Before you start. . .
Welcome to Spark!Lab digital. This is an online invention space where you get to be the inventor. There are no wrong answers, and you can create an invention using the pieces provided—or create some pieces of your own. Think like an inventor: how does your design solve a problem?
Using Tinkercad, you can delete, reshape, and duplicate elements—and you can create new parts, too.
The Lemelson Center gratefully acknowledges support from ConocoPhillips for this solar panel invention activity.
Instructions
Step 1
Supplies
Free Tinkercad account
Inventive creativity
"Create a Solar Powered Invention" parts from the Tinkercad website
Step 2
Process
There are just two things to keep in mind as you create your solar-powered invention:
- The invention process is not always linear, but inventors engage in these steps in some form or another:
- Think it: Have a great idea for an invention
- Explore it: Investigate inventions and ideas of the past
- Sketch it: Draw pictures and diagrams to figure out how your invention might work
- Create it: Build a prototype or model of your idea
- Try it: Test your invention
- Tweak it: Keep improving your idea
- Sell it: Market your invention to people who might buy it
- We also know everyone is inventive—and we do mean everyone! Today, you become the inventor. You will try new ideas, take risks, and learn how to keep going when things don’t go as planned.