‘Technology Challenge’ will draw middle and high school future engineers to Edinboro University on Saturday - 18th Annual Event

11/14/2012

Imagine a mouse trap-powered car, a CO2-fueled dragster, or a wind turbine generating energy from a simple box fan. These three engineering challenges were put to regional middle and high school students who will complete during an annual technology contest at Edinboro University on Saturday.

Students in grades seven through 12 in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties will participate in the 18th Annual Technology Challenge hosted by Edinboro University’s Continuing Education Department and sponsored by the Technology Education Association of North Western Pennsylvania and the Erie Engineering Society Council.

According to Bill Moats, a technology education teacher in the General McLane School District and program coordinator, up to 80 participants, including technology teachers and students, will participate in Saturday’s program. Ten volunteers with engineering and technology expertise will judge.

Moats said the events begin at 9 a.m. in the newly renovated and expanded Cooper Science Center. Lunch will be provided at Van Houten Dining Hall, during which Dr. Richard Lloyd, chair of Edinboro’s Physics and Technology Department, will speak on University’s new Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technology degree program. Following lunch, a brief awards ceremony will be held about 1 p.m. in Van Houten South.

Students competing in the Technology Challenge will be given a set of rubrics that include grade-level activity projects, craftsmanship and creativity, drawing requirements and oral and written documentation reports. The judges will grade in each of the four areas.

This year, the 7th-and 8th-grade activity involved building a mouse trap-powered car that can travel 10 feet and stop exactly at a taped marker. If the car travels too far, or not far enough, points are deducted. The 9th-and 10th-grade assignment was for students to design and manufacture a CO2-fueled vehicle that can travel a set distance in the shortest time, similar to a drag race. The 11th-and 12th-grade challenge was for students to design and manufacture a wind turbine that generates maximum power in a set time period from wind provided from a simple box fan.

All students will also be involved in spontaneous competitions that will be announced the morning of the Challenge. Students will have an hour to solve the problems on site with only the materials provided (much like the Apollo 13 Challenge, during which participants have only an hour to design a square filter that fits into a round hole with only the materials aboard the spacecraft).

“The competition involves the students in basic engineering skills, including technology, math and science,” Moats said.

At the end of the day, prizes will be awarded to the top individual point-getters and schools.

(Note to news directors and assigning editors: Great photo and interview opportunities involving the region’s best and brightest middle and high school students. The competition will be conducted in Cooper’s corridors and Rooms 131, 170 and 171. Availability will also be during lunch at Van Houten Dining Hall.)

View the original article here

Read More

Edinboro University prof, student bring computer-generated animation technology to courtroom during murder trial

12/19/2012

It’s not just about Disney or Pixar anymore.

Edinboro University’s highly regarded computer animation program – already leading students to a variety of successful careers in film production – recently made its debut in an Erie County courtroom during a highly publicized murder trial.

Prosecutors used computer-generated animation produced by an Edinboro professor and student to allow the jury to view not only the external dimensions of the apartment building where the murder took place, but also the internal structure. The animation clearly illustrated the scene for the jury in a way that still photographs, or even standard video, could not.

Several months ago, Erie County Assistant District Attorney Brian Krowicki reached out to Assistant Professor of Computer Animation Steven Carpenter with a request: With the late fall murder trial of Rachel A. Kozloff approaching, could Carpenter use computer animation modeling to help the jury better understand the apartment building in which Michael Henry was murdered last April 12?

Carpenter was up for the challenge. Teaming with senior computer animation student Ryan Dugan, a graduate of Erie’s Cathedral Preparatory School, the professor answered the call with a professional quality prosecution exhibit that gave the jury a better understanding of the scene.

“We met at the building with District Attorney Jack Daneri and took extensive measurements,” Carpenter explained. “We diagrammed the entire building, and Ryan modeled it.”

Carpenter said the production, which “took off the outer walls,” allowed jurors to see the interior of the building while highlighting the four entryways leading to the second-floor apartments. Prosecutors used the production to show the jury that the defendant could not have entered or departed the building in the way she described.

“It’s a fairly large building, and it would have been difficult to give the jury members an understanding of it from just photographs. What we produced was very clear to them.” Carpenter emphasized that he and Dugan used just basic textures in their production so as not to make the animation distracting. “We just wanted it to be clear and understandable for the jury.”

As a result of the animated production, the defendant’s story changed somewhat during the trial, and the jury’s verdict was guilty.

“We were very impressed with Professor Carpenter, Mr. Dugan and the entire Edinboro University computer animation program,” ADA Krowicki said.

In a letter to Carpenter, copied to Edinboro University President Julie E. Wollman, District Attorney Daneri and Krowicki wrote, “The computer-generated diagram of the crime scene your department created was critical to the jury understanding the building’s layout. This, in turn, allowed the prosecution to highlight numerous pieces of evidence relating to the whereabouts of the defendant, victim and witnesses at the time of the murder.”

Daneri said he plans to seek the same kind of assistance again.

“This was our office’s ‘maiden voyage’ with such technology,” he wrote. “Much appreciation to you and Ryan for your cooperation, initiative and – patience. I fully expect our prosecutors will take advantage of the benefits computer generated imaging provides in the courtroom. We hope we can call on your department in the future. Again, thank you for a job extremely well done.”

Carpenter said the project will be a valuable addition to Dugan’s portfolio when he graduates in the spring.

Edinboro’s Art Department animation program has long been recognized as one of the best in the nation, with the names of many graduates appearing in the credits for virtually every major studio’s animated film production in recent years.

Yet, Carpenter agrees it’s not just about working for Disney or Pixar.

“There are many fields and practical applications for careers in computer animation,” he said. “This experience shows just one of those applications.”

The computer animation professor said he will consider answering the DA’s call again, especially because of the valuable practical experience it provides for students.

“In fact, we’d like to develop a class on forensic animation.”

Learn more about Edinboro University’s computer animation program and more than 100 other majors by logging on to www.edinboro.edu.

View the original article here

Read More

Edinboro University prof, student bring computer-generated animation technology to courtroom during murder trial

12/19/2012

It’s not just about Disney or Pixar anymore.

Edinboro University’s highly regarded computer animation program – already leading students to a variety of successful careers in film production – recently made its debut in an Erie County courtroom during a highly publicized murder trial.

Prosecutors used computer-generated animation produced by an Edinboro professor and student to allow the jury to view not only the external dimensions of the apartment building where the murder took place, but also the internal structure. The animation clearly illustrated the scene for the jury in a way that still photographs, or even standard video, could not.

Several months ago, Erie County Assistant District Attorney Brian Krowicki reached out to Assistant Professor of Computer Animation Steven Carpenter with a request: With the late fall murder trial of Rachel A. Kozloff approaching, could Carpenter use computer animation modeling to help the jury better understand the apartment building in which Michael Henry was murdered last April 12?

Carpenter was up for the challenge. Teaming with senior computer animation student Ryan Dugan, a graduate of Erie’s Cathedral Preparatory School, the professor answered the call with a professional quality prosecution exhibit that gave the jury a better understanding of the scene.

“We met at the building with District Attorney Jack Daneri and took extensive measurements,” Carpenter explained. “We diagrammed the entire building, and Ryan modeled it.”

Carpenter said the production, which “took off the outer walls,” allowed jurors to see the interior of the building while highlighting the four entryways leading to the second-floor apartments. Prosecutors used the production to show the jury that the defendant could not have entered or departed the building in the way she described.

“It’s a fairly large building, and it would have been difficult to give the jury members an understanding of it from just photographs. What we produced was very clear to them.” Carpenter emphasized that he and Dugan used just basic textures in their production so as not to make the animation distracting. “We just wanted it to be clear and understandable for the jury.”

As a result of the animated production, the defendant’s story changed somewhat during the trial, and the jury’s verdict was guilty.

“We were very impressed with Professor Carpenter, Mr. Dugan and the entire Edinboro University computer animation program,” ADA Krowicki said.

In a letter to Carpenter, copied to Edinboro University President Julie E. Wollman, District Attorney Daneri and Krowicki wrote, “The computer-generated diagram of the crime scene your department created was critical to the jury understanding the building’s layout. This, in turn, allowed the prosecution to highlight numerous pieces of evidence relating to the whereabouts of the defendant, victim and witnesses at the time of the murder.”

Daneri said he plans to seek the same kind of assistance again.

“This was our office’s ‘maiden voyage’ with such technology,” he wrote. “Much appreciation to you and Ryan for your cooperation, initiative and – patience. I fully expect our prosecutors will take advantage of the benefits computer generated imaging provides in the courtroom. We hope we can call on your department in the future. Again, thank you for a job extremely well done.”

Carpenter said the project will be a valuable addition to Dugan’s portfolio when he graduates in the spring.

Edinboro’s Art Department animation program has long been recognized as one of the best in the nation, with the names of many graduates appearing in the credits for virtually every major studio’s animated film production in recent years.

Yet, Carpenter agrees it’s not just about working for Disney or Pixar.

“There are many fields and practical applications for careers in computer animation,” he said. “This experience shows just one of those applications.”

The computer animation professor said he will consider answering the DA’s call again, especially because of the valuable practical experience it provides for students.

“In fact, we’d like to develop a class on forensic animation.”

Learn more about Edinboro University’s computer animation program and more than 100 other majors by logging on to www.edinboro.edu.

View the original article here

Read More