Odd, I actually liked ths show.
I like the show, partly because I think Doug Hall is awesome, and I also like seeing all the wierd stuff people think of. I'm interested to see how people develop these inventions with the aid of $50,000.
Now to respond to some things:
About the lack of technically complex/ engineering based inventions. Keep in mind who is watching the show. Most of the general public does not have a technical or engineering background. Many FIRSTers like technical things, heck we build robots for fun so of course we want to see something like a segway. Remember though, that just because an invention is some complex marvel of engineering doesnt mean it will sell to the
general public*. Remember the KISS principle. After seeing the sand bag shovel, my dad said I should design a dump truck that does it automatically. I stopped for a second and thought about this. The shovel does the job fine, costs less, and would be easy to transport and use. A dump truck would cost a lot more money, be hard to transport, and would require some training to use. Why make something more complicated than is has to be? Think of the Segway. Many FIRSTers love the segway because the engineering that went into it is amazing, it's a sweet ride, and Dean invented it. What does the general public think? My parents, and most of my peers at school, dont see the point to it. To them the Segway is merely a fancy scooter that just isnt worth the money.
As far as people not understanding "engineering". Sure, many of them didnt have an engineering degree, so they arent engineers. It doesnt mean they dont understand the engineering process. I'm sure the shovel guy went through tons of revisions of his shovel to make it the most comfortable and ergonomic he possibly could. To me, that's still engineering. Would I call him an engineer? No, but that doesnt mean he doesnt know how to go through the engineering/ design process.
* About the
general public I highlighted earlier in the post. This TV show is made with a target audience of the average joe. Therefore, the inventions have to tailor towards the general public. Many highly technologically driven products are not made for the general public, but for government use, or other companies. Again, look at the segway; it's biggest customers are the postal service, law enforcement, and amusement parks. All of these inventions have to be something the general public can 1) understand, 2) relate to, and 3) want to buy. This also relates to the judges. Only one judge has an engineering background; Doug Hall (chemical engineering actually, he went to UMAINE). The other 3 are business/ advertising and marketing experts. Why only one technically competent judge? Because again, techincally complex isnt a factor in whether not an invention will sell. The judges are supposed to find products that could be successful and sell. That's why the judges are all marketing based. The general public isnt going to look at these products through the eyes of an engineer, so it wouldnt make sense to have engineer judges. Yes, at some point, many of these inventions would have to be reviewed by engineers to make sure they are safe and such. I'm sure that 2 person bike will have to go through a panel of mechanical engineers before it ever hits shelves, but the marketing people have to make sure it will sell before all that time and money is invested in that process.
Lastly, about the boy. I agree with Ken and Doug Hall. Being on the show could mess up his life. He has a promising future right now, and he should stick with it and become an engineer. He did say he was 14, thats the max target age of FLL, so he's almost ready for FRC. The nearest FRC team to him should find him and invite him to a regional
Sorry about the long post.