Subtopic: Applying the Design Process

Advances in Neurotechnology
In this video segment from Greater Boston, learn how a man with severe motor disabilities can operate a computer and move a prosthetic hand by simply thinking the commands, thanks to the combined efforts of bioengineers and neuroscientists.

Airplanes: Designing for Stealth
Explore this NOVA interactive activity to see how engineers have modified a military plane's sound, shape, and heat emissions to minimize detection.

Anatomy of a Rover
In this interactive activity from NOVA, learn about the sophisticated scientific instruments on two identical robotic rovers that have explored Mars — Spirit and Opportunity.

Balloon Brain: Designing a Helmet
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members are challenged to design protective headgear for a water balloon using what they know about the properties of the materials available.

Brain Trauma
Find out how serious head concussions can be in this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

Build a Bridge
Survey potential bridge sites, research bridge design, and select the right bridge for the right location in this interactive activity from the NOVA Web site.

Building Simple Machines: Plant Quencher
In this video segment from ZOOM, Jillian explains how her simple machine uses marbles, levers, flowing sand, and a spinning wheel to water a plant.

Capturing Carbon
In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, a scientist, inspired by his daughter's science fair project, develops a synthetic "tree" to remove excess carbon dioxide from the air.

Clifton Suspension Bridge
This video segment from Building Big illustrates the basic design principles of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England.

Columns: Finding the Strongest Shape
In this video segment, members of the ZOOM cast experiment by bending and folding sheets of paper into various shapes to see which shape will support the weight of a heavy book.

The Cumberland Gap Tunnel
This KET video chronicles the incredible engineering effort that built the tunnel through Cumberland Mountain as well as the challenges posed by the geological composition of the area.

Design and Build a Tangle-Free Headphone Holder
In this lesson, students follow the engineering design process to build a tool that stores headphones for a portable music listening device, such as an MP3 player, without the wires getting tangled. As they work through this process, students learn about the engineer's role in finding solutions to meet human needs.

Designing a Paper Bridge
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members make a bridge from a single piece of paper. Will it be strong enough to hold a hundred pennies?

Designing a Roller Coaster
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast is challenged to design and test a roller coaster with loops, hills, and U-turns.

Designing Electric Circuits: Door Alarm
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members design and build door alarms using a variety of materials, including aluminum foil, batteries, and buzzers.

The Dome Challenge
In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, think like an engineer and use your knowledge of dome design to match the right type of dome to the right location in a fictitious city.

Electric Girl
Anna loves electricity. Watch her construct a homemade flashlight and show off her new, electrifying hairdo in this video segment from ZOOM.

Exploring Windmill Design
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members are challenged to design a windmill that can be powered by a hair dryer.

Fireworks! Lifting Charge
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn how pyrotechnicians use common compounds to blast fireworks into the sky and give them shape.

Forces Lab
In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, select one of the actions of squeezing, stretching, bending, sliding, or twisting to explore the forces of compression, tension, shear, and torsion.

Funny Boat
In this video segment adapted from FETCH!™, contestants are challenged to use materials from a garbage dump to build a boat that floats, can be steered, and is propelled by something other than oars.

Geodesic Dome
This video segment adapted from Building Big highlights the evolution of the geodesic dome, designed by legendary architect and inventor, Buckminster Fuller.

Glider Boy
Meet 12-year-old Jesse, the designer of dozens of gliders, in this ZOOM video segment. Some of his gliders fit in your hand, while others can only be stored in the garage. Watch his gliders go and learn why they fly.

Hoover Dam
This video segment from Building Big: "Dams," demonstrates the basic principals at work in the Hoover Dam, a concrete gravity dam that also makes use of the properties of the arch.

How Do You Keep Lemonade Cool?
This video segment adapted from FETCH!™ shows contestants experimenting with different materials to see which is the best insulator and thus best able to keep the lemonade at their stand cool for customers.

How Would You Turn a Bolt in Space?
In this fast-paced NASA Brain Bites™ video, an astronaut demonstrates the impact of microgravity on the use of tools in space.

The Impact of Technology: Cars
This video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey looks at the invention of the automobile and the development of mass production.

Kid Inventor: Newspaper Crank
In this video segment from ZOOM, Andrew demonstrates how his invention helps him get ready for his paper route.

Kid Inventor: The Couch Protector
Want to keep your dog off the couch? In this video segment from ZOOM, Jason demonstrates his invention that does just that: a couch protector.

LEGO® Robots
In this segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members use computers to program a robot in preparation for the FIRST LEGO® League Challenge tournament.

Mars Dead or Alive: A Hostile Environment
This NOVA video segment describes the challenges presented by the frozen desert environment of Mars to NASA engineers designing two robots that will journey millions of miles to the red planet.

Name That Shell
The way a firework shell is designed and assembled determines the shape and color of a firework display. Choose a video clip and try to identify each firework variety in this interactive activity from the NOVA Web site.

Off the Grid
This interactive activity produced for Teachers' Domain presents users with three hypothetical scenarios in which they are challenged to design a wind power system that will meet their electrical needs.

Pilotless Flight: Timeline of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Explore this NOVA interactive timeline and discover the many technological innovations in the history of unmanned flight, from hot-air balloons to miniature flying robots.

Quantus
This original animation from KET introduces Pythagoras’ belief that “all is number.” The virtual world of computer animation shows how the movement and shape of computer characters can be described with numbers, or “quantified.”

Road Signs Gallery
This collection of still images depicts various types of road signs and represents one form of research an engineer might conduct to design a road sign effectively.

RoboSnail
In this video segment adapted from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a team from the Mechanical Engineering Department studies snail movement for inspiration that may lead to new forms of robotic locomotion.

Shapes Lab
This interactive activity from the Building Big Web site compares the strengths of the rectangle, triangle, and arch.

Simple Solutions
Amy Smith is an engineer who designs simple and inexpensive solutions to real-world problems. This video produced for Teachers' Domain features her innovative design for testing the safety of drinking water in the developing world.

Smart Bridges
In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about engineering innovations that could help detect a bridge's structural weaknesses before they become dangerous.

STEM Careers Cursive Text
This brief video from WPSU compares technologies from yesterday with today. Yesterday a middle school girl writes in cursive while today a girl the same age texts on her cell. The video suggests that science will bring us technologies of tomorrow.

STEM Careers Guitar
This brief video from WPSU compares technologies from yesterday with today. Yesterday a middle school girl plays air guitar while today a boy the same age plays Guitar Hero. The video suggests that science will bring us technologies of tomorrow.

STEM Careers Phone Video Chat
This brief video from WPSU compares technologies from yesterday with today. Yesterday a middle school girl phones her mom while today a girl the same age video chats. The video suggests that science will bring us technologies of tomorrow.

STEM Careers Typewriter Computer
This brief video from WPSU compares technologies from yesterday with today. Yesterday a middle school girl uses a typewriter while today a girl the same age taps on a computer. The video suggests that science will bring us technologies of tomorrow.

Testing with Models
In this video segment from Cyberchase, learn about the importance of creating a model as the CyberSquad designs a giant "Trojan Ducky" that will help them enter a fort without being noticed.

Train Truss Animation
This animated video segment from Building Big: "Bridges" demonstrates how a truss bridge is designed to balance the weight of a train as it travels over it.

Triangles and Arches in Architecture
This collection of still images features two of the most important shapes in architecture: the triangle and the arch.

Triangles: Designing a Straw Bridge
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast tries to design and build a bridge made out of drinking straws that will support the weight of 200 pennies.

Virtual Balloon Cars
This interactive activity from ZOOM lets you experiment with a virtual balloon car of your own making. Find out which design elements make the car go faster and farther.

What Is a Robot?
In this lesson, students are introduced to robots, including ones that exist in their everyday lives. They learn about the kinds of things that robots do, the excitement that goes with designing and testing, and what inspires ideas for different robots.

Young Inventors
In this stills collage adapted from the National Science Teachers Association/Craftsman Young Inventors Awards, see several inventions by students in grades 4-7 and read about some of the challenges they faced during the design process.