# data[].attributes.body
Both Aoife and Anthony worked side by side on this kinetic activity. One aspect that was important for all of us was to draw out our concepts on paper. As you can see from the below visual, both Aoife's and Anthony's pieces resemble that of their initial concept drawings.

# data[].attributes.body
As Laura Anne and I were tasked with coming up with the conclusion it was important to us to have something happen at the grand finale. We had thought about several dramatic endings, however we opted for a more simplistic one - turning on a kettle!

# data[].attributes.body
Anthony's creation was the starting point and was tasked with dispensing the the ball. It is clear that Anthony's background in product design came to the front here, he managed to create a working mechanism that was also aesthetically pleasing.

Similarly Aoife's approach to her mechanism is also very visually satisfying. The intricate cardboard construction along with the plastic exterior enables the ball to travel downwards at a steady speed.

# data[].attributes.body
Jennifer chose to create a catapult which would transfer the ball into Ciara Wall's creation. The ball would be dropped into Jennifer's catapult (falling out the bottom of Aoife's card construction piece) which would then throw the ball across into Ciara's beehive like structure.

# data[].attributes.body
The main emphasis of this workshop was on the creation of a kinetic art piece. Working in a collaborative way each of our elements would join together to transport an object from A - B. There was no subject matter given for this workshop but rather a process by which we had to respond to by creating our own example of a Rube Goldberg machine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine - Official Video

# data[].attributes.body
The rock band 'OK Go' have created their own version of the Rube Goldberg machine for their music video. I particularly like the use of found materials, objects and constructed pieces in the example.
'OK Go' have broken with traditional music videos - making them stand out in the process!

It would be worthwhile experimenting with different found objects in the construction process and assessing the possibilities for interaction with these objects .e.g. an axe cuts a cord.

When videoing our final concept it could be worthwhile to include some background music to build the momentum and keep the viewer engaged.

# data[].attributes.body
"Each team will create their part of its mechanism, which will be connected to that made by another team. At the teams’ disposal there will be various materials and simple devices as well as a specified amount of money that can be spent at our shop on other accessories. Each team will also receive guidelines on how to build the “heart” of the mechanism. However, the final appearance and functions of the machine will be developed by the teams themselves, under the watchful eye of our party animator!"

# data[].attributes.body
Joy event agency have built there company to encourage and promote group collaborative projects. They use these collective activities for team building activities for their clients. It is clear from our initial introduction to kinetic art/ Rube Goldberg machine that team work and collaboration is essential for the desired outcome to be achieved and I feel this agencies approach to team building through this method is not only unique but also encourages creative thinking in individuals who might not have this opportunity in their daily working lives.

# data[].attributes.body
Planning was very important for our group construction and as seen in my own process and development, Jennifer too chose to visually represent her concept on paper before setting off creating her card construction piece.

# data[].attributes.body
3M have created a Rube Goldberg machine to feature in an advert to promote their company. Similarly to the 'OK Go' example above, 3M are using this creative approach to engage the viewer with an unconventional advert.

There is a lot of plastic featured in this advert, something which would not be readily available to us in the classroom, however there is an obvious emphasis on science. For all of our components to work there is some aspect of science that has to be addressed. This is something that we had to address in the making of our dominos - addressing speed, momentum and weight. Only after taking all of these into consideration can we expect our goals to be achieved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cardboard Modeling - Rube Goldberg Machine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Joep Frens, the 2014 Nierenberg Chair at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design, walks us through his class, Cardboard Modeling, and the Rube Goldberg Machine students assembled as part of their final project.

# data[].attributes.headline
Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design

# data[].attributes.subject
Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design

# data[].attributes.body
Joep Frens talks through the creative process of card construction. I found this video very insightful. Joep speaks of how in working towards the Robe Goldberg machine with the class they are not only introduced to the process of cutting but also designing by learning different techniques. Joep Frens calls this designing for interaction. While theses construction pieces were created at university level it is clear that many of the outcomes could be simplified for inclusion in a secondary school classroom. I believe this video would be a useful resource for introduction to the method of card construction in a classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
As this construction workshop was all based around group collaboration it was important to be aware of what everyone else was doing and most importantly how we were going to receive the ball .i.e. would it roll in flat or come flying down from above.

# data[].attributes.body
As the ball was going to come to us from Rafaella's piece which would dispense the ball on ground level, we both decided to create a set of dominos.

# data[].attributes.body
We decided that each domino would be slightly bigger than the next (1cm approx). This incremental increase in size allowed for more speed to be achieved for the conclusion

# data[].attributes.body
All dominos were created using a flat plan and incrementally increased in size by 1cm. This enabled us to achieve better momentum and impact.

# data[].attributes.body
One obstacle that we came across when creating the dominos was that they would not stand up properly. To remedy this we scored all the fold lines on the flat plans - this enabled the edges to be sharp and be more even in supporting themselves.

# data[].attributes.body
All dominos were made from light card - this itself presented its own problem. Having created 3 different sized dominos we did a test run to see how it would work and determined that there was not enough weight in the dominos to enable us to achieve our goal.

# data[].attributes.body
Having acknowledged that we needed more weight in each of the dominos, we chose to fill the smaller ones with sugar. The larger ones were filled with pieces of clay which added the necessary weight to enable the dominos to function properly. Below is a video of our test run after introducing the different weights.

# data[].attributes.body
Jennifer chose to use both wood, card and plastic in her construction workshop. She chose to include a wooden spoon as the support of the catapult - enabling the catapult to spin around when propelled.

# data[].attributes.body
One observation Jennifer made on testing of her mechanism was that the elastic band became weaker on every test - loosing its elasticity. She was able to counteract this by repositioning the elastic band - enabling more tension and as a result better speed in the release of the catapult.

# data[].attributes.body
Trudie chose to visually illustrate her ideas with a clear emphasis on the use of colour. This allowed Trudie to figure out how each part would work. Considering the complex nature of this piece I feel this colour coding approach was definitely worth while.

# data[].attributes.body
Similarly to Jennifer, Trudie chose to use plastic cups in her construction workshop. this bridging of materials not only adds to the visual aesthetic but also is very practical in the making process to ensure the desired outcome is achieved.

# data[].attributes.body
The introduction of clogs on both the side and top of the piece allows for the operator to twist the leaver and transport the ball through the mechanism and out the bottom via the plastic cups.

# data[].attributes.body
On completion of the dominos we decided to introduce another element. Given that we would be receiving the ball at speed we decided to have the ball hit a round cylinder which would then hit the first domino and start the grand finale. We decided to introduce a track like system to ensure the cylinder followed the correct course

# data[].attributes.body
We decided to attach the last domino to the button for the kettle. Both ends of the rope were sellotaped. To ensure the last domino had the ability to turn on the kettle we decided that this would be best achieved with the last domino falling off the edge of the table - hence giving enough weight to turn on the kettle. Below is a video of this in action!

# data[].attributes.body
After several test runs we noticed that on one occasion the last domino broke free from the rope and as a result did not turn on the kettle. To ensure this didn't happen again we used glue and several more layers of sellotape to keep the rope in place.

# data[].attributes.body
We undertook a final test run of our mechanism before together as a group assembling all the relevant parts.

# data[].attributes.body
We acknowledged as a group that more planning would have been necessary for all parts to work together. This planning would be in terms of necessary height needed to enable all parts to work together as one machine. As the start height and end height were practically impossible to facilitate in our studio it was decided that the machine would be operated in two different parts (the upper sections being tested together and the lower sections being tested together.)

# data[].attributes.body
The lower section of our attempt at a Rube Goldberg machine worked in tandem with the ball being dispensed from Anthony's creation, dropping into Rafaella's structure and meeting the start of our creation. The dominos all fell down and enabled to kettle to start boiling.

# data[].attributes.body
One particular area which we could have improved upon would be the design of the dominos. Creating a vector design or having comical faces on each of the dominos I believe would have enriched the aesthetic and made for a more visual and humorous finale.

# data[].attributes.body
In my next construction project or for a scheme, I feel it would be important to introduce different materials such as plastic and wood as seen in many of my peers work. I feel this would enrich the learners experience and enable them to consider interactions with different materials and how they could be used effectively to reach our collective outcome.

# data[].attributes.body
JAM offers young people a platform for learning through cardboard construction. I believe it would be a useful resource in the classroom. Here there are dozens for videos demonstrating how to create cardboard structures. There USP is that all the materials can be found at home. This unique selling point also would enable students to construct mechanisms in the classroom with limited equipment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JAM's Engineering course for kids 8 and up. An inventor will show you engineering skills using everyday materials. You'll build catapults, mechanical arms, and mazes for your own Rube Goldberg machine.

# data[].attributes.headline
5000 Moving Parts - MIT Kinetic Art Exhibition

# data[].attributes.subject
5000 Moving Parts - MIT Kinetic Art Exhibition

# data[].attributes.body
http://archive.boston.com/yourtown/cambridge/gallery/mit_museum_kinetic_art/

The above exhibition featured large-scale works of sculptures and machinery by contemporary artists such as Arthur Ganson, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Anne Lilly, and John Douglas Powers.

There are some short videos in the above link which provide information on kinetic art by evaluating selected pieces, speaking to the artists and the show's curator, as they explain their thought process behind creating each one and provide insight into kinetic art. The below image aims to represent the sea and waves through the use of wood and several mechanisms enabling it to mimic the movement we associate with the sea.

# data[].attributes.headline
Jeffrey Zachmann’s artwork at the Rourke Art Museum Minnesota, USA.

# data[].attributes.subject
Jeffrey Zachmann’s artwork at the Rourke Art Museum Minnesota, USA.

# data[].attributes.body
Jeffrey Zachmann is the creator of this sculpture. He “specializes in creating unique and custom kinetic sculptures that are featured all over the nation.”

Jeffrey was commissioned to create the above kinetic sculpture for The Concordian's new science building. I have discovered that the nearest cross over into science with art is through the kinetic creation process. Similarly it will be important to take different science elements into account when creating our own kinetic/ card construction pieces to ensure a successful outcome.