Exercise Title: Assisted Snacking

Purpose: This project is meant to highlight the ways in which we interact with the food we eat, often times passively without thinking too deeply.  Instead of idly snacking while doing something else, students will need to find a way to completely engage with a variety of foods.

Description: Students will build devices, contraptions, and tools which will be used to enhance the food presented on the desks.  Each groups will focus on what challenges are involved in the process of eating - breaking chips, dirty fingers, double dipping, etc... Once the challenges have been highlighted, the groups will let their imaginations run wild with how to solve these age-old questions.  

Process:

• Find a partner
• Brainstorm and sketch as many ideas as possible (~10 mins)
• Build one/a few prototypes of this contraption or system 
• Take pictures of the system before testing with food!
• Test the system until you are full or supplies are gone.

Deliverables:

• Blog Post
  • Scans of the brainstorming sketches
  • Photos of the device before 'testing'
  • Photos after 'testing'
  • Video of how the system works/system in action
  • Diagram of the system functions

Description: This exercise is an introduction to basic linkages.  Building these simple mechanisms will show you how to create motion in different directions, enabling you to design a device in Part 2 that moves the way you want it to.

Instructions: Choose and construct one of the four linkages shown using cardboard and fasteners. 

Materials and Tools:

• Cardboard
• Paper fasteners or screws and nuts
• Straight Edge
• Cutting Mat
• Cutting Tool