Audience
The audience for this project would be different for each option available, but the most applicable target would be students that are learning energy conversions in physics. Another audience to target could be smaller children; the design could help early understandings of physics in younger ages.
Problem
The problem for this project is energy capture and storage, education, and entertainment. The design will be finalized, completed, and created fully created on the week of the 28th. The designing and materializing of the project will be in the design lab, so the define and inquire stages as well as the develop and plan stages will have to be completed before the date students return to campus (2/21). The materials needed to make will be wood/plastic for the exterior, and wires, boards, lightbulb/led will be needed for the interior of the build.
Constraints of this project will be:
– Time- 2 weeks maximum is given for the completion of this project
– Resources- Some materials will not be available in the design lab and decisions for alternate materials would have to be made
– Knowledge- Research will be required to create the complex mechanisms for energy transfer to be shown
Precedents
Self-powered flashlight
These two are both self-powered flashlights that function as the handle or button is continuously pushed to create energy. They use gear motors that provide electricity for the flashlight, and the longer energy is put into the machine, the more power is stored and the light will stay on for longer.
Pros:
– Interactive to use (light comes on when energy is converted)
– Practical in emergency situations
– Fun way to introduce energy conversion
Cons:
– It may not be as bright as a battery-powered flashlight
– Tiring to use
Hand crank Power-bank/Radio
This is similar to the flashlight in how the energy conversion powers the devices. The radio gets the electrical energy from the kinetic energy input from the hand crank, and it sends out radio waves for the radio functions. The power-bank also has the kinetic energy to electrical energy conversion, but it also has conversions from light into electrical energy from the solar panels.
Pros:
– More practical in daily use compared to the flashlight
– Two examples of energy conversion
Cons:
– It would take more energy to power
– Longer, constant energy input is required
Pencil Sharpener
The pencil sharpener is a common use of energy conversion. The handle is the hand crank to spin the blades inside. As the handles turn, the blades rotate around the still pencil to sharpen it down to a point.
Pros:
– Immediate results can be shown (pencil)
– Common use of energy conversion
– Practical especially in the audience for this project
Cons:
– Too basic/common
– Energy conversion is hidden
– Not used much anymore due to mechanical pencils