Marking the start of the school year,
today was our first day in Dr. Neato's
Engineering class. We started with general
introductions to the class and our second
teacher, Mr. Miller.
Neato showed us his website, drneato.com, which
we would be referring to often. He explained some of
projects we can expect
in the future including Wednesday challenges,
a personal website, and building a skateboard. We
were shown this promotional video produced by Neato
and some of the veterans.
Because of the implementation of two teachers,
the class is able to accommodate more students.
Though, because of the large size we were divided
into two groups to be more manageable. one group,
consisting of class veterans, went with Mr. Miller.
Those of us new to the class stayed behind in a group
with Neato to learn about our classmates. Dr.
Neat believes it necessary for us to know each other's
names since we will be having a class together for the
next year, so we played "the name game". We all stood
in a line and recited the names of all the people that
came before us.
Our first homework assignment is to go to Dr. Neat's
website and print out the class syllabus to get signed by Thursday.
The class rules can be found here.
After being in Neato's group, it was time for us to switch to Mr. Miller's. He showed us around the shop and explained what some of the larger equipment was for. While we were being taught proper safety tips, Jacob was slowly calling us up to receive our computer number and login information. I was given computer 31.
As it is the first Wednesday of the school year, Neato took this opportunity to introduce the class to Wednesday Challenges. Every week we will be given a single class period to come up with solutions to a problem. We will have to fill out forms on our process to upload to our website. The first challenge is to build a bridge using 20 pieces of spaghetti. This particular challenge will take a little longer so we will be given 6 days to complete it with our group.
Spaghetti Bridge RulesToday, when we all walked in, the chairs had been moved into groups of four. Instead of sitting down, we were told to stand in the back and wait to be put into a group. Each group was given a veteran and three others, and once we were sorted we were to start working on bridge concepts. My group didn't get much done today.
As we were previously introduced to the idea of creating a website, now was the time to learn how. Neato explained how we should be writing a journal entry of sorts every day about what we did in class. To do this we started with a blank Notepad++ page and he walked us through the use of div tags. It was really very interesting learning how to code a website from scratch, though we only know the basics right now so they look pretty bland.
Neato continued his explanation of html. We learned how to make a link and a trick to improve your website. If you see something you like online you can left click to view source code. This enables us to advance without instruction. I helped out some classmates that were struggling.
Neato had us open up SketchUp for the first time. To start off we fiddled around with some of the tools, familiarizing ourselves with the program. Neato showed us the orbit and fan tools, which are used for orienting your design. We took a look at a Sketch Up file from Neato's website, a skateboard press that his son Leo designed. We were supposed to convert it into a 2D visual, but for some reason the images kept coming out as just a skeleton. Here's what I got:
Not everyone's website has gone live, so Neato wanted to do a review on how to upload to FileZilla. I was asked to "drive", and we went over the process several times so the other students would be prepared when they get their passwords and usernames. There were a few students that had individual questions so I helped to answer them when Neato was busy.
As we have been working on our websites, the veterans
have been working on the JPL Invention Challenge. Today
the veteran group briefed us on this year's challenge. The
goal is to get as much water possible in the least amount
of time possible from a cup on the ground to an elevated
vessel. They explained a few of the concept designs they
had for potential solutions. Some of the more noteworthy
concepts were: the Kevin Arm, the Overhead Track, and the
Gimble.
We were also introduced to Mr.
Wilton, father of the notorious Wilton Blocks. He spoke
of his business Mechanical Concepts
and his contributions to the film industry.
Today we are in our groups again for the spaghetti bridge
After working on our bridges for so long, we are all finally ready to compete! Many of the bridges had similar designs, leading me to believe that particular design is simply the best for this task. The bridges were first weighed by Kevin, who relayed the weight to Mr. Miller to be recorded. Then one person placed the bridge on the cinderblocks and attached the milk jug. Cole slowly added water until the bridge broke. Lastly, the jug was passed back to Kevin to be weighed and recorded. The bell rung right as we were finishing up the last group, so the winner was not announced but I think we won. Spaghetti Bridge WC
Mr. Miller showed us the scores of the bridges today! My group came in second by a measly .5, which was a little disappointing... Connor's group won with 13 points. After the big reveal Neato instructed us on how to finish our first Wednesday challenge form. But unfortunately, my computer is still broken so I was given a replacement. For now I will be using number 40, which was having some troubles. I took a while to get it booted up and it crashed before I was able to save. D:< All the scores can be found here.
Time for another Wednesday Challenge... We were all put into new groups for the first one day challenge. Then once we were all settled, Neato told us a story about a girl whose picture is on the wall and the question she was posed during an interview. The question regarding a machine to detect a cat v. a dog became the basis for today's goal. We were to write three sentences describing how to achieve this and submit it to Mr. Miller. Apparently, the girl Neato spoke of will be deciding the winner. It wasn't a particularly hard challenge, but two of my group members wouldn't participate, making a little troublesome. Overall, I think our idea was the pretty creative: differentiating using dew claw position. Cat v. Dog Wedesday Challange
Today's Wednesday challenge was "the easiest and hardest challenge" to quote Mr. Miller, though to be honest I don’t think it was harder than the spaghetti bridge. We were supposed to be cutting a block as close to 2 inches as possible. My group first measured with a ruler, then put our block into the vice to saw. To get our measurement as accurate as possible, I sanded the ends. It turns out that the bendy rules Neato bought aren't very accurate, so our score was pretty off. Not to mention I may have sanded at an angle, because not all of our lengths were the same...
We were given another day to work on this week's Wednesday challenge. As my group only got one done yesterday, we took today to do our second block. Again, we all sort of took turns sawing the block so that everyone got a chance. I sanded afterwards, and we improved our score significantly since I wasn't measuring with the cheap bendy ruler.
The veterans were apparently given short notice to make a device
to transport a water cup without touching the cup. This exorcise was
meant to reinvigorate ideas for the JPL challenge, and served as a
quasi Wednesday challenge. First the veterans introduced their
inventions (mostly consisting of duct tape and pvc), and then they took
them outside to test. I was timing and recording scores. All of them
were disqualified, because the fish didn't make it into the cup. Here
are some videos courtesy of ma boi Alex.
Instead of our regularly scheduled class, today we had a visitor. Megan Mussor came to talk to us about Skillify, an internship program that helps prepare students for college. I was sort of interested in applying, but I don't know... she just kind of bugged me.
Unlike past Wednesday challenges where we were in group, the whole class was divided in half. We were told that we would be trying to get a marble into a bucket with a few halved PVC pipes. Each person was to hold a pipe to guide the marble down the line, and then pass the pipe to the first person without one. We were not allowed to touch the pipes together or overlap. It was actually a team work exorcise disguised as a race. Because of all the built up frustration, when someone would drop the marble there was quite a bit of negative comments. Although there were some hurt feelings, my team won. We could all learn a little from the experience.
Marble RaceNeato is going to be grading our websites soon so we took the day to go over the rubric. Alex also taught us how to embed a video, but there were a few complications so Kirk ended up showing us how to do it properly. I swear he is some kind of genius when it comes to html. Big thanks to him for helping me format my website! Also the video I have embedded is called You Are Two and it explains the Split Brain experiments. Not really related to engineering, but it is very interesting.
Some of the veterans have made prototypes for their inventions. Kevin showed us the 'Kevin Arm' CAD that he made in AutoDesk. It was well designed and detailed, but because he was working on it so long he couldn't make a prototype. Sam's overhead track has had some obvious modifications, some at the suggestion of Mr. Wilton. There were also some modifications to the communal funnel so that it would work a little smoother. The veterans seem to be progressing nicely. I didn't get to pay much attention to the end as I was pulled away to help some other students with their websites.
My weekend was an utter waste. I had all these plans to be productive,
but what did I do? Sleep the entire time...So angry at myself! I wish I
could say that I at least got up for food, but no, there was absolutely
no food in the house. Ugh, well at least I got a little laundry done.
Here is a picture a dog that makes me happy.
Our websites were graded for a second time over the weekend. In class, Neato went over some of the more well done websites which included Erin's website Apparently, many of us had broken links and missing pictures. Unfortunately, I was one of them. I'll just have to make it a habit to stay up to date with my website.
After a few regular one day challenges, Neato told us that we will be doing another long one. And that's not all... its another bridge. We were not given a lot of instruction, and instead just reffered to the rules on neato's website. We are to build an arch bride using blocks of a material determind by the individual groups, with no adhesives. My group (Alex, Zach, and Aron) tried asking about other forms of connections such as pegs, magnets, and velcro but we were told that our would violate the rules. For the rest of the period we brainstormed.
The veterans did their usual thing... Keilah and Conner finally got time to show their dump truck invention.
We have two days left until the challenge is over and my group has yet to produce a physical bridge. Aren is going to cut some 1.5 inch wood blocks for us to work with in class tomorrow.
We watched a video from Boston Dynamics about a human-like autonomus robot. The challage is over,
so Neato announced the reasults.
Arch Bridge WC
To start class we watched a video by Cymatics that was suggested by Conner.
After the video, the veterans left and some rookies were called to the shop with Mr. Miller. Us remaining
opened up SketchUp and reviewed how to make a Jenga block. After we made a new Jenga block Neato showed us how
to change the whole thing into a a composite, which was used to make a staircase. While everyone was still getting
things done i built a Jenga tower.
To start class we watched a video by Cymatics that was suggested by Conner.
Neato will be checking websites at the end of the week, so we were given a few minutes
at the start of class to update and finish the SketchUp designs we have been working on. I
already had by staircase done but i still had to do the card. Although it was only required
to make correct rounded corners, I tried to make all the other decoritive bits. It didn't go
so well so here's a bland looking card...
After that we were supposed to make a pencil.
Mr. Miller talked to us about the last wednesday challange and we learned about how it relates to buisness. We
also learned about the grave of the unknown soldier in Washington DC. The challange results can be found
here.
Right Angle Wedesday Challange
Today I will be leaving for England, but I had to go to school to get all my classes settled for the next week. I had to finish a clay mask in my 1st period ceramics class, or my project would have been too dry to finish by the time i got back. I also had to take an AP psych test and turn in a homework packet. And, to make sure i don't miss out too much on my website i had to rush to get this lego SketchUp done:
It kind of sucked because Halloween is my favorite holiday, but i wasn't able to prepare a costume since i've been so busy with this whole wedding thing.After all that was finished, I went home to pack. We left for LAX around 4 and our plane left at 7:30. God, it was terrible... 8 hours in cramped little chairs with my dad snoring in my ears.
There was a 7 hour time shift, so by the time we landed it was 2:30pm in London. We took the tube to Victoria station and had to wander around a bit to find our hotel, the Holly House. The name makes this place sound really charming but, in reality it was absolutly dreadful! The room was the size of a closet and the shower/bathroom was in the hallwayand shared by all the guests. Although i really didnt want to sleep there, the flight was exaughsting so my dad and I crashed out until around 8. When we both finnaly came to, we walked down the street to St. George's Tavern and ate meat pies. A man there heard us talking about Trump and we all started ranting about Engligh politics.
We decided to do a little sightseeing today so my dad and i walked to the Westminister Cathedral and
got a tour of all the chapel. Im not religous, but you cant help be feel sort of holy there. From there
we walked to Big Ben and the London Eye.
Right Angle Wedesday Challange
The veterans will be going to the JPL semi-finals over the weekened, so we did a final test in class. I was tasked with recording all the scores. Jacob's invention had some problems sucking up the fish so they were DQed. Keilah and Connor didn't have a working invetion so they were not able to participate. Sam and Cole got first place.
First day back after break... im not feeling too great. But life goes on I guess. Kevin taught us how to properly work the rotate tool on SketchUp. We made components and practiced on Jenga block models. We were instructed to make a model of our finished arch bridge, which is kind of backwards.
The veterans made a presentation on what happened at the compition. Sam and Cole's device got a DQ because the fish didn't make it into the cup. A cable that is ment to cable snagged on the cart so their cup was stopped to early. Kevin's device got a 18.38 sec score. His device worked as intended but a lot of the water spilled out so he got a 15 sec penalty. Jacob's group won the beoying award for innovation and some selfie sticks. Their invetion got DQed as well because their motorn wasn't powerful enough. And well... Keilah and Conner didn't go because their invention wasn't ready. Apparently there was a lot of of time to fool around afterwards, so they ended up trying to launch each other in the air.
So we started a two day challenge. Today we are making a SketchUp of a tower that will be made of marshmellows, pretzels, and graham crackers. I propsed a design that we tweaked a bit and then desided on. We had some difficulties with or model so we didn't really finish on time, but we got something out so that good. Our final design ended up being a little different since we had to rush. At the end of class Alvin got downloaded our SketchUp onto his flashdrive.
Today we are building another group's SketchUp. The one we got was totally unbuildable, so my group made up our own design. Sam allowed it since the model was a little unfair.
Sam an Co. announced the reasults today. The veterans made a chart explaining their decisions and how accurate our builds were. My group can in 4th.
So Neato finally announced what our final will be: the JPL challenge, but half the length. The goal is to get a better time than Kevin, which was about 18sec. If we do, then we get an A for the whole semester! It's kindo of a lot of pressure.
My group has a design idea that we have started building from cardboard that was rescued from the dumpster. After clean up, I was pretty shocked to find that my ceramic mask was dropped and shattered. Really wanted to cry, but whatever.
My group is progessing well: We have a SketchUp and a cardboard model being made. This challenge will be the death of me.
Just working on our final again. Monteh cut out some card board to scale for our model. we assembled the tube that will be transporting the bulk of the water.
My group didn't get too much done today. I think we were all just tired from the week. The final is due in 5 days, so im getting a little worried about time. I saw another team that is making a robot, their idea is very good and they are already done. Kirk also suggested a good idea for an invention, but it is too late to change our design.