Objective:
To patent an electrical communications system capable of working over long distances which:
- should transmit as much information as rapidly and cheaply as possible
- can resemble the Bell patent, Gray caveat or Smithsonian design, but must contain a significant improvement or variation
- can be an alternative to the given inventions, but must not simply be a copy of something out of a book of solutions
- should be as environmentally-friendly as possible
You will be asked to buy (or scavenge) some of the following equipment. How much and what you buy is up to your group, but no group should spend more than $15 without submitting a proposal for additional items. Most of this equipment can be purchased at Radio Shack or Wonders of Science in the Fashion Square Mall. We will make every effort to provide at least some basic supplies and equipment, including multimeters, wire-cutters, a power supply, magnets and batteries left over from previous classes, etc. These materials can be signed-out from my office by contacting one of the TAs.
Building Materials:
- Single strand insulated wire of several sizes, including magnet wire
- 4 1.5 V (D size) batteries, or a 6 (or 12) volt lantern battery
- Nails of varying sizes
- Tin cans of several sizes
- 1 or more cardboard rolls of various sizes
- Salt
- Cups of several sizes
- Permanent magnets
- Rubber bands
- Balloons (These didn't exist in Bell's time, but you can use latex as a membrane because Bell and Gray had animal skins available)
- Washers of several sizes
- Scrap soft iron for creating electromagnets
- Flashlight
- Solar cell(s) (Often available in solar experiment kits)
- Electrician's tape
- Wire-cutters
- Super glue
Rules:
- Materials: You should be able to construct your communications device from the parts and tools listed above. You may submit a brief proposal for any additional materials that you feel would strengthen your design, justifying their purchase. Like Bell and most inventors, you must learn to make the most of limited resources.
- Originality: You should attempt to improve upon or present a variation of the Bell patent, Gray caveat, and the Smithsonian designs, not merely duplicate the inventions. In addition to its originality, your design will also be evaluated on its potential and the total cost of the materials needed to construct it.
- Power sources: batteries, solar cells--not electrical outlets or plutonium.
- Outside Information: We have tried to suggest a number of sources that will help those who do not have a background in circuits and chemistry. You can use outside consultants and other sources, but make sure consultants are listed in your honor's pledge on any documents you submit, and that you properly reference all sources.
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Unless otherwise noted this page and all its contents and subdocuments are copyright 1994 by Michael E. Gorman.
This page was last edited: Monday, May 12, 1997