1. SOSI - 2013 CeAnn Chalker ceann@chalker.org
Mission Possible - C
SOSI
CeAnn Chalker

2. Disclaimer
This presentation was prepared using draft rules. There may be some changes in the final copy of the rules. The rules which will be in the published Rules Manual will be the official rules.

3. What is Mission Possible?
Students design, build, test & document a Rube Goldberg-like device
Device made of a sequence/series of consecutive Energy Transfers contributing to an Final Task
Device must run autonomously
Specific Start and Final Task

4. General Tips ALWAYS go for reliability over “cool factor”
Make every transfer run as quickly as possible
2010 national champions completed every task in ~0.75s
Make a highly reliable, consistent timer
Use as high-quality materials as you can afford

5. Safety Requirements/Inspection
Students must wear at least safety spectacles with side shields
Items not allowed
Remote controls or Remote timing
Hazardous items

6. Other Potential Hazards Not Allowed
Hazardous Liquids
Rat traps
Lead Objects (new!)
Uncontrolled projectiles
Any other hazardous materials

7. Allowed Items Up to 3 motors Factory sealed batteries
No more than 10.0 volts per any single electrical circuit (no lead-acid batteries)
Energy devices may be set/activated prior to starting the device (flashlights, mousetraps, candles, and circuits, not motors)

8. Not Allowed No Computers No Integrated Circuits
No electric components for timing the operation of the device
No adjusting a transfer that utilizes electricity in any way intending to accomplish the ideal time (New!)

9. Parameters Max. Size of Device (60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm)
Note – Points for smaller devices this year!
Top & at least one vertical wall must be open or transparent
Energy Transfer List (ETL)

10. Energy Transfers Exceptions Receive points only if successful
Listed on the Energy Transfer List (ETL)
Must contribute to only one scoreable transfer
Each transfer must contribute to the completion of the Final Task
Exceptions
The use of switches to turn off previously used motors
Transfers for the Bonus Task

11. Energy Transfers No parallel sequences of transfers allowed Exceptions
The use of switches to turn off previously used motors
Transfers for the Bonus Task
Bonus Task transfers are not to be listed on the ETL unless they lead to the completion of the Final Task

12. Other Details
Additional devices, transfers, and energy sources may be built into the device between the listed transfers but will not earn points.
Additional transfers must contribute to the completion of the final task.
Additional non scoreable tasks must be listed on the Energy Transfer List (ETL)

13. Constraints
All sources of energy & actions MUST be contained within the Imaginary box at all TIMES
Teams must be prepared for non-ideal ambient conditions

14. Start Task – 100 pts.
In a 1 pint container randomize by shaking unaltered items in a mixture of up to:
10 golf tees (4-10 cm long)
10 #1 metal paperclips
10 non-metallic 1-2 cm diameter marbles
Quickly pour the mixture into the device
From above the entire device, so that the mixture falls into the device
Triggers the first action
Which begins the chain of events

15. Final Task – 250 pts.
Switch on a light to signal the end of the action
It must be clearly visible to the judges

16. Bonus Task
Sort the mixture of golf tees, paperclips, and marbles into three different one-pint plastic containers similar to the original container.
Each container must be labeled, by material, to score points.
Sorting does not have to lead to the Final Task
Must be completed before the Final Task to score points.

17. Energy Transfers To receive points An Energy Transfer:
Must directly transfer from one Basic Energy Form to a different Basic Energy Form
Must be successful
Must be on the Energy Transfer List (ETL)
Must contribute toward the completion of the Final Task

18. Energy Transfers cont’d
Each type of Energy Transfer can score points up to 3 times
Each transfer must be to a different Energy Form
Example –
Electrical to Mechanical 30 pts.
Electrical to Thermal 20 pts.
Electrical to Chemical 10 pts.

19. Five Basic Energy Forms
Electrical
Mechanical
Thermal
Chemical
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Radio, Infrared, and Visible Light only

20. Electrical
Motors
Batteries
Electricity through wires

21. Mechanical Closing a Mechanical Switch Using a lever to move an object
Tilt a beaker so as to allow a powder to mix with a liquid

22. Thermal Solder 2 metals together Melt a fishing line
Burn a magnesium ribbon

23. Chemical Mix salt & water to conduct electricity
Mix vinegar and baking soda in a balloon to move a lever
Bend glow stick to activate the glowing

24. Electromagnetic Spectrum
Use a photodiode or photoresistor
Use a laser pointer to pop a balloon
Send light through a string to melt a piece of chocolate

25. Energy Transfer List -ETL
What is listed?
All energy transfers in operation sequence
Follow Specific Format on NSO website
(not the example in this presentation)
Transfers intended to earn points must be sequentially numbered and identified by letter in both the ETL and the device.
Must be Accurate
Submitted at Impound (or prior if required)
Coaching hint - Have several copies of ETL

26. Sample ETL No. Task Points 1 Mixture poured into device 100
Switch turns on Electric circuit (M - E) 30 2
Electricity shorts out a rocket fuse igniting a match (E – C)
Burning Match melts Fishing Line (C - T) 3
Melted fishing line releases a lever (T – M)
Lever falls hits an switch (M – M) 4
Switch turns on Motor (M – E) 20
…and so on 12
Switch turns on circuit turns on light
250

27. Sequential vs. Parallel & Dead End Paths
Seemingly simultaneous transfers are frequently not parallel transfers.
There is no minimum amount of time that must separate transfers.

28. Sequential vs. Parallel & Dead End Paths
Parallel transfers are not measured in a chronologic manner but in a causality manner. That is to say, if one transfer causes the next transfer, then they are not parallel.
Parallel transfers have no direct relationship to one another and if one of the two transfers fail, the overall sequence of events can still continue or lead to a “dead-end” path.

29. Parallel Paths Examples
Example #1 Parallel Task: Two different levers hit a single switch and only one or the other is required to activate the switch.
Example #2 Tasks that may appear to be parallel or simultaneous tasks but are not parallel or simultaneous tasks: A latch releases a spring attached to a third class lever. The spring pushes the lever, which then moves an object and continues the chain of events.

30. Tournament Day Impound Set up
Only 30 mins. before you are scheduled to run device
Be able to explain device to judges
Go through ETL
Run Device
Remove from testing location

31. Device Operation-Timing
Timing begins when Student pours the last of the objects in the mixture of paper clips, golf tees, and marbles into the device.
Timing stops when:
When Final Task is complete (The light designated for the Final Task turns on)
3 minutes have elapsed (180 seconds)
Tasks completed after 3 minutes will not be scored

32. Device Operation – Ideal Operation Time
The Ideal Operation Times for State & Nationals will be announced after impound
Regional – 60 seconds
State – from 60 – 90 seconds
Nationals – from 90 – 120 seconds

33. State & Nationals Timing Adjustments
Adjusting the timing for the ideal time MUST NOT involve any Electricity
Event Supervisors will observe the adjustment of the device for timing to ensure that electricity is not being used to obtain the ideal time

34. Scoring –General Points
2 pts - each full second of operation up to the “ideal” time.
100 pts – Start Task
250 pts - Final Task completed in 3 mins.
50 pts – no more that 30 min. setup
.1 pt for each .1 cm that the dimensions of the device are under 60.0 cm x cm x 60.0 cm

35. Scoring – ETL Points 25 pts – ETL submitted at Impound
25 pts – ETL correct format
25 pts – ETL & device labels correspond
25 pts – ETL 100% accurate documentation of device operations

36. Scoring – Energy Transfers max 300 pts.
30 pts – First time each Basic Energy Form directly transfers energy to a different Basic Energy Form
20 pts – Second time a Basic Energy Form directly transfers energy to different Basic Energy Form than previously scored
10 pts – Third time a Basic Energy Form directly transfers energy to a different Basic Energy Form than previously scored
All Scoreable transfers MUST be successful
All Scoreable transfers MUST contribute to the Final Task

37. Scoring – Bonus Task
5 pts awarded for each object successfully sorted in its correct final container.
Max of 150 pts.

38. Device Operation – Penalties
-1 pt – each full second device operates beyond the ideal time until Final Task completion or the s time limit
-5 pts for each original object sorted into a wrong final container
-15 pts - for each time the device is touched, adjusted, or restarted.
-50 pts - for anything that leaves the device boundary (excluding light, smoke, odors, radio waves, etc. that do not pose a hazard)

39. Points not Awarded
Points will not be awarded for transfer completion when touches or adjustments lead directly to the transfer completion
If an action inadvertently stars a transfer out of sequence on the ETL, all transfers skipped must not earn points (even if they are completed)
Points will not be awarded for transfer completion after time as elapsed
Stalling can lead to DQ

40. Tiers Teams are ranked by the highest score within each Tier
Tier 1 – Devices without violations
Tier 2 – Devices with construction violations
Tier 3 – Devices with parallel designs or “dead end” paths (other than Bonus)
Tier 3 – Devices impounded after the deadline

41. Ties Ties are broken in this sequence Fewest Penalty points
Closest to perfect for objects in the 3 final containers
Closest to ideal time

42. Things to Consider Avoid questionable components
Device may not be timed or controlled by any remote method
Final Task – the team may not complete the task themselves
Obvious stalling will be a DQ

43. Costs & Time Commitment
Look for Inexpensive available materials
Avoid the “Black Hole” phenomenon
Where does the money go?
Use a Long Term Project approach
Consider what’s best for your team –
In your classroom vs. in a student’s garage or basement
Parent involvement –
Can be a life saver or a headache.
Who’s project is this?

44. Resources
Soinc.org
Scioly.org (student forums, lots of pictures of past devices for ideas, decent wiki)
Yahoo coaches’ group
science-olympiad-coaches

45. Matrix of Examples ↓ From\To → Electrical Mechanical Thermal Chemical
Electromagnetic Spectrum
N/A
Turning a motor.
Dropping a metallic mass by turning off an electromagnet:
Using battery to heat up pencil lead or nichrome wire:
Split water / Make a spark to ignite match
Turning on a light
Closing a mechanical switch
Attach a match to lever arm and drop the lever arm so that the match strikes a rough surface. This releases both heat and light. Use the heat generated for thermal transfer.
Put vinegar in a balloon and baking soda in a small tube. Put the balloon over the lip of the tube. Move the balloon so the vinegar mixes with the backing soda to cause gas to be released:
- Attach a match to lever arm and drop the lever arm so that the match strikes a rough surface. This releases both heat and light. Use the light generated for thermal transfer.
- Drop a mass on the switch of a remote control to turn on light:
Solder two different metals together and heat one junction up to get a voltage
Bimetallic Strip (thermostat coil)
Using a match to melt fishing wire that’s holding something up
Use a match to burn magnesium ribbon, emitting intense white light

46. Matrix of Examples ↓ From\To → Electrical Mechanical Thermal Chemical
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Pour salt into a beaker of water with two electrodes. The salt causes it to conduct:
Put vinegar in a balloon and baking soda in a small tube. Put the balloon over the lip of the tube. Move the balloon so the vinegar mixes with the backing soda to cause gas to be released. Have a switch on top of the balloon so when the balloon is inflated, it trips a switch:
Adding milk to lye solution increase the temperature:
N/A
- Enclose a glow stick and a photodiode in a box. Use a motor to bend the glow stick so that it lights up:
- Enclose an LED, a lime, and a photodiode in a box. Push the LED into the lime and it will produce light.
- Pour KI solution into a beaker of Pb(NO3)2 solution. Separately the two solutions are clear, but when mixed together, it produces a yellow opaque solid which doesn’t allow line through:
Using a photodiode or photoresistor:
Use a laser pointer to pop a balloon:
Attach light masses to both ends of a string. balance the string on piece of chocolate. Turn on a light bulb and the heat will melt the chocolate, causing the masses to fall.
Photocatalysis of water using UV LEDs and titanium dioxide