Kearney 1

Liam Kearney
Ms. Green
Systems Engineering II
8 September, 2015
Background Statement
Existent Opportunity:
There exists an opportunity to improve the living conditions of Ace, a Kemps Ridley Sea
Turtle. She was rescued in the waters of Mattituck, Suffolk County, NY in poor health. Ace
currently resides at the Jenkinsons Aquarium in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The aquarium is in
need of a device that serves as an adjustable resting and sunning platform for a Sea Turtle. The
design and construction of such a platform leads to the improved wellbeing of Ace. Students are
granted the ability to work with the aquarium and capitalize on such a design opportunity for the
sake of their Senior Capstone Course.

Ace at the Bottom. (Kearney, Liam. Tank Bottom. 2015.

Box Turtle Ramp. (Kearney, Liam. Small Turtle. 2015.

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kearney 2

Top of Aces tank; Area to work with. (Kearney, Liam. Tank Top.
2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kemps Ridley on Land

. (Morris, Ashira. Kemp's Ridley on Land. Digital image. PBS.org. N.p., n.d.
Web. 2015.)

Aces Sun Spot from above. (Kearney, Liam. Top Chameleon. 2015.
Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Turtle dock; which serves same purpose as intended solution.

(Plesz, Alex. "DIY Turtle Dock." Blog.alexplesz.com. Themezee.com, 24
Mar. 2012. Web. 7 Aug. 2015.)

Kearney 3
People Involved in the Situation:
The people most involved in the situation are the staff at Jenkinsons aquarium. They are
the most knowledgeable about Aces specific situation. The staff has much experience with Ace
and having to manually remove her from the water for mandatory light exposure. This
understanding of Aces status makes the staffs support vital to the completion of the platform
project. They are to be consulted on turtle affairs by the students leading the design and
engineering process. The staff, along with Ace, will make use of the platform in Aces tank area.

Jenkinsons worker above Aces sunning area. (Kearney,

Liam. Linelle. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Jenkinsons worker above tank; displaying tool.

(Kearney, Liam. Walkway. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Jenkinsons worker cleaning tank. ("Roll, Liz. "Jenkinson's

Aquarium Set to Reopen Friday." Fema.gov/. Federal Emergency Management
Agency, 27 Jan. 2013. Web. 7 Aug.2015.)

Aces noticeably white shade (Kearney, Liam. Albino. 2015.

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kearney 4

Aces information board at Jenkinsons Aquarium.

(Kearney, Liam. Info. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Need For Addressment:

The desire for a platform of this nature is rooted in the wellbeing of Ace. The possibility
of her added exposure to UVB rays alone gives this concept credence. Ace was discovered in a
cold stunned state and was notably unresponsive. Due to Aces prior conditions it is important
that she receive any beneficial sun time that she can. The Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle is a favorite
attraction at Jenkinsons aquarium and it is worthwhile to ensure Ace a long and comfortable life.
It is protective of an endangered species of turtle as well.

Aces noticeably white shade (effect of being cold stunned)

(Kearney, Liam. Albino. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Homemade Equipment by the Jenkinsons Staff

(Kearney, Liam. Homemade. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kearney 5

Close-up of Aces Chameleon Light (Kearney,

Liam. Chameleon. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Area for Aces Sunning (Kearney, Liam. Sun Spot. 2015.

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Aces tank at top, notice visitors (Kearney, Liam. Shark

Teeth. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kearney 6
Opportunity Stakeholders:
There are numerous stakeholders in regard to the turtle platform project. The students
designing and engineering the platform itself are dedicating hours to the process. The
Jenkinsons staff are similarly invested, and care much for the improvement of Aces wellbeing.
Ace is a stakeholder in that she is the organism most affected by this project. The platform
affects her every day routine. Those that attend Jenkinsons aquarium are affected by the
platform as well. These customers spend money to get in and would actually benefit from the
increased health of a main attraction. The Systems Engineering II instructors are large
stakeholders in this project as well. They dedicate hours to monitoring, grading, and following
the students work to completion.

Ace at surface of water. (Kearney, Liam. Ace

Surface. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.2015.)

Jenkinsons Aquarium customers. ("Jenkinson's

Aquarium." Aquariums.wanderbat.com. FindTheBest.com, Inc. Web. 7 Aug. 2015.)

Kearney 7

Jenkinsons staff cleaning. (O'Brien, Kathleen. "Jenkinson's

Aquarium Residents Are Doing Swimmingly after
Sandy." Nj.com. New Jersey On-Line, 5 Nov. 2012. Web. 04
Aug. 2015.)

Jenkinsons staff member feeding emperor penguins.

("Funderburk, Kristi. "Tours go beneath surface at Jenkinson's
Aquarium."Archive.app.com. Archive.app.com, 13 Feb. 2013.
Web. 7 Aug. 2015.)

Jenkinsons staff member decorating

aquarium. ("Aquarium Open for
Business." Fema.gov. Federal Emergency
Management Agency, n.d. Web. 04 Aug. 2015.)

Kearney 8
Design Mood:
The platform product must fit the desired mood for the project. The platform reflects the
ideals of comfort in its material. Ace is surprisingly sensitive and materials must be taken into
account to ensure her comfort. The extra exposure to the light that gives Ace her UVB exposure
reflects the mood of health. This exposure similarly expresses the delivery of energy as a mood.
When Ace is on the platform, another desired feeling is that of safety. These moods are intended
to encourage Aces participation in using the turtle platform as quickly as possible.

Close-up of Aces Chameleon Light (Kearney,

Liam. Chameleon. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Ace at the Bottom. (Kearney, Liam. Tank Bottom. 2015.

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

Kearney 9

Gatorade conveying energy. ("GatoradeG4types" by

Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.)

Crib conveying safety and comfort.

Treadmill conveying health.

("Krevetac22" by Cveleglg at Serbian Wikipedia Transferred from sr.wikipedia to Commons by Micki using
CommonsHelper.. Licensed under Public Domain via
Commons.)

("Treadmill2" by Susanlady27 http://www.physiquesports.co.uk. Licensed under

CC0 via Commons.)

Kearney 10
Products that Perform Similar Tasks:
The turtle tank dock that operates on a much smaller scale is similar to the projects
platform in design, function, and, material. It grants a small turtle added mobility, comfort, and
exposure to artificial sun. The small turtle possesses the ability to climb out of the water on
desire. Similar in function to the desired turtle platform is the common boat ramp. It uses a
steady incline to allow easy access in and out of the water. There is possibility for influence from
this construction in the design for Aces platform. The common sandbox is a possible influence
into the design of Aces platform. Aces platform may contain a layer of sand. There also exists a
product for small scale domestic turtles that allow them to bask outside of their tank.

Reptile Products - Turtle Topper Above Tank Basking

Box Turtle Ramp. (Kearney, Liam. Small Turtle. 2015.

Platform." (Amazon.com : : Pet Supplies.

Jenkinson's Aquarium.. 2015.)

N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.)

Sandbox
(Warthunder. Sandbox. Digital
image. Vignette4. N.p., n.d. Web.
2015.

Kearney 11

Boat Ramp
(2008-03-09 Falls Lake boat ramp" by Ildar Sagdejev
(Specious) - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via
Commons.)

Summary:
Ace, is in need of a platform that keeps the top of her shell out of the water while
allowing her eyes to continue to be submerged. Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles are sensitive to lack
of moisture in the eyes and as such it is vital to consider this in the design. The platform must
serve Aces need for more UVB exposure under her Chameleon light. The materials of the
platform must be considered, as certain materials will not withstand constant salt water
inhabitance. Aces weight, 54 pounds, must also be considered as the platform must support at
least this much weight in order to function. This project is important for the sake of a member of
an endangered species wellbeing. The students taking part in the design and engineering of the
product must take care to satisfy the conditions of all of the stakeholders in order for the project
to be successful.

Kearney 12
Conclusion:
A structure that possesses an incline into a slight enclosure which is capable of
maintaining Aces necessary submergence is a possible solution to this opportunity. The structure
brings Aces shell out of the water and into direct contact with the UVB light.
The product provides easy access to the Jenkinsons staff for cleaning, feeding, interaction, and
medical maintenance of Ace. The solution must adhere to a set of specifications and limits and
must directly benefit Aces life.

Kearney 13
References
"Aquarium Open for Business." Fema.gov. Federal Emergency Management Agency, n.d. Web.
04 Aug. 2015.
Cveleglg. Krevetac22. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.
Funderburk, Kristi. "Jenkinson's Able to Reopen in Point Beach."Archive.app.com.
Archive.app.com, 13 Feb. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2015.
<http://archive.app.com/article/20130201/NJNEWS/302010115/Jenkinson-s-able
-reopen-Point-Beach>.
GatoradeG4types. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.
"Jenkinson's Aquarium." Aquariums.wanderbat.com. FindTheBest.com, Inc. Web. 7 Aug. 2015.
<http://aquariums.wanderbat.com/l/148/Jenkinson-s-Aquarium>.
Kearney, Liam. Tank Bottom. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Small Turtle. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Tank Top. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Top Chameleon. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Linelle. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Walkway. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Albino. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Info. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Chameleon. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Sun Spot. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Shark Teeth. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Kearney, Liam. Ace Surface. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.

Kearney 14
Kearney, Liam. Homemade. 2015. Jenkinson's Aquarium.
Morris, Ashira. Kemp's Ridley on Land. Digital image. PBS.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.
O'Brien, Kathleen. "Jenkinson's Aquarium Residents Are Doing Swimmingly after
Sandy." Nj.com. New Jersey On-Line, 5 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Aug. 2015.
"Reptile Products - Turtle Topper Above Tank Basking Platform." Amazon.com : : Pet Supplies.
N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.
Roll, Liz. "Jenkinson's Aquarium Set to Reopen Friday." Fema.gov/. Federal Emergency
Sagdejev, Ildar. 2008-03-09 Falls Lake Boat Ramp. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web.
2015. Management Agency, 27 Jan. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2015.
Susanlady27. Treadmill2. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.
Warthunder. Sandbox. Digital image. Vignette4. N.p., n.d. Web. 2015.