Creative engineering : segp
Creative engineering is quite self explanatory, it is literally creative engineering. However on a more serious note, creative engineering is the way engineers use their creativity to solve problems no matter how big or how small. World problems range from energy inefficiency to how to keep soup warm. My group and I have decided to tackle a serious threat to humanity as we know it...tangled headphones. In this latest edition of STEM physics, watch as Spencer Shifs, Patrick Heslip, Grace Olson, and Eric Cheng take this problem head on.
Brainstorming
Our original plan was not to deal with tangled headphones, but rather to deal with a way to get electricity from a new source. This source would be LIGHTNING...unfortunately we realized it wouldn't work since lightning strikes a tiny point with so much energy we wouldn't be able to store it. Besides, the bolt of lightning would most likely fry the electronics we would have used in our harnessing device. We also tried to create a way to make pencil lead harder to break, this too did not work because we did not have enough knowledge on such matters and it would have been hard to create our own lead.
Though we realized our plan would not work, we decided we could deal with a problem closer to home, tangled headphones. 1 in 3 americans use headphones and its a pain when they make knots and tangle up. So we came up with a device that could prevent this. Thus we set out to bring our design to life.
Though we realized our plan would not work, we decided we could deal with a problem closer to home, tangled headphones. 1 in 3 americans use headphones and its a pain when they make knots and tangle up. So we came up with a device that could prevent this. Thus we set out to bring our design to life.
the engineering design cycle
The engineering design cycle is the basis of all projects and the order engineers generally follow.
1.Identify problem:tangled headphones.
2.Research problem:we discovered 1 in 3 Americans own headphones.
3.Develop possible solutions:we decided to make the SEGP.
4.Select best solution:SEGP was the obvious choice.
5.Build prototype:SEGP was built from cheap and reliable materials.
6.Test prototype: SEGP works 99% of the time.
7.Communicate design:We spread the ways of SEGP through a presentation.
8.Redesign: N/A
9.Repeat cycle: N/A
1.Identify problem:tangled headphones.
2.Research problem:we discovered 1 in 3 Americans own headphones.
3.Develop possible solutions:we decided to make the SEGP.
4.Select best solution:SEGP was the obvious choice.
5.Build prototype:SEGP was built from cheap and reliable materials.
6.Test prototype: SEGP works 99% of the time.
7.Communicate design:We spread the ways of SEGP through a presentation.
8.Redesign: N/A
9.Repeat cycle: N/A
Construction
To build our device nicknamed S.E.G.P (Spencer, Eric, Grace, Patrick) we used a tape measurer that we cracked in half, some plastic tubing, and hot glue, lots and lots of hot glue. We first started with the half tape measurer, then we used hot glue to attach the small piece of pipe to the inside of the measurer. We then drilled a hole into the pipe so we could insert the insert part of the headphones into the insert part of the pipe, much insert. If we had more time to work on the project, we would have used a small motor to spin the pipe so you wouldn't have to spin it by hand. We could have done this if we hadn't lost two days worth of work to a storm which in fact was rather underestimated... Our final product is rather cheap even with the motor. It's store price is around $10. It is simple and more robust than some of the existing designs out on the market.
Reflection
My group worked well with one another since we all knew one another to varying degrees. One of our problems was trying to settle on a final project. First we wanted to make pencil lead that is harder to break, harnessing lightning to power homes, and finally...the fixing of tangled headphones. Secondly, we all had great ideas on what to do and it was hard figuring out something we all could unanimously agree on. However despite this, we all knew which parts of the project we would work on such as blueprints, construction, etc. This led to us having more than enough time to finish our project. All in all, this is one of the better groups I have worked with so far in the year. The project was also great since we had a relative amount of freedom with our designs and prototypes.