Design Idea #3: Four Trikes and a Submarine

We were hoping to distribute the weight of the sculpture and four riders (a.k.a Pilots or "Kinetinauts") over twelve bicycle wheels on four adult size tricycles, then wrap a submarine hull made of up cycled  plastic bottles around it. The idea was - and still is - to raise awareness about the crisis of plastic garbage in our oceans, especially the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/?ar_a=1) as well as the amount of energy (and petroleum) that goes into the production of plastic water bottles. 

We discussed the Lorax as a champion of environmental protection, so we would include an actor dressed as the Lorax, reciting a slight variation on Dr. Seuss' story: 
"I am the Lorax, I speak for the seas;
which you seem to pollute as quick as you please."

It was all coming together rather nicely when our engineering consultant, Mike G. showed up to critique the design. It turns out that so many bicycle wheels fixed in position are very likely to "taco" - to warp or buckle - under the stresses of turning, load shifting, and uneven pavement.

Also, quick egress in the event of an accident (most likely in the harbor) is important, and difficult in a submarine. So our resilient team is working on… Design Idea #4.

KSR Monthly Report - Gabi

1. What have I learned from the assigned readings and videos that we can include in our

design?

• I’ve learned how much we throw away when we could really recycle it or more importatnly upcycle it. Through watching some of the videos I’ve been able to grasp how some of these KSR designs function in both land and sea.

2. What have I learned from our site visits, photographs & videos that can inform our design?

• Going to the AVAM I got to see a few different design ideas. The one that stood out the most was the crocodile design. I thought it was interesting how they were able to constrain the trikes in a line while allowing them to swivel by turning the handlebars. I also thought the use of foam blocks on the side of each trike was a good flotation concept although I don’t think it would be able to displace the full weight.

3. What have I learned from the kinetic sculpture web site and KSR blog that can inform our design?

• From the KSR website I’ve learned all the do’s and the do not’s of the race. I’ve also gotten a lot of ideas for floatation mechanism which I think is going to be the most challenging part of the design. From the blog I’ve gotten to know the strengths of our individual members.

4. What have I learned about the importance of building partnerships in our community?

• Partnerships are essential to the development of a design. We wouldn’t have the design we have now without reaching out to the community and other individuals. We have a place to weld and person who’s going to get us bikes and many more opportunities and resources because of our outreach.

5. What have I learned about the design process (about developing a design in collaboration

with students with expertise in a variety of areas)? What has been meaningful? What has been challenging, and what are some ways in which we could meet the challenges?

• I’ve learned that it is very difficult to convey a mechanical design concept to someone with a background in psychology and I’ve also learned it is like talking to a wall when an art major is talking to an engineer about how the materials colors are important to the design. In the end the range of thought processes are what make it such a well rounded design. The hard part is continuing down a path and not getting bogged down in the details.

6. How can I draw from all of the above in order to “tell our story” (describe our project) to a wider audience?

• I’ve been slowly trying to pick up on how other members interact with the community so that I can better convey the story of our design.

7. How is our work interdisciplinary? Has there been any “transfer” of understanding from an

artistic perspective to an engineering perspective, for example?

• Every class there is input from people of all different disciplines and that is what our design is based on. It’s not solly an engineer designing the frame or an artist making the sculpture. It all flows together and in that we see how interdisciplinary action is affecting this project.

KSR Monthly Report- Vijay Raju

1) I learned a lot from the readings and videos. From the materials that we went over in class I realized new ways to think of this project such as the environmental conscious and up-cycle approach to building the sculpture

2) The photos from the site visit gave me some insight into what has to go into the sculpture mechanically to make it run.

3) The kinetic sculpture website has tons of knowledge and info to make the sculpture the best it can possibly be. It has a section of do's and dont's in the build and race process.

4) Without community partnerships this project would be near impossible. It takes cooperation and determination to complete a project. Resources are also needed, which is why community partnerships are also important.

5) I think the main thing that I have learned about the design process is that the group has no shortage of creative ideas. The amount of creativity in this group is amazing! Different ideas are never put down, instead they are welcomed. Another meaningful part of the design process is the group members different backgrounds. We have artists, engineers, cyclists, and free thinkers. Overall this group is perfect for building a kinetic sculpture.

6) I think the representation of art and symbols is a good way to tell our story. The KSR recycling drive came out really nice and believe they will have a huge impact on the UMBC community.

Team Member Introduction: Jack Neumeier

I've always been too stubborn or impatient to follow the dreams and orders of others;I sucked so badly at following that I had to learn to lead.

My time at UMBC has been defined by that struggle: finding the way to bring all of the talents and passions of our campus together to create beauty, help others, and move.

The Garden began over a year ago. As originally conceived, through a community food garden we would bring together the disparate forces that define our University's unique nature of higher education: our diversity, our focus on undergraduate research, and our burgeoning emphasis on civic agency.

Today, with over 12,000 sq ft, The Garden is most obviously a physical space aimed at addressing food issues. It's also about "enabling people to discover how their special talents and passions could be blended with others' to build community and shape our world" as written by UMBC's David Hoffman.

This mission bears itself out in an incredibly broad assortment of projects, indelible embellishments for our campus, that are detailed here: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/thegarden/news/46683

All of this--all of it--comes to KSR with me.

I am here first as someone with a deep academic interest in Democracy and Higher Education. I am working to describe the qualities of applied learning experiences and justify them in relation to learning outcomes we traditionally expect. It is my belief that learning should always engage all manners of people and all ways of the mind--clearly KSR is an example of that ambition made real.

My goal is to link this work back to our University as an institution, and that institution to our Democracy--how are we ensuring the most vibrant democracy made up of the most participatory, engaged citizens?

Make them build shit.

Then race it.

Team Member Introduction: Andres Camacho

In my element

I like to think of myself as a story teller. Story, like my love of knee deep snow, has always been an important part of my life. Narrative defines how I make meaning of the world. I am a senior at UMBC and a member of the Interdisciplinary Studies department. Through my degree, titled "Entrepreneurship and Digital Communication",  I strive to develop my ability at using the power of story to create both digital and physical spaces that allow people to interact with seemingly abstract values (such as sustainability) in a way that is meaningful to their own life experiences.

What purpose will our kinetic sculpture serve?

As a member of this Kinetic Sculpture Race team I would like to create a digital narrative that answers the above question by shedding light on the issue of linear resource streams, the burden that plastic waste puts on the environment, and the opportunities for "up-cycling" resources such as plastic.  I like websites that make use of vertical movement to present information in a visual  and dynamic manner. Here is an example: http://lostworldsfairs.com/atlantis/. Will post soon with more details about the content and scope of the digital component of our sculpture project.

Community partner visit: the Baltimore Foundery

Andres, Jack, Ryan and I helped out today at the Foundery cleanup. I helped to get an old Shop Vac working again, an we swept, vacuumed, and moved tables and equipment around.

Behind Jack and Andres is a laser cutter; the Superman symbol that Andres is holding and the wooden eyeglasses on Jack were both made in that machine.

 

This is Audrey Van de Castle, self described "welder blacksmith sculptor bad ass"  and instructor at B'More Foundery. If we have any hope of welding together a frame that won't come apart during the race down Key Highway, this is our Goddess.

Design Idea #2: Plastic Bottle Boat

With about 1000 pounds of bikes and riders to float in the Baltimore Harbor, how many plastic bottles would it take? How will we integrate boat hull and bicycle frames? Let me know if you figure that out.