closed it does the reverse and goes from 1 to 0 when pressed.

2. If computers only understand digital signals, then how is a computer able to interpret the analog signals coming from the interface?

• Computers can understand analog signals by converting them to digital and then back again when needed.

3. Why does resistance decrease as the NTC Resistor becomes warmer?

• The resistance decreases because the warmer it gets the easier for the current to flow because the atoms in the resistor are at a higher energy level and when atoms are at a higher energy level they more easily release their valance electrons.
 

Glider!

Our Complete Glider:

Glider Design Phase Notes:

• largest wings possible with maintaining structural integrity.
• Slender round shaped fuselage.

Criteria and Constraints:

• We are limited by materials. We only have 3 materials available; which include balsa wood dowels, tissue paper, and glue.

Development Notes:

Test Phase Notes:

What are you goals for you glider and how did you adjust you design in order to help it better meet them?

The goal for our glider was to get it to travel as far and as smooth as possible while maintaining a high altitude. We created a very wide wingspan and a slender body to meet the goals.

How did your glider perform? What would you change if we competed again?

The glider decided to crash into the ground which caused a fairly significant amount of damage, we however found out that our glider performed better when broken. If we competed again it would be with less wind and we would add more colors to our glider to scare our opponents.

Machine Control: Activity 3.1.4 Branch Functions

• In this activity we used branch functions to learn how we could better use RoboPRO in a more advanced way and how branch functions could actually be implemented in later projects.
• I worked with Michael on this activity, Michael did most of the work on the software and I put together most of the wiring and components and took the pictures. 

•  Using branch functions allows for you to build programs or systems that can react to input and preform accordingly.
•  An example of a normally open switch that was not given as an example could be the ignition of a car. When the car is not running or starting it is open.
•  A normally closed switch that was not given as an example could be the PSU on a computer. It is continuously converting electricity when it is plugged in and the only time it is not is when you physically flip the switch off on the back or unplug it.

MKS

Distance = m

Time = s

Mass = kg

Area = m^2

Velocity = m/s

Density = kg/m^3

Gravity = m/s^2

Force = N=kg m/s^2

Energy = J=kg m^2/s^2

Power = W=kg m^2/s^3

Content Is King

Q- What is a field/hobby/something you have a passion for (surfing, sailing, robotics, painting, etc.)?


A-  One of my favourite hobbies and one of my top passions is Scuba Diving. It allows me to explore a world people rarely see and opens up your eyes to realities that we rarely think about, it shows us that there is more to the world we live in then we see or know and that we are not alone.


Q- What person or organization in that field has used blogging to promote their brand?


A-  There are numerous blogs out there about scuba diving, blogs about deep diving records or recent trips people have gone on, many many many. 

Q- What is a field you might see yourself blogging about?


A-  I really have a deep interest in marine biology, growing up near the ocean really has made me appreciate it and I want to do something in the future that involves it. Getting paid to do marine research and scuba diving would be amazing.

Survival At Sea Game

In this activity we were supposed to look at a list of 15 items and prioritize them based on need if one was to be stranded at sea.

My list of priorities are on the left and the group priorities on the right. My top 2 picks were water and rations. Without food and water you would not survive long.

1. Sextant: 12/13
2. Shaving Mirror: 3/2
3. Mosquito Netting: 10/14
4. 25L Container of Water: 1/1
5. Case of Army Rations: 2/4
6. Maps of Pacific Ocean: 11/12
7. Floating Seat Cushion: 13/10
8. 10L can of Oil/Petrol Mixture: 9/6
9. A Small Transistor Radio: 14/15
10. 20 sq. ft. of opaque plastic sheeting: 7/3
11. A Can of Shark Repellent: 15/11
12. One bottle of 160% proof Rum: 5/5
13. 15ft nylon rope: 6/4
14. 2 boxes of chocolate bars: 8/9
15. Fishing Kit: 4/9

Our choices were close to that of the coast guard but there were items such as a shaving mirror which was first. And the oil at number 2 which we put at 9 and 6 respectively. 

College

College/University of interest: UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz

Why does this institution appeal to you?: I have a realistic chance of going to either, their engineering programs are well funded and have a great curriculum.

Which engineering program is most interesting to you and why?: To me Biomedical Engineering is the most appealing program, it helps people in real and sometimes imediate ways and improves the way of life of many through designing and making finished products.

Which undergraduate engineering elective is most interesting? Describe the course and its appeal to you: Nanotech and Stem Cells is the most interesting to me. Nanotech is working with matter at a molecular and atomic scales and really helps you understand the world around you from the inside out. Stem cells bring new possibilities like growing extra limbs or cloning living beings.  

Egg Drop

Achievements Earned: 14

Material Weight:(your egg is not included in material weight)
-Your materials weigh less than 500 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 300 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 200 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 150 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 100 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 50 grams.
-Your materials weigh less than 25 grams.

Due to the helium balloons,  the weight of my design was actually negative 9 grams due to the upwards pull of the helium.


Egg Resilience:-Your egg broke but the yolk remained intact.
-Your egg cracked but the yolk stayed inside and intact.
-Your egg cracked but was still together.
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)
-Your egg didn't break in any way! (awarded three times)
My egg was left unscathed because of the speed it landed on the cement as well as the padding that was around it.

-Describe an aspect of the event using algebra.
The height of the 2nd story from which we dropped the egg was 4.37 meters which we measured using a ruler and string.

The designs that did well were the ones that were heavily padded and had some way to slow down the velocity of the egg via parachute or other methods. The only negative thing about my design was the lack of accuracy and it's size due to the balloons, other than that it was very successful in my opinion.

Tennis Team Building

The challenge of the tennis ball team building activity was to get the tennis ball around in a circle with every single person in the group touching the ball at least once.

Our initial plan was to form a chain of people and to hand off the ball down the line and the person at the end of the line toss the ball back to the start of the line. After we determined that the risk of having the person drop the ball after the long toss was too great we came up with something else. Our final plans was to make a slide out of our hands for the ball and roll it around in a circle.

The excecution of our plan turned out favorable, we ended up winning and noone messed up during the competition.

What we would do the same is the plan that we had and what we ended up doing, which pretty much means that we would do everything the same.

What we would have done different though is that we should have practiced the excecution more that we could have sped up our time for getting the ball around.

Overall it was a fun activity and it taught us to work as a team to solve problems and come up with solutions as a group.