Peter Sheldon on “WHY build a Human-Sized Hamster Wheel?”
Physics major, Carly Torisky ‘06 thought up the Human-Sized Hamster Wheel (HSHW) when she was a junior.
She argued that we make hamsters run endlessly without getting anywhere for our entertainment, and perhaps we should pay them back by running on a hamster wheel that generates electricity to light and heat their cage.
Many people ask “why would you build a Human-Sized Hamster Wheel?” sometimes with surprising disdain or disbelief.
I am sure we have all heard of physics groups and classes in school building trebuchets or catapults. They are planning on storming a castle about as much as we are planning on giving extra large hamsters exercise.
In both cases, we are building a device in order to get the experience of working together as a group, the experience of working with our hands, the experience of engineering a large and complex structure. The group work aspect has been very important for the college, especially this year; the build days have been open to the college community, and we have had an amazing amount of support and teamwork from first year men and women and upper-class men and women alike.
In addition, energy conservation and alternative sources is a central topic in the public eye these days; in the case of the HSHW, not only is it a group design and build, but we can use the device to demonstrate and educate about alternative power sources and conservation.
The HSHW is hooked up to a generator, and when a person runs on the wheel, they will be generating electricity that can be used to power household items. In addition, the system can be switched to a solar panel, so that users can compare power generated by human energy to power generated by solar energy.
And all else aside, the Human-Sized Hamster Wheel has been just plain fun!
December 19th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
The Hamster Wheel looks great. It has been a long time coming. I am glad somebody got to make it!
January 5th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I know many parents who would really appreciate this wheel at home. With our 8 year old son we could probably generate our whole household with this energy. I can’t think of a better use! I wish I could do this instead of having bought a trampoline.
And seriously, it was fun reading the excitement in your words about a school project. Keep on enjoying your education and your work!