Project Brief:

The G9 Engineering project is a design project where students have to design, build and improve a device that could demonstrate their knowledge of energy transfer; a device that would convert a renewable energy source into another form of energy.

Real-life problems: 

Energy capture and storage

Possible Energies:

-Mechanical energy is the generation of energy through motions, ways to utilize this source of energy is to use handles or pulleys (machines) that would trigger motors, turning the energy generated from motions into electrical energy.

-Solar panels capture energy from the sun and get converted to energy that can be stored in batteries. It is considered one of the sustainable/renewable energy sources.

-Wind energy captures the energy from the motion of turbines spun by the wind, transforming it into electrical energy. It is one of the renewable energy sources.

Audience:

-People who want to save money and time

-People who want to use renewable energy sources to reduce carbon emissions

-People who like going to dark places (camping) and needs light.

Problems and solutions to the problems:

-Idea #1: Adequate light sources are the cornerstone of our vision in the dark, when people go out in the wild where there is no light such as when camping in a heavily wooded area in the dark, we are unable to see and spot things clearly, plus, there are no sufficient amount of batteries left for a normal lamp. There are portable lamps that we could simply apply energy to (through spinning a handle ) that would generate electricity that is used to power a light bulb, the light can then be used to light up the surrounding environment.

Pros: Practical to those that don’t have resources (such as batteries) to light the surroundings, since all this device needs is applied force

Cons: It is difficult to make this device portable since motors are generally large and for this to be hand-made makes it relatively hard.

Idea #2: Normal lamps/light sources are sometimes unaffordable or impractical to those who wanted to save money and time from buying batteries, when people want to light things up clearly at night without having to spend money, a solar-powered light source would be an efficient way to solve the problem. It captures the sun’s energy and converts it to light energy to light the environment up.

Pros: Very practical to those that don’t have batteries.

Cons: Difficult to make since the mechanisms are relatively complex to make a portable lamp. Climates and conditions where there is no sunlight are not able to use to this device.

Real-life image of light powered through solar energy

Idea #3: Phones are the foundation of our daily communication, entertainment as well as resources, charging devices supply the phones with power to sustain the phones. However, oftentimes people’s phones and the phone charging device run out of battery, and perhaps we need our phone to contact someone but there aren’t charging devices anywhere near. A solar-powered charging device for the phone would solve the problem. The idea is that a portable device is going to convert and store solar energy and turn it into usable energy, directing it to the phone.

Pros: Very practical device that allows quick and simple way of charging.

Cons: Difficult to make a portable device since the mechanisms involved are relatively complex. Furthermore, in climates and conditions where is there is no sunlight means there is no way to utilize this device.

Solar-powered chargers

Limitations:

-Only two weeks to build (time management is important in this project)