SBIR Phase I: Learning Design Synthesis with a Mechatronics Kit

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将开发和测试一个构建套件玩具和伴随的活动，用于教学和学习工程设计合成。常规的工程分析可以自动化，但设计综合在很大程度上仍然是富有创造力和知识渊博的人的领地。问题是，设计合成即使教授得很差，也是糟糕的。建筑工具包玩具提供了一种解决这个问题的方法：它们邀请年轻人以好玩但具有智力挑战的方式参与工程设计合成。除了教授特定领域的知识外，建筑工具包还鼓励年轻学习者进行目标导向的实验探索，获得并实践工程设计中创造力和发明的核心技能。目前的机电一体化建筑工具包玩具要么过于简单，要么过于有限，无法进行严肃的设计，或者它们功能强大，但对技术要求太高，以至于排除了许多本来可能喜欢玩的人。我们的EYVO机电一体化建造套件通过优雅的功能封装和简单的物理设计进行了具体的创新，这将显著降低年轻人参与工程设计合成的门槛。该项目将开发EYVO原型和配套的教育材料，在儿童中进行测试，并调查其商业潜力。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力如下。在整个20世纪，美国在科技创新方面领先于世界，但这种竞争优势正在稳步消退。美国儿童在STEM知识和技能方面落后于其他国家，这对国家至关重要？S，技术领先和经济未来。许多年轻人不愿追求STEM的兴趣，因为尽管有兴趣，但早期的接触会让他们认为自己的能力很差。他们离开STEM领域(或感觉被排除在外)，是因为进入门槛似乎太高，还是因为他们认为如此？S乏味或困难。与乐高MindStorms、VEX Robotics和Meccano等竞争产品不同，该项目开发的EYVO建筑工具包邀请年轻人立即参与严肃而有趣的工程设计，而不需要开场白和事先的技术熟练程度。通过玩EYVO，他们可以学到工程设计是有趣的，更重要的是，他们可以在一个领域出类拔萃。通过使个人、学校和非正式科学机构能够负担得起该工具包，该项目将使工程设计综合技能具有吸引力，并使历史上基本上被排除在STEM学习之外或对STEM学习不感兴趣的人群能够获得。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and test a construction kit toy and accompanying activities for teaching and learning engineering design synthesis. Routine engineering analysis can be automated, but design synthesis still remains largely the province of creative and knowledgeable human beings. The problem is that design synthesis is taught poorly, if at all. Construction kit toys offer a way to solve this problem: they invite young people into engineering design synthesis in playful yet intellectually challenging ways. Beyond teaching specific domain knowledge, construction kits engage young learners in goal-directed experimental exploration, acquiring and practicing skills central to creativity and invention in engineering design. Current mechatronics construction kit toys are either too simple or limited to allow serious designing, or they are powerful but so technically demanding as to exclude many who otherwise might like to play. The specific innovation of our EYVO construction kit for mechatronics through elegant encapsulation of function and simplicity of physical design?will dramatically lower barriers for young people to engage significantly with engineering design synthesis. This project will develop the EYVO prototype and accompanying educational materials, test it with children, and investigate its commercial potential.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is as follows. Throughout the twentieth century the US led the world in science and technology innovation, but this competitive advantage is steadily eroding. US children lag behind peer nations in STEM knowledge and skills, crucial for the nation?s technological leadership and economic future. Many young people are discouraged from pursuing STEM interests because, despite interest, early encounters lead them to believe that they have poor aptitude. They turn away (or feel excluded) from STEM fields because the barriers to entry seem too high or because they think it?s boring or difficult. Unlike competing products such as LEGO Mindstorms, VEX Robotics, and Meccano the EYVO construction kit developed in this project invites young people to engage immediately?without prologue and without need for prior technical proficiency?in serious yet playful engineering design. Through play with EYVO they can learn that engineering design is fun, and more importantly, a domain in which they can excel. By making the kit affordable to individuals, schools, and informal science institutions, the project will make engineering design synthesis skills attractive and accessible to populations that historically have largely been excluded from, or disinterested in, STEM learning.