Since our last blog post, our solution to the problem has changed. We have done a significant amount of research, and have come to the conclusion that the ultrasonic devices which we believed to be the best option will NOT work with the birds that we need to deter (seagulls, crows and pigeons in particular). This is because their range of hearing is similar to that of humans – rendering the devices useless. From our research of precedent examples, we believe that a multifaceted approach featuring spikes, adhesives and sonic (not ultrasonic) devices will be the best solution.

Our project implementation process has been that of creating a formal document. Given the setback of the ultrasonic devices however, we have extended our self-defined deadline from March 22nd to the 28th to give the client the best idea of how to solve their problem. Each of the members in our group has been assigned a section in the report to write, and we are well on our way to being finished. We will be meeting again this weekend to compile our sections and discuss our findings/conclusions section.

With regards to the poster, we have a surprise for the class which we hope will work out. While we do not want to discuss the details on this public blog, one setback that we are having is that we are finding it difficult to rely on people outside of the group to respond in a timely manner.

We hope that our client will consider implementing our recommendations. We believe that, if put into practice, these solutions could provide significant savings which could then in turn contribute to promoti ng scientific interest in the community.

Potential placement zones for frequency emitting devices

This morning we met once again with representatives of Science World to clarify a few key details of the project. We now have a firm grasp now of the problem and are ready to create a report. In this report we will outline the pros and cons of each potential solution in individual sections – with an additional section explaining which solution we recommend.

The team has set a due date for the report to be March 22nd. On this day we will forward the final copy to our clients at Science World.

Our Timeline is as follows:

–          March 22nd: Submit formal report to client

–          March 25th: Present poster and project to class

–          March 26th-April 5th: Present findings to client in PowerPoint presentation

Each member of our team is responsible for making this happen. We have divided project responsibilities among us, so that each individual design can be given the attention it deserves.

While we have made a number of visits to the site, it does not seem that this project will require any hands-on work implementing the solution itself. We do believe, however, that our report will potentially lead to tangible changes in the management of Science World’s geodesic dome.

The installation of a frequency emitting device is one of our leading solutions; however, we were having trouble calculating where to place them on the structure. By utilizing a scale model of Science World from Trimble Sketchup, we can visually approximate where these devices need to be placed. It is important to note that the biggest threat caused by the birds lies out of sight at the top of the dome. As a result we must allocate our resources efficiently to ensure there are no blind spots in the northern hemisphere.

This project will be a success if our design is socially and economically feasible enough for Science World to implement it. We believe that we can accomplish this.