Professional Documents
Culture Documents
capstone process requires teamwork. What tips would you suggest for a good teamwork?
(Mention at least three tips). Explain them with Example/s. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
1) A good team must have a powerful skillful leader who can manage the group and give instructions
to the members. He has to be aware of what he is doing and how he treats his team members. Ex.
The leader distributes the work among the team members by justice and according to the skills of each
member. (ex. The member who speak fluently and like a gentleman will take the task of presenting the
team) 2) The members of the team should respect each other and discuss all given ideas from all the
team members. (Ex. If a member has a bad idea that he told to the team, the team should discuss it
and tell the pros and cons of it and thus compare it to the ideas to persuade him that the other ideas
are better) 3) The team is working according to a calendar and a specific plan previously made by the
members. (Ex. If the deadline of a specific task is on 14/3, 6 pm , then all the members must finish it by
that time) 4) The team has the soul of competitiveness and patience so that they would do their best
towards their work. (Ex. Each member is checking his work and see if he can redo some of the work to
be better)
Write an introduction to your Capstone Project for this semester about industry, it should
include: a) Grande Challenge. b) Your Problem. c) Pros / Cons for ONE prior solution. d) Your
proposed Solution *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
Planet Earth is turning to a factory with a high rate increase in the industrial bases. Every year, the
industrial processes are increasing by an exaggerate rate of 20%. This increase should be opposed by
decreasing the cost of these industrial processes. Our grand challenge is to decrease the cost of
industrial processes (including the use of cheap inputs or decreasing the energy used in the process or
a cheap output) while preserving the quality of the process. This initiative should be done through
innovation. It is worth to be mentioned that pollution is the most wellknown problem for every country
in the world as it is threatening the whole earth. On the other hand, millions of people are suffering
from their disabilities preventing them from making ordinary activities such as going to the bathroom or
even carrying a cup in their hand. Prior solutions for this problem include making a prosthetic hand
using muscle sensors and polylactic acid made from petroleum derivatives. Pros of this solution
include the easy use of prosthetic hand due to muscle sensors. Cons include pollution of the
environment that happens due to the extraction of the nonrenewable petroleum and its transportation.
Our solution for this problem include making a biodegradable hand from ecofriendly materials such as
corn by extracting the starch from it and converting it to polylactic acid. We used flexible sensors
instead of muscle ones to reduce its cost while preserving efficiency. We used Arduino so we followed
steps of algorithm to write the code of the Arduino using C programming language.
In the Capstones, you are required to create a Poster according to a rubric, what is the most
difficult part of this Rubric? Explain why? *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
The most difficult part of the rubric is the results. Results of our capstone project should be clear and
specific. Results section should include all the results of the design requirements tested. What is more
difficult is adding the experimental errors (absolute errors) when dealing with numbers. Because it
requires accurate testing when doing the test plan. It should include graphs and tables of data
acquired during the test plan.
Write an Abstract of your Capstone Project for this semester about industry, it should include:
a) Grande Challenge. b) Your Problem. c) Your proposed Solution. d) Major conclusion *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
The bright future is in the hands of today’s students but what if they don’t have hands! Our grand
challenge is to reduce the cost of industrial processes, for instance: using new materials in the input.
Our problem is the incapability of a lot of teens who could contribute to the community. About 350,000
in the UK have a disability. 30% of them are upperlimbed disabled. So our solution for this problem is
making a biodegradable prosthetic hand made out of polylactic acid (PLA). We will extract starch from
corn and convert it to lactic acid then polymerizing it to PLA. We will program the hand using Arduino
and we will use servo motors for the mobility of the hand. Moreover, we used selfmade flexible
sensors for sensing the movement of the hand instead of muscle sensors. We used the organic
chemistry principles for producing the PLA and followed the algorithmic steps for writing the Arduino
code. We concluded that technology of using cheap biodegradable materials is our sword for
challenging any problem.
The capstone process requires teamwork. We learn from other team members. Identify the
most important thing you have learned from your team members and explain why it is
important to you.The capstone process requires teamwork. We learn from other team
members. Identify the most important thing you have learned from your team members and
explain why it is important to you. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
The most important thing that I learned from my other team members is working according to the
calendar given because not working according to it leads to procrastinating in the work which cause a
delay in the progress of the project. Working according to the calendar makes you finish your project
on time where there’s no pressure or stress in the last days leading to an efficient excellent work as a
whole.
Designing a Test Plan that is suitable for the design requirements is an EDP step. Describe
your capstone test plan and explain how your plan tests your design requirements. *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
We will make plastic out of banana and potato peels and then use the plastic as material for making an
artificial hand that could be used for handicapped people. So we will test for our design requirements
as follows: Cost: we added the cost of all the materials used Efficiency: We analyzed the amount of
plastic produced from the banana peels by comparing the mass of the banana peels to the mass of the
plastic. We also measured the elasticity of the ropes (by applying Hooke’s law) to make sure that it
works properly. We also compared the force produced by the hand to the force read by the Arduino so
that we know the exact efficiency of the sensor. (By using a muscle sensor to measure the force of the
muscle) Friendly to the environment: we searched for the environmental effects caused by the
materials that we used in our project. Strength: we searched for the maximum force that could be
applied to our hand without breaking.
Pretend your capstone was a "business" in which you are an employee and it is time to assess
your performance this year. In a real business, you might be asked to assess your own
performance and decide how you will improve your performance in the coming year. Describe
one strength in your own performance of the capstone project last semester. Also describe one
aspect where you would like to perform better and how you plan to achieve this improvement. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
One strength in my performance of the capstone project last semester is respecting deadlines and the
capstone calendar. Whenever I have a task, I instantly make a plan to organize all the todoes which I
have and finish this task according to the deadline given. Organizing my tasks and making a plan is a
very effective way to achieve success. One aspect where I would like to perform better is to respect
my teammates and accept their excuses if they didn’t finish their tasks before the deadline. I always
become very angry when I find a delay in the capstone work. Sometimes they have hard times in
which they have too much work to do in different things, for instance: competitions, circumstances,
external work and etc. Although they have strong excuses, I don’t go with it and keep blaming them
which makes them less confident in their selves and that cause them to not do their best at their tasks
which affects the capstone work in general.
In Capstone work, research prior solutions helps in selecting your own solution. Choose two
prior solutions related to your work, Describe one point of strength of each solution and
describe one weakness for each *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
One prior solution to my work is getting benefit from the wasted heat in iron industry during the process
of manufacturing it and use it to produce electricity needed for operating the machines. We know when
we convert a kind of energy to other energy, there must me some wasted energy and thus no machine
is ideal. So solution was to minimize that wasted energy which is heat. By using thermoelectric
generator which generates electricity by the temperature difference of its sides we could generate
some additional electricity and thus reducing the cost of the manufacture. One point of strength is that
maintaining a system of thermoelectric generators is easy and installing it is very simple. Also it
doesn’t pollute the environment or emit anything, it just generate electricity. One point of weakness is
that the price of thermoelectric generators are quite expensive and it doesn’t generates lots amounts of
electricity. The second prior solution is developing the solar cell by adding muscovite to the solar cell
instead of the ordinary material and thus increasing the efficiency of solar cell by generating more
electricity from the same amount of solar energy. Also by programming the solar cell to move vertically
to the sun and thus it is faced all the day to the sun increasing the electricity generated from solar cell.
One point of strength is that muscovite is cheaper and the cost of maintaining it is cheap. One point of
weakness is that it has a low life durability.
SelfReflection is a process that person think about his points of strength and weakness in
order to improve himself:(1) Describe ONE point of strength in your performance of the
capstone project last semester.(2) Describe one point in your performance which you can
improve.(3) Describe how you will improve this point this semester. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
One point of strength in my performance of the capstone project the last semester is the soul of the
leadership that I had which made me able to manage the group and run it without any problems
among the members due to difference in opinions or proposals. Also I added to the team the soul of
competence so that every member was doing his best to reach our final goal which is an excellent
project based on the scientific methods. One point in my performance which has to be improved is
working according to the calendar. I always had work to do and I rarely finished my capstone work on
time although I was the leader. It was a common problem in my group and that was due to the
incapability to organize time between study, capstone, competitions, other projects, outer examinations
and entertainment. It didn’t affect us very much in the previous semester because the semester was
long but this semester is short and it had to be solved quickly. I managed to solve this problem by
using a calendar app and I will input all the events (exams, competitions, projects) during this semester
that will include a progress bar and checkpoints so everything is working perfectly. Besides, I am using
a todo list app so I write the tasks which I have to daily and check whether I finished them or not.
The EDP states that it is important to identify the problem to solve clearly. What is Capstone
Challenge for this semester? Provide TWO examples of suggested problems mentioned in your
group, which problem you prefer to work on and why. *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
Our capstone challenge is to improve the scientific and technological environment to increase the
industrial and agricultural bases of Egypt. We have to introduce technology and innovation that could
lead to the reduction of cost in any industrial process (input, processing or output). But how to reduce
the cost? I could make the same thing with bad materials that are cheap and thus I reduced the cost.
No, this isn’t a reduction in the cost, the real reduction is making the same output with the same
efficiency and quality using cheaper or less materials. We mentioned many problems in my group. Two
of them were: 1. Developing the process of manufacturing cars because it requires many machines
which are so expensive and the main input material used is iron and we know that cars are expensive
and in Egypt there is almost no factory for manufacturing car due to the enormous cost. 2. Expensive
cost of the solar cells and its maintenance. We could develop a new solar cell of different substance
such as muscovite that could absorb more solar energy or doesn’t waste some of the converted
energy. I prefer to work on solar cells because energy is the backbone of industry, thus it is a more
important problem. We also studied solar cells during the capstone of grade 10 so we have a good
background on solar cells. Also developing the manufacture of cars is very complicated.
Capstone Challenges require you to work like an engineer and apply EDP to solve problems.
This requires teamwork, following the defined problem solving process, thinking creatively to
solve complex problems, etc. What part of this work do you find most challenging? Explain
why you found it challenging and how you overcame this challenge. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
The most difficult step we faced in our project is the selection of solution (developing possible
solutions) because there are many ways to save water and you can save water in many fields. You
could save water in agriculture, in industry and personally in your home. So we didn’t know where to
begin from or what field we will choose. This steps required hard work from us and managed to solve
this issue by making many studies (data & tables) about the most –water consuming field and which
field is the best to save water efficiently and what will happen if one of these fields is not watersaved.
Our results has shown that the agriculture field was the best to work on as it is the most water
consuming field in the world and has the highest saving potential (means we could save a lot of water
on that field ).
As you almost done with your Capstone about water, you should start preparing your poster.
Abstract is the 1st Part of your Poster. Write an abstract for your team Project (it should
include a. Grand Challenge b. your problem c. your proposed solution d. your conclusion *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
No water, No life, No me, No you, Nothing. Water and Life are two faces of the same coin. Water is
one of the major issues that faces humanity and could lead to its extinction. Water scarcity affects
more than 40 % of the world and Egypt also in the next few years will suffer from it. Worldwide, water
is used for everything, in agriculture, in industry , for personal use. That’s not bad. But the worst thing
is that water is used inefficiently. Our grand challenge is to find watersaving methods to use water
efficiently (reduce consumption) so our solution for this problem is for agriculture. We will use a water
saving irrigation method called drip irrigation that water will only reach the roots of the plants. We will
also use soil moisture sensors. As long as the level of water is above the specified value, no irrigation
will occur but if it falls behind the Arduino will send two messages; one to the pump to begin irrigating
water and the other to the application telling the farmer that crops are being irrigated. The application
gives the user data about the best crops to grow in soil. We also genetically modified a wheat plant to
have longer roots so less water is used. We concluded specifically that this project will have an
efficiency of 78% compared to flooding irrigation (ordinary method) and in general that water issue is a
very important problem and needs a look.
Successful teamwork needs integrated roles. What is your role in your team, explain why it is
an important role. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
My role in my team is the leader and my responsibilities in my team are as follows: 1. Directing the
team and giving instructions to my team members 2. Trying to get all the tasks of the team done using
all the resources we could use to achieve our goal. 3. Developing a strategy with my team members to
reach our certain goal. 4. Monitoring the progress of the team and its team members. 5. Giving reports
about the team work. 6. Discussing all decisions and opinions of the overall team 7. Detecting the best
times to hold the meeting according to the calendar and the circumstances of each person in the group
8. Trying to terminate any arguments among the members of the team This role is most important rule
in the team because without a leader work wont be accomplished and the team will be such a mess
and random ideas will float in the air without one to organize everything and is sure that everything is
working as planned.
Constructing a testable prototype is a fundamental EDP step, it differs according to the Design
Requirements. What is your Design Requirement /s, explain why did you choose it/ them? *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
We have chosen some considerations that the project must achieve to our design and we will test it to
be sure that we achieved all of the design requirements. These design requirements are: Cost: The
prototype doesn’t exceed the budget which we specified (600 LE).We have to consider cost in our
design requirements because “money matters” you wouldn’t save a liter of water by paying thousands
of money. Portability: We aim to make our prototype small in size to be moved, replaced or fixed
easily. Portability is important because the prototype is vulnerable to errors and mistakes which could
lead the system to fail. Safety: High level safety should be considered in any prototype such as
probabilities that our prototype may hurt the farmer or damage the crops in case that the system fails.
Safety is the most important factor. I wouldn’t save water for 50% chance that I will die or the crops will
be damaged. Resistance to weather conditions: We all live in different environments with different
weather conditions so we care in our project that it could work in any weather conditions without being
affected by factors. Efficiency: The prototype has to save water at maximum efficiency. We put our
minimum watersaving efficiency 30% compared to ordinary irrigation system (flooding).Without high
efficiency, the project will be nothing.Why you even make a project to use more water ! Ecofriendly:
That the prototype shouldn’t pollute the environment and hasn’t any effects on the living organisms
living in the soil because that could disturb environmental balance.
As you are working in your 3rd Capstone project at STEM School. working in a team means
exchanging experiences. Give an example of something you learned from your team and
something your team learned from you *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
In the previous semester, I was working as a presenter. I had good skills that qualifies me to be a good
presenter such as the body language and describing the project or the work in specific words that
make the audience listen to you. When I worked with my existing group, I found another mate who had
astonishing capabilities in presenting. He can convince you that studying your subjects could lead you
to fail ! So we as a group chose him as our presenter and I worked as a researcher (a role which I was
good at it). Because of that I learned many presenting skills from my mate, the presenter. I learned the
tone of the voice affects your presentation even the colors of your clothes could affect on the attention
of the audience to your project. When I worked as researcher and began to finish my tasks, my team
was amazed by my work and I could get rare data that they may take days to find it. I thought I was
only a good researcher until that time. They have learnt from me many websites which provide specific
data about any subject that I want. They have learnt also from me writing down the specific keywords
that I will use to find valuable information. Previously, I was sad that I will go to a new group but this
later changed after I found the amazing exchange of experiences in my team.
Following EDP steps is fundamental to work in a Capstone Project. Explain in detail at what
step of EDP you are working now in your project about water *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
We are working now on the test plan of the prototype. We began to test the prototype according to our
design requirements below. The cost: We checked that our prototype doesn’t exceed 600 LE.
Portability: We tested by measuring its size and its weight and we also destroyed some minor parts of
the prototype and we checked if we could fix it or not. Efficiency: We tested it by being sure that it does
its work efficiently and we compared its cost with other projects costs and we tested its water saving
efficiency which reached up to 60% compared to ordinary irrigation system. Safety: We checked the
probabilities that our prototype may hurt the farmer in case of collapsing and the probability of the
electronic devices to electrocute the farmer in any circumstances. Resistance to weather conditions:
We checked our project if be suitable for working in any weather conditions. So we applied a wind
current to the prototype and checked if it will collapse. • Ecofriendly: We wanted to be sure that the
prototype does not pollute the environment. So we studied all the elements used in the prototype and
checked its effects on the living organisms. After that we redesigned our prototype as we found our
prototype failed in achieving some design requirements such as the elements used in the prototype,
we found that some of it affected some organisms in the soil so we replaced it by safer elements.
Thanks for filling out Capstone Journal 1 Grade 1 (STEM Menof)
Here's what we got from you:
Capstone Journal 1 Grade 1 (STEM Menof)
Each response allows a maximum of 4000 characters, please try and be concise in your answers.
Your email address (mohamed.yahia@stemmenof.moe.edu.eg) was recorded when you
submitted this form.
First Name: *
Mohamed
Middle Name: *
Yahia
Family Name: *
Abdallah
Student ID: *
2016006
Capstone Group number:
34
In your Capstone Sessions you need to make efficient use of your time to accomplish all of
the steps of your Capstone project. Explain how to improve the efficient use of your time in
the Capstone Sessions. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
In the capstone sessions we have to work in groups so that we can make a progress in our project
faster. We have to cooperate and collaborate or in simpler way: work together so that we have
different ideas so our project will be better and we will take less time in doing our project. We
should organize our work and every member in the group should know what to do, what his role is
in the group. We have to invest our time in the sessions by searching and working. We have to
work by the engineering design progress steps .We should the scientific methods while searching
and working .In addition, if there are any barriers while working we should cooperate to solve our
problems. If we couldn’t solve it we can ask our capstone teacher for help.
One Grand Challenge you are working on is Population Growth and Its Consequences.
Explain why this Grand Challenge important to solve. Provide an example of what may
happen if this Grand Challenge is NOT solved. *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
Population growth and its consequences is very important to us because there is a relationship
between the population growth and the economic level of the family. Population growth is inversely
proportional to the economic level of the family. By decreasing the population growth , the
economic level of the family will increase. In Egypt, Population growth is a barrier for the progress
of the country because the national income doesn't fits with the population number which is
increasing continously. That’s why it’s an important problem and it’s considered a grand challenge.
If this problem continued and is not solved , there will be many side effects.About 95% of Egypt
population live in the banks of the River Nile and Delta. There is an urban congestion there,
people won’t leave this place (Delta and River Nile Banks) because water, food and services are
available there. By increasing population growth, Urban congestion problem will be much worse
and Urban Congestion causes spread of diseases and shortage in resources. . All grand
challenges are connected to each other. So we can conclude, if population growth is not solved,
urban congestion won’t be solved causing the spread of diseases which makes the eradicating
health issues problem worse.
Capstone requires students to work in groups. Give one advantage and one disadvantage for working
in a group. Give an example for each. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
There are many advantages of working in groups such as better work and saving time. Firstly, four
or five brains thinking is better than one. We get several and different ideas from each other. We
could mix them and make a super idea. Example, I said that we could generate the electricity of
the bridge from solar energy. My partner, said that we generate it from wind energy. We got a
super idea, we will build the bridge in a place which is sunny at day and windy at night. Secondly,
working in groups makes the project progress faster and better and we will save a lot of time.
Example, I tried to make a research about grand challenges alone. I took a lot of time. When we
were working in the prior solutions, I and my partner worked together, we made wonderful work
and we took less time. We have to cooperate with each other so that our project succeeds, but if
we don’t work together, there will be a lot of problems. From the disadvantages of working in a
group, that we may quarrel with each other and each person likes his idea only, and we couldn’t
organize work among us, this leads to failure of the project. Example, I and my partner each of us
proposed a different design of the bridge, each of us didn’t want to discuss the other idea. But,
generally, team work and working in groups is always better than personal work.
As your team works together on the Capstone Challenge, if you have a different opinion
from the group, what will you do? *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
First I should listen to their opinion, if it’s better than my opinion then I will give up my opinion but if
I think that my opinion is better than my group opinion, I will tell them my opinion and suggest it to
them ,and I will persuade them with strong evidence that my opinion is better ,and they surely will
turn to my opinion but if they didn’t get persuaded, I will give up my opinion because I may be
seeing their opinion from a specific point and they are seeing it from different point ,and we
learned that majority opinion is the opinion that we should take. Also, we have to be a
collaborating group and we should work together ,and there shouldn’t be any quarrels. We should
work as one person but different brains.
A good design requirement is measurable. For example, your Capstone Prototype must be
able to hold a 10 kg weight. Create a new design requirement for the bridge challenge for
next year's Grade 10 students. Explain why it is a good design requirement. *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
From my opinion, I think that the new design requirement for the next year, should be as follows:
1) The capstone prototype should hold 20 kg weight it should hold a double amount because we
should concentrate on the weight .In Egypt there is heavy traffic and there are big lorries, which
cross the bridge so the bridge should be designed to hold a big amount of cars and lorries. 2) It
should get its electricity from a renewable source because there is shortage in the electricity and
we see in our daily life that lamp posts of bridges are turned off because of lack of electricity. 3) It
should be very safe from wind that could make the lamp posts fall down because the wind in some
areas is strong especially if we are going to use the wind energy to generate electricity to the
bridge. It is a good design requirement because it will ensure the safety for the people who cross
the bridge and it won’t cost money for electricity and the bridge will live longer as it is designed to
hold 20 kg.
Capstones require learning to work in groups. Explain what personal benefits you gained
from working in your group. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
I gained many benefits from working in groups. Working in groups taught me many information
that I don’t know by sharing information. It taught me that I should think first before doing any task.
Also, I learned how to work in a team outside the school. I learned some basics of programming
from my partner. I learned the best way of searching on internet from another partner. Exchanging
experience is the main benefit of working in groups. I didn’t believe in the working in groups, until I
worked in the capstone project. I was amazed by the fast progress in our capstone and the ideas
from my partners. I learnt that working in groups is absolutely better than personal work. Before
working in the project, I wasn’t able to deal with people properly and I was persuaded that my
thought and my opinion is always the best opinion. Working in groups corrected that. Now, I could
deal with people in the right way and I believe that every person has his own opinion that could be
better than mine and I gained many experiences and learnt many other prospects such as
patience and hard work.
After considering different bridge types for your solution to the Capstone Challenge, what
are the two types of bridges you selected? How did you test them? *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
We selected the through arch bridge and warren truss bridge. I think they are the best solutions to
our capstone challenge. The arch bridge spreads the force of weight among the arch and it protect
the span from bending. The truss bridge makes the forces equal along the span. We tested the
two bridges by putting an iron piece of 10 kg on the center of the two bridges and they were
steady and they didn’t move. We also tested the two bridges by another way by bringing a rope
and we tied it in the center of the bridge and we tied the other end to a big bowl and we put the 10
kg in it and they were steady. I suggested putting 15 kg on the two bridges so that we are sure that
it won’t break in the exhibition and we put two masses one is 10 kg and the other is 5 kg and
fortunately they were steady.
As you complete your first Capstone, identify what part of the Capstone Challenge process
was most difficult for you? Explain how you overcame this difficulty. *
Personal Reflection/Team Collaboration
The most difficult Challenge process was the process of selection of solution (identify possible
solutions).It took us many time to study the advantages and disadvantages of each type and that if
it will be possible for a specific type of bridge to be built in Egypt or not because our resources are
limited and according to the design requirements, so it was a difficult decision to choose a specific
type of bridge without thinking hundred times if it will be successful in Egypt or not. To overcome
this difficulty, we searched many times about mostly all the advantages and disadvantages and we
discussed the best bridges and eliminated the worst. Then, we discussed about the two bridges
that will be the best according to the design requirements and Egypt resources and we chose the
two appropriate bridges (truss bridge and beam bridge) and eliminated the other bridges.
Which one of the two bridge designs did you recommend for your solution? What
prototype test results supported your recommendation? *
Using the Engineering Design Process (EDP)
We recommended the pratt truss bridge because our study proved that it is more stronger than the
beam bridge as it ignores the force of the weight of cars in the center and distribute it along the
bridge. It was proven by our research that the truss bridge is more economical to build than the
beam bridge. Also, our results has shown that the truss bridge and the beam bridge has tolerated
the same weight (10 kg) but the truss bridge is only 2 layers and the beam bridge is 3 layers. Also
the bending degree of the truss bridge deck is 8 mm while the beam bridge is 14 mm. From our
results, we concluded that the truss bridge is more economical and cheaper than the beam bridge
as the number of layers of the truss bridge are less than the number of the layer of the beam
bridge. Also, we concluded that truss bridge is also stronger as the bending degree of truss deck
was less than that of the beam bridge.