{UAH} reality TV show aims to tackle real-world engineering challenges

New reality TV show aims to tackle real-world engineering challenges
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Big Brain contestant Eric Whitman


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By: Natasha Odendaal

Ten engineers are competing for the ultimate "Big Brain" title as they
tackle seemingly "impossible engineering challenges" in a new US-based
reality television series on the Discovery Channel.

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Send to Friend 0 The Kal Penn-hosted Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius is
an eight-part series filming two teams of contestants creating and
building solutions to tackle challenging real-life problems.

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challenges posed to the ten contestants, who live and work together
during the series, include stopping a missile with a missile; building
a personal shelter to keep a rescue worker safe from extreme wind,
water and fire; and designing a robot that can tackle three Olympic
events, namely a 100 m dash, a javelin throw and a standing broad
jump.

The engineers would also have to design, engineer and build a machine
to prepare a variety of food that a person might order and serve to
masses of people in a public space, as well as design, engineer and
build a simple way of extracting mechanical energy from a waterfall.

According to the Discovery Channel episode guide, the competitors have
30 minutes to develop a solution using their own intellect.

The challenges, which get more difficult as the series progresses,
were chosen for their potential applications in development of
real-world products.

The competition was also designed to "discover if America still has
what it takes to lead the world with innovative concepts".

Contestants had an opportunity to earn distinctions with inventive
designs or practical shop knowledge, but would be penalised for
display of tempers or ineffective leadership.

The winner of The Big Brain Theory would walk away with $50 000 and a
job at Los Angeles-based water feature design group WET Enterprises.

The contestants comprised a rocket scientist who built haunted houses
and has an IQ of 146, Joe Cravella; the 'southern Martha Stewart of
engineering' 26-year-old Amy Elliot; product design consultant
31-year-old Alison Wong; Department of Defense engineer Andrew Stroup;
senior mechanical engineer Corey Fleischer; spacecraft engineer Dan
Moyers; graduate student, working toward a PhD in robotics, Eric
Whitman; the founder of Artisan's Asylum, Gui Cavalcanti; small
manufacturing company owner Tom Johnson; and 26-year-old welding
engineer technician Joel Ifill.

The judges were WET CEO Mark Fuller and Christalis CEO Dr Christine
Bulbranson, with guest judges, including robotics expert, 'BattleBots'
champ and Mars Rover designer Jason Bardis; Nasa JPL lead engineer for
Mars Rover Curiosity in charge of entry, descent and landing Adam
Stelzner; Nascar champion driver Carl Edwards; and Nasa astronaut on
Apollo XI and second man to walk on the Moon Buzz Aldrin.

Big Brain Theory premiered at the end of August on Discovery Channel (DStv 121).

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