checklist
Foundations of Technology
Nature of Technology: Systems
practice Project: Rube Goldberg

Problem: Design and construct a system that will move a a marble from one cup into another cup.

Criteria and Constraints:

  • Your system must have at least 4 actions, stages or steps before the task is complete.
  • Your system should be designed in the style of a Rube Goldberg Machine, a complex machine to do a simple task.
  • Your solution should incorporate some of the items on the materials list as well as other objects you have around the house.
  • The machine must function independently once put in action. In other words once your start the machine, it must work on it's own until the task is complete.

Background: Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist who drew satirical inventions using complex systems to perform simple tasks. You can read more about Rube Goldberg and his contraptions at the official Rube Goldberg site.

Click on the link to the videos below to see examples of a Rube Goldberg Contraption created by some college students and a series of commercials produced by a Japanese television station.
College Dorm Room Rube Goldberg
University of Kansas Students
Japanese TV Rube Goldberg

Materials

  • Common household materials such as
    • 2 cups (may be disposable)
    • Marble
    • Drinking straws
    • Paper Clips
    • Tape
    • String
    • Popsicle Sticks
    • Washers
    • Rubber Bands
    • Strips of Old Rags
    • Additional materials around your house

Project Guidelines: Rube Goldberg (24 points)

Use the Design Folio templates provided to record your steps through the design process. Each template provides a grading rubric that explains how each section of the folio will be graded.

Each student will:

  • Define the problem, criteria and constraints in their own words. (4 points)
  • Brainstorm and sketch at least 3 possible solutions. (4 points)
  • Test the solutions and describe the pros and cons of each design. (4 points)
  • Select a final solution and explain why this design was chosen over the others. (4 points)
  • Construct the final design and include pictures or video of the finished solution. (4 points)
  • Reflect on the final solution and the design challenge. (4 points)
  • Complete a self evaluation using the provided rubric.

Submit your finished design folio to the Rube Goldberg Dropbox before the due date listed on the course calendar.

 
 
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