Leaving Cert Technology 2011 - Higher Level Thematic Brief (Opinions,thoughts,etc)

NotExactly

Thematic Brief:

''The right to safe and clean drinking water... is a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life'' (United Nations,July 2010)
Less than one percent of the world's water is available for human consumption, with the remainder being contained in oceans, glaciers and ice sheets. Population growth, industrial, agricultural and private demands, changes in climate patterns and increasing pollution are some factors that contribute to sincreased pressure on this vital resource.

There are growing concerns around the sustainable, efficient and socially responsible supply, quality monitoring, conservation and use of water.
With a focus on devices and technologies which can help address these concerns, design and name a model which addresses an area of water supply, quality, conservation or use that you have identified.
The model should incorporate electronic and/or mechanical systems and should also be well presented

Note:

The finished artefact need not require the use of water The maximum dimension of the artefact you present for assessment should not exceed 500 mm

So what do ye think of the brief?
What ideas do ye have?

partyatmygaff

I don't do Technology (I did it for JC but chose to continue on to Engineering instead) but that brief sounds horrible =/

How did you find this out? Nothing on examinations.ie

NotExactly

partyatmygaff wrote: »

I don't do Technology (I did it for JC but chose to continue on to Engineering instead) but that brief sounds horrible =/

How did you find this out? Nothing on examinations.ie

The brief arrived to the school on Friday (which was a week late).
Yes it sounds horrible indeed. It's so vague.

partyatmygaff

Nothing much you can do about it but get stuck in though =/

A few ideas you guys could use:

1. Water Conservation
A measured water release system. I.e. you set a certain volume of water and release it.

Circuitry and Mechanism for something like that would need a bit of ingenuity but it's pretty doable.

2. A water usage meter that displays the flow rate and total use of water.
Shouldn't be difficult to design or make but the circuity will be extremely challenging. Something like that will definitely need a Micro Controller and some basic programming skills alongside a good grasp of physics.

An idea would be that the water would somehow pass through an impeller or some form of a paddle. The device would measure total flow rate by an infared sensor recording the number of times an impeller blade passes it. You'd need to calibrate it on a known volume of water and then set it so that for X passes of an impeller blade the device would record 1 litre.

Here's an example of use on a garden hose

1. Attach one end to tap and the other end to the hose.
2. As water passes through the vessel the impeller rotates.
3. For each rotation an impeller blade triggers the IR sensor and this is recorded on the IC.
4. Using a calibrated value i.e. 1 litre of water = 10 IR stops the volume of water passed through is displayed on a simple numerical LED display.

It doesn't seem too difficult to manufacture something like that but circuitry (Particularly the IC programming) won't be easy.

Just some ideas to get you guys thinking

Bbbbolger

Sorry to kind of hi-jack the thread but is the Engineering brief out yet? DCG and Technology out now so it musnt be long.

partyatmygaff

Bbbbolger wrote: »

Sorry to kind of hi-jack the thread but is the Engineering brief out yet? DCG and Technology out now so it musnt be long.

I'm hoping for this week, I really want to get it out of the way

unknown13

Did HL last year and scored highly in it. That brief is very nasty.

randylonghorn

NotExactly wrote: »

There are growing concerns around the sustainable, efficient and socially responsible supply, quality monitoring, conservation and use of water.
With a focus on devices and technologies which can help address these concerns, design and name a model which addresses an area of water supply, quality, conservation or use that you have identified.
The model should incorporate electronic and/or mechanical systems and should also be well presented

Just off the top of my head (I know NOTHING about mechanics or electronics btw!) ...

... A loo which takes less water to flush (e.g. the ones on the trains / planes etc. use very little water ... ideas for making something similar for an ordinary house?)

... A watering can which actually releases water in measures (so many people watering flowers outside with a hose or splashing a watering can around willy-nilly)

... any amount of rainwater goes down drains in urban areas - any bright ideas for using it? ... even if only to clean the same streets!

Ayrtonf7

Technology student myself, and after having a brief talk with my teacher about the brief (excuse the repitition) I can safely say I am worried. But I guess ill find out on thursday when we start picking away at it

NotExactly

Still unsure on what to do with this project. Any more ideas?

Ayrtonf7

work on the brief. Mind map, etc. Youll get something from that

randomblogger

I have had a few ideas for the brief:
probably the best one is a greywater system which reuses used water for things which drinkably clean water is not neccesary, eg. toilet cysterns, garden hoses etc. this could also include a modification to drains so that rain water feeds into the greywater, a good way to demonstrate the project would be a cutaway model of a house, including the attic, you could have a tank for clean water which is fed to the likes of kitchen taps, which feeds back into the greywater tank and the greywater goes on to toilet cysterns, hoses etc. it would be difficult to build, but it could be done with little or no circuitry. and because the finished project does not actually need to use water you dont even have to have the system working, the different pipes could be colour coded for clean and grey water...there is the problem of having a mechanical aspect thou, how can you fit mechanics into a model of a house without actually making a working greywater system, thats what im trying to work out how to do.

hope this helps, feel free to bounce ideas back if youv had any!

Ayrtonf7

Hmm I like that idea. To be honest it could be mechanichal or eletronic that you add in. I think thats something really small to overcome (although saying that im not sure how to fit a mechanichal thing into yours without actually making it work)

Personally I plan to build a really simple circut but have it playing a key part in my project...as for what my project is...Im not sure yeah...Think about something to do with conservation but Im worried that kind of idea would be avoiding the thematic brief ? Does anybody know if youll loose much marks for avoiding the theme ?

Personally I think the ideal item would be some sort of handpowered distellery device but theres quite alot of them out there atm...so I wouldnt want it to seem like I am copying! Also simplicity is generally better...

Anyways just bouncing Ideas around

randomblogger

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

Hmm I like that idea. To be honest it could be mechanichal or eletronic that you add in. I think thats something really small to overcome (although saying that im not sure how to fit a mechanichal thing into yours without actually making it work)

Personally I plan to build a really simple circut but have it playing a key part in my project...as for what my project is...Im not sure yeah...Think about something to do with conservation but Im worried that kind of idea would be avoiding the thematic brief ? Does anybody know if youll loose much marks for avoiding the theme ?

Personally I think the ideal item would be some sort of handpowered distellery device but theres quite alot of them out there atm...so I wouldnt want it to seem like I am copying! Also simplicity is generally better...

Anyways just bouncing Ideas around

Thats what i mean, its a simple enough idea, but to incorporate a mechanical and/or electronic function is easy, but without actually making a working greywater system would be pretty difficult, and theres no way that you could make a working model within the limitations of size.

Doing something on conservation wouldn't be avoiding the brief, it does use the word conservation in it, but again there's the same problem, HOW can you manage to create a project on the conservation of water?? We were brainstorming it for an entire class before the mid-term and none of us could come up with any way to incorporate conservation.

Also, look back at the last two years thematic briefs, this is by far the hardest of the three years the subject is being taught, just our luck eh?

Ayrtonf7

randomblogger wrote: »

Thats what i mean, its a simple enough idea, but to incorporate a mechanical and/or electronic function is easy, but without actually making a working greywater system would be pretty difficult, and theres no way that you could make a working model within the limitations of size.

Doing something on conservation wouldn't be avoiding the brief, it does use the word conservation in it, but again there's the same problem, HOW can you manage to create a project on the conservation of water?? We were brainstorming it for an entire class before the mid-term and none of us could come up with any way to incorporate conservation.

Also, look back at the last two years thematic briefs, this is by far the hardest of the three years the subject is being taught, just our luck eh?

Yeah the size limiation is not something I wouldve expected. I am not sure how youd make the greywater unless you scaled it down and manufactured a key part in it...Say were the water was divded and exactly how it would be divded (mechanical/electronical)

Well I always thought of the brief as something to do with the floods in pakistan earlier this year, and although thats not really a good way to look at it it would make sense.

Well my idea for the conservation idea, so far is to invent a piece of equipment which can be incorperated into appliances which use alot of water (showers or dishwashers). Not sure If Im gonna go for something like that. Going to ask my Techno teacher about it tomorrow.

roguey

Hows everyone getting on?

im so far behind its not even funny, still dont have a solid idea, i really need to get it sorted, meant to be starting production next week!

randomblogger

Your not the only one whos behind, We're supposed to be starting production next week and I've only just decided today what I'm going to do! So now I have to expand my idea over the weekend, as well as do a load of work for the DCG Brief. Gonna be a long aul fun weekend!!

deanmaher

How do i download microsoft word to my laptop so i can do my portfolio at home? Need help !

unimpressed2

Go to www.download.com and search for Open Office. when u get to that click to download it. then install it on ur laptop. it works the same as msWord and is compatible too.

deanmaher

Thanks a lot mate , much appreciated

NotExactly

So how is everybody getting on with the project? What are ye using to control yere LED'S, LDRS, microswitches etc.

Ayrtonf7

Ehh to be honest my project is kind of on the ropes. I went for the conservation method and I am extremly worried about my projects finish.

I am using a filler to cover blue foam, then I will sand it down and paint it, not really sure. Ive never done it before =/ Any tips/tricks ?

The brief itself, is coming along okay, just need to try and buckle down on it.

techieteacher

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

Ehh to be honest my project is kind of on the ropes. I went for the conservation method and I am extremly worried about my projects finish.

I am using a filler to cover blue foam, then I will sand it down and paint it, not really sure. Ive never done it before =/ Any tips/tricks ?

The brief itself, is coming along okay, just need to try and buckle down on it.

Polyfilla is the best stuff to use on the blue foam you'll get it in most DIY shops. If you spray paint the blue foam with pores exposed it will just disolve it! Sand it as smooth as you can - use pollyfilla on any major gaps or holes and sand that off too. You can then use an emulsion as a primer coat, and once all the blue foam is completely hidden and you're happy that the surface is as smooth as you can get it - proceed to spray painting.

Just double check with your teacher about spray painting - ye may have a spray area that's well ventilated, or it may have to be done outside so just plan it well weather wise!

randomblogger

Was just looking through my old posts and wondering how you guys all got one?

Did your projects come together in the end??