Remote operations
IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day
A set of printable resources and guidance notes giving teachers and technicians the basic ingredients to run their very own IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day. This cross-curricular activity day brings science, design and technology, engineering and maths (STEM) together in an engaging way.
The context of the challenge
Engineering has always been of great importance to the health industry. Machines, equipment, techniques and procedures are developing at a great pace and rely on engineering research and development.
The field of bioengineering – the application of engineering principles to address challenges in the fields of biology and medicine, is advancing rapidly. As medical knowledge, techniques and expertise get more sophisticated, the needs to perform remote operations, to levels of minute accuracy, are becoming more and more necessary and common.
Activity info and teachers' notes
The Remote Operations challenge is based on the IET Faraday® Challenge Day of the same name from our 2010/11 IET Faraday® Challenge Day season.
Students work in teams to design and make a prototype device that can simulate a heart and kidney transplant, but must be operated remotely. Objects representing the human heart (tennis ball) and a kidney (ping-pong ball) must be picked up and accurately placed in their appropriate holes in an MDF/cardboard cutout of a human torso.
Designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 12 – 13 years (year 8, and equivalent), the challenge encourages the development of students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills. This activity day can be tailored to the needs of your school and your students by adapting the PowerPoint presentation and the editable student booklet.
What's included?
The complete set of downloadable materials includes:
- Teachers pack
A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day ... plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates. - Student booklet
Available as an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school. - Introductory PowerPoint presentation
A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation, including links to the related film clips. - Film clips
Informative clips about remote medicine and robotic surgery, plus examples of possible solutions to the challenge.
Download all the activity sheets and supporting documents free!
All online resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and all the student booklet and PowerPoint presentation are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students' and your schools' needs.
You can stream and download the related films for free by clicking on the appropriate link in the Related resources section below.
If you are running one of our IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day please do share your experience with us via our feedback form and case study template here. If you are unfamiliar with how to run a DIY Faraday Challenge Day have a look at our 6 start-up videos here where we take you through the days, how they should run and what they entail.
And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation
Available Downloads
Teachers' handbook
a guide for teachers on how to run the challenge day
Students booklet
The full challenge booklet to print and give to each team
Presentation
Introductory slideshow to be played during the day with notes for the presenter
Presentation
Images of sample prototypes
Handout
Student roles and responsibilities
Teachers' extras including certificates, team registration forms, shopkeeper's balance sheet and money
Audio
Drum roll sound effect to be used as part of the DIY Faraday Challenge Day resource
