ThinkTankThinkTank

ThinkTankThinkTank

Presenting…Presenting… ThinkTankThinkTank’s Ponder Puzzle!’s Ponder Puzzle!

The Great Learning Tool!

……by Robert Rudd, Mona Daniels, by Robert Rudd, Mona Daniels, Ouqi Jiang, Tina Wen, Andrew ClareOuqi Jiang, Tina Wen, Andrew Clare

With help from TA’s: Yonatan Tekleab, Willie Sanchez, and Sandra Gonzalez

Begin at the Beginning…Begin at the Beginning…

Theme: Learning ToolsTheme: Learning Tools

When we first started brainstorming ideas for When we first started brainstorming ideas for our project, we knew we wanted to design our project, we knew we wanted to design

something that was:something that was:

InteractiveInteractiveChallengingChallenging

Attention grabbingAttention grabbingEducationalEducational

FunFun

Developing our Strategy:Developing our Strategy: Deterministic Deterministic

Design Design ProcessProcess

Peer Review Peer Review Evaluation Evaluation Process Process (PREP)(PREP)

(To see more (To see more examples of PREP examples of PREP sheets, please access sheets, please access our website: our website: web.mit.edu/aclare/Puweb.mit.edu/aclare/Public/SSP)blic/SSP)

Results of Our Brainstorming:Results of Our Brainstorming:

A wooden mapA wooden map A computer gameA computer game 3D Brain/Eye3D Brain/Eye 3D scrabble3D scrabble Geography gameGeography game Operation type gameOperation type game Music game, games for the blindMusic game, games for the blind Building “Blocks” of LifeBuilding “Blocks” of Life

The Ranking of the Strategies:The Ranking of the Strategies:Functional Requirements Weight

Body game with wand that shows info

Optics Kit

3D Brain/Eye

Puzzle Map that lights up and helps the blind

Building "Blocks" of Life

Blind story books

Fun/excitement 3 0 -1 1 0 -1 -1Educational value 3 1 1 0 0 1 1Handicapped accessible 1 -1 -1 0 0 -1 1Interactive 2 0 1 0 0 -1 -1Feasibility/doable in time 5 0 1 -1 0 0 -1Marketability (less competition?) 2 0 0 1 0 0 0Staying power (dep. on market) 1 1 0 0 0 0 1Modularity 1 0 -1 0 0 0 0Originality/ innovative 2 0 -1 1 0 0 0Simplicity of use 1 1 0 0 0 0 1

Total score 4 3 2 0 -3 -4Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6

Functional Requirements of Functional Requirements of Body Game/ World PuzzleBody Game/ World Puzzle

Puzzle lights up and plays music upon Puzzle lights up and plays music upon completion completion

Sound plays when specific pieces/parts Sound plays when specific pieces/parts touched and plays info about that touched and plays info about that piece/part piece/part

Pieces marked with braille for the blind Pieces marked with braille for the blind and textures to facilitate puzzle and textures to facilitate puzzle completion completion

Demonstrate interchangeable parts for Demonstrate interchangeable parts for different subject areas (geography, human different subject areas (geography, human physiology, etc.) physiology, etc.)

Developing our Concept:Developing our Concept: Deterministic Deterministic

Design Design ProcessProcess

Peer Review Peer Review Evaluation Evaluation Process Process (PREP)(PREP)

(To see more examples (To see more examples of PREP sheets, please of PREP sheets, please access our website: access our website: web.mit.edu/aclare/Pubweb.mit.edu/aclare/Public/SSP)lic/SSP)

Design Parameter OptionsDesign Parameter Options

Final Concept:Final Concept:• Wooden Box

• Plastic Puzzle Bases

• Lights and Sound

• Information Wand

• Different Puzzles

• Clay 3D Puzzle

Circuitry Design (goals)Circuitry Design (goals)

Be able to touch specific pieces and Be able to touch specific pieces and plays information about that piece.plays information about that piece.

When the puzzle is completed, some When the puzzle is completed, some parts of the puzzle light up. parts of the puzzle light up.

When the puzzle is completed, some When the puzzle is completed, some sound plays (“Congratulations! You sound plays (“Congratulations! You completed the puzzle!”)completed the puzzle!”)

Info CircuitInfo Circuit

Problem: How to Problem: How to play seven pieces play seven pieces of info for seven of info for seven continents?continents?

Solution: Buy seven Solution: Buy seven sound chips to sound chips to record sound and record sound and play back. play back.

powerbubble switch

speaker

mic

sound chip for the info and congratulation sound

Another problemAnother problem

Problem: Each chip comes with one battery Problem: Each chip comes with one battery and one speaker. If we use seven chips, how and one speaker. If we use seven chips, how to just use one battery and one speaker?to just use one battery and one speaker?

Solution: Use our brains!!!Solution: Use our brains!!!

Battery And Speaker ProblemBattery And Speaker ProblemFirst try--not workingFirst try--not working

All the chips are in parallel, and in series with the battery and the speaker.

Battery And Speaker ProblemBattery And Speaker ProblemSecond try--working, but not practicalSecond try--working, but not practical

Accomplished the Accomplished the goal of using one goal of using one battery and one battery and one speaker.speaker.

Requires a four-pin Requires a four-pin wand and four wand and four corresponding pins corresponding pins on each info spot on on each info spot on the map – the map – impractical.impractical.

Battery And Speaker ProblemBattery And Speaker ProblemThird try—the way to go!Third try—the way to go!

Use op-amps as input adders. Use op-amps as input adders.

741741

Op-amp

Op-amp

speaker

potentiometer

9V

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

10kΩ

1k Ω

Flashing LightsFlashing Lights

555 Timer555 Timer

(DC->square wave)(DC->square wave)

Chose R2=39k Chose R2=39k Ω Ω and C1=10E-6 F and C1=10E-6 F to get the right to get the right frequency frequency (approximately (approximately 0.5Hz)0.5Hz)

Flashing Lights Wired UpFlashing Lights Wired Up

““Congratulations” CircuitryCongratulations” Circuitry

magnetic switches in series to control the magnetic switches in series to control the “congratulations” circuitry“congratulations” circuitry

lights and sound circuitry in parallel to be lights and sound circuitry in parallel to be triggered by the magnetic switchestriggered by the magnetic switches

Info Switch DesignInfo Switch DesignTouch button design Our puzzle design (nail

design)

On/off; Info/puzzle Switch DesignOn/off; Info/puzzle Switch Design

Ponder Puzzle boxPonder Puzzle boxDesign Parameters:Design Parameters: Small enough to fit on a Small enough to fit on a

normal desknormal desk Large enough to Large enough to

accommodate internal accommodate internal circuitrycircuitry

Grooves to accommodate Grooves to accommodate sliding cover, and sliding cover, and additional puzzle overlaysadditional puzzle overlays

Sturdy, but not overly Sturdy, but not overly heavy.heavy.

Ponder Puzzle boxPonder Puzzle box Decided on wood (easy Decided on wood (easy

to work with, strong, to work with, strong, relatively light)relatively light)

All woodworking was All woodworking was done in the Hobby done in the Hobby shop under the shop under the guidance of Ken Stoneguidance of Ken Stone

Ponder Puzzle boxPonder Puzzle box

Each board was made Each board was made separately using a separately using a variety of saws and variety of saws and bladesblades

The boards were later The boards were later clamped and glued with clamped and glued with the bottom board being the bottom board being screwed on after the screwed on after the circuitry was inserted circuitry was inserted and testedand tested

PuzzlePuzzle

Functional Requirements:Functional Requirements: Fit together wellFit together well Imbed magnets to Imbed magnets to

complete circuitcomplete circuit Holes to insert wand to Holes to insert wand to

hear informationhear information

PuzzlePuzzle OMAX Water Jet layoutOMAX Water Jet layout

PuzzlePuzzle Used the Water Jet to cut the puzzleUsed the Water Jet to cut the puzzle Polypropylene materialPolypropylene material

PuzzlePuzzle

Utilized Crayola Model Utilized Crayola Model Magic ClayMagic Clay

Pliable at first, but air Pliable at first, but air dries hard and dries hard and lightweight without lightweight without crumblingcrumbling

Non-toxic: child-safeNon-toxic: child-safe Fulfills two functional Fulfills two functional

requirements:requirements:• 3D to show land 3D to show land

textures and elevationstextures and elevations• Conceals magnetsConceals magnets

DemonstrationDemonstration

ProductionProduction

Under budgetUnder budget Easy to Easy to

manufacturemanufacture Simple designSimple design Mold for puzzle Mold for puzzle

piecespieces Custom circuit Custom circuit

boardsboards

Further DevelopmentFurther Development

Interchangeable Interchangeable puzzlespuzzles

Use same circuitry, fit Use same circuitry, fit the same holes and the same holes and magnetsmagnets

Mini computer to hold Mini computer to hold information or each information or each puzzle comes with info puzzle comes with info cartridgecartridge

Smaller magnets, Smaller magnets, more lightweightmore lightweight

Future PuzzlesFuture Puzzles

Varying difficulty levels: child to adultVarying difficulty levels: child to adult Individual continents/countries, solar Individual continents/countries, solar

system, human body, rainforest… system, human body, rainforest… endless possibilities!endless possibilities!

More physically detailed for blind, More physically detailed for blind, braillebraille

Ponder Puzzle!Ponder Puzzle!

Sight, touch, and hearing stimulatedSight, touch, and hearing stimulated Lightweight clay, 3D piecesLightweight clay, 3D pieces Versatility makes it for all agesVersatility makes it for all ages Toy for home, study tool, pastime, Toy for home, study tool, pastime,

teaching tool in classroomsteaching tool in classrooms Technology meets traditionTechnology meets tradition

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments(Alphabetically)(Alphabetically)

Jim Bales, Edgerton CenterJim Bales, Edgerton Center Steve Banzaert, Edgerton CenterSteve Banzaert, Edgerton Center Marc GrahamMarc Graham Ed Moriarty, Edgerton CenterEd Moriarty, Edgerton Center Stephen OglesbyStephen Oglesby OME StaffOME Staff Anne Davis ShawAnne Davis Shaw Professor SlocumProfessor Slocum Ken Stone, MIT Hobby ShopKen Stone, MIT Hobby Shop Roy Talanian, MIT Hobby ShopRoy Talanian, MIT Hobby Shop