Genius Hour Project Reflections

Genius Hour Project Reflections

Question 1: In your opinion, what skills do you think you improved upon or gained while completing your Genius Hour Project?

I think that I improved on time management, writing in a research format, and documenting work. Throughout my genius hour project, I have used the prior skills multiple times. However, I would consider writing in a research format and documenting to be the two largest skills improved because of the research and documentation had a time limit of 1 week per blog required. This mainly sufficed as time management. I have had issues with documentation previously and doing a genius hour project did help. The research format was difficult and probably the most difficult thing of Genius Hour.

Question 2: In your opinion, what was the most challenging part of this personalized learning project?

Like I mentioned previously, writing in a research paper format/style was the most difficult thing to do because I was used to mainly 'winging' things, and most times I still do, but Genius hour required everything to be written in a research-like response.

Question 3: What was the most interesting aspect of your natural hazard that you learned?

The most interesting thing that I learned while doing Genius Hour was actually learning the science of tsunamis. Of course, I could have done this normally but I Had to because it was a graded assignment. Normally, I would research something if it had popped on my radar or something like that.

Question 4: If you had the chance to do Genius Hour again, what would you change in terms of your mitigation technology idea to make it even better? Why?

If I could Genius Hour again I would probably switch from tsunamis to solar flares because that would have been more difficult and cooler to make a technology for. For my mitigation technology, I would have made my actual technology more complex and make a larger sized model that functioned. Why? So I could have true evidence of my technology working and so that I could actually sell it.

Question 5: How possible do you think it will be in the future for humans to develop or improve a technology to mitigate the effects of your natural hazard? Provide evidence for your thoughts.

I think that adjusted to future technology, my mitigation technology would be more reliable and better because of improvements and cheaper costs of materials if asteroid mining is achieved.

Blog 7: Shark Tank Prep

> How Can I develop or improve a technology to mitigate the effects of a natural hazard or disaster?

Developed Technology: ADGBS, or Autonomous Data Gathering Buoy System

> Goal: To gather data simultaneously without human interference or requirement in series to capture accurate data about tsunami waves and seismic-oceanic activity.

> Note: This technology is not for preventing tsunamis from occurring, but rather to measure and predict tsunamis and seismic activity above oceanic-plate boundaries.

It reduces Human cost. The system was designed to give precise data to warn people of activity in order to help predict and if possible, evacuate before it is too late.

> Price: $15,999.99
Why so pricey?

> While this may seem like an exaggerated cost for some "smart" buoy, it is very close to its manufacturing costs (to commercial prices). Altogether, the manufacturing cost is approximately $14,000 to produce and an extra $2,000 is added for shipping costs and also to make a profit. Yes, Free Shipping!

Parts ($):
Steel - 900
Solar panels: 6,000
Equipment - (not included)
Communications 'dish' - 800
Pump - 140
Battery - 500
Labour cost - 200
Miscellaneous parts - 400
Testing - 2,000
Software development - 2,000
User preference - 2,000




> Payment
Governments or independent groups can buy the ADGBS directly or from a third party. Dependent on the buyer, payment method is undefined

> Mechanism

The entire system's goal is to provide information in the form of data to a user remotely and effectively. Because equipment in the buoy is not supplied,  Each buoy system is unique. The more the number of buoy systems in parallel, the more data that the user will receive. Such data includes line graphs of sea levels updated in live time, tectonic activity influencing the sea level, and more. Because the buoy is built to last if a tsunami catches it off a guard, the buoy's structure will stay intact.

Blog 6,2: My mitigation technology for tsunamis.

My mitigation idea is a ‘smart’ buoy system. A line of buoys is tied by weatherproof cable, most likely stainless steel, linking the buoys 20 feet apart. The recommended expanse of a line of buoys is 100 ft, 5 buoys gathering data over 100 ft of the ocean. Equipped on said buoy is a selection of sensors tailored to a customer’s needs. The base model includes a barometer, altitude sensor, and other essentials utilities. The system as a whole is strategically placed afloat a tectonic plate boundary for adequate data retrieval. At a tsunami watch centre, results are plotted on a linear graph when displays in real time, the altitude of the buoy and other information on the buoy that can help predict a tsunami.

This technology is very much feasible because of its simplicity and its functionality. The buoy system is just the collection apparatus of all of the attached systems such as sensors and other equipment. Unlike other anti-tsunami designs, the smart buoy has the ability to be stacked in 100s to 1000s of units working together seamlessly for a user. Together with the previously mentioned points, the system's overall complexity is minimal. Made of commonly used materials and equipment found at weather stations, the smart buoy system is not far from a reality.

The cost of the technology has been calculated. The approximate cost *calculated* is $16,000.00 USD without equipment. Given that all systems such as power and communication are included, plus an additional cost of labour, the cost evens out to approximately $16,000.00 USD, and 1708152.00 YEN. Considering other alternatives such as satellite tracking, the smart buoy system is quite ideal and very much affordable per unit.

Blog 5: Brainstorming Ideas for Mitigation Technologies

Idea #1: Smart Boowee system
A line of buoys distanced at 20 feet apart is placed near a fault line atop the ocean. Equipped on each buoy, are altitude sensors, barometers, GPS tracking, and other useful equipment that could be used by meteorologists and by marine biologists. As a tsunami passes by, the bouncy of the buoy causes the buoy to move atop the water, making a difference of altitude. At a tsunami watch centre, a monitor on the wall displays information gathered from the buoy such as altitude sensors, motion sensors.

Citations
“Technology to Manage Natural Disasters and Catastrophes.” Technology to Manage Natural Disasters and Catastrophes - OECD, OECD, www.oecd.org/sti/outlook/e-outlook/stipolicyprofiles/newchallenges/technologytomanagenaturaldisastersandcatastrophes.htm.

Blog 4: Current Mitigation technologies

Driving Question: How can I develop or improve a technology to mitigate the effects of a natural hazard or disaster.

Mitigation - a way to prevent or prepare for an event to occur.
Technology - the application of information in a specific field  

Current mitigation technologies: 

radio broadcasts - This technology is used to inform the general public. Nowadays, it is more based on people driving cars who listen to the radio. It doesn't really impact the economy.
cable over-ride systems - This is a more military or governmental way to inform the public by warning people by television. Depending on the TV or government, it may be used to turn on TVs to forcibly inform the public.
sirens -  This is a technology that is the most disturbing. Depending on the siren, it may scare the public forcing them to act. It requires maintenance and jobs for turning it on.
phone messaging systems - This is the most relevant in the digital age because almost everyone has a smart phone. It works off of sending automated texts to everyone within a certain radius.

Citations:

“Technology to Manage Natural Disasters and Catastrophes.” Technology to Manage Natural Disasters and Catastrophes - OECD, OECD, www.oecd.org/sti/outlook/e-outlook/stipolicyprofiles/newchallenges/technologytomanagenaturaldisastersandcatastrophes.htm.

Blog #3, Becoming An Expert

Part 1: What are all the possible human costs when a tsunami becomes a disaster?

Costs include:

    - Human Damage

        - Human death

        - Human injury

        - Human property damage

Part 2: What are all the possible economic costs when a tsunami becomes a disaster?

Costs include:

    - Infastructure damage

        - Roads  

    - Property Damage

Part 3: Effects

- short term, powerfull coastal flooding

- longterm destrouction of infrastucture.

Citations:

“Tsunamis: the Effects.” SMS Tsunami Warning, Virtuasoft Corp, www.sms-tsunami-warning.com/pages/tsunami-effects#.WmuCg9WnExw.

Bernard, Eddie N. "Tsunami." The New Book of Knowledge. Scholastic Grolier Online, nbk.grolier.com/ncpage?tn=/encyc/article.html&id=a2029913-
h&type=0ta. Accessed 26 Jan. 2018.

Becoming an Expert

What was the worst example of a Tsunami?

The worst example of a tsunami was the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which killed about 200,000 people from various countries. It was a disaster because it destroyed many villages as well as humans and their infrastructure.






















Citations:
Langbein, Walter B. "Tsunami." Encyclopedia Americana. Scholastic Grolier Online, ea.grolier.com/article?id=0432580-00. Accessed 25 Jan. 2018.