Transcript Lemelson High School Invention Teams

• Why have an invention design process?
• The invention design process
• The day’s exercise
A bit about the invention
design process
• In product design is referred to as
PREP (Peer-Review Evaluation
Process)
• It seems complicated, but it is simple
• It has both individual and team
components
Invention Design Process
Process by which 4 individuals develop ideas and then
share them as a team…so that the team can select the
best idea.
The Invention Design Process helps obtain everyone’s
input/buy-in and brings the team’s diversity of knowledge/
experience to bear on the issue.
The process takes a team from many ideas to one idea to
pursue.
Invention Design Process
Individual Thought
Invention project
idea generation
Information
gathering
Invention
Statement
Dissection of
Invention
Statement
Concepting
Concept
Evaluation
Research
Test
& Refine
Build Prototypes
Peer-Review
Invention project
idea generation
Information
gathering
Invention
Statement
Dissection of
Invention
Statement
Concepting
Concept
Evaluation
Research
Test
& Refine
Build Prototypes
Peer-Review
(Team of 4 people)
Peer-Review
Do “the work” (idea generation, research, drafting,
experimentation, etc.) associated with that step in the
invention design process
1. Pass your work to the team member on your left for him/her
to review (continue until your work has gone full-circle)
2. Review others’ comments on your work
3. Discuss the ideas and comments to identify the most
important factors that will help the team select the best idea
4. Determine the best idea using the most important factors
(weighted selection)…there can be only one!
Proceed as individuals to do “the work” for the next
step in the invention design process
Invention project
idea generation
Think of problems and inventions that could address them…
Individual members of the team generate ideas:
• Watermelon ripeness evaluator
• Automatic potato-peeler
• Perpetual motion machine
Peer-Review (Pass, Review,
Discuss, Determine)
Peer’s comments: “There’s already an
automatic potato peeler!”…“Doesn’t perpetual
motion violate the laws of physics!?”
Important factors: Uniqueness of idea,
feasibility
Potato-peeler and perpetual motion machine
ruled-out!
Team selects: Watermelon ripeness evaluator
Invention project
idea generation
Information
gathering
Invention
Statement
Dissection of
Invention
Statement
Concepting
Concept
Evaluation
Research
Test
& Refine
Build Prototypes
Peer-Review
Invention
Statement
Dissection of
Invention
Statement
Concepting
Concept
Evaluation
Research
Test
& Refine
Build Prototypes
Peer-Review
Invention design step & explanation
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
Peer-Review & explanation
Peer-Review result for Watermelon project
Invention
Statement
Total problem definition
• All components of the invention problem
• The Who, What, Where and How Much of the invention
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
“It should show how ripe a
watermelon is.”
“It has to be cheap!”
“Shoppers would use it in the
store.”
Peer-Review & explanation
Peer’s comments: “What does ‘cheap’ mean?”…
“How will it show ripeness?”…“Will shoppers really use it?”
Important factors: Cost, accuracy, size, output, aesthetics
Peer-Review result: Invention Statement for Project
As a team, we will invent a portable, handheld watermelon ripeness
evaluator to be used primarily by farmers and supermarkets. The
durable, compact unit will be made for under $200, be battery
powered, easy to operate, and will accurately (95% confidence
interval) display the ripeness of any variety of watermelon in less
than five seconds.
Dissection of
Invention
Statement
The WHATs: What are the approaches to achieving the main goal
(what the invention does)? What actions are needed for each
approach?
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
What are the different approaches to assess the ripeness of a watermelon
and what are the required actions?
Approach #1: Thumping
1. Thump
2. Pick-up sound/voltage
3. Analyze sound
4. Display result
5. Embodiment
Approach #2: Weight v. size
1. Weigh
2. Measure
3. Display result
4. Embodiment
Peer-Review & explanation
Discuss/determine which approach (Thump or Weight) given
important factors (cost, accuracy, size, output, aesthetics) and
organize ideas of the actions that have to happen (the whats) for
the invention to work for the selected approach
Peer-Review result: Approach for Watermelon project
Approach #2: Weight v. size is ruled-out for accuracy reasons
Approach #1: Thumping
1. Thump
2. Pick-up sound/voltage
3. Analyze sound
4. Display result
5. Embodiment
The WHATs: a good way to divide up a team and
tackle a complex project
Approach #1
Thumping
Thump
Pick-up Sound
Analyze Sound
Display Result
Embodiment
Concepting
The HOWs (solutions): How can the action be achieved? What
are the HOWs to come-up with THE HOW?
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
How can we THUMP a watermelon to assess its ripeness?
• Motor
• Pneumatic
• Solenoid
• Spring
• Finger
Peer-Review & explanation
Discuss/determine which solution is the best way to achieve the
action. Which HOW, given important factors (cost, accuracy, size,
output, aesthetics), is THE HOW
Peer-Review result for Watermelon project
• Pneumatic and Solenoid are ruled-out for cost reasons, and
finger is ruled-out for accuracy reasons
• Motor and Spring are both possibilities
The WHATs and HOWs: all of them
Approach #1
Thumping
Thump
Pick-up Sound
Analyze Sound
Display Result
Embodiment
Motor,
Pneumatic,
Solenoid,
Spring, Finger
Contact mic
Non-contact mic
Software program
Decibel meter
LED,
Monitor,
Sound
Handheld
Fixed device
Concept evaluation
Evaluation of solutions based on important factors (i.e.: potential
beneficiary’s needs/end-customer requirements)
Make sketches and models to see how different solutions would
achieve desired action
Employ experimentation & analysis (e.g.: bench experiments and
weighted-selection charts) to select THE HOW.
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
Sketch and model of a motor to see how it would thump
Sketch and model of a spring to see how it would thump
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
(continued)
Weighted selection chart
Cost (x2)
Accuracy
Size
Output
Aesthetics
Total
Motor Spring
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
-1
0
1
Peer-Review & explanation
Share results of experiments and analysis to determine
which solution is the best way to achieve the action. Which
HOW, given important factors (cost, accuracy, size, output,
aesthetics), is THE HOW.
Peer-Review result for thumping
Spring
Research
Search-out examples of your solution being used to perform the
desired action or a similar action to determine if solution can be offthe-shelf or needs to be built from scratch
Can include discussion with experts and end-customer
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
• Spring found that can perform desired action
• Motor found that can perform desired action (even though
motor ruled-out in previous step, it was still researched)
Peer-Review & explanation
Share results of research to determine if the solution can be
purchased or a unique design needs to be created.
Peer-Review result: Research for thumping
Off-the-shelf spring available
Test & Refine
Identify risks of solutions and countermeasures
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
Risks for spring:
• Spring breaks
• Loss of manual dexterity to trigger spring
Countermeasures for spring:
• Alternative solution (motor)
Peer-Review & explanation
Share results of risks/countermeasures research to
determine if the solution is still viable
Peer-Review result: Testing and Refinement for thumping
Spring is still viable
Build Prototypes
Develop sketches for each module to be developed
Sample individual work from Watermelon project
Parts are machined/ordered according to drawings and then
assembled.
Peer-Review & explanation
Prototypes are tested, results are evaluated and refinements
are made if necessary.
Peer-Review result for Watermelon project
Spring thumper performs as expected.
Invention design exercise
Given the limited amount of time, this invention
design exercise is significantly more restrictive
than a normal invention design exercise. Your
invention statement will be given to you and is
also the only action (THE WHAT) your invention
needs to perform. THE HOW is up to you.
You will perform this exercise in teams (4 teams
of 4, 2 teams of 3)
Invention Statement:
Invent a taco shell carrier, using a single piece of
14x17 paper, that will allow for said taco shell to
descend from a height of approximately 30 feet to
ground level without breaking.
Rules
• No adhesives
• You may cut & fold the sheet of paper
• The paper must remain one continuous sheet
• Use the invention design process and peer review!