Duncan Winning

Mrs. Green

Systems Engineering II

March 22, 2015

Background Information

The Problem:

At Jenkinson’s Aquarium, there is a turtle named Ace that doesn’t have a proper way to

get out of the water to lay eggs and receive its needed sun rays. The area above the tank where

Ace lives doesn’t have a large amount of room to make a permanent solution. The light fixture

that gives ace his needed light sources has to be kept too close to the water because Ace likes to

lurk near the bottom making the fixture erode from the salt too quickly. Ace has a vision

impairment. Ace’s shell has had to be repaired in the past and could still be fragile.

The Gangway that goes across the tank is removable. There is not much clearance between the top of the tank and the roof of the facility. The tank has an unconventional shape. The materials used have to be corrosion resistant because of the salt water.

The tank has obstacles that are permanent like the piling. This obstacle must be kept in mind because the solution has to be worked around the piling, not the other way around.

The upper side of the tanks have ridges that could be utilized late on for support. The arm in the picture can be used or a different arm can be made to better suit the solution.

The tank is right up against other tanks. The separation of the tanks must be maintained. Access to the tank has to still be possible through the impermanence of the solution. The tank has an awkward shape.

The tools, if any, that will be used with the solution must take into account the limited space between the surface of the tank and the roof. For example, long pipes would be impractical.

People Involved in the Situation:

The people involved in this situation care about the animals and always want what is

going to be best for them. When Jenkinson’s Aquarium looks for people to hire, one of the best

qualities an employee can have is care for the animals. The employees want the best life for the

animals because that’s what they believe the animals deserve. Plus, the happier the animals are

then the more interesting it will be for the visitors. A majority of the people that visit Jenkinson’s

Aquarium live near the town of Point Pleasant but, others may come from a couple of hours

away. One of the main reasons people come is to watch the animals being fed because animals

are very active during feeding.

The work requirements at Jenkinson’s Aquarium can be demanding as well as dirty. The picture to the left shows the dedication that the workers have to the betterment of the animal’s lives.

In the picture to the left you can see a seal doing tricks for food. The most popular time for visitors is during the feeding of the animals. The animals grow close the employees and begin to trust them after long periods of time together.

There is a strong bond between the animals and the workers. If there was a weak bond between them, visitor’s experiences would be lessened due the uncomfortableness of the animals in tanks and habitats.

Tank and habitat cleaning rarely happens during the open hours of the aquarium. If this process never took place the animals would contract diseases and would ultimately be unhappy.

Why this must be addressed:

If this problem is not addressed, the nutrients that Ace receives from the special overhead

lights will diminish. At this point in time Ace doesn’t have a place to go while the other fish or

the tank is being serviced. Ace is the only sea turtle in this specific tank and if she needs

specialized medical help or attention there is no easy way to single her out from the other fish.

There is no surface above the water where Ace can lay her eggs if she ever has to. Every time

that the employees need to tend to Ace specifically, they have to take her out of the tank

completely and put him in a service tank.

The picture to the left shows an employee wielding a custom tool for feeding animals that dwell in the bottom of the tank. Employees must adapt to the needs of the animals in order to maintain their well-being.

In the picture to the left, a turtles shell is cracking and peeling due to a lack of nutrients. This lack of nutrients can be attributed to too little exposure to the sun’s rays.

The lamp in the picture to the left is not strong enough to get nutrient rich rays to the parts of the tanks that the turtle dwells in. For the turtle to receive proper nutrient rich rays there must be a place for the turtle that is closer to the lamp.

The tool in the picture to the left is used to bring food to Ace at the bottom of the tank without other fish stealing the food. If there was a place for the turtle that was closer to the workers, ace could be fed more easily.

If there is no proper place for Ace to lay her eggs, then she must be taken out of her tank for hours where she would have to be constantly monitored. A place in the tank to lay her eggs would be best for both the staff and Ace.

Stakeholders involved in the problem:

The main stakeholders involved in and affected by the turtle platform are Jenkinson’s

Aquarium employees, and the customers attending the aquarium. The employees will be affected

by the turtle platform because it will change their approach for working with the turtle. One of

the points of the turtle platform is to make the lives if the employees a bit easier and the turtle’s

life more enriched. The turtle platform will benefit the visitors because Ace will be more active

in the tank due to the more efficient ways that the platform allows the employees to tend to Ace.

With no proper place for Ace to be fed, she has to compete for her food with all of the other species of fish in the tank. Ace could be fed more easily at the top of the tank, away from the other fish.

Ace is the biggest stakeholder in this situation because the end solution will change the way she goes through the day. With improved nutrition, Ace will feel better and be more active.

The visitors are a major stakeholder because the platform may keep the turtle moving around the tank rather than her lying still on the bottom. This would enrich the experience for all of the visitors viewing this tank.

Ace’s limbs may seem tough but they are sensitive. The Solution must be soft enough so that it does not hurt her.

Workers will be largely affected by the solution because they will be able to service the tank without having to worry about interfering with Ace.

Intended mood for the design:

The design should not specifically try to evoke a mood in the spectators because the

platform must blend in with the environmental theme of the tank. The overall design should not

be very noticeable to the people viewing the tank from outside. Because of the viewing angles,

there is difficulty seeing to the top of the tank from the outside but, it is possible. The turtle

platform must emit a safe, comfortable, gentle, hungry, and friendly vibe to the turtle and the rest

of the inhabitants of the tank. Similarly for the turtle, the platform should not be starkly different

from the rest of the tank.

The solution will change the way that the employees feed Ace. The new feeding method will be much simpler and will not involve competing with other fish.

A pad lock represents safety and security. Ace should feel safe, otherwise the platform will cause the turtle’s stress to rise when she is put on the platform.

A La-Z-Boy chair is the pinnacle of comfort. If Ace feels anything other than comfortable while on the platform then the solution will most likely be a complete failure.

As humans we grow fond of the gentle things in life and stay away from things that make us uncomfortable. Turtles are not much different. If the platform is used forcefully rather than gently, then the turtle will grow to be scared of the platform and on progress will have been made.

If Ace associates the platform with food and hunger then she will be more accepting of the changes that it makes.

Products that do similar tasks:

A product called Turtledock performs a task that is similar that approaches solving the

problem that we were tasked with. The Turtledock is a platform that stays on top of the water by

the use of floatation and stays in place with suction cups. The space that the product creates is a

great place for the turtle to get out of the water and absorb necessary nutrients from the lamps. At

one end of the platform, there is a slope that goes beneath the surface of the water to allow easy

access for the turtle.

The dock to the left is a great example of a floating platform that could be modified to fit the needs of Ace.

The platform should be just as friendly to the turtle as Green Works is to the earth.

Problem Summary

The biggest problem is that Ace needs to receive more nutrients from a special lamp

above the water’s surface. However, while solving this problem, there are other problems that

can be solved in a similar manner. In order for Ace to absorb more nutrients, she has to be closer

to the lamp. By getting Ace closer to the lamp, workers will have an easier time feeding her and

tending to her. A bonus would be a way to trap Ace near the surface so that she and the other fish

in the tank can be worked with separately. A helpful but not necessary addition would be a place

for Ace to lay her eggs. In theory, a device can be made to solve all of these problems in one

shot. The employees at Jenkinson’s Aquarium are concerned that long term lack of nutrients

from the lamp will damage Ace’s shell and shorten her lifespan.

The Turtle Dock to the left demonstrates that there can be both a submerged and dry piece of the platform depending on what the turtle needs.

The shark tank to the left shows that a platform can be buoyant on top while still having a piece submerged for the comfort of the turtle.

The remedy that might be needed

The solution that is needed must bring Ace closer to the lamp, keep her in one place,

maintain that she is under water, and aid workers with feeding her. This remedy would have a

large impact on how both the employees and Ace interact. This remedy is necessary to maintain

the well-being of Ace.

Works Cited

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(Kearney, Liam. Tank top. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)