Well, my two weeks of no IAP agenda have come to a close and I've started my class.
If you're a mechanical engineer, attend MIT, and are a sophomore, IAP means only one thing: 2.670, a class called "Mechanical Engineering Tools." 2.670's job is to get students familiar with the tools and machinery in the main MechE shop, the Pappalardo lab. Inside are all sorts of mills, lathes, pipe benders, band saws, belt sanders, grinding wheels, and anything else you might need.
While a lot of people who decide to be mechanical engineers love the math and physics behind it all, not everybody has had the chance to work with the actual machinery involved in manufacturing things. Not every high school has FIRST robotics, not every kid has power tools in their garage at home, and even for those that have worked with shop tools, a refresher never hurts.
Next semester is 2.007, the most famous robotics class at MIT, and 2.670 exists almost solely to introduce students to the tools they'll be using for 2.007.
Today was my third day of class and I thought I'd show you a bit of what I've been up to. Keep in mind, there are about 50 people in my section of the class, so some of the processes have been streamlined for time efficiency's sake (less individual time on machines, more prefabrication on the part of the staff, less time-consuming work on the students' part).
First, the project. In years past it's been customary for students in 2.670 to build stirling engines. At the end of 2.670 there would be a big competition to see whose engine ran the fastest.
This year there is a new professor for the course, Professor Frey, so the project has been changed. This year we're using compressed air, some solenoids, and various other bits and pieces to create pneumatic bug things.
The wheels only roll in one direction, so the mechanics behind walking involve a solenoid opening a valve, the compressed air pushing a leg forward (the wheel rolls) and then another valve pulling the leg back (remember, the wheel only rolls one direction so the robot is pulled forward as the leg is pulled back). Repeat for the other side, and you have an awkward little bug crawling around the ground.
Day 1 of class was spent working with electronics. Each of us were given a Parallax BASIC stamp board and some software and we farted around with a 7-segment display and some LEDs. Ta-da! (Oh, all photos in this entry are courtesy of my Mac's webcam since I was too lazy to use a real camera)
We also received a bag full of all sorts of other free goodies. Included was this nifty little multi-meter
and a tool set
along with some safety glasses (which I didn't take a picture of, sorry).
The next day was spent in a machine shop, punching some metal plates, drilling some polycarb, riveting, and drilling into some plastic (other than the polycarb). At the end of it I had two of these polycarb collars (with freshly drilled holes)
and some of the mechanics for the bug legs (complete with rivets and rounded edges)
Oh, and while I was taking pictures I snapped one of myself just for good measure.
Today, day three, was spent working with electronics again. We learned about potentiometers and messed with radio controlling some things. By the end of it my partner (Andrea '11) and I had rigged a little 7 segment display to read from 0 (joystick on the far left) to 9 (joystick on the far right) and also display each number sequentially moving the stick from left to right. The left joystick controlled the decimal point. We also wrote a little program that spelled the word "HELL" as we moved the joystick from left to right (MIT has several synonyms, one of them is "hell," which was the easiest to spell on a 7 segment display).
Tomorrow is some lathe-work, where I'll be turning my wheels. Next week starts with some more electronics, then we assemble the robot, and then finally we code it to walk how we want it to. At the end of the month I'll try to write a wrap-up entry, but as you may have noticed I've been slacking on the blog/Internet front. For everybody who has sent me an e-mail in the last 2 or 3 weeks that I've completely ignored, sorry. I've kind of taken myself off the grid for IAP. I've noticed that the time I usually used for blogging is now being taken up responding to e-mails and moderating the comments of my current entries. As an attempt to combat this, I've started aggressively screening e-mails (ie, not answering e-mails that I feel can be answered by just reading the admissions website) and letting comment spam accumulate for several days before batch deleting it. So, if I've ignored your e-mail, sorry, but I'm ignoring almost all my e-mails just for my own sanity.
ALSO . . .
Mystery Hunt was AWESOME. I didn't really get a chance to post any puzzles because there weren't any data mining tasks as ridiculous as last year, but rest assured, once the puzzles are re-uploaded to the web (the puzzle makers are modifying the website and integrating answers) I'll do a full wrap-up to compliment Yan's. We were on different teams with different stories, and believe me, at over 60 hours long, there's plenty of Mystery Hunt to go around. I did, however, save one of the puzzles to my computer if you want to give it a go. I'll let you know the correct answer later.
The title of the puzzle is "Friends in Noble England" and it consisted entirely of this picture:
Make sure to watch Attack of the Show on G4 tomorrow, they're doing a feature on Mystery Hunt this year (their cameras and crew were there for kickoff, you should be able to see how insane it was, but on national television, which makes it a million times cooler).
Oh, and Karen, as far as hamsters go, here's a pic so that I don't have to stfu. Besides, everybody knows, with my mouth that'd be almost impossible.
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
haha
that reminds me of the drinking song
Posted by: deng on January 22, 2009
That would be so cool.
MIT rocks, even if you see it as 'hell' on somelevel.
Anyways love blog.
Posted by: Abdallah Abu-Ghazaleh ?13' on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Sheila ('13?) on January 22, 2009
Sounded like so much fun.
Two questions:
1. What were some of the other synonyms used to describe MIT?
2.Do you have a more blown up version of the "Friends in Noble England" puzzle? It's kinda hard to see what's in the background.
Posted by: Kevin S. L. on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Anonymous female on January 22, 2009
Posted by: 0 on January 22, 2009
I get really happy when you guys post a new blog post, you and Yan make an amazing combination, great photos of food, and the endeavors of a gadget loving MITitan, what more can any living person ask for ?
Posted by: Mina Adel on January 22, 2009
Unfortunately, that is the exact size we were given. Good luck! Also, like Mina said, it's still IAP, I'm just taking a two week class on the back half of it.
Posted by: Snively on January 22, 2009
I'm building a Stirling engine for my senior project! Mine will look a little bit different though.
Posted by: 0 on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Michelle from Israel on January 22, 2009
Reasoning?
@Anonymous with the senior project
Thank you for your subtlety, it was very much appreciated.
@Abdallah
Yep, we get to keep the tools, glasses, electronics, and multimeter.
Posted by: Snively on January 22, 2009
Posted by: 0 on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Orims('14?) on January 22, 2009
I know you said you're really busy, but could you take a quick minute to check your email for an email I sent you on Jan. 20? I'd really appreciate it if you did. Thanks! & keep blogging!
http://www.DidIGetIntoMIT.com/
Posted by: Brandon C on January 22, 2009
Check here
@Brandon
Unfortunately I can't advertise personal websites in my entries. Go ahead and promote where you can, but it will have to stay in the comments of the MIT blogs.
Posted by: Snively on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Karen on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Orims('14?) on January 22, 2009
Posted by: :O on January 22, 2009
Posted by: Matt A. on January 23, 2009
I went on a hunch that "three of our right eyes" may be a hint for the London Eye. The maps are for the London subway system after all.
Looking at the London Eye website, I saw that there are 4 subway stations that are closest to it: Charing Cross, Embankment, Waterloo and Westminster.
Only three of those are a part of the 'swine' drawing, on the tip of it's... nose? trunk? On its right side, anyway...
So, putting the first syllables of the names of the three stations gave me "CH-E-W", which is a real word, so hey, worth a try.
I'm probably way off XD
Posted by: Michelle from Israel on January 23, 2009
Posted by: Alex on January 23, 2009
Posted by: Michelle from Israel on January 23, 2009
Thanks for reading my email!
I'll do my best to advertise on here, haha.
On December 15 alone my site got 1557 unique visitors. O_O
I'm hoping as march rolls around, people will start to hit the site more and hopefully contribute to the forums.
http://www.DidIGetIntoMIT.com/
Posted by: Brandon C on January 23, 2009
Robotics is amazing, really that stuff is amazing.
Posted by: Ashwin on January 23, 2009
And the T-shirt too! Where'id ya get that from!?
Posted by: Dhvanit on January 23, 2009
http://www.mit.edu/~puzzle/09/puzzles/friends_in_noble_england/SOLUTION/
Posted by: Snively on January 23, 2009
Posted by: Kevin S L on January 23, 2009
Posted by: Kevin on January 23, 2009
I saw the swine and thought we were dealing with a three eyed pig.
ps. sorry for the double posts, I was typing on a friends iphone on the bus...
Posted by: Kevin on January 23, 2009
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/11/lemon.html
Posted by: conservocrat on January 24, 2009
Posted by: Ruth '13 on January 24, 2009
Thank you for your attention
PS: Snively, we have the same earphones! Go BOSE!
PS2: Did you know that the guy that created the BOSE company, Amar Bose, studied at MIT!
Posted by: Julio ('14?) on January 24, 2009
What's your opinion on using a Macbook with a course 2 major? Does it run the engineering programs well? I'm really considering purchasing one, but want to make sure that it's efficient in performance.
Thanks. Keep rocking that blogging t-shirt.
Posted by: Steph on January 25, 2009
xanax no prescription
Posted by: xanax no prescription on February 4, 2009
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