Engineering Brightness is one of the most interesting projects that I have done. It is about helping out areas is the Dominican Republic that have light poverty. Kids can’t study or play when it is dark so we are trying to build a solution for this.
- The Skype chat with the Dominican Republic was very interesting and bring a new idea about the world to our eyes. We learned about what life was like about and we got a look like what their electricity problem was like. They had to use kerosene lamps which is very dangerous because it causes cancer and can cause fires. Also we were told about the sugar cane fields and paid slaves. The next Skype chat was with a science class in New Brunswick talking about ideas that they have tried and we learned the things not to do and the things we can try. We talked about having a hand crank or shaking the light to charge it. They asked us how much shaking it would take to fully charge the light and how long it would take.
2. What we have learned so far is that magnets and copper wire can create electricity by electro magnets field.
img_1519 Here is a clip of one of our group member (Alhan) asking a question to a science class in New Brunswick about electro magnets and how exactly they would work, amd to charge the lights they could shake them, and if they have tried this idea before or not. We now have to get a way that the charging won’t take that much shaking and make sure it is reliable and a good light source.
We talked to Afshin Zarei (Alhan’s Father) who is an electrician and helped us explain and understand what these magnets and a copper wire would work and how it would look. The feeling I got from working on this project was exciting because we can design and almost make our on rules with this project. Also it is a collaborative project working with others from outside the school. 
3. To help address light poverty in the Dominican is to spread the word jut by talk, social media and through our school.
What we have done so far is rough drafts but our full plan is to have a coiled wire inside a case (not sure what we need for the case yet) and have a magnet inside that wire. When you shake it electricity produces and charges the light. Then people can use it at night by shaking it in the day.
My Class Needs
great job you gave a really nice perspective on the work that you are doing. The sketches that you included gave a good idea of where you are at and what you have accomplished so far, great work!
Thanks a lot! I appreciate the positive comment. I hope we can all see this project succeed.