Dec 23rd- Planning for Spring Term for Xplorers

Discussed plans for spring term of XPlorers-


Introductory Design Challenges
https://dschool.stanford.edu/groups/k12/wiki/332ff/Curriculum_Home_Page.html

Design Thinking

Design Process

• Projects Need regular Peer Review/critique

Plastics types/recycling/fleece

Upcycling

Composting

Making cloth items, etc.

Vision/Marketing

Logo Design-- the "What Next?"

Can we have a teaching model with distributed expertise-- problem design/prototyping/engineering/marketing?

Define skills we want students to have-
  Researching/independent learning
 critiques - positives/negatives, suggestions/connections

Dec 23rd- 101's- Wind turbines( continued)

Groups continued to assemble and test their designs.

The design below, by Sam, had 3 large blades based on the smaller prototype which had used helicopter blades. The blades did spin, but were not evenly balanced.

Below-- cup-shaped blades made from aluminum. Not clear whether the group had tested it.

Lego-based design had two sets of small blades. Not clear whether it has enough power to turn a motor.

Groups have focused almost entirely on fabrication, with very little actual testing of prototypes.

Are their rationale for design decisions grounded in reality?

Dec 23rd- 201's- electronics, wood planking, chain fixtures

Aquaponics group- attached 1x2's to the wall with expansion anchors.

Dis-assembled planking from pallets to make paneling. Oak was very difficult to cut. Will stain but will otherwise leave rough.

Speencer solder on right-angle connector onto LCD display. System should probably be re-designed once prototype design is finished.

Dec 23rd- 101's

Algae were moved to larger bottles. However, they seem to be dying off, turning a pale green. Discussion about feeding them over XMax break?. May have to be re-started after break.

Would seem to indicate the need for an automatic feeding system, etc.

Discussed  with Dr. T the option of having a larger growing system located in the Tiger Loft  with the plants group.....they will be presenting to the principal.

Dec 22nd- 201's--Fish feeder, lighting system, bike shelter

Fish feeder mechanism works as planned; however, fish flakes tend to get stuck in the narrow mouth of the hopper.

 Spencer experimented with using a vibration motor or stirring mechanism to prevent the clumping from occurring.

He may wait until we receive in the other type of fish food we will be using for the Tilapia.

Spencer also began experimenting with adding an LCD display to the system.

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HelloWorld

Bike Group-

Worked on 3D printing SketchUp model:

however, with very mixed success. Work proceeded on alternate modeling using art materials.

Aquaponics/Lighting System-

Aquaponics group began putting up brackets to hold chain supports for lighting fixtures:

Group also tried to cut up pallets for paneling; however, the wood( oak) was too hard for the battery-powered circular saw.

Discussed algae- may need to be moved to larger tanks.

Dec 22nd- Intro to Robotics class

Students were building RC controlled robots-

Mindsensors speed controller
http://www.mindsensors.com/ev3-and-nxt/32-psp-nx-combo-with-wireless-controller

Talon Motor Controllers
http://www.ctr-electronics.com/talon-srx.html

GEARS IDS Kit
http://www.gearseds.com/

Motor Controllers
http://www.gearseds.com/xipmod.html

Gears Educational Systems
105 Webster Street
Hanover, MA.
781-878-1512

Spektrum Dx5e 5-channel DSM System
http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPM5500

Netrox Mini 12V DC 60 RPM Motors
X000NDDBHT

GEARS parts List
http://www.gearseds.com/gears-ids_parts.html

Decide first--what are the knowledges and skills you want students to have when they graduate-i.e.:

• Ability to teach themselves
• Knowledge of how to use tools and test equipment
• etc

" Technical areas sometimes take second place to a "can-do" attitude, excellent communication skills, and the initiative required to teach oneself. Meetings with the Industry Advisory Board occur once per semester. Close ties with industry through the coop program, research and consulting, and alumni interactions provide valuable feedback on the program about the skill sets required to function in a working environment...."

Electronics based on UMAss Lowell sophomore electronics curriculum-
https://www.uml.edu/Engineering/Electrical-Computer/About/default.aspx

Dec 21st- 201's- Check Ins

201's gave project updates, based on blog entries:

Aquaponics:

Lighting Design - Aquaponics 12/21

Hi!

This week Jack and I have been brainstorming lighting ideas. We have been researching lighting that would be effective and easy to hang. Our main problem has been price. All of the best lights, as you could expect, cost a lot of money. Another problem we have been experiencing in how to hang the lights. We currently have two plans.

One plans is to use metal pipes on the side of the tank with a connecting pipe across the middle. we would then hang lights from either steel wire or metal chains. This plan would leave us with height restrictions for the lights and we don't know how structurally sound it would be.

The other plan is to hand a strong chain from wall to wall over the tank and hang one large light directly over the grow bed. This plan would work best with a powerful, large light to make sure that the light would hit the plants even from a greater height. The issue with this plan is that it would mean drilling and securing into both a concrete and plaster wall.

Neither plan is currently perfect, but hopefully we can continue to workshop the ideas until we reach something that will work.

Bye!
Maddie

Bike Group:

3D Printing Failure

This week our main goal was to fabricate our bike shelter with our 3d printer. We tried for a few days to do it but ended in failure in each attempt.

Our next step are to make a model of the bike shelter our of physical materials. The one disadvantage is the less than perfect scale of our materials.

We are also starting to assemble the list of materials we might need for the shelter.

Posted 10 hours ago by Andrew Dale

Aquaponics- Tank section:

Our grouping has shifted a little this week but we are all still on task. Currently, Eric and I are breaking down the pallets for the outside of the tank. Our final system is coming along nicely with Spencer working on the automatic fish food dispenser and Jack and Maddie working on the main system design. Our plan is to stain and/or paint the pallet boards then put them onto the outside of the tank.

Aquaponics- Fish Feeder:

Aquaponics

The automated fish feeder is done mechanically and is completely programmed. We are still working on some small jamming issues but other than that it is working. The delay in the program on an arduino is accurate enough over a day. Other than that, things are good.

See https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/Millis

See also: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BlinkWithoutDelay  for monitoring inputs while waiting for a time interval to pass.

Plastic Recycling-Toby:

Newer Penny board has a slight curve in it which improves the performance. However, difficult to make curve because the fusinizer is flat. Discussed options for making shapes- see http://steamcurriculum.weebly.com/longboards.html about Dartmouth longboard project, using vacuum sealer around shaped form.

One possibility might be to fuse plastic into thinner sheets( 1/8") then bend over a metal form heated from below.

Mr. P-- Discussed school budget issues- can't obligate new expenditures. Green Engineering is sort of part of science and sort of part of CTE. Limited funds for aquaponics and algae projects for 101's.

Look for positives- give students experience in raising own funds- discussed using https://www.gofundme.com/:

Classroom Supplies

From books to technology and more, a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign can help you get the supplies every classroom needs.

February 10th--

Field Trip to Greentown Labs- https://www.greentownlabs.com/

We’re comprised of passionate entrepreneurs solving big energy and environmental problems. Our startups represent the engineers, business experts, physicists, chemists, botanists, roboticists and other industry pioneers who are working day and night to build the next product to address society’s environmental challenges.

At our facility in Somerville, MA, just 3.5 miles from downtown Boston, we offer 33,000 sq. ft. of prototyping lab and co-working space, a shared machine shop, and an electronics shop. Members of our community are immersed in a growing network of local, national and international cleantech resources and fellow entrepreneurs. We host more than 150 events and 10,000+ visitors every year, and those numbers continue to climb.

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What can we have people donate?

What about a PTSO grant for STEM?

Eric-

Solicit local companies for grants for store credit, publicity, etc.

We need to have a positive culture.

T- shirts-- see Custom Ink (https://www.customink.com/ )

See Harvard Business Academy: 
http://www.summerbusinessacademy.com/

Dec 19th- 201's- Fish feeder, Bike Shelter

The 201's began 3D printing parts for their bicycle shelter model, 'exploding' the SketchUp model then orienting the parts flat on the printbed:

Meanwhile, I had fun making a speaker using wire and a neodymium magnet:

Meanwhile, Spencer got the fish feeder mechanism working:

Spencer found that by securing the unit loosely, it worked better.

Dec 19th- 101's- Plants Presentation, Bicycles, Algae

Algae Group-

Significant algae growth over the weekend- much greener.  Will need more 24 oz Ball jars, etc.

Added more fertilizer with the dropper.

Bicycle Group:

Will need to order a motor/generator for system:

See http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/how-to/a10245/pedal-power-how-to-build-a-bike-generator-16627209/ :

Also worked on finishing frame- tested set up for clearance:

Hydroponics group-

Nitrate levels in tank increased over the weekend, presumably due to bacterial action on ammonia.

Plants Group-

Nice growth of Chia grass, etc, over the weekend:

Group worked on project poster, which Dr. T had laminated:

Practiced presentation which will be for the principal:

Issues-

Cleaning of windows-- system is easily moved

Harvesting-- will donate to Tiger Loft

Easy to expand to a larger system

Improves Mood

How often is human maintenance( watering, etc.) required?