KOCE reports on the California Challenge
This video is a news report on the UCI California Challenge: KOCE video.
There is also information at the site: https://storify.com/ucirvine/solar-decathlon-and-xpo-2013-uc-irvine
KOCE California Challenge
Kinematics and Polynomials–available on a Mac
Until yesterday, my iBooks Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics and Kinematics and Polynomials were available only on the iPad, but now with OSX Mavericks they are available on any Mac. Please give it a try. You can download a sample at this link: Kinematics and Polynomials sample.
Preparing for the California Challenge
California Challenge Test Day
Some of the cars being prepared for the California Challenge on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the Orange County Great Park.
Mechanical characters
Disney Research guides two degree-of-freedom open chains using the coupler curve of a geared five-bar linkage to obtain geared seven-bar and nine-bar linkages, which they use to move the front and rear legs of their Cyber Tiger. By connecting the driving gears of the four legs, they obtain a one degree-of-freedom system that animates the Cyber Tiger.
The computational design system uses an optimization routine to adjust the coupler curve of the five-bar linkage to approximate a given curve in order to guide the system in a desired movement. The results are terrific, and look a lot like the mechanical toys of the past. Select this link for more information.
2013 Solar Decathlon
Inside Irvine Fall 2013
Inside Irvine has an article about the 2013 Solar Decathlon and XPO at the Orange County Great Park. Select this link to access the on-line magazine. See page 5 for descriptions of each of the 20 Universities competing in this event.
Introduction to Racecar Engineering
The UCI summer program Introduction to Racecar Engineering concluded with a track day on Saturday, August 3. Select this link to see slideshows of the activities.
The California Challenge at the Solar Decathlon
The California Challenge joins three energy efficient racing events
The format of the California Challenge provides a same track same day comparison of the energy performance of a different types of energy efficient racers.
The California Challenge is an energy efficiency time trial. The goal is to achieve the maximum average speed using $1 of energy. The course includes a high speed section, an auto-cross section, and a staged idle section. Maximum distance in one-hour wins using $1 of any combination of energy sources wins. This event is presented as part of the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon in association with the Energy Expo.
Select this link for more information about the California Challenge.
Six-bar Linkage Design for Mechanical Computation
Six-bar linkages
Our paper Numerical Synthesis of Six-bar Linkages for Mechanical Computation provides the mathematical theory that underlies the synthesis of a six-bar linkage with an input-output relationship that approximates a specified function. This describes how the Stephenson III six-bar linkage that sets the elevation for a ballistic trajectory was designed.
2013 Energy Invitational: Video
Race teams from 20 high schools and colleges competed in energy time trials at Adams Motorsports Park on May 11, 2013 at the fourth UCI Energy Invitational. This video captures the spirit of the event.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/72362324[/vimeo]
Mechanization of the ballistic function
This Stephenson III six-bar linkage sets the elevation of a ballistic trajectory to reach a specified distance downrange given an initial velocity of 500 m/s. This function is described in Computing Linkages by A. Svoboda (pg 285). Mark Plecnik obtained this linkage after evaluating almost 100,000 different designs.