UF Outreach Design Competition · 2026

Liquid Lift

A tabletop hydraulic arm kit that teaches 6th–8th graders Pascal's Law and mechanical advantage through a hands-on "rescue mission" challenge — designed for the University of Florida Outreach Design Competition.

Activity Overview

Students operate a tabletop robotic arm powered by water-filled syringes and clear tubing. By pushing and pulling syringe plungers, they control the arm to grab and move small objects in a timed rescue challenge. This reveals how hydraulic pressure transfers force — the same principle behind excavators, car brake systems, and prosthetic limbs.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how pushing one syringe moves another through a water-filled tube (Pascal's Law).
2. Predict and test how syringe size changes force and distance in the arm.
3. Compare hydraulics, pneumatics, and electric motors — and describe when an engineer would choose each.

Team

Built with the UF Data Science & Informatics team: Matheus Maldaner, Luana Maldaner, Nicolas Murguia, and Pranav Bhargava.

Skills & Disciplines