Innovation Rubric for Propeller Car

Iterative Process

We tested the first design of the robot and came across two big issues with the design

  • First Design had the battery resting on the front axle. To solve this we had the battery pushed further through the hole as to not interfere with the axle; however, this made it difficult to remove the battery, which needs to be easy for battery replacement.
  • After testing and changing the first design car to see if we could get it to reach the door we had to keep gluing the nuts back into place cause they kept falling out. Most of the time spent between tests was us trying to move the nuts back into place.

We set out to solve these solutions on the second design. After some brainstorming we all agreed that the battery hole should just be moved back towards the electronics and away from any moving parts. We drew sketches before deciding on the final place for the hole. While we to brainstorm we all realized that you don't put circle shaped objects into hexagonal shaped holes, so why would you put hexagonal shaped objects into circle shaped holes. We decided to change the holes to a hexagonal shape so the nuts would have more points of contact; thus, more friction.

Two drawings of second design ideas on paper, during brainstorming.

First design as on Adobe illustrator with annotations pointing to the parts of the design we would change.

Second design as on Adobe Illustrator with annotations pointing to the parts that were changed from the original design.

Can Learn From Failure

Our second design went a shorter distance than our first one. This was due to how far we were able to get the first design to go combined with the fact we were unable to find a suitable alternative for glue when attaching the propellers to the motor. In the end we attached the propellers to a piece of cork with masking tape. The cork would attach to the motor by a hole that was cut with a utility knife; which, made more of a slit than a hole. This combined with being unable to get the proper angle for the propellers with the tape. The propellers would get out of position, due to the slit, and hit the car. To fix this in a future design, a more precise hole is needed on the cork. to get the new hole using a nail and a hammer might be the best way to get a precise hole. Along with that, using a utility knife to make slits that will angle the propellers so they will provide the best propulsion as possible.

The picture to the left clearly shows some of the differences between the two versions of the propeller car. For instance you can see the battery's position change. You can also see the rear wheels on the second design has rubber bands to keep the wheels on rather than the glue of the first design.

Left is first design and right is the second design compared to each other.

WHM Comment - 20/40 - done incorrectly (50% awarded)

Revise and resubmit for max assessment (33.2 or 83%)

There are eight innovative behaviors (not 2 - Thinking Creatively and Working Creatively with others - which you chose). You documented 6 innovative behaviors incorrectly. Pick 2 and do over

Your Selections - First Instance, Second Instance, and Drawings ...are not any of the eight Innovation Behaviors. They are

  1. Uses multiple strategies to generate original ideas
  2. Can lead others in brainstorming
  3. Can represent thinking in various forms so that others can understand and respond to ideas (such as sketches, prototypes, or storyboards)
  4. Can use iterative process to prototype and evaluate, elicit feedback, and synthesize to improve on ideas
  5. Can learn from failure (one's own and others') and document process to improve future results
  6. Actively contributes original ideas and feedback to team
  7. Amplifies others' thinking and models how to build on good ideas
  8. Shows leadership in helping advance team effort

You need 2 annotated drawings, storyboard, charts or other image plus three evidence-based bullets (referring to the drawings) in support of each innovative behavior