Launch Eggs Off Balcony To Target 12M away

[jamey_270]

I need some help brainstorming ideas for an engineering project I am doing. We are supposed to be replicating a skyscraper escape system scaled down. In place of a skyscraper we have a 25 ft balcony. In place of people we have a dozen grade A eggs. I need to design a device that can get the eggs from the balcony to a 3m diameter target 12m away from the balcony on the ground.

Constraints
• Use only unmodified Grade A Large chicken eggs
• Energy must be supplied within the system
• Before activation, must fit within 1m x 1m x 1m box
• System will be weighed before activated
• Eggs are loaded after weighing and before activation
• You only have 3 minutes to do everything!
• The system MUST be safe.

A powerpoint sort of describing the project can be found http://ide20.com/upload/Lecture3-TheDesignProject.pdf"

We have an idea of what our team wants to do, but I would like to get some different perspectives on the project.

 

[berkeman]

I need some help brainstorming ideas for an engineering project I am doing. We are supposed to be replicating a skyscraper escape system scaled down. In place of a skyscraper we have a 25 ft balcony. In place of people we have a dozen grade A eggs. I need to design a device that can get the eggs from the balcony to a 3m diameter target 12m away from the balcony on the ground.

Constraints
• Use only unmodified Grade A Large chicken eggs
• Energy must be supplied within the system
• Before activation, must fit within 1m x 1m x 1m box
• System will be weighed before activated
• Eggs are loaded after weighing and before activation
• You only have 3 minutes to do everything!
• The system MUST be safe.

A powerpoint sort of describing the project can be found http://ide20.com/upload/Lecture3-TheDesignProject.pdf"

We have an idea of what our team wants to do, but I would like to get some different perspectives on the project.

Welcome to the PF. We don't do your project work for you, but we can sometimes offer hints or insights, after you describe your approach.

What are your thoughts? Which landing zone are you planning on shooting for? Do the eggs have to not break (I couldn't tell from a quick skim of the PPT)?

 

[Danger]

One hint: pantyhose. Use your imagination.

 

[jamey_270]

We are planning on shooting for the far target with a soft landing.

We have several different ideas.

1. We are thinking of making a slide off of the balcony, and creating a remote controlled car that holds the eggs to go down the makeshift slide and drive to the target.

2. Oversized Crossbow Zipline with weights to hold the line taught and slide our egg device down the line.

3. Catapult with parachutes. [seems fun, but maybe a bad idea]

We need wisdom! Help US!

 

[taupune]

Make the egg slide like emergency stairs in airplanes. Firefighters use the same thing in medium rise buildings. Make an extra large parachute for a cartoon of eggs like emergency boats in big ships.

use your imagination. think if you were tht poor egg. What would McGayver ( that's his nae right?) had done?

 

[berkeman]

Can you use an RC helicopter? It would fit in the initial box...

 

[taupune]

use an elevator. Thats what we use almost everyday. It sure fits.

 

[stewartcs]

I need some help brainstorming ideas for an engineering project I am doing. We are supposed to be replicating a skyscraper escape system scaled down. In place of a skyscraper we have a 25 ft balcony. In place of people we have a dozen grade A eggs. I need to design a device that can get the eggs from the balcony to a 3m diameter target 12m away from the balcony on the ground.

Constraints
• Use only unmodified Grade A Large chicken eggs
• Energy must be supplied within the system
• Before activation, must fit within 1m x 1m x 1m box
• System will be weighed before activated
• Eggs are loaded after weighing and before activation
• You only have 3 minutes to do everything!
• The system MUST be safe.

A powerpoint sort of describing the project can be found http://ide20.com/upload/Lecture3-TheDesignProject.pdf"

We have an idea of what our team wants to do, but I would like to get some different perspectives on the project.

How about an inflatable ramp for a controlled slide?

CS