1. Corali Ferrer Yvonne Pelham 14-15 November 2010
TISP:
Spain and Portugal September 2010
Build a Better Candy Bag Build Your Own Robot Arm Critical Load Working With Wind Energy Activities
Corali Ferrer
Yvonne Pelham
14-15 November 2010

2. Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator
Build a Better Candy Bag
Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator

3. Learning Objectives Problem Solving:
Recognize and apply geometric ideas in areas outside of the mathematics classroom
Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies
Communication:
Communicate mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others

4. Candy For Sale Loads of Candy
Owners want a new candy bag that is attractive and more functional than the one they currently use.

5. 5
Design Objective
Design and implement a candy bag using the available materials
Limit of 1 meter of tape per group of 2
The bag is to be hand carried
The bag is to be sturdy, functional and aesthetically pleasing
A design with unusual shape or “twist” is highly desirable

6. Outline and Procedures (1)6
Divide into teams of two (2), Agree on a name for your team
Brainstorm and create a sketch of a design of a candy bag
Build a model of your design with given materials: a limit of 1 meter of tape per team
Material bags for teams to build…

7. Candy Bag 2 sheets of plastic Tape Twine/String Available Materials
Material bags for teams to build…

8. Outline and Procedures (2)8
Outline and Procedures (2)
Predict how much weight the bag might hold
Test the strength of your bag
Only after all sketches and calculations were complete

9. Outline and Procedures (3)9
Outline and Procedures (3)
Discuss and agree upon a redesigned bag
Provide a sketch and estimate of weight to be carried
Answer reflection questions as a team

10. Reflection Questions What was one thing you liked about your design?10
Reflection Questions
What was one thing you liked about your design?
What is one thing you would change about your design based on your experience?
How did the materials provided impact your design?
How might you incorporate this activity into your classroom instruction?

11. Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator
Build Your Own Robotic Arm
Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator

12. Learning Objectives Learn about technological design
Use mathematical calculations for design
Learn about motion and force
Practice communication skills through written and oral exercises
European Robotic Arm

13. Robot Arm International Space Station
Europe, through ESA, is one of the five partners (NASA, Russian Federal Space Agency, ESA, JAXA, CSA) contributing to the development of the International Space Station. The European Robot Arm (ERA) is one such contribution.
ERA acts as a tool for:
Installation, deployment and replacement of elements of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station,
Inspection of the Russian Segment,
Support/transfer of EVA cosmonauts,
Transfer of Orbital Replacement Units and other assembly tasks.
Main Contractor: Dutch Space (Leiden, The Netherlands), leading a consortium of many
subcontractors

14. Robot Arm The European Robot Arm
Large symmetrical robotic arm with 7 degrees of freedom
The arm consists of 2 End Effectors, 2 Wrists, 2 Limbs and 1 Elbow joint together with electronics and cameras. Both ends act as either a “hand” for the robot or the base from which it can operate.

15. Robot Arm We will build a robot arm from simple materials
Building the European Robotic Arm
We will build a robot arm from simple materials
The arm must pick up a plastic cup from a distance of 45cm
Lift the cup to a height of at least 15cm
Bring the cup back to rest and release it
Pick up cup upside down

16. You cannot get any closer than 45cm to the cup at any time
Robot Arm
You cannot get too close…
Robot Arm
Student
Cup
45cm
You cannot get any closer than 45cm to the cup at any time

17. Robot Arm Available Materials Wire Paper clips Cardboard Short pencils
Clothespins
Tape
Ice Cream sticks
Paper fasteners
Rubber bands
Binder clips
Material bags for teams to build…

18. Robot Arm Outline and Procedures Divide into teams of two (2)
Review the requirements
Discuss a solution and create a sketch of your design
Build a model of your design with given materials
Test your model
Material bags for teams to build…

19. Robot Arm Redesign after testing Discuss and agree upon a redesign
If needed after testing, or to enhance the previous design
Answer reflection questions as a team

20. Robot Arm Design requirements
The arm must pick up a plastic cup from a distance of 45cm
Lift the cup to a height of at least 15cm
Bring the cup back to rest and release it
Lift and release the cup when it is upside down

21. Robot Arm Reflection Questions
What was one thing you liked about your design? What is its main weakness?
What is one thing you would change about your design based on your experience
Are there algebraic and physical principles that can be applied to this activity?
How would you modify the instructions to create a better experience for the participants?

22. Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator
Critical Load
Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator

23. Learning Objectives Learn about structural engineering
Learn how to reinforce the design of a structure to hold more weight.
Use mathematical calculations for testing
Practice communication skills through written and oral exercises

24. Critical Load Great Structures of the World Millau Viaduct
Millau, France
World’s Tallest Bridge
2460m long 434m pylon height 270m road height
December, 2004

25. Critical Load Great Card Structures of the World Skyscraper of Cards
2010 World Record House of Cards
Made of 218,792 cards, measuring 10.39m long, 2.88m tall and wide. No glue or tape; just cards
Built by Bryan Berg in 2010
Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel in Macau, China, on 10 March 2010.

26. Critical Load What is Critical Load? Force is placed on a structure
Structure can support up to a certain force created by the weight
At a certain point, the structure will fail, breaking
The maximum force the structure can sustain before failure is known as the “Critical Load”
Force
Force

27. Critical Load Efficiency
A high critical load is not the only parameter to consider
Is the best bridge made by filling a canyon with concrete? It certainly would have a high critical load!
Consider also the weight of the structure
Lighter is better, given the same critical load
These two parameters are combined in an “Efficiency Rating”:

28. Critical Load Your Turn Groups of 2 Up to 10 cards + 1m tape
Devise a plan to build a load bearing structure
Should have a flat top
Support load with base area of 10x10cm at least 8 cm above the table
No altering of cards allowed – just tape!
No wrap-ups of tape
Tape is used to connect cards only

29. Critical Load Your Turn
Your efficiency rating: [Load at Failure] / [# of cards used]
Predict what the rating of your design will be
Build your design
Test it!
Discuss improvements, then repeat exercise for a second design

30. Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator
Working With
Wind Energy
Corali Ferrer R9 TISP Coordinator

31. Learning Objectives Learn about wind energy conversion
Design a wind turbine
Construct the wind turbine
Test the wind turbine
Evaluate Performance

32. A Wind Turbine The wind hits the blades…
Shaft leads to a gearbox whose output leads to a generator to make electricity
Usually has 2 or 3 blades
WIND

33. SEP 2010

34. Many blade designs

35. Your Challenge Design, construct and test your own wind turbine design
Lift weight – 15 cm as quickly as possible
Maximum 1 minute
No human interaction!
Blowdryer at least 30cm away from turbine
> 1ft, 30cm

36. Turbine Requirements
Must have a rotor shaft around which to wind up given weight
Must be freestanding (no human interaction)
Must use only materials provided
> 1ft, 30cm

37. Test Procedure Blowdryer at least 30 cm away from turbine
No human interaction with turbine
Attach weight around rotor
Up to 1 minute to wind up weight for 15cm
Record time to wind up weight
> 1ft, 30cm

38. Materials wooden sticks aluminum foil, plastic wrap bendable wire
tape,
string
wooden dowels
paperclips
paper, cardboard
rubber bands
Toothpicks

39. Procedure Teams of two (2) Develop and sketch your design
Construct initial design
Preliminary test
Modify design, if necessary
Final test

40. Evaluate Your Design Efficiency of design may depend on
Cost of materials
Speed (rotations per minute)
Power (time to wind weight)
Possible measure of efficiency:
Eff. = (Cost of materials) / (time [sec] to lift weight)
Are two designs that have the same rotational speed equally as “good”?