WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Choosing two moving parts from the mechanism library and combining/ integrating them into one prototype

؜To learn how these mechanisms work and how they can be applied.

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؜Familiarize yourself with the different mechanisms we'll be exploring by looking through the mechanisms deck in the Resources tab

Choose two mechanisms that you find most interesting. Sketch ideas for how you might integrate the two mechanisms or have them work together.

Using the provided cardboard and craft tools, construct the mechanisms and any extra pieces that will be needed to attach /integrate them.

Test your prototypes to see how well they function. Make adjustments as needed to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

Share out! Show the rest of the group what you made!

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OPTIONAL

Use this skill lab as a lasercutting workshop!

Attached to this post you will find .svg files for many of the mechanisms. Use these to laser cut the parts to assemble the mechanisms.

(Still try to find a way to attach or have the two mechanisms work together.)

GEARS

SCISSOR

SLIDER

RAMP

PULLEY

TENTACLE

• Cardboard
• Straw
• String

How to make it

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4

2

3

Cut the cardboard into a long rectangle

Bend the cardboard into segments (about 1-inch long)

Cut the straw into half-inch pieces and hot glue them into the center of each segment

Thread the string through the straw pieces and secure it by tying or glueing to the top of the cardboard

SPINNER

CLAW

How to make it

1

2

Fold the triangular column on the perforations. Glue the triangle caps onto each end.

Glue two hook pieces together to make a wider/ stronger hook. Repeat three times.

How to make it

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4

Glue the smaller round piece onto a larger piece. Slide a hook onto the small wood dowel. Glue into the notch. Glue on the larger cap.

Slide each of the three longer cardboard strips through the holes in the claws.

How to make it

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6

Put the wood dowel through the holes in the triangular column, then the claw piece. Glue the circular cap onto the top of the dowel and claw piece.

Glue the center of the smaller cardboard strip onto the side of the triangle. Sandwich the ends of the long cardboard strip inside this piece. Repeat on each side.

GRABBER

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4

2

3

5

4

How to make it

Lever

Mechanism 5

Waving

Mechanism 7

How to make it

1

4

2

3

5

6

Curving

Mechanism 8

How to make it

1

4

2

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Grabbing

Mechanism 9

 Coiling / Tentacle Motion

Mechanism 10

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

generate initial ideas about their concept in the form of sketches, collaboratively writing a project thesis statement and developing a project name 

to solidify your idea and arrive at a conceptual direction

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

Settle on 2-3 concepts that encompasses your project design and sketch multiple drawings of each concept.

Share your sketches with the people you are sharing the puzzle with. Give each other feedback and suggest ways you might connect each piece together.

Go through the slides and learn about creating a project thesis. Then, create a project thesis for each idea you might have.

Then, start brainstorming ways to name your different project ideas. Use the tips from the slides to help you decide.

Compile your sketches with their project thesis and titles on a slide show. Then, share with your class.

When writing an essay, a thesis statement is a sentence that states the topic and purpose of your writing. A good thesis statement will direct the structure of your essay and will allow your reader to understand the ideas you will discuss within your paper.

A thesis statement for a creative project serves a similar purpose. This statement will guide your research and prototyping throughout the creative process.

EXAMPLE PROJECT THESIS

The Ascendoskeleton is an exohand that assists users in the climbing of vertical surfaces such as cliffs and trees through the use of velco-like metal claws. The Ascendoskeleton is inspired by the climbing abilities of spider legs.  

Ascendoskeleton

EXAMPLE PROJECT THESIS

WaterWear is a rain collection and storage device that is designed for a future of extreme water scarcity due to climate change. The device is worn on the body at all times so water can always be collected when available and used when needed. 

WaterWear

THESIS QUESTIONS

What is it?

How does it work?

What inspired the design?

What is it accomplishing?

Answer the most important of these questions for your specific project. 

Speak in the "third person". Do not use the words "I" or "you" in your thesis statement. 

How does your part contribute to the whole of the cityscape?

PROJECT NAME GENERATOR

It is easier to write a thesis statement for your project once you have chosen a project name. 

Here is one technique for coming up with many name options to choose from. 

Project Theme 1

Project Theme 2

Possible Project Names

Water 

Hydro

Liquid

Rain

Dry 

Pack

Collector 

Wear

Camel

 

Suit

Water Pack

Water Wear 

Water Suit

Hydro Wear 

Hydro Pack 

Rain Collector 

Rain Camel 

Rain Wear 

Defining the thesis of your project is an important step. It may take multiple drafts to get it right. This thesis can evolve over the course of the design process. Ask others to critique your words. 

The Climbclaw is an attachment that helps users in climbing things like spiderman. It is made out of cardboard and has spikes. 

exohand

what

things?

what would the final materials be?

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

writing down, drawing, and sharing as many ideas as possible for our city elements and moving parts

to think divergently about concepts before deciding on a final idea

Final Project Expectations

Your will design and build a prototype of a part of a cityscape with distinct urban features.

Each piece of the cityscape will deliver an important part of something whole that will be assembled at the end of the run of the chain reaction.

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Each design must include at least one mechanism/ moving part, and must work to move a part through your city plot without human intervention.

EXAMPLE

Whole: A celebratory cake

Parts:

1. Eggs from a rooftop chicken coop
2. A pan from a factory in the manufacturing district
3. Flour from the Grocery store in a retail shops area
4. Wax for candles from a beehive in the central green space/ park

All of these parts will be delivered by the chain reactions to a central location, in this case an "oven" in the center of the studio

BRAINSTORMING STEPS

10 MINS

15 MINS

30 MINS

Individual silent thinking

Preparing writing + drawing

Group idea jam pinup 

Come up with 10 (or more!) ideas for futuristic methods of transit based on your world-building environment. 

Your task is to narrow your list down to 5 project ideas to share with a partner. Sketch 2-3 of your favorite ideas. Remember to add which mechanisms you would like to add to your designs and how you wish to connect your transportation puzzle to someone else's.

Share 2-3 of your favorite ideas with the class. Moving forward, you will be working alongside those who are building their transportation puzzle piece next to yours. Even though your piece is yours, remember to always consult with those that will surround you so that the environment works cohesively.

GROUP BRAINSTORMING RULES

Come up with many ideas, do not stop at 1 or 2. This is not a time to decide what your project will be, it is a time to share as many possibilities of what it could be. 

Do not put down other's ideas when they share. Critiquing ideas too soon could cause people to be self-conscious and not want to speak. We want to be judgement free when brainstorming.

Share ideas that you can build & test, not fantasy.  Wild ideas are good, but if the wild idea cannot be tested in our studio, it is not the right choice. We cannot build jetpacks, shoot lasers, or time travel. What could you build a testable prototype of?

TIME TO BRAINSTORM!

Final Project Expectations

Your will design and build a prototype of a part of a cityscape with distinct urban features.

Each piece of the cityscape will deliver an important part of something whole that will be assembled at the end of the run of the chain reaction.

+

+

+

Each design must include at least one mechanism/ moving part, and must work to move a part through your city plot without human intervention.

Studio Skills

Iteration

Low-Fi Prototyping

Concept Development

Software Fluency

Critique

Storytelling

Hi-Fi Fabrication

Writing

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STUDIO BRIEF

Imagine a dynamic mosaic where each student's creation forms a vital segment of a larger transportation network. We embark on a collaborative journey to create a dynamic mosaic that represents an interconnected urban transportation network. Each student's creation will form a vital segment of this larger network, where the edge of their canvas seamlessly blends into the beginning of another's, ensuring continuous motion and fluidity. 

Students delve into the intricacies of their chosen transportation mode, whether it's futuristic vehicles powered by renewable energy or kinetic infrastructure that transforms sidewalks into energy generators. Yet, the challenge lies not only in crafting functional designs but in harmonizing them with neighboring pieces to forge a cohesive urban tapestry.

To inspire us to create fun and creative transportation option we're going to use

RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINES

A Rube Goldberg machine is a fun invention that performs a simple task in a complicated—and often humorous—way, using a chain reaction.

What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Looking at amazing examples of Rube Goldberg chain reaction machines

To get inspired for our own chain reaction designs

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Who is Rube Goldberg, anyway?

Rube Goldberg (1883–1970) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American cartoonist, inventor, innovator, and the only person whose name is an adjective in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary.

A Rube Goldberg Machine® solves a simple problem in the most ridiculously inefficient way possible. Their funny functionality invites us to think more deeply about machines and mechanized processes, gadgets and technologies, and the very human ways in which we use them.

Source: rubegoldberg.org

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Watch some Chain Reactions!

؜When you design your part of the Chain Reaction City, you will have to:

1. Receive an input from the group ahead of you
2. Set off a series of events in your own section
3. Send an output to the next group to activate their section

To start, let's watch some awesome chain reaction videos to get some ideas. As you watch the videos, try to keep an eye out for the inputs and output of each element.