Research Plan Template

Name(s):
Research Plan (to Accompany Form 1A)
A) Rationale
Include a brief synopsis of the background that supports your research problem and explain why this research is
important and if applicable, explain any societal impact of your research.
This inventor will be designing and developing a ladder safety device that can measure the weight of someone
stepping on the bottom rung of a ladder, resulting in an alarm if the weight of the person is less than that of a typical
6-7 year old child.

Each year, more than 2.2M children ages 14 and under are admitted to hospitals due to fall related injuries where
more than half occur with children 4 and under (Stanford Children’s Health). While this data is inclusive of all types of
falls, a portion of these injuries are related to ladder related accidents with minors, “as children don’t develop the
ability to do complex tasks like climbing ladders until they are typically age 6-7” (Davis). Often these types of
accidents happen very quickly. “The rungs and the space between the rungs on ladders were designed for adults, not
children. This puts children at a higher risk of falling and getting hurt” (Malanesunset). These pieces of evidence,
show that ladders are not designed to be safely used by children.

A safety device that could accurately sense when a child attempts to climb a ladder and emit an audible alarm, could
reduce the number of ladder accidents involving children.

B) Research Question(s), Hypothesis(es), Engineering Goal(s), Expected

Outcomes.
How is this based on the rationale described above?
Research Question(s): Is it possible to develop a device that can sense weight accurately enough to determine a child
has gotten on the ladder? Is it possible to mount the device to a ladder?
Hypothesis(es): If under a certain weight consistent with that of a 6-7 year old climbs onto the ladder, then an alarm
will sound loud providing an audible alert to a nearby parent of responsible adult.
Engineering Goal(s): Design and develop a device that can sense when a child is attempting to climb a ladder and that
will alert a parent or guardian of the situation.
Expected Outcomes: This inventor expects to develop a device that can sense when a child is climbing a ladder and
that will alert parents.
Procedure(s)
Detail all procedures and experimental design including methods for data collection. Describe only your project. Do
not include work done by mentor or others.
1. Research potential components.
2. Acquire necessary materials.
3. All electrical components will be chosen to work with 3.3-5VDC inputs for compatibility with the Raspberry Pi.
Electrical components will include:
• Raspberry Pi
• Resistive load cells (or strain gauges) capable of measuring at least 60lbs (which is the upper limit of
the average weight of a 6-7 year old). Type TBD.
• HX711 strain gauge amplifier
• Wires
• An Audible Alarm
• Display
4. A pressure plate will then need to be designed that can be mounted to the bottom rung of the ladder that the
load cells can also be mounted to.
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Name(s):
5. Wiring of the device will vary depending on the load cell (strain gauge) used. This will need to be determined
during the course of the project after more research into options is done, as well as some experimentation.
6. The pressure plate will also need to be developed after experimentation during the course of the project
through trial and error and validation of results.
4. The next step will be to develop the SW to read the load cells, to emit an audible alarm, and to show the
weight measured on an LCD.
5. The first step in developing the SW will be to create a flow chart.
6. Based on the flow chart, this inventor will then develop the code for the device. This code will most likely be
made up of a combination of code this invertor will write from scratch, as well as Shareware. Shareware is
open-source code where the original author has given others license to use it. Shareware is commonly used
by people that develop code in Python instead of always redeveloping common functions, and is one of the
main advantages of that language.
7. The inventor will then test the solution for accuracy using a variety of weights that fall above and below the
60lb target. At least 5 tests for each weight will be done to prove the design is accurate.
8. The alarm will be tested also during this process. When weights over 60lbs are applied the alarm should emit
a noise.
9. If adequate results are not achieved, changes to the electrical or mechanical design, or to the software may
be needed. Different components such as strain gauges may also be needed if the first ones selected do not
work as expected. Any changes will be made based on analysis of the results being seen.
10. If possible, given how well the invention works and the time available, it might also be possible to expand the
functionality to watch for weight limits of the ladder to be exceeded and to sense if the ladder was put up at
the correct angle.
11. If this is attempted, steps 7 and 8 will be repeated, just with larger weights that straddle the maximum rating
of the ladder used for testing.

Risk and Safety

Identify any potential risks and safety precautions needed.
Using the weights, using tools to make the pressure plate, and the risk of falling while using ladder is the greatest risk.
Electricity is not a risk as everything will be done at low voltage. When using tools, appropriate safety gear like safety
glasses and work gloves will be used.

There will be no Human Research, Vertebrate Animal Research, Hazardous Biological Agents, or Hazardous Chemicals
used in this design or experimentation, so the “If Applicable” section below is not applicable.

Data Analysis
Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data/results.
Test the design to make sure that its basic function works. Use statistically relevant sample sizes to prove that the
design works as expected. Do this by measuring checking the weight measurement against controls to prove accuracy.
Evaluate the results.

IF Applicable
Below are subject-specific guidelines for additional items to be included in your
research plan/project summary as applicable.
Human participants research:
a. Participants: Describe age range, gender, racial/ethnic composition of participants. Identify vulnerable populations
(minors, pregnant women, prisoners, mentally disabled or economically disadvantaged).
b. Recruitment: Where will you find your participants? How will they be invited to participate?
c. Methods: What will participants be asked to do? Will you use any surveys, questionnaires or tests? What is the
frequency and length of time involved for each subject?
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Name(s):
d. Risk Assessment: What are the risks or potential discomforts (physical, psychological, time involved, social, legal,
etc.) to participants? How will you minimize risks? List any benefits to society or participants.
e. Protection of Privacy: Will identifiable information (e.g., names, telephone numbers, birth dates, email addresses)
be collected? Will data be confidential/anonymous? If anonymous, describe how the data will be collected. If not
anonymous, what procedures are in place for safeguarding confidentiality? Where will data be stored? Who will have
access to the data? What will you do with the data after the study?
f. Informed Consent Process: Describe how you will inform participants about the purpose of the study, what they
will be asked to do, that their participation is voluntary and they have the right to stop at any time.

Vertebrate animal research:

a. Discuss potential ALTERNATIVES to vertebrate animal use and present justification for use of vertebrates.
b. Explain potential impact or contribution of this research.
c. Detail all procedures to be used, including methods used to minimize potential discomfort, distress, pain and injury
to the animals and detailed chemical concentrations and drug dosages.
d. Detail animal numbers, species, strain, sex, age, source, etc., include justification of the numbers planned.
e. Describe housing and oversight of daily care
f. Discuss disposition of the animals at the termination of the study.
Potentially hazardous biological agents research:
a. Give source of the organism and describe BSL assessment process and BSL determination.
b. Detail safety precautions and discuss methods of disposal.

Hazardous chemicals, activities & devices:

• Describe Risk Assessment process, supervision, safety precautions and methods of disposal.