1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 Hi, Dr. D. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,000 Hi, kids. What's up? 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,000 We want to become great inventors, but we don't know where to start. 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Can you help us? 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,000 How do you get an idea for an invention? 6 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,000 Hold on. Take this one step at a time. 7 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,000 The first thing you have to understand is the invention process. 8 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Is that anything like the scientific method? 9 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Very similar. 10 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,000 Scientific method, you start by identifying or recognizing a problem. 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,000 In the invention process, you begin by identifying a need or want. 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,000 A list of things that annoy or frustrate you is a starting point. 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,000 You might call this a bug list. 14 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,000 I know lots of things that bug me, like my sister. 15 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,000 Let's take an example that you're bugged because you're always losing your portable CD player. 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,000 The next step in the invention process is to think of solutions to the need or want. 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,000 That sounds a lot like the second step in the scientific method. 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,000 An idea would be to paint the CD player a bright color so that you can see it easily. 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,000 I like the idea to have a beep when you clap your hands. 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,000 You're really getting into this now. 21 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,000 Once an inventor has a list of possible solutions, 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,000 the next step is to evaluate each one to decide which one to develop. 23 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,000 Maybe we could choose the cheapest one. 24 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Or maybe we could choose the one that we can make by ourselves. 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:19,000 Yes, once you have standards or criteria, it helps to be able to judge amongst the possible solutions. 26 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,000 You can then do research to narrow it down. 27 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,000 The next step is to make a model and test it. 28 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,000 That's like testing the hypothesis. 29 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,000 That's right. 30 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:31,000 So if we use the bright color, we have to test it to find out which color worked best. 31 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,000 I'll bet inventors alter and improve their models as they test it. 32 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,000 Just like we have to modify our hypothesis if it doesn't match the data. 33 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,000 You guys are really getting good at this. 34 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,000 Try to keep an accurate record of your entire process. 35 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,000 It's really important. 36 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000 It's like keeping a science journal. 37 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,000 Well, I saw a design log on the National Wildlife Fund's website. 38 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,000 It should help us keep track of our ideas and progress. 39 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,000 I'm sure we'll find plenty of cool ideas to put on our bug list. 40 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 Or our yeety list. 41 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,000 Wait a minute. 42 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,000 Something that I really need. 43 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,000 I'm trying to find a really great way to show the scientific principle of inertia. 44 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Isn't inertia something about objects at rest staying at rest? 45 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,000 Yes, that's pretty good. 46 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,000 It also explains that objects in motion remain in motion unless a force acts upon them. 47 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,000 I'll use the bowling ball to explain the part about staying in motion. 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,000 But I want to find a more exciting way to do it. 49 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,000 How can we help? 50 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Why don't you think of some possibilities and we'll talk about it later. 51 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Hey, I've got an idea for you. 52 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,000 Why don't you take out the National Gallery of Young Inventors 53 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,000 and see who's been inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame this year. 54 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Let's use your computer, Dr. D. 55 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,000 Go right ahead. 56 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,000 I read about someone named Lindsey Clement from Longview, Texas. 57 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 She's been inducted into the National Gallery of Young Inventors. 58 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,000 Let's contact her and ask her about her invention. 59 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Hi, you must be Lindsey Clement. 60 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 We're the Treehouse Detectives and we wanted to ask you about your invention. 61 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,000 Sure. 62 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 Exactly what does your invention do? 63 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,000 This is a gumball machine. 64 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,000 It helps pick up sweet gumballs in my backyard. 65 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,000 How does it work? 66 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,000 As you push the machine forward, 67 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,000 these mesh wheels grab the gumballs and carry them around to the front 68 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,000 where they are collected in this basket. 69 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,000 How did you come up with the idea for your invention? 70 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,000 Well, I was at the driving range with my dad 71 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:17,000 and I saw the golf ball collector card picking up the golf balls 72 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,000 and I figured if it worked for golf balls, why couldn't it work for gumballs? 73 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,000 That's cool. 74 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 What did you do first? 75 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,000 Well, first I started drawing to see what it might look like 76 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,000 and then I started building. 77 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,000 What was the most difficult part? 78 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Probably finding something that would actually pick up the gumballs. 79 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,000 I experimented with lots of different materials 80 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,000 until I finally came up with wire mesh. 81 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,000 That's great. 82 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,000 We're trying to make our own invention. 83 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Do you have any advice? 84 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,000 If you have anything that you think might solve a problem 85 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,000 or help fix something, stick with it. 86 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,000 Be willing to try new things if they don't work. 87 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,000 And design and test your ideas. 88 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,000 You really have nothing to lose. 89 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Especially when you end up being inducted 90 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,000 into the National Gallery of Young Inventors. 91 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,000 Maybe we'll be there one day. 92 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,000 What an honor. Congratulations.