Zachary Beal s3237520AESTHETICS

Zachary Beal s3237520AESTHETICSThe aesthetics of my product was not the main focus of the design, however I wanted to create a simple form which would work harmoniously when attached to current projectors on the market. The final design was made to be light, simple and compact so it could easily be utilized on a number of different projectors. I also refrained from placing complicated switches or dials on the device so it could be easily used by the students in the class, as well as the teacher.

The educational ‘Acetate Effects Wheels’ provide a strong platform for further design, and are responsible for changing the aesthetics and mood of a classroom. In order to remove the need to purchase lighting fixtures, plain colored discs can be mounted to change the colors of the walls in a dematerialized classroom. Plain acetate discs can be written on, cleaned and reused by the teacher, which provides a platform much like old overhead acetate projector, so the teacher can write class notes and draw diagrams that work like a film/ moving image, which engages the students more effectively than a traditional stagnant slide or whiteboard. The 9 inch educational discs already in production from Optikinetics feature scenes such as the planets, the alphabet, weather conditions and farming landscapes to name a phew. These discs create an interesting visual stimulus for the children to watch whilst doing their work, which facilitates learning more about a given topic, such as the solar system. Special classes can be designed to work around the material in the discs, and add another stimulating educational tool into the classroom.

Zachary Beal s3237520 Zachary Beal s3237520USABILITY

To mount the product onto a projector, firmly push down on the top the frame on any surface of the projector, making sure the light spot is aligned to the projectors bulb. The suction Pad will automatically adhere to any smooth surface.

To dismount the product from a projector, use the handle as a lever, and pull upwards, which loosens the suction on the surface of the projector, making it easy to adjust or dismount for storage.

When the product is properly mounted, it needs to be plugged into the back of the projector. I have chosen to use a USB connection to power the motor, as many new projectors are being made with USB ports. This removes the need for additional power supply to be used on the product.

Zachary Beal s3237520USABILITYTo adjust the size of the projection on the wall, simply extend or retract the steel tubing using the grip until the desired size is achieved.

To adjust the lightspot use the taps on the side of the frame to either lower or heighten the spot to ensure the maximum light from the projector is emitting through the hole.

To mount the educational acetate discs, align the disc with the pattern at the end of the steel tube and push firmly until it is securely in place.

To write on the clear acetate disc use a Whiteboard Marker with alcohol-based ink so it can be wiped off without a trace. To Clean wipe with a damp cloth.

Zachary Beal s3237520 Zachary Beal s3237520MATERIALSEXPLODED VIEW

Acetate Effects Wheel

Motor

AdjustableLight Focus

USB Power Connection

Handle/ Grip

Extendable Steel Tube

Frame

Synthetic Setae Suction Pad

Rotating SteelAttachment

Zachary Beal s3237520MATERIALS

Handle/ GripThe grip is made from Greensulate, currently used in housing insulation. The handle is created by pouring a mixture of insulating particles, hydrogen peroxide,

starch, and water into a panel mold. Mushroom cells are then injected into the mold, where they

digest the starch producing a tightly meshed network of insulating particles and mycelium.

Greensulate is chemical and VOC (volatile organic compound) free, while still providing a class 1 fire

rating, which would be perfect for the handle, for it can withstand the heat generated by the projectors

bulb.

Acetate Effects WheelsThese 9 inch discs are made from acetate, which allows light to pass through as it is transparent. The outer rim is made of plastics, with the central section made from a

durable plastic or recycled steel.These discs are already in production by Optikinetics,

having a wide range of effects ranging from educational discs to abstract effects. These are designed to be used in their projectors, however I have made my

design compatible with this disc so there is already an infrastructure in place to use with my design.

FrameThe frame of my product is made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ABS. The frame will be injection

moulded, which is not the most environmentally friendly process, but will ensure the product will be strong and

have an even wall thickness. As well as being very durable, ABS is also easily

recyclable, and can be produced using already recycled ABS, and be put back into the recycling

stream after use. ABS also has a melting point of 105 °C, so it will be a good heat resistant plastic to be placed

above a projector.

Recycled Steel PartsThere are three steel parts in my design, which will

all be manufactured from recycled steel. Steel has been used to ensure the product is strong

and will not break under heavy use in a schooling environment/ classroom. Steel is extremely heat resistant, so it will no deform or degrade with the

constant heat emitted by the projector.The outer steel tube is attached to the grip and

can slide freely within the frame. The rotating steel attachment is fixed inside the outer tube and is

attached to motor, which spins it slowly to revolve the disc.

Synthetic Setae Suction PadTo securely fasten the product onto a projector I have chosen to incorporate a biomimetic adhesive suction

pad onto the base of the frame. Synthetic setae emulates the setae found on the toes of a gecko (thousands of

microscopic elastic hairs), which allows them to climb up walls. The sheer abundance and proximity to the surface of these hairs make it sufficient for van der Waals forces

alone to provide the required adhesive strength. This synthetic break though has created an extremely effective

dry adhesive which can adhere to nearly any surface, including Teflon. This allows the product to be mounted

from any direction, including directly under the projector in case the top is unavailable due to a ceiling mount.

Dyson Energy Efficient MotorThe motor used to turn the Acetate discs is based on the new Dyson digital motor which is extremely small

and very efficient, due in part to high tolerances. This motor has been designed to spinning at up to 104,000rpm, which is far to fast for the purposes I

need. I only need the disk to spin slowly, around 3 or 4 revolutions per minute so the motor I need can be

heavily simplified.As the motor is only small and very efficient it can easily be powered via USB connections into the

back of a projector or a laptop, without the need for additional mains power supply.

Zachary Beal s3237520 Zachary Beal s3237520SUSTAINABILITYEssential Items in a

Dematerialized Classroom

Flexible Furniture

Wireless Internet

1:1 Laptop Ratio

Projectors

Lighting

Zachary Beal s3237520SUSTAINABILITYDematerialized

ClassroomFuture Schooling

Environment

Future Schooling EnvironmentIn 3-5 years I envisage the future schooling system will be radically changed by means of affordable technology that has been adapted for educational purposes. Technology such as projectors will be well established in classrooms, with all teachers being proficient in linking their lap tops to the screen and utilizing projector based learning to its full potential, using the ever increasing free teaching resources available online. Schools on average are only utilized 18% of the year. The Australian government is looking into systems that can be set in place in schools to make it a better community resource. My future schooling environment, were my product is to be used, is a multi functional space that can accommodate a diverse range of students, from kindergarten through to university. The challenge is finding a universal class system, with only the essential classroom tools, which can adapt and change to educationally stimulate a diverse range of people. In order to create a flexible multifunctional space, the classroom must be dematerialized. The major infrastructure that is essential for teaching in a paperless schooling environment is wireless internet access, technology such as a 1:1 student to computer ratio, projectors, lights, and flexible furniture to create a flexible learning space. One huge factor for teachers reluctance to adopt online programs and resources is the lack of a full system that can deal with all applications needed to teach effectively without using paper. Teachers do not want to log into several different online resource web sites which are not linked to each other for this is time consuming, unorganized and difficult for students to adopt. However Google has created ‘Google Chrome OS’ which could offer a simplistic and holistic way to teach using only online resources. Gmail can be linked with google calender in Google Tasks application so all emails and calender information are in one easily accessible location online. To supplement this Google Docs allows teachers and students to take notes and create office works like documents, presentations and spreadsheets and allows for uploadable storage. This combined with other powerful web tools such as Evernote, which allows students to take notes, collect web clipping and share notes in a blog can be every useful. Teachers should also encourage the use of blogs to share and collate their school work. Blogs offer students an easily accessible platform to upload work and share questions with a group of students and teachers in a virtual class. Blogs keep students work organized and gives a strong study resource at the end of the year for revision. It also creates a back up, digital copy of the years work for future reference, all without using a single sheet of paper. The pictures taken on the right are from around the RMIT Industrial Design Building, and showcases a dematerialized learning environment well.

Projector Based Learning Classrooms are rapidly moving towards smartboard and projector based learning, with many classrooms around Melbourne having this infrastructure already in place. Projectors are also seen as standard at University level education, with most classrooms having projectors available with speakers to enable audio to be played. I found creating a product to reduce paper in my future schooling environment difficult because one of my basic aims was to dematerialize the classroom, not add to the amount of technology already in production. As projector technology is rapidly changing with each new model, in bedding new interactive functions into the projectors themselves, there will be the need to upgrade the technology in the classroom. My concept is to create an attachment that can be retrofitted onto existing classroom projectors to utilise them as a secondary projector resource in the class. In a dematerialized class which is striving to reduce paper usage, having a projector displaying the children’s work means that the class does not need to be covered in children poster based assignments, which is essential if the class is to be used my multiple groups of students. My product can also be used instead of stage lights like Fresnel lights, which is safer and less complicated to operate. Preliminary research supports the idea that altering lighting in classrooms might be able to improve student performance. Researchers at City University in London used psychometric tests to measure concentration levels and found these rose significantly in pupils working under the new lighting. “Both students and teachers noted how the lighting changes positively impacted the mood in the classroom,” said Dr. Efrosyni Konstantinou, of the centre for performance at work. The lighting scheme, known as SchoolVision, is a creation of Philips, the Dutch electronics corporation. It is already used in 20 schools in Germany, and more than 80 classrooms in the Netherlands and costs about £5,500 to install. Four different light settings are used. “There is a normal setting, which is switched on when pupils are coming in or out of a class, and three others known as focus, calm and energy. The energy setting is a very intense blue and is used in the morning when some of the older pupils have difficulties getting out of bed.” “Calm is redder and is used typically after break periods. Focus is a bright white light that is switched on during exams, tests or any other types of assessment.” My product also has the capability of creating a digital whiteboard resource which displays the teachers written notes much like a whiteboard, but removes the need to have one wall covered with a plastic whiteboard screen. Having a single device which combines the ability of lighting effects and image projection, crates a powerful digital resource that can actively stimulate students to learn in the paperless dematerialized learning class of the future.