Marble Sorter

We Accomplished these Achievements:

• We were able to seperate the metal, glass, and wooden marbles. We didn't have time to set up the photoresistor to sort the different colored glass ones. (3 marbles)
• We used pnuematics (one piston), an electromagnet, a fan, and a motor to move the magnet in and out.

Below is the program we used to operate.

Balsa Wood Glider

• Challenge & Brainstorm

We chose to go with a "hang-glider" design, and chose to use all of the materials we were given.

Also, two other constraints would be the weather conditions (windy) and also that the glider must be hand-thrown.

Final Design                                            

Testing

When we tested our glider, it was pretty windy. And since our glider is pretty large, it sort of got wrecked by the wind. To repair our broken glider we put tape along all the wood, which actually worked in keeping it together.

Competition Day

• 
  

  On competition day our glider performed just average. In the distance test we placed in 3rd. We did win in the hangtime competition however, which was what we really wanted to do.
• Improvements
• - make it smaller, more durable
• -don't test if it is windy.

EGG DROP CHALLENGE! Iteration 1

Total # of Achievements Earned: 19

-Create a sketch of one possible solution. Include labels.

-Create a sketch of another possible solution. Include labels.

-Create a sketch of a third possible solution. Include labels.

                                           -Use a decision matrix to justify the approach you chose.

Material Prep

-Generate a list of materials required for build day.

-Document a plan to ensure materials are brought in on block day.  ( I brought in cotton balls, ziploc bags.  Nick brought baloons and tape)

Build Achievements

Material Size:

-Your materials fit inside a printer paper box

-Your materials fit inside a shoe box (WOULD FIT IN SHOE BOX)

                                                        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. (OURS WEIGHED 115 g)

Drop Achievements

Drop Accuracy:

-You hit the butcher paper!

-You hit inside the third ring!  (OURS HIT THIRD RING)

Egg Resilience:-Your egg broke but the yolk remained intact.
-Your egg cracked but the yolk stayed inside and intact. (OUR EGG CRACKED BUT YOLK STAYED INSIDE)

Calculation Achievements
-Describe an aspect of the event using arithmetic.    

•  Our bag without the egg weighed 115 g and the egg itself weighed 55g. So, 115 + 55 = 170 g for the bag and egg.

-Design an Achievement Mr. Olson approves for next year's Egg Drop Challenge.

• THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE- If the egg drops and survives the first round, drop it from a higher level like from the roof. If survives again, awarded twice the amount of points!!

-Redesign:

• The target was pretty hard for people to hit, so I think by making more rings it would make it easier to hit.  

University

I have thought of going to Universtiy of Colorado at Boulder for some time now. And Aerospace engineering really interests me.  Below are the required courses to graduate with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.

• Calculus 1,2,3 for Engineers
• Engr. General Chemistry & Chemistry Lab
• Engineering Projects/ASEN 2500 Gateway to
  Space
• Computing Requirement
• Intro to Statics, Structures & Materials
• Intro to Thermodynamics & Aerodynamics
• Diff Eq with Linear Algebra
• Intro to Dynamics & Systems
• Aerodynamics
• Structures
• Thermo & Heat Transfer
• Physics
• Aircraft Dynamics
• Orbit Mech./ Att design & control
• Electronics & Communications
• Aerospace Materials
• Foundations of Propulsion

Of the above classes, based on class description, the GATEWAY TO SPACE class sounds most appealing. It covers  basics of atmosphere and space sciences, space exploration, spacecraft design, rocketry, and orbits. The whole idea of the existence beyond earth fascinates me, so I think I would really like that class.

In addition, an elective is required each semester, totaling in 8 electives.

Electives come from the following fields:

• Contempory Societies
• Human Diversity
• Foreign Language
• Historical Context
• Ideals & Values
• Literature & Arts
• United States Context

TED

1. What is TED organization about?
----The TED program is devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and wants to bring technology, entertainment, and design together. Its web site has tons of videos about new and bright ideas.

2. What is the purpose of their website and how does the functionality of their site support that?
----The purpose of the site is to spread ideas that are revolutionary and inetesting. The website is comprised of tons of videos of prefessional's talks about these ideas.

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.
----I would say that "Technology" and "Design" categories are most relevant to our class. Engineering is all about reinventing designs and making them better, and technology can be a way to do that.

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.

• "Breakthrough Designs for ultra low-cost products" is one because part of engineering is making products cheaper and easier to produce.
• "Using Natue in architecture" is intersesting because some animals and plants have such great desings that allow them to survive, and if some of those designs could be put to architecture it could make buildings much stronger and efficeient.
• "Haiti's engineering disaster" is also interesting because the earthquake, although it was bad, wouldn't have caused as uch damage if Hait's buildings would have been better built.

Michael Pawlyn says some really interesting things in his video.

• he says that in nature lots of things are in closed loops. We should intergrate this into our lives               ------ For Example, we should have restraunts with their own ponds, greenhouses, and and waste centers. The greenhouses create plants which can be used for food, ponds which are stocked with fish and fed worms from greenhouse. And waste centers that get rid of trash and create electricity while doing so.
• We need to switch from fossil fuels to solar. The sun gives us 10,000X the energy than we create from all forms. Thats a lot of potential energy that can be harvested.

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?
----It might be hard to get involved with these things at my age, but I'd like later on. Maybe some knowledge in environmental sciences would help me with this. And this is a huge field right now as we are starting to switch to a "green" society.

3.1.1 Outputs and Inputs

• A while ago we did Activity 3.1.1 which went over outputs, inputs, digital and analog switches.

Some of the main questions from the packet include:

• potentiometer ranges from 43-5000
• you are able to change to direction/speed of motors by right clicking on them. OR you can change the direction by switching the wiring.
• Reed switches are used to detect magnetic fields, like the field emitted by the electromagnet.
• the reed switch behaves normally open.
• Photoresistors' inputs become lower the closer they get to the lamp.
• Phototransistors' inputs become higher as they get closer to the lamp.
• The phototransistor's function can be switched by just changing the program.

Questions:

1. Describe how mini switch diagram relates to concept of normally open or closed??

----The miniswitch's wiring diagram is simple, line with a circle indicates it moves, and lines indicate lines of power. Thus it is noramlly closed where the line makes a complete circuit, and it is normally open when there is a break in the line.

2.How is computer able to interpret the analog signals from interface??

--- A computer can interpret analog signals because it converts them to digital and then using its intelligence can convert back to analog.

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

---The resistance decreases as the resistor gets warmer because the higher the temp, the easier it is for current to flow.

Subprograms

• Today we learned a new feature of ROBO PRO, Subprograms. They allow you to enter a subprogram into a main program.

• This is helpful because while you are doing one function, you can simultaneously be running something, but still only have one flowchart.

• .To the right is the main program with BUZZ nestled in it. To the bottom is my subprogram, BUZZ.

=

Super Bowl Ad- Doritos

This Doritos commercial is probably my favorite out of them all. I thought it was hilarious and witty. Although very funny, it cost Doritos a lot of money. $2.8 million to $3.0 million for a 30 second ad. So the question is, how many bags of chips would they have to sell in order to make up for that cost??


If the avarage cost of a 12 oz. bag of Doritos is $3.00, and lets say it cost them $ 1.75 per bag to manufacture and ship to the selling location. (NOT EXACT #'s) Then the company would make $1.25 per bag.

So that means Doritos would have to sell 24,000,000 bags of chips to compensate for the commercial. Considering 111 million viewers watched the superbowl, I think that the ad will pay off soon enough.

Robo Pro: Variables, Branch Sections, etc..

Today we learned how to create programs on the ROBO Pro software that involve branches and variables. The variable tool is very helpful.

My program above turns on a light for 2 seconds. That counts as one time. This program keeps repeating until it happens 5 times total. The variable tool helped to get rid of unnecessary lines that made the flowchart messy.

Activity 3.1.4

Today, Wednesday, we used ROBO PRo once again. Today we started working with switches and it actually became a little harder. We got it under control and were able to do it. Here is our picture of a light with a potentiometer. When you turn the potentiometer, the light will turn on. Pretty cool stuff.

My team consisted of Ryan, Nick, and I. Although we used the software on my computer, we all helped to built the module and take pictures. I think all of us made an even contribution.

?'s.

1. Describe why it is important to include branches in programs

-----It is important to include branches in your program because if you want to be able to turn things on and off, you need to have switches and branches in your program.

2. Describe an everyday application of a normally open switch that has not been given as an example.

 ----An everyday application of an open switch is a railroad switch. When you turn the switch it changes to a different track.

3. Describe an everyday application of a normally closed switch that has not been given as an example.

------A normally closed switch would be a faucet. When you open the faucet the water will flow.

Activity 3.1.3

Today using the ROBO pro software Ryan,Nick and I did activity 3.1.3. It instructed us to just create a simple design to make a motor work....but we chose to expand a little bit. We ended up creating a mini "light show" with the buzzer for sound effects.

For the conclusion questions, 1. The best way to make sure all devices are in correct port is to just look at the ROBO PRO controller and make sure they are in the correct thing, like M1 or M2 or L1 so on and so forth.

2. The importance of labeling blocks is to make sure you don't get confused about whats going on.

Activity 3.1.2a

Today, Thursday, we created a flowchart using Microsoft Word. I haven't created a flowchart before so this is a new experience for me. Actually it is a very easy task. Below is my flowchart.

And here is another:

Questions:

1. How is flowcharting similar to using a map to plan a route for a trip?

--- Flowcharting is very similar to using a map for a trip. You start at the beginning and follow the road (arrows in chart) until you get to a checkpoint. Then you follow another road to somewhere else. If at the end you are at the correct place, you stop. If not, then you turn around and take another route to try to get to your destination.

2. Describe a process that you perform every day. Develop a flowchart that illustrates the process.

--I'm going to do a flowchart for my getting up process in the morning.  Here it is::

Content Is KING

 To me, traveling is very important and lots of fun. I love to travel and experience the different cultures and foods and people.


There are tons of traveling blogs out there, but i found one that i particuraly like. It's called Gadling http://www.gadling.com/ and has everything you need to know.


If in the future I most likely won't be a blogger, but who knows maybe i will. If i am, either travel, family life, or sports will be by subjects

Units!!

Distance- Meter
Time- Seconds
Mass- kg
area- meters squared
velocity-meters per second
density- kg/meters cubed
gravity- meters/second squared
force- Newton: kgXm/second squared
energy-  Joule: (kgXm/second squared) X meter
power- watts :  (kgXm^2) / (seconds^3)

Tennis Ball Activity

On Wednesday, we completed a tennis ball activity. I wasn't there, but Ryan filled me in on  what went down. The challenge was to have everyone touch the trennis ball in the least amount of time. Our team chose to pass the ball around the circle. Both teams executed well and pretty much tied. I think we would both do the same thing over again. This activity reinforced teamwork and was lots of fun.

Lost At Sea Overview

On Wednesday I was absent so I couldn't partake in this activity with my team. I returned on Thursday and did do the activity. We were given a list of 15 items and needed to decide which would be most important and which would not be, ranking the items 1-15. My items went

1. 25 liter water
2. Case of army rations
3. 20 sq. ft. of plastic sheeting
4. 15 ft. nylon rope
5. fishing kit
6. mosquito netting

7.shaving mirror

8. shark repellent

9. 2 boxes chocolate

10. 10 litre can of oil/petrol

11. small transistor radio

12. floating seat cushion

13. one bottle 160% proof rum

\14. Maps of pacific Ocean
15. sextant

I chose the 25 litre can of water as #1 because i figured in order to survive any length, you will need water.
At number2 I chose a case of army rations, because if I am out on the water for a few days, hunger will come and I will need to eat food eventually. For my #15 i chose a sextant. I don't have any maps of the stars, and i can't manuevre my boat anyways.

My group chose pretty much the same order as I did, so there reaaly isn't much to say as far as differences go. Although i wasn't there, I bet our group worked well together and worked effectively.

I was actually surprised by the experts' rankings. My rankings were quite off compared to theirs. I was surprised by their #1 and #2 rankings of mirror and oil/petrol mix. Their theory is that those things could be used for signaling which could be used for rescue. Their rankings were more for getting rescued, while mine were more towards water, food, and lasting the longest.