Invention Convention Workshop 2009

Deciding what road to travel down Today, the term Rube Goldberg is used to signify anything done in an overly complicated or round- about manner. Resembles the “Mousetrap” game Approximately 10 steps Original idea! An invention that makes life easier. 1. Recreation 2. Household 3. Environmental Original InventionRube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg's cartoons are incredible displays of ingenuity, detailed logic, physics and satire. He poked fun at the many complicated inventions that were available at the beginning of the century, and at the round-about methods people devised for solving their problems.

Example of a Rube Goldberg Cartoon: How to Keep Shop Windows Clean Passing man (A) slips on banana peel (B) causing him to fall on rake (C) As handle of rake rises it throws horseshoe (D) onto rope (E) which sags, thereby tilting sprinkling can (F) Water (G) saturates mop (H) Pickle terrier (I) thinks it is raining, gets up to run into house and upsets sign (J) throwing it against non-tipping cigar ash receiver (K) which causes it to swing back and forth and swish the mop against window pane, wiping it clean. If man breaks his neck by fall move away before cop arrives.

Example of a Rube Goldberg Invention: 13 Steps to Turn a Page in a Book 1. Turn the handle on a toy cash register to open the drawer. 2. The drawer pushes a golf ball off a platform, into a small blue funnel, and down a ramp. 3. The falling golf ball pulls a string that releases the magic school bus (carrying a picture of Rube Goldberg) down a large blue ramp. 4. Rube's bus hits a rubber ball on a platform, dropping the ball into a large red funnel. 5. The ball lands on a mousetrap (on the orange box) and sets it off. 6. The mousetrap pulls a nail from the yellow stick. 7. The nail allows a weight to drop. 8. The weight pulls a cardboard "cork" from an orange tube. 9. This drops a ball into a cup. 10. The cup tilts a metal scale and raises a wire. 11. The wire releases a ball down a red ramp. 12. The ball falls into a pink paper basket. 13. The basket pulls a string to turn the page of the book!

Original Invention Different Categories: 1. Recreation 2. Environmental 3. Household

Step 1: Finding an Idea Think about something people need in order to make life better. Talk to people about something they would like to see changed. Then tell about it on a special sheet of paper called "My New Idea." (Journal) Step 2: Research and Planning Use your plan to make an invention or write about how your invention would help to solve a problem. Use the internet to make sure that your idea has never been invented. Step 3: Developing and Testing Test your invention or your plan. Make sure it works and is safe to use. Tell about your invention. Draw a picture of it in your journal.

“The Automatic Milk Dispenser” “The Automatic Dog Washer” Examples of Original Inventions:

What’s the Difference? Rube Goldberg: Journal Display Board Official Application Most of the time will be spent “tinkering” with the project and working out the “kinks”! (Lots of trial and error) Original Invention: Journal Display Board Official Application Most of the time will be spent on researching and making sure the “idea” has not been invented and field testing your idea!

Journaling

Journal/Log Suggestions Use a spiral notebook or binder that allows you to keep up with your ideas. Make sure that you document all of your ideas! (This shows the judges you are thinking.) Make sure that you date every entry and get your parents to sign and date every entry. Use detailed drawing or pictures. (If you use photographs, make sure that you label them.)

Research Remember to show that you have searched, high and low to show that this is an original idea! Look in catalogs, stores, and on the Internet to see if you can find a similar invention. Ask your family members, friends, and classmates if they have ever seen anything like your invention. Document your field testing with pictures and have them complete a survey about your idea.

Board Designs Suggestions: Use Rubber Cement! Make sure that your board is NEAT! Express your creativity! Use a variety of products for your board:computer designs, surveys photographs, samples, drawings, etc.