JPL Annual Invention Challenge - 2012
Under beautiful blue skies and no wind, the JPL Invention Challenge was held on the 180 Mall with more than 300 spectators and participants. This year's contest objective was to create a device that propels a provided roll of tissue paper such that the tissue unravels in mid-air and creates a long unbroken stream. Each team will be allowed to operate their device twice. The winner will be the team whose device propels the roll and creates the longest unbroken stream of tissue paper.
A total of 20 school teams and 8 JPL teams came up with different ways to accomplish this task. The energy sources were varied such as surgical tubing, bungee cords, gravity, belt drive, and a flywheel. The longest throw is shown below for each team.
The JPL teams and the school teams performed well. It was a difficult challenge because of the balance between throwing the TP roll a long distance and avoiding tearing the TP from its anchor on the device. My congratulations go out to everyone who worked on this challenging problem.
| Entry No. | Name | Team Name | Length (in) | Width (in) | Height (in) | Weight (lbs) | 1st Toss | 2nd Toss | Beat Toss | Award at Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | Monroe Magnet Middle School | Paper on the Run | 38.0 | 31.0 | 78.0 | 43.0 | 35.42 | 30 | 35.42 | 1st - School |
104 | Richard Goldstein | rmg | 40.0 | 16.0 | 29.0 | 17.8 | 32.33 | N/A | 32.33 | 1st - JPL |
69 | Village Christian High School | VCS Engineering Club | 96.0 | 13.0 | 49.0 | 139.0 | 32.25 | 30.92 | 32.25 | 2nd - School |
65 | South Pasadena High School | Vitesse | 85.5 | 29.5 | 61.0 | 189.3 | 0.92 | 32.08 | 32.08 | 3rd - School and Most Artistic |
15 | Pacific Technology School-Santa Ana | Pac Tech TP | 72.0 | 36.0 | 96.0 | 289.0 | 30.25 | 12.17 | 30.25 | Heaviest |
3 | STEM @ Roosevelt High School | The Avenge Nerds | 69.5 | 80.0 | 56.0 | 25.0 | 29.58 | 17.75 | 29.58 | Most Unusual |
26 | Crescenta Valley High School | Falkon Awesome | 36.0 | 24.0 | 52.0 | 52.4 | 12.00 | 29.00 | 29.00 | |
40 | Temple City High School | TCHS-B | 32.0 | 16.0 | 30.5 | 16.0 | 28.17 | 24.58 | 28.17 | Smallest |
12 | Granite Hills High School | Football Again | 38.0 | 19.0 | 62.0 | 52.1 | 28.08 | 3.08 | 28.08 | |
5 | Savanna High School | Personal Hygiene | 77.0 | 24.0 | 99.0 | 45.0 | 23.92 | 12.58 | 23.92 | |
8 | Arcadia High School | Spin2Win | 72.5 | 61.0 | 74.0 | 79.0 | 1.33 | 23.83 | 23.83 | |
56 | Culver City High School | Culver 3 | 71.0 | 36.0 | 80.0 | 107.0 | 21.08 | 19.67 | 21.08 | |
41 | Temple City High School | TCHS-C | 36.0 | 15.0 | 72.0 | 31.0 | 17.75 | 20.83 | 20.83 | |
51 | Alexander Hamilton High School | Charmin | 56.5 | 48.0 | 84.0 | 133.3 | 18.25 | 7.33 | 18.25 | |
58 | Arnold O. Beckman High School | Wiping Warriors | 40.5 | 19.0 | 40.5 | 15.1 | 14.83 | 3.83 | 14.83 | Lightest |
39 | Temple City High School | TCHS-A | 49.5 | 21.0 | 52.0 | 27.5 | DQ - Device over line | 11.08 | 11.08 | |
102 | Kristan Ellis | Stanley Steamer | 64.5 | 24.0 | 79.0 | 116.4 | 11.0 | 3.67 | 11.0 | 2nd - JPL |
37 | Los Angeles Senior High | Team Panda | 79.0 | 65.0 | 97.5 | 99.0 | 2.92 | 6.58 | 6.58 | Largest |
47 | Diamond Bar High School | Team Rocket | 87.0 | 30.5 | 83.0 | 46.0 | 5.83 | 6.42 | 6.42 | |
101 | Kim Aaron | Bandos | 73.0 | 24.0 | 59.0 | 24.0 | DQ - Device over line | 3.58 | 3.58 | 3rd - JPL |
21 | St Christopher | Chargers | 32.0 | 27.0 | 49.5 | 36.0 | 3.25 | 2.33 | 3.25 | |
13 | Morningside High School | The Honey Badgers | 70.0 | 36.0 | 96.0 | 155.6 | 2.83 | N/A | 2.83 | |
103 | Kristan Ellis | Behind on my Paperwork | 58.0 | 12.5 | 53.5 | 34.0 | 0.08 | 2.00 | 2.00 | |
33 | San Marcos High School | Royal Pains | 49.0 | 23.0 | 35.0 | 62.0 | DQ - Device over line | N/A | 0.00 | Most Creative |
105 | Daniel Diamond | Warrior Engineering Science and Technology | 65.0 | 25.0 | 74.5 | 35.6 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
106 | Mark Kline | Propulsion Masters | 30.0 | 36.0 | 75.0 | 71.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
107 | Fred Serricchio | Team Xtreme | 82.0 | 36.0 | 61.0 | 77.0 | DQ - Went early | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
109 | Gabriela Mancilla | Jaguars 2013 | 48.0 | 30.0 | 48.0 | 46.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
I wish to thank all of the volunteers (listed below) that put on the show. Without their help, the event would not have been possible. A special thanks goes out to Kim Lievense and her Public Services team, headed by Roni Dash, for collecting the entry forms and video release forms and processing more than 240 student badges for all of the student teams. I also wish to acknowledge the talented work performed by Robert Denise for being the master of ceremonies during the contest.
| Name: | Position: |
|---|---|
Paul MacNeal | Organizer |
Sara Susca | General Helper |
David Breda | Assistant to organizer |
Lauren Halatek | Assistant to organizer |
Fannie Chen | Recording Secretary |
Shari Asplund | Recording Secretary |
Chris Landry | Referee |
Robert Denise | Announcer |
Steven Wissler | Check-in |
Lyn Repath-Martos | Check-in |
Kenny Donahue | Check-in |
Tony Lopez | Safety |
Ezra Abrahamy | Safety |
Kathleen Crean | Timer |
Fabien Nicaise | Field Judger |
Nick Siegler | Field Judge |
Jennifer Hasenoehrl | Toss Spotter |
Alek Kerzhner | Toss Spotter |
Paul Ries | Toss Spotter |
Mike Malaska | Toss Spotter |
Coco Mariano | Recycling Engineer |
William H. Blume | Recycling Engineer |
Brian Morrison | Area Patroller |
Kamal Oudrhiri | Area Patroller |
Shannon Vaughn | Area Patroller |
Winnie Wang | Area Patroller |
Allyson Beatrice | Set-up Helper |
Andrea Murrell | Set-up Helper |
Jamie Piacentine | Set-up Helper |
Joseph Joe | Set-up Helper |
Shannon Vaughn | Clean-up Helper |
Nina Cole | Clean-up Helper |
Amiee Quon | Photographer |
Jessica Clark | Photographer |
Maeve McGrath | Photographer |
David Tseng | Videographer |
Pamela Huntoon | Judge |
Bree Bailey | Judge |
Addison Goss | Judge |
Paul Bailey | Judge |
Contact Information
Public Services Office
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mail Stop 126-347
Located in Building 126-336
Pasadena, CA 91109
Paul MacNeal
paul.d.macneal@jpl.nasa.gov
Phone: (818) 354-7824