STEP ShowcaseChelsea Sabo

University of CincinnatiSTEP Fellow – Seton High School

November 17, 2009

Background Information• University of Cincinnati

• Ph.D. Candidate in Aerospace Engineering• Dynamics & Controls

• Summer Researcher at WPAFB• Control Sciences Division

• Manage the Intelligent Aerospace Systems Lab (IASL)• Supervised & Guided Undergraduate Research• TA’d for Undergraduate Controls Course• Organize Lab Visits for Various Outreach Activities

• AIAA Intelligent Systems Technical Committee

• University of Wisconsin – Madison• B.S. in Engineering Mechanics (Astronautics Option)

Current Research• Scenario involves multiple UAVs that are allocated to complete

various tasks (e.g. collect data from targets)• Objective is to collect data and relay it in a timely and efficient manner. • Restriction on communication requires that each UAV visits the

communication range to accomplish data transmission.

Intelligent Control methods can obtain results faster by narrowing the solutions down to only allow “reasonable” possibilities or by approximating the way humans think.

Seton High School

• Seton High School• Catholic High School• Founded in 1853 for young women.• Requires that all students participate

in community service.• All freshmen, sophomores, and

juniors have their own tablet PC.

Seton High School

• Ms Kathy Huschart• Physical Science & Physics

• Dr Mary Mullen• Biology

• Ms Mary Johnson• Algebra & Geometry

• Ms Lois Childers• Calculus & Pre-Calculus

My Way or the Highway

A Lesson on Circular Motion

Day 1: Direction ofCentripetal Force

• Used the demonstration to explain that the Centripetal Force is the force that keeps objects in circular motion.

• Students spun around and let the stopper go in 4 different spots (N, S, E, & W) and plotted where the stopper went.

Day 2: CF Relationship toVelocity & Radius

• Students keep a constant radius of the stopper, vary the velocity, and measure the resultant force with a spring scale.

• Students keep a constant velocity of the stopper, vary the radius, and measure the resultant force with a spring scale.

F α 1/r

Force

Radius

F α v2

Velocity

Force

• Students varied friction, the bank angle, and then both to find the maximum allowable velocity of the curve without the car flying off.

http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/physical/giambattista/banked_curve/banked_curve.html

Day 3: CF Bank Angle,Friction, & Velocity

Day 4: Race Day!• Students build a race-track loop that will allow them to compete for

who has the best design.

Day 4: Race Day!• The group that can make it from the start line, around a curve, and

back to the finish line first wins.• Students are given slot cars, curved tracks, and straightaways to build their race

tracks.• Students can vary the turn radii and bank angle to allow them to move faster

around the track.• Students race their tracks against other students to determine who designed the

best track!

ApplicationsOn- and off- ramps for Highways

Satellite Design

PlanesCentrifuges

Rollercoasters

Careers & Societal Impact• Careers

• Civil Engineers• Design Highway Roads

• Aerospace Engineers• Design Satellites & Planes• Design Flight Paths

• Rollercoaster Engineers• Design Rollercoasters

• Societal Impact• Civil Engineers make roads safe for drivers• Design of satellites provide communication for GPS, cell phones,

television, etc

Conclusions

Questions?