Energy Transfer Machine on Video Competition SECME Teacher Workshop University of Central Florida September 22, 2018

Engineer, Inventor, Cartoonist Rube Goldberg Rube Goldberg was an engineer, inventor and cartoonist….however he is most well-known now for the comical ‘machines’ that are named after him. As a child, Rube loved to draw. But his father wanted him to get a good job, so he urged him to get a degree in engineering. Rube did, and graduated from the Univ of California (Berkeley), and went to work with the city of San Francisco in their water department. However, engineering as a career didn’t suit him, and he quit after six months to take a job as a cartoonist, landing within a year in NYC at the New York Evening Mail where he ended up making $50,000 a year by 1915! (1883 – 1970) Engineer, Inventor, Cartoonist

Rube Goldberg received the Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for a cartoon about the war. Although a lot of his cartoons were specific to the events of his time, his cartoon ‘machines’ still speak to us today. (We continually make things more difficult than they need to be!) Rube Goldberg designs are meant to show the unnecessary complexities in machines

Webster’s definition of ‘Rube Goldberg’ Rube Goldberg is the only person listed in the Webster dictionary as an adjective. His name is also trademarked, that is why our competition is named the Energy Transfer Machine! A comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously contrived to perform a simple operation

How does your class turn off a light? Insanity Kontraption

How to get started Select -- An end goal Theme Size Materials Gather ideas (Check out this and this) Make a rough plan! Major components Secondary components Connectors Video 1 – complex, great tricks, but it wasn’t recorded in one run—each ‘scene’ is separate! Video 2 – all one run except fortune cookie message spliced in so specific message could be chosen. CUT 2nd VIDEO OFF WHEN FORTUNE COOKIE CRUSHES

Use large or unusual objects Major Components Build major and secondary components separately and then ‘string’ them together with connectors Use large or unusual objects

Major Components Make it showy!

Secondary Components Used between major components to make the machine ‘run’ longer…and to show off your skill!

Connectors Used between major and secondary components with things like dominoes, toy cars or marbles

Pick something ‘simple’ to do in a wacky, End Event This is the official end of the timing…..try to get it as close to 1 minute as possible (10 points in scoring!) Pick something ‘simple’ to do in a wacky, innovative way

Building and Testing Test each major and secondary component separately Modify until they work at least 90% of the time Link them together with connectors Test and modify! Watch this behind the scenes video Use ‘safety gaps’ during set up Don’t get discouraged! Clean up your design Add thematic and artistic elements Add humor! Test each step individually before connecting them together This is the hardest part – don’t get discouraged

Lights, Camera, Action! Start planning early how to shoot the video Team introduction and machine explanation may be edited Machine run must be shot in one continuous recording Plan where camera operator will stand & move to get a clear shot of the action Note--none of the previous videos were done in ‘one shot’ – it is not as easy as it seems!

Energy Transfer Machine (on Video) Rules The machine shall: Have a minimum of 5 steps (hopefully many more!) Perform a team specified event at the 1 minute mark (or as close as you can get!) Use the electricity from (1) AA battery in a useful way Be videotaped to show its performance from start to finish Be prepared to explain your machine and its energy transfers to the judges

Energy Transfer Machine (on Video) Rules The machine cannot: use any actual timing devices be designed, assembled or fabricated by anyone other than student team members have any other electrical production devices except one AA battery use animals, profanity, hazardous materials, flames, explosives, etc.

Energy Transfer Machine (on Video) Rules The team: must all contribute to building the machine may not use non-team members in video or audio must have at least 2 members interview with the judges the day of the event Note: Assisting the machine during the run will result in a deduction of points. However, it is better to ‘nudge’ the machine than submit an incomplete run.

Psst…….here’s the secrets! Winning Tips Psst…….here’s the secrets!

Too much of a ‘good’ thing Make it interesting Too much of a ‘good’ thing

Use a ‘slower’ transfer to ‘stretch out’ the action Make it go for 1 minute Use a ‘slower’ transfer to ‘stretch out’ the action

Use a theme Coke vs. Pepsi

Here’s one from last year! 2018 SECME Entry Carillon Elementary