The most challenging project in my Science Olympiad project trio was the Wheeled Vehicle build event. My partner and I were tasked with creating a 4-wheeled vehicle powered solely by elastic energy. We incorporated a braking system using a wingnut and a pencil launcher activated by a trigger. The wingnut braking system wasn’t required but was essential to achieving maximum speed and stopping accurately when needed. The two criteria that our score was dependent upon were:
1. The time it takes to make the run (ie, speed)
2. Proximity to the target (ie, accuracy)
During the competition, we had to navigate a distance between 9 and 12 meters, which was disclosed only at the competition. Thinking on our feet, my partner and I calibrated the vehicle by spinning the wingnut a specific number of turns, ensuring it would come to a stop at the desired 9.6 meters mark. The diagrams below can help you visualize what we were spinning.
Despite being just a few centimeters off from our target, we were awarded 4th place at the ceremony, while we had hoped for 2nd. We lost to a team who, in my opinion, abandoned the core spirit of creativity and purchased a predesigned kit aptly called the Champion’s Kit – a kit that was optimized to be faster and more accurate than amateur kits created by participants. Reflecting on the experience, I realized that paying closer attention to every step, such as the angles when gluing the vehicle’s base and balancing its weight, could have made a significant difference to our results. Maybe I’ll pick up that hobby project at a later date.
Building the vehicle taught me the value of thorough planning. Rather than going with the flow, careful consideration and detailed planning play a vital role in achieving success. Architects and builders spend a considerable amount of time sketching ideas and creating plans before actual construction, and this event underscored the importance of such an approach.
If given the opportunity to participate in Science Olympiad again, I would take the chance to do another build event. Armed with the knowledge gained from this experience, I would ensure to plan every detail and set myself up for success before the construction even begins.