learning about stem by building a geodesic houseboat mrw 070714

LEARNING ABOUT STEM BY BUILDING A GEODESIC HOUSEBOATM I C H A E L R W E E K E S , B S I E , L E A N S I X S I G M A B B

C O - F O U N D E R , W N Y S T E M H U B

B U F F A L O , N Y

( 7 1 6 ) 5 1 7 - 7 9 5 7

M I C H A E L L O V E S B U F F A L O @ G M A I L . C O M

Copyright – Michael R Weekes - 2014

AGENDA

1) Why Build a Geodesic Houseboat?To solve a problem (the reason STEM matters).

2) How the Process Revealed STEMLessons learned under the dome.

3) Domes Make STEM Fun and Meaningful Kids (of all ages) like learning a whole lot more when it

is part of making something that provides value and is fun in the process!

4) A Global STEM Geodesic Enterprise Architecture The simple, holistic, robust, integrated framework solution


THE DREAM

Arguably all science, technology, engineering, math and art starts with a dream or a yearning or is influenced or helped by it. Example: Lewis Structure appeared first in a dream as snakes engulfing each other.

An affordable waterfront get-away made ofour own design, simple yet capable.

WHY BUILD A GEODESIC HOUSEBOAT?

OpportunityWNY is about the waterfront It’s where the fun, the tranquility and the action is

We all love water and waterfrontsEvery guy I know longs to build his own boat since he read about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

Show me a city or town and I’ll show you the most expensive real estate: IT’S ALONG THE WATER!



ProblemBuying boats is expensiveBuilding boats is expensiveKeeping boats up is expensiveMaintenance can waste time You may need new knowledgeLoading and unloading Insurance, risk, theft


Cost Quality Time


Solving The Problem (Scientific Process)Define / gather data / learnMeasure / Model Analyze / SimulateTry / Assess / Adjust Improve / Achieve solutionResults / Outcomes

plan

do

check

act


Lighter Quicker Cheaper


The RequirementsSize - At lease 10’ wide, 16’ long, 7’6” highShelter – from wind, rain, cold, sun, heatNourishment – Food, drink, Cooler, GrillCapacity – seating, type, materials, cost, comfort

Safety – Not sinking or harming anyoneFunction - Accommodate up to 6 or 8 guests Appearance – attractive, intriguing, differentHaving Fun!



Options Buy an old motor or sail boat and fix it up Build the equivalent

Shanty boat, packet boat, day-sailor, motor skiff

New ProblemsPoor appearance (there’s a reason why a boat is for sale)

Excessive cost or labor or time to make and maintainFacility to build, if we did not buySkills required, workmanship, quality, injury


ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, BUT HOW DOES IT LOOK?


Functional isn’tNecessarily pretty!

OUT-OF-THE-BOX SOLUTION

Geodesic Houseboat

Hull made from storage containersLight, inexpensive, robust enoughNo epoxy or resin, milling, cutting, fastening

Cabin made from Geodesic Dome / ShellLight, inexpensive, robust enoughMade from common lumber (2x2) and plywood

Quick to assemble, easy to understand / buildVery interesting to look at / tech-look / alluring


OUT-OF-THE-BOX SOLUTION

Geodesic Houseboat

Hull made from storage containers

Cabin made from Geodesic Dome / Shell


THE DREAM COMES TRUE – JULY 23RD, 2013


HOW THE PROCESS REVEALED STEM

The Math of Building a Geodesic Houseboat

Triangles

Isosceles (two sides the same in length)

Equilateral (all three sides the same)

Pentagons

Nothing more than Five Isosceles Triangles joined along the shorter sides

(struts)

Hexagons

A Mix of Isosceles and Equilateral Triangles


TRIANGLES, PENTAGONS AND HEXAGONS

By joining sets of isoscelesTriangles together weAchieve pentagons

Topview

sideview


THE RELATIONSHIP OF R, RADIUS

R

a a

a

a

b

b

b

b

b

In our application

With Radius of R

a = 0.547 x R

B = 0.618 x R

Let’s look at the prospect of buildingA dome from six if these pentagons.

We call that a second frequency icosahedron.

a

a

NOTEa > r


THE SECOND FREQUENCY ICOSAHEDRON

If we fasten the six pentagons together along with ten equilateral triangles we end up with a dome (or half of a sphere).

With a radius of 5’, Lengths of a = 0.547 x 5.00 = 2.735’The b strut will = 0.618 x 5.00 = 3.09’.

b

b

b

b

a

aa

a

a

We can now buildA simple dome for Any radius or diameter!


THE FIVE SOLIDS

Cube

Tetrahedron

Icosahedron

Octahedron

Dodecahedron

This presentation focusesPrimarily on the version ofThe icosahedron nicknamedThe second frequency dome.


THE SOLIDS

NOTE:No cube - Too unstable!


tetrahedron

octahedron

icosahedron

dodecahedron

THE SMALLER THE TRIANGLE, THE HIGHER THE FREQUENCY AND COMPLEXITY OF THE DOME

Domes can grow to an infinite number of struts and hubs, but 80,000 is abut the highest number recently found to be effective is scientific research and development


CLASS HANDS-ON LEARNING EXERCISEBUILDING A SIMPLE 2V PAPER GEODESIC DOME

This class exercise comes to us from the HILA Science Group – visit www.hilaroad.com

The exercise invites us to assemble our own dome in class, using pre-cut pieces of poster paper so we can learn by doing. We will make a 20” dia. Dome.

The dome consists of a total of 40 pieces:

Thirty isosceles triangles to make up a total of six pentagons

Ten equilateral triangles between adjacent pentagons

The dimensions follow the same formula mentioned

R = 10”, so a = 0.547 x R or 5.47” and b = 0.618 x R = 6.18”

A list of all necessary items is available

This exercise was tested and validates at the Seneca Street Community Center – Madaille College

Participants will build the domes with guidance.

Each participant will mark the triangles with their name, creating a geodesic model of our team and a method of celebrating our

cooperative accomplishment demonstrating teamwork as well as how STEM works.


ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM – HANDS-ON EXERCISE

Make six of these pentagons.

Fasten isosceles triangles.

Fasten the five pentagons together with the equilateral triangles like a fence.

1

2

3

4

Complete the dome byFastening the sixthPentagon on top.

EVALUATION - CLASS EXAMPLE QUESTIONSWhat did you learn as you built the dome?

What was the hardest part?

What was fun about the process?

How would you define quality in the process?

How does this solid differ from a cube?

Would it take you less time to do your next dome?

Why?

Did you seem to specialize in a particular role?

Are you more of a supervisor or a builder?

How could this be more fun the next time?

Could you write an instruction on how to build a dome?

What domes in the real world can you imagine?


GEODESIC INFLUENCE AREAS OF CURRENT SCIENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Image Segmentation, Advances Neuroscience , EEG / EGI, Architecture, viruses, nanotechnology, nanotubes, carbon fiber ultra-light advancements, greenhouses, sustainability, urban gardening, hydroponics, fish farms, symmetry, analysis, plasma and fusion research, statistical shape influence, stock and financial analysis, forecasting, trajectory generation, leadership, models, enterprise models, process modeling, project management, crystallography, organic chemistry, DNA and proteins, etc.

And my favorite:Diffeomorphomerty: geodesic positioning systems for human anatomy!



The Technology of Building a Houseboat

- Buoyancy (just one concept)

- Fasteners / Hardware / Joinery

- Materials: wood vs. metal vs. plastic

- Water protection / resistance / resilience

- Ventilation / heating / cooling / air flow

- Elasticity / rigidity

- Requirements planning and applications development




- Buoyancy A one gallon containerHolds 8 lbs. of water … or

A gallon of water displaces8 lbs. of water

How much buoyancy do we need?

How many containers?

How many people can we hold?




- Buoyancy If we have 8 guests in totaland each one weighs 180 lbs. that’s a load of1,440 lbs. Add that to the weight of the boat of 1,000 lbs. and you have 2,440 lbs. If you have 27 gallon containers,you will need 12 containers tobarely float while unstable.

If we triple the number ofcontainers, then just one third of their volume will be submerged and two thirds will be above the water, providing stability.

Yea!



The Technology & Engineering of Building a Houseboat

Buoyancy is just one of dozens of Technological principles or phenomenon that can be explored as a result of designing or building or testing a geodesic houseboat.

Others include: weather, hydrodynamics, ergonomics (relationship between man and machine), freeboard (the effect of wind as a function of height), currents, waves, pollution, sustainability, design, development, history,

industrial heritage, biography, architecture and art.



The Mathematics of Building a Houseboat

Mathematical principles and phenomenon (in trigonometry, algebra and abstraction, geometry and shapes that could be explored in conjunction with building a geodesic houseboat could include:

Fractions and decimals, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, Pi – the circle constant, the golden ratio, the equation, Pythagorean theorem, three- dimensional solids and the five platonic solids, etc.


HOW THIS CAN MAKE STEM EDUCATION MORE FUN AND MEANINGFUL

Which would you rather do:

A) Go to a classroom and learn about science, technology or math from an old guy who stares at the board and has no interpersonal skills or vested interest in your education or career or….

B) Gather with a bunch or friends and find a quiet place, ENVISION A NEW KIND OF WIDGET, sketch it out, discuss the pros and cons of shape, type, style, size and weight.

Find a place with all kinds of new tools and equipment and MAKE SOMETHING WITH YOUR OWN HANDS learn about process and quality and workmanship and budget.

Head out and test what you fabricated and assembled, together and see it your assumptions and data and analysis led to an effective solution

(and in the doing, learn all about

math, science, technology , engineering and art)


NEW SOLUTIONS REVEALED

Information Technology

data (information), technology (hardware) and apps (software)

3D Organizational Representation

Interdependent Org Charts

Location Models

Goal Models

Process Models

Technology models

Data models

Enterprise Architecture

connecting strategy with people, process, data, technology and apps


Wellness model

THE GEODESIC ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTUREAny family, team, organization, NFP, business or community is

an enterprise – even the human body is an enterprise.

Architecture is the framework that connects all the key components to assure it’s stability, capability and function.

A Geodesic Enterprise Architecture (GEA) (registered trademark) leverages the principles and mechanics of the dome to connect each person, team, organization and community within the enterprise to allow for more efficient (great circle) connection, leading to a more agile, more effective performance, outcomes and results.

Example: 9/11 Catastrophe

The magnitude of the event would have been minimized (and arguably prevented) if the role-players and the decision-makers were interconnected in a more efficient manner, allowing for instantaneous reaction to initial events and more effective delivery of information and action.


KeyProcesses

KeyProcesses

Planning Development Deployment Satisfaction Results

Processes arethe series ofactivities bywhich capabilities areachieved.

Everything wedo is a process.If every step ofthe processworks, we achieve capability.

Capabilities

A GEODESIC ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURAL MODEL


HOW A GEODESIC ENTERPRISE CAN HELP YOU

How more effective would your contribution be as an educator if youWere part of an interconnected state-wide or national or global architecture?

What if you could reach out to any educator or administrator in any field in any Location to get the information you needed, real time or that same day?

What if you could access a network of like-minded professionals who hadAlready overcome the hurdles you now face as you explore your initiatives?

What if best practices were available to you, regardless of who you knewOr how well you were “connected” in the areas you seek to gain knowledge in?

How much quicker would your initiatives achieve results and how much more effective could they be if you were a participant in such an interconnected enterprise framework?

NOTE: BETA TESTING COMMUNITIES ARE BEING SOUGHT!

Every participant becomes only oneUnit of distance away from any other participant!

ACHIEVING A GLOBAL STEM GEODESIC ARCHITECTURE BY 2024!

A studentat ECC, Buffalo

An HIV Clinic in Rhodesia

A STEM boat-buildingSchool in New Zealand

A Grant-writingGURU in London

The internet is great, but how do you cutThrough the way the internet “interprets” Your request / search vs. what or who you need NOW?The Geodesic Enterprise Architecture connect youLike never before!

THE GEODESIC ARCHITECTURE COMPONENTS

n connectionsaway from each andEvery participant!

you

meothers

A wrap-around, all-inclusive collectionOf all of our personal rolodex informationPresented in a holistic, interconnectedModel that allows for quicker connection.

WHAT’S WILL YOUR ROLE BE IN THE GLOBAL STEM GEODESIC ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE SYSTEM?

• Leadership• Strategic• Planning• Development• Operation• Maintenance• Quality Assurance• Customer

• Partner• Workforce• Results / Outcomes• Metrics /

Performance• Promotion /

Endorsement• Improvement


CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED

WHAT I WANTED

In inexpensive waterfront get-away where we could enjoy the shore, nature and the opportunity to affordable pass the time and relax

WHAT I GOT

It was revealed to me the beauty, simplicity and elegance that the universe can provide in the form of two simple types of triangles and how they lead to not only pentagons and hexagons, boats and vessels, but an opening to a brand new conversation – about interconnection, frameworks and how they are all necessary to transform the world we have to the world we seek.

After thirty years as an engineer. It surprisingly changed my view of the world and how the things in it are related to each other.

It brought me to STEM and encouraged me to form the WNY Chapter!


FROM BOAT TO BOOKThe boat was a spectacle:

“Now, That is definitely

Something!:

Perhaps best capturing the wonder, the befuddlement, the joyfulness and the grin that the boat evoked. We invited folks aboard from all around the world, from Cheektowaga to New Zealand. We talked about life, boats, Bucky and Buffalo.

It all inspired the book, Building a New and Useful Buffalo. It offers a new geodesic-inspired perspective and model for interconnecting our “silos of success” our mutually exclusive wonderful aspects of WNY and how connecting them in a simple, holistic framework can accelerate our cultural transformation.


WHAT STEM IS REALLY ALL ABOUT

Exploring the world of science, technology engineering, math and art gives us the context to develop our real self, to find our purpose.

The real value of STE(A)M is learning how to think, being creative and solving problems, learning respect for each other and building self esteem and confidence to equip the user with the ability to do, well… anything!


WHAT’S NEXT?


WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS?


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Thank You!


Michael R Weekes, BSIE, Lean Six Sigma

Co-founder, WNY STEM Hub

Buffalo, NY

(716) 517-7957

[email protected]

learning about stem by building a geodesic houseboat mrw 070714

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