Gears EDS

About Gears EDS

The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System gives teachers the industrial strength tools they need to create world class engineering and robotics challenges for their students in the comfort and convenience of their own classrooms. The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System is offered as the world’s first engineering education construction system utilizing industry engineered components. GEARS LLC manufactures Mike’s Invention and Design System and provides teacher support and educational materials mapped to national curriculum frameworks. From Trebuchets to Autonomous Robots, The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System lets your students participate in the science and history of technological achievement! Students and teachers who use the GEARS Invention and Design System share in the creative excitement of inventing their own engineering games and designing the modules, mechanisms and machines to play them.

The GEARS-EDS system is a great way to learn about…

• How to apply basic math and physics concepts to the solution of a challenging problem.
• The process of engineering and designing modules, mechanisms and machines.
• How to work as a member of an engineering team and participate in the engineering project lifecycle
• How to use 3D solid models to communicate ideas and create and analyze design iterations
• The fundamentals of mechanics, electronics and pneumatics
• And much more......

Software

Software and programming are at the discretion of the teacher and the students. The basic GEARS system is meant to complement third part electronics including R/C systems, microcontrollers and embedded PCs. If you are looking to have your students program using the GEARS EDS system, select a microcontroller and appropriate motor controllers.

Project Ideas

Mobile Chassis

Use the GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System to create Radio Controlled Game Playing Machines (designed and built by students). Students and teachers can create exciting engineering challenges similar to those played at major engineering colleges and on TV! Students and teachers who participate in these 4 activities learn the necessary math, science and principals of engineering they need to create competitive machines.

Newton’s Cart

Use The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System to create Apparatuses that help teach the Fundamentals of Physics. Students and teachers can create and use project based physics demonstrations that help students learn concepts through personal experiences. Students and teachers who participate in these 4 activities learn the necessary math, science and principals of engineering they need to create competitive machines.    

Dynamometer

  Use The GEARS-IDS? Invention and Design System to build a dynamometer and analyze the performance of a fixed magnet direct current electric motor. DC electric motors are found in many of the products we use daily. Some of these include; CD players, tape players, computer printers and scanners, cell phones and pagers, computer drives and countless other applications.  

Curriculum

Gears EDS was designed specifically for the classroom, and as such, the company has a significant amount of educational material to go along with their kits. The Gears curriculum covers Pneumatics, Physics, Geometry, Magnets and more while describing the curriculum objectives. A 6-week comprehensive CAD curriculum resource is also available separately. Gears makes all of its CAD files available by special request. Furthermore, Gears has developed the "Gears-EDS Program - Engineering Construction and Design". Using the GEARS-EDS materials and components, students and teachers combine basic physical science principals with creative thought process to construct a remote controlled machine capable of playing a game designed by the students and/or the teacher. The GEARS-EDS Educational System products can be used to create a comprehensive program of study in which students and teachers participate in the engineering design and manufacturing process.

Competitions

There are currently no competitions specifically using Gears EDS, though the company has also created competitions in which their robots can be used:  

Pit Boss

  Pit Boss is an action packed robotic competition played on a 4 x 8’ plywood field. This engineering challenge requires students to design and build robotic mechanisms capable of manipulating and delivering 3 different objects up an incline and into a 10 inch diameter “Scoring Pit”.  

Hi-Lo BattleBall

  This is a game that challenges you to use the GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System kits, and some extra stuff commonly found around the house, to create a competitive machine capable of scoring either the highest, or the lowest score in the game of Hi-Lo BattleBall. It’s a game of engineering smarts and driving skill that will test your mechanical aptitude and manual dexterity.  

What to Buy

RobotShop has a category specifically for GEARS EDS kits and products. The Gears IDS package offers versatility and customization.     Gears EDS