“A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately over engineered machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction.” [1]
Key word: Engineered.
So what better way to teach students about the innovation and creativity associated with the engineering profession, than by having them build their very own Rube Goldberg machine? Well, there was a better way, to have machines built all across Ontario and have each machine trigger the subsequent one.
Brilliant.
On February 27th, 2010, member undergraduate engineering students from across the Engineering Student Societies’ Council of Ontario (ESSCO) invited high school students to come to campus and build complex Rube Goldberg machines, all to perform the simple task of turning on a sign that read “E4TW” (the general public’s version of ERTW) at the Ontario Science Center. High school students were invited to the University of Toronto, Lakehead University, University of Western Ontario, University of Ontario Institute of Technology and the University of Waterloo to help create these masterpieces. Together with dedicated engineering undergraduate students, they built phenomenal machines.
Each machine featured its own signature design. Some were impressed by U of T’s 2 storey tall machine, while others were awed when Waterloo’s machine used fire to trigger a next step. Western’s machine even went down a floor and all the way back up! UOIT managed to turn on a water tap to fire a slingshot, and Lakehead brought back memories of Red Green with their feature material, duct tape.
High school students had tons of fun and learned a lot about engineering by helping design and build their Rube Goldberg machines, and having the opportunity to work with engineering students. Even more students, parents and children were impressed when the entire run of machines, from U of T, to Lakehead, to Western, to Waterloo, to UOIT, was broadcast at the Ontario Science Center. Hundreds of people awed the spectacle and were amazed when the sign set up at the science center was lit up from a signal that had gone all over Ontario.
The event was a huge success, and most of the machines are currently posted on YouTube. Just search the school name and keywords “Rube Goldberg”, and you’ll probably find it! ESSCO looks forward to organizing the event next year, and celebrating engineering across Canada for National Engineering Month.
[1] Rube Goldberg Machine. (n.d.). Retrieved 03 05, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine
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