Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Water cooler biosphere prototypes

Last week I set about using old water cooler containers to build my prototype biospheres with multiple levels: Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Atmosphere.


Empty water cooler containers are idea for building multi level biospheres as they fit together neatly, are large enough for creatures and come with a handle for easy transport.

I need to check out where I can get hold of lots of empty water cooler containers and also find out do they normally get reused by the company?


Photos of my prototypes to follow...


Sunday, 29 January 2012

Social Networking websites: Earth Science


A vast number of scientific websites are full of far too much information that you can't take it all in.


Or they are poorly made:


A good example of a Network website for earth sciences is The Globe Program:

The GLOBE (Global learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program is a world-wide network of students, teachers and scienctists engaged in a tele-collaboration project to do meaningful real-life science. In the GLOBE Program,students make environmental observations and report their data findings on the internet. Scientists use the students' data to formulate amospheric models, then provide feedback to the students. The measurements conducted by the students include air temperature, cloud observations, precipitation, surface water temperature and pH, soil moisture, biometrics, land cover assessment and species identification. Students also share findings and communicate with other students using e-mail from the web site. GLOBE includes excellent descriptions of equipment and procedures for data acquisition and a user-friendly searchable data archive. The unique aspect of the GLOBE Program is that students are interactive partners with scientists.


Globe also provides a globe kit for $49 to schools:

Another way in which young scientist can share their results are through science fairs:

If you have a great question and decide to investigate further, how can you share your results? Sharing results is an essential part of the scientific method. If scientists didn’t share their work, how would we know what has already been done? Or what is already known?

A recent GLOBE Star, Justas Sidiskis of Lithuania, won second prize in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. He studied clouds, precipitation, and temperature using GLOBE data for his area and the GLOBE Atmosphere protocols. There are many other GLOBE protocols, which might also give you some ideas!


also a science blog is a great way to share results:


Travertine
Students could take a photo of their biospheres then blog comments under it about why they think a change is happening:

Exploratorium, the museum of science, art and human perception is also a good website:
Exploratorium

Another good website:



Biosphere 2:

science experiments for kids website:

science website simple style:

Planetary Science Research Discoveries (PSRD), an online magazine in which planetary scientists are sharing their ideas and discoveries with a wide audience. But people will only get excited about these things if they know about them.

although too much text and complex:


[science]
On an experimental blog, a far-flung group of scientists can solve tough problems in weeks.
In the years ahead, we have an astonishing opportunity to reinvent discovery itself. But to do so, we must first choose to create a scientific culture that embraces the open sharing of knowledge.


online lab:
choose or make own hypothesis:
think/warm up questions then predict then test then discuss results.





Infographics: Tell stories with data on web:

Being able to communicate effectively is fundamental to successful collaboration in scientific research. The same is true of application or website design.communication and finding common ground
If we learn more about how scientists share concepts, and particularly the stories and vocabulary they use to do it, we can design more useful, usable applications to aid that research.


Chomp! children's game

The Fast and Furious Food Chain Card Game

Plunge into a fast-paced undersea world where life is survival of the quickest. Identify the lowest creature in the food chain then slap it before other players scarf it down.



Chomp! Is a great tool to help teach children about the food chain. Players learn about the hierarchy of ocean species through employing skills such as visual discrimination and sequencing.

water cooler prototype



Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Self Cleaning Aquarium: zero electricity

NoClean Aquariums™... the Fastest, Easiest, Mess-Free &FUN way to have an Aquarium.

People love aquariums because of their soothing, natural beauty. They make a stunning addition to any home or office and are great for kids. The only drawback is the cleaning. It’s a dirty, messy time consuming chore.

So we set out to design an aquarium that breaks down these barriers so anyone can have a beautiful, fun-to-watch aquarium without the hassles.

Simply pour a glass of water in the aquarium and watch it clean itself. There is no need to remove the fish, ornaments or wash the gravel. Your hands won't even get wet. It’s so easy anyone can do it!

Great video good idea for making my own video to sell my invention!! through kickstarter

Monday, 16 January 2012

Arduino and sensors

Co2 sensor:

comment:I've always thought building a sealed enclosure where you could monitor and control CO2 / sunlight / soil moisture levels / weight of small plants would be really fun. Plants grow faster in elevated CO2 concentrations and making kind of a "plant laboratory" would be fun for nerds like me who enjoy statistics and number crunching. Putting together that kind of kit would be a fun project.


Also educative for schools!


It would be able to measure the air quality in the closed environment and show how healthy the system is. Oxygen sensors are apparently expensive. Could show when system is in danger if too much co2.

The more oxygen in system the better.



Co2 sensor for £9.95

Google Translate



Co2 interface

Computer-Controlled Air Conditioner | Moving Forward


co2 sensor code:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0019/5952/files/Senseair-Arduino.pdf?1264294173

although co2 sensors seem quite expensive


CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Gas Sensor

Mushroom Environment Control - Arduino Powered

Co2 figaro sensors seem reasonable price: Carbon dioxide sensor?? http://www.figarosensor.com/products/4161pdf.pdf


Ph sensor:

for $25 at Store

arduino ph ,orp atlas - Reef Central Online Community

pHloat2 DIY acidic water testing sculpture & kit with arduino

Arduino PH/ORPDuino Proto Shield - YouTube

phduino - pH meter using Arduino board for glass electrode. - Google Project Hosting


Temperature sensor:

Digital Temperature Sensor Breakout - TMP102 from Cool Components



Humidity and temperature sensor:

Humidity and Temperature Sensor - SHT15 Breakout from Cool Components