Automata - Toy Mechanisms

Cam toys (aka automata) use hand-powered mechanisms to create cyclical motions that animate a scene. Students design and create cam toy machines with moving objects/characters that symbolize abstract concepts and represent dynamic situations.

Mechanical Cam ToysMechanical Cam Toys: GRADES 6 - 8, Social Studies, Science, EngineeringLesson Overview Cam toys (aka automata) use hand-powered mechanisms to create cyclical motions that animate a scene. Students design and create cam toy machines with moving objects/characters that ...

Automata Examples | Exploratorium

Cams in Action

Up-down

Spin

Side-to-Side

Your Project Challenge:

Skills Practiced:

Analysis and Abstract Modeling
Mechanical design
Engineering Design
3D modeling in Tinkercad

Challenge:

Design and build a Cam Toy with motions and scenery that represent concepts related to an educational topic.

How can creating metaphors be used to increase understanding and enhance communication skills?

How can movement and imagery be used to create metaphors for social, scientific, and other academic concepts?

Criteria:

Includes a minimum of 2 characters/objects that move in different directions when the toy is operated. Possible motion types are:

Movements - Up & Down, Spin, Side-to-Side

Includes 1 static object that is a background, piece of scenery, or other objects.

The motions and scenery must represent concepts related to the specified educational topic.

Constraints:

The 2 motions must be different. The same type of motion can be used twice if the 2 motions differ either in frequency or magnitude. (For example, if there are 2 up-down motions 1 can have 2 rises/falls per cycle while the other has 1. For spinning, 1 can spin at a faster speed than the other.

The appearance and motions of the characters and objects must communicate the intended concept.

Student Product / Learning Goals

Students will choose motions that express physical or abstract educational concepts. They will design and build a working cam toy that expresses these concepts as a representative model or metaphor.

Project Handouts:

cardboard_automata_guide_final_screen.pdf

Cardboard_Automata.pdf

Automaton Project Steps:

Brainstorm Design Concepts
Select BEST Idea for Project parameters
Select Box that will work with design
Determine Object placement on box and desired movements
Determine & Measure CRANK placement (BE SURE Cams will rotate completely and top has more than 3cm clearance MINIMUM for movement-you likely want as much as possible)
Drill holes in box Sides and install Crank
Add Cardboard flap for crank handle on end of dowel
Explore CAM Movement-- which CAMS and sizes are needed
Align Cam Placement within box for objects
Drill holes in box Top for object placement
Cover box top in construction paper to match design (poke holes through paper for rods)
Build Cam Follower (cardboard base with dowel rod )
Place Cam Follower rod inside box and up through top hole
Hot glue (carefully!!) short straw pieces in top holes for Cam Rods to move easily and with up/down structured support
Build Objects
Attach objects to rods
Test & Tweak ALL Components
Add any placement guides as needed
Test & Tweak Again
Add more decorations/design details
Share with someone!

Ready to make another….

Find Out More:

The process requires that the designer first clearly Define the challenge, then Learn about and Explore existing solutions, before beginning the design stage. This understanding of the problem, combined with the Design step requirement of generating at least 3 different ideas, allows for a rich set of creative solutions to draw from in choosing a design direction.

The designer is now ready to prototype the solution in the Create step. An important feature of the EDP is the expectation that the designer will build 2 or more prototypes after the direction is set. This is done by cycling through the Create and Observe/Improve steps a few times. Students will have an opportunity for at least 2 design-build-improve cycles.

1. Research:

Review the motions and mechanisms that are easily implemented in the Cam Toy. Show examples of the 3 motions that are simplest to build (up-down, spin, and side-to-side),

Pick a topic for concept to represent in their Cam Toy.

2. Collect:

Have students document their research on the automata, noting mechanisms and features that they found interesting or may be relevant to their topic. Students can keep notes on the things they learned or that intrigued them on an inspiration page such as a blog, Google Docs, a notebook, poster, etc.

A Variety of Examples:

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