What is this engineering task?

• For this engineering task, we need to choose to make a toy that can convert energy, a renewable energy source and convert it to electrical energy, a device that can transfer energy or a device that can be used to learn physics.

Engineering Plan

• My plan for this project is to create a toy that can convert energy, and I have decided to make a jack-in-the-box. In a jack-in-the-box, there are two kinds of energy: “potential” and “kinetic”. When the spring is tight inside the box, there is potential energy stored in the toy’s mechanism, and this potential energy is from the person who set the toy. When the toy is sprung and pops out, the potential energy that is stored will convert to kinetic energy.

Target Audience

• There are many target audiences for my toy, but mainly, my toy is mainly for young children whose age is in the range of 7-14 because it is the age where they may still be interested in playing with toys and they are also mature enough to keep themselves safe from getting into the possibility of hurting themselves with the toy. Also, it can definitely be for older children or even adults as a great present that is full of surprises.

Pro and Cons

• Some pro of this design is that it would be a great toy for people who are interested in this type of toy, and something that we can make easily with simple materials that are not hard to find. A jack-in-a-box is unique and special which would make it a great gift for friends and family that can be made in many different colors and designs. Also, the materials that are used are all natural and non-toxic which is very safe for the children to play with. Lastly, I believe the surprise popping out of the box can be a very fun and exciting way to bring a smile to a child’s face.
• Some cons of this design are that many parts of it may be fragile and easily broken because of the simple materials when they are handmade, meaning that it may not be as durable as the ones that are mass-produced. Not only that, if children who are too young play with it, the surprise of the toy may be too intense for some of them and lead to fright or even tears. Finally, the process of creating it may need a certain level of patience to build, which would make them much more difficult to make.