Supercool, keep at it, never mind the bollocks!
A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
281–290 of 296 posts
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#282Earlier quoted context omitted.
We do have flying cars.
Can you name a single person you know of with one?
Isn't this called a helicopter? Aside from the noise, etc. issues with them, what would be the difference between a flying car and a helicopter? The need for a pilot's license to fly one?
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#283Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wish I could be as innocent as you. Science fairs are for rich kids. Here is Robert, 17, currently working on his Private Pilot Certificate. His hobby is dicking around with 3D printers and drones. https://linkedin.com/in/robert-sansone-62116b1b7 I don't even want to link the second winner, but he is very connected in Saudi Arabia. Let's just leave it there.
That’s funny. I won my science fair and we were dirt poor. I would point out that most kids with Robert’s access to resources would be smoking pot and playing Xbox, just like their poorer brethren. As someone without his resources competing at a science fair like him I feel absolutely no disadvantage and am impressed with his achievements. I ended up borrowing equipment from school rather than owning it but still had…
Those resources (both equipment and guidance) must come from somewhere, and unfortunately usually they don't come from the school. Schools tend to treat science fairs as an extracurricular afterthought.
In Robert's case there are highly motivated parents and a motivated student, but it's really about the starting point. Motivation is something that can be fostered.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#284I don't know how this motor works, but it instantly reminded me of my mentor's vintage guitar amp with a field coil speaker[1]. The key idea was that copper was cheaper than magnets, so they make an extra coil of wire on the speaker which generates a magnetic field. Then the voice coil drives the speaker by modulating that field. This article[2] seems like a decent introduction to the topic.
The thing that struck me about the amp was how lightweight it was. While newer amps may use rare earth magnets (which pack more magnetic field per gram) vintage amps usually had to use heavy inefficient magnets.
[1]: http://www.preservationsound.com/2010/10/the-field-coil-guit... [2]: https://www.edn.com/field-coil-speakers-obsolete-or-the-futu...
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#285Very cool congrats to him.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#286Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just look at the photos. Only a fairly wealthy family could afford to buy him those instruments, and of course, the raw materials for the motors. Even his clothing suggests that there is no lack of money.
Benefit of the doubt: it could be a local makerspace. Although he's working on his pilot license so yes, he's a rich kid.
I missed the part about him working on his pilot's license. Thanks.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#287> If his motor continues to perform with high speed and efficiency, he says he’ll move forward with the patenting process. Is it a wise move? Shouldn't he just file a patent application instantly? (It is not a kind of a sarcasm or something. I really do not know, and I'd like to hear from people experienced with patent applications.)
Its kind of expensive. About $30-50k for the entire process. For a big company with deep pockets and IP lawyers already on retainer that price is just the cost of doing business and an investment of beating the competition. If your an individual $30k for a not sure bet is a hell of a lot of money. A good friend patented a makeup applicator and she's not sure if she'll ever get that money back.
You can DIY-it for a lot less. I patented an invention for about $2k. I wrote the claims, specification, and produced the technical drawings myself. Then I had everything reviewed by a patent attorney. If you have a lot of spare money or you're hoping that your patent is going to be the next big thing you may want to shell out for patent lawyers though.
On the other hand, there are cases where even the pros make serious mistakes in drafting patents despite all of the money they charge, because no one really understands an invention like the inventor. So there's a lot to be said for understanding how the patent process works, especially if you might become a prolific inventor at some point, which it sounds like this teenager is well on his way toward. Then it's likely worth the time investment to understand the basics of IP law and patents.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#288Earlier quoted context omitted.
Its kind of expensive. About $30-50k for the entire process. For a big company with deep pockets and IP lawyers already on retainer that price is just the cost of doing business and an investment of beating the competition. If your an individual $30k for a not sure bet is a hell of a lot of money. A good friend patented a makeup applicator and she's not sure if she'll ever get that money back.
Why does it cost so much to file a patent? Isn't one able to draft and submit an application by themselves?
It doesn't cost that much to file a patent. It costs a ton of money to hire lawyers though.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#289This is great, I'm happy for him! But I miss the creative aspect in myself. I used to be so creative like him, with so many half-finished inventions scattered around the house. Today there's nothing. I finally managed to carve out a day or two per week away from my job to work on personal projects after many years of failed attempts to get away at great personal expense. But the last 3 days that I went to work on som…
Thank you everyone, I'm blown away by your responses, which are too numerous to address individually :-)
After sleeping on it, I think what's going on with me has to do with midlife changes in perception. For example, a young artist might dabble in oil painting and not think about things like the carcinogenic effects of paint thinner or the sustainability of pigments. But at my age, I see opportunity costs in everything I do, which stifles my creativity. Even if the risk is simply the time cost of doing something and missing out on the chance to do nothing and rest.
My struggle seems to parallel the larger crisis humanity is facing in how we have to still go to work as the world burns. Like to save the world, we have to stop thinking about it for a time and do what we can with what we have. And this tough love concept applies to our individual realities. Somehow I have to suspend disbelief long enough to get ahead of my hangups. It's a bit like switching from technology back to magic. Or from science to religion. I know it works because I've felt the love and oneness of being in the zone for extended periods over much of my life. But so much of my psyche is grounded in survival now that reconnecting with my inner child feels decadent. Yet I must do it or the rest of my life is forfeit.
The only conclusion I can come to is that my belief system is sabotaging my goals so I must change myself before I can change the world. A bit pithy perhaps, but hopefully helpful to anyone in the same boat who happens to read this.
Re: A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor
#290Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think this is the right angle to take. Unlike a lot of breathless "engineering breakthrough" stories, this piece, as well as young Mr. Sansone himself, readily acknowledge that this is a work in progress and may not pan out. Even if it doesn't, what an incredible achievement for a high-schooler – and just imagine the great contributions to the field this kid is poised to make in the coming decades.
> and just imagine the great contributions to the field this kid is poised to make in the coming decades Well let's curb the expectations for now, it can be quite damaging for a kid be held forever to an potentially unrealistic standard just because they did something great once. I mean sure for the occasional genius it turns out fine because they live up to it, but for the rest it's a self hate and imposter syndrome…
I solved a major FBI case when I was 18 years old. 20 years later I'm finally stabilizing on steady beneficial contribution to society instead of pining for the next moonshot / recognition.
Thanks for being real.