Pflugerville Student Builds Hasselhoff-2 for Science Fair
By Editor | August 30, 2007
Austin, TX — It seems the days of building a shoebox diorama for your elementary school’s science fair are long gone — eclipsed by better technology, smarter students and larger prizes.
Nowhere was this more evident than at the recently concluded “All-Austin Science Fair” held at the Bob Bullock Museum in downtown Austin. The fair included science-minded students from AISD and surrounding school systems, and featured the much-sought-after grand prize of a full scholarship to any college or university within Texas.
A strong motivator, to say the least.
The most motivated student of all, it seems, was one Jerry McKlusky, whose “Hasselhoff-2″ exhibit took the big prize.
McKlusky, a fifth grader from Spring Hill Elementary in Pflugerville, designed an incredibly lifelike replica of the actor and musician David Hasselhoff, formerly of such shows as Knight Rider and Baywatch, and currently a co-host of America’s Got Talent.
“Technically, Hoff-2 is a cyborg,” McKlusky explained, adjusting his glasses in a manner befitting a college professor. “A cybernetic organism, if you will. Synthetic flesh over a titanium and hydraulic framework. And hair … it has lots of hair. Just like the real Hoff.”
(The image at left shows an early prototype sketch of Hoff-2.)
The Hoff-2 replica amazed the judges with its lifelike movements, speech and mannerisms — right down to the way it referred to itself in the third-person.
According to McKlusky: “It calls itself ‘The Hoff-2′ just like the real David Hasselhoff calls himself ‘The Hoff.’ I wanted it to be as near to the real thing as possible.”
It was a unanimous victory, with all science fair judges voting McKlusky, and the Hoff-2, into the winner’s circle. The sharp-minded student leaped up to high-five his synthetic companion, and the two of them proceeded toward the trophy area.
But the celebration was short-lived.
An apparent short-circuit within Hoff-2’s central processing unit led to some highly erratic behavior on the part of the replica. Before McKlusky even realized what was happening, Hoff-2 had smashed the projects of several other contestants and was shouting profanities at them, belittling them as “losers and crybabies.”
Image: Hoff-2 crashes awards ceremony, shortly before “sugar meltdown”
“I don’t know what happened,” said McKlusky. “I could have powered down Hoff-2 for an investigation, but it won’t reveal anything now with all the sugar damage.”
The sugar McKlusky referred to came from an inglorious eating binge, wherein the Hoff-2 replica began scarfing down donuts and pastries from the judge’s table. The sugar-and-jelly combination wreaked havoc on Hoff-2’s delicate internal circuitry, causing a full shutdown within an hour.
Judges agreed to let McKlusky keep his first-place ribbon (and scholarship) since the event happened after the final judging. McKlusky later reported that General Dynamics, a leading defense contractor for the U.S. government, called to offer him an internship when he turns eighteen years old.
Sound Off, Austin
Do you think the replication of B-list celebrities should be permitted within public schools? We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts via the “Comments” box below.
Topics: Austin News |
August 31st, 2007 at 3:49 pm
It’s a shame the Hoff 2 broke down. I would have liked to see it run in slow motion along Town Lake with one of those orange lifeguard thingies in its hand. Oh well.