Questions Proposed:

1. What is the problem identified in this video? Do you think it was solved and if so, how? If not, why not?
2. Would you have approached this problem differently? Why/why not?
3. How do you see this video relating to your Engineering Proposal assignment?

Reply to the questions based on the video:

1. the problem identified in the video is the fact squirrels are finding a way into the bird seed feeder. No matter what cages are set up and tested in the video, the squirrels easily find a way into it, whether it be breaking the lid or dropping it entirely no matter the height. To “”fix”” this or come up with a semi-solution, an obstacle course with different traps was designed and built to give the squirrels a hard time. I wouldn’t say this problem was solved so much as at the end of the video the squirrels were still able to do the course with no problem and obtain the nuts. However, there was a tiny solution where when the nuts were released, it made a huge noise making the squirrels jump and run away.
2. I feel as if I wouldn’t do this whole obstacle course as done in the video as at the end there was no grand solution or fix. I feel as if finding a better cage for the nuts so the squirrels can’t break into it. Also making obstacles would help make the squirrels work hard at it and possibly give up knowing they can’t get into the cage. Trying to find a solution to the height of where the cage should be is a big step as squirrels as seen in the video can jump very high and climb up poles. So maybe making a bulky pole that wouldn’t hurt the squirrels but give them a hard time can be a fix as well.
3. I see this video relating to the engineering proposal assignment as they are very similar, since in both the video and in our assignment we have problems that need a solution. In the squirrel video, there was a problem with the squirrels eating the nuts so a set of plans and building different designs were put in motion. This goes hand in hand with what we need to do for our assignment, thinking of what major problem or minor problem there is and how we can come up with a solution to fix it. Making different plans, and designs, revising, and testing it out, are all part of the process of fixing a problem. In both scenarios, there could be times when the first solution may not work so going back to the drawing phase and coming up with more ideas based on results from the last test. 

Link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFZFjoX2cGg