Day 4 July 8th- First Design Reviews

Christina arrives from Ferrara!

One Wing Angels- Parrot Prosthetic Design Review

The team discussed their project on creating a wing prosthetic for rehabilitating parrots with damaged wings. They proposed using a diamond mechanism to ensure symmetrical motion between the damaged and functioning wings. The prosthetic would attach to the bird's body using screws for a firmer hold. They plan to test the prototype by attaching it to a bird's vest. The team faces challenges in reducing friction and ensuring the prosthetic snaps back into position. They also considered alternative uses if the prosthetic doesn't aid healing, such as for birds with permanent damage or flightless birds. The project involves 3D printing for lightweight and effective components.

Action Items

• [ ] Contact as many avian veterinarians and bird fosterers as possible to understand typical wing injury healing patterns and gather feedback on whether the proposed prosthetic wing concept supports healing versus potentially causing harm.
• [ ] Conduct research into existing bird wing prosthetics, related technologies, and potential use cases to clarify the core purpose and target users for the prosthetic wing mechanism.
• [ ] Reach out to the pigeon-fostering couple mentioned in the meeting to discuss their pigeons’ wing mobility and learn more about how pigeons move their wings independently.

SMUR Radio Design Review

Our project centers on establishing a Bluetooth connection between two identical devices using an ESP32 microcontroller. The primary objective is to enable the transmission of both written messages and music between these units. For the written messages, instead of sending standard alphabetic characters directly, the system will utilize a custom signaling code. Similar to Morse code, a specific input sequence—such as three dots and a line—will translate into a corresponding letter, like "A," on the receiving device.

The music playback feature will operate using a similar, code-based approach to allow both users to listen to audio simultaneously. Rather than streaming complex audio files from an external platform like Spotify, the system will rely on a built-in database of simple, pre-programmed melodies composed of basic speaker tones. When a user selects a specific song from the screen's interface, a corresponding code is sent to the paired device. This triggers both machines to play the selected melody at the exact same time.

Action Items

• [ ] This week, experiment with different telegraph-style communication methods (e.g., Morse code via buttons) under constraints such as being unable to see each other, and build a small database of simple messages to test those approaches.
• [ ] Wire up two ESP32 devices and implement basic telegraph-style text communication between them over wires as the first part of the project, confirming that messages can be sent reliably.
• [ ] After the wired telegraph connection is working, add Bluetooth communication between the two ESP32 devices, and once wireless messaging is stable, integrate the spider-walking robot mechanism while keeping the core communication functionality intact.
• [ ] Define the primary use case for the device (who will use it and why) and decide exactly what type of information will be communicated (text, simple melodies, or a combination) as soon as possible, since this will guide further development.
• [ ] When testing the communication system, record short videos of yourselves using different modes (e.g., playing like children sending spy messages or simulating a survival scenario) and document the experience to inform future design decisions.

Star Glasses Project Design Review

The meeting discussed a project to create "star glasses" that allow users to see stars despite light pollution. The team proposed using AR glasses with a mini projector to overlay star images onto the user's field of view. They plan to integrate a camera for real-time adjustments and a one-way glass for privacy. The project involves 3D printing the frame, using a Raspberry Pi for processing, and incorporating GPS for location-specific star maps. Concerns were raised about the feasibility of connecting the glasses to an app and the need for a prototype before finalizing the design. The team aims to test the electronics and projectors within a week.

Action Items

• [ ] Design and 3D-print the eyeglass frames for the stargazing glasses and experiment with the Arduino-based system plus motion sensor and micro LED screen to test whether projected constellations can be visible through the lenses.
• [ ] Research existing solutions for projecting images onto eyeglass lenses (including Google Cardboard-style headsets and older telescope/antique designs) and create low-fidelity prototypes to validate whether the core projection idea works before committing to the final form factor.
• [ ] Compare different projector/display technologies—such as car PGU-style units, micro-LED screens, and larger projectors—to determine the best approach for projecting constellations onto the glasses or a large viewing surface.

Robot Dog Prototype Design Review

The current robot dog prototype features a three-motor design to control its newly developed leg movements. Initially, we created a "looks-like" prototype intended to connect to the dog's body, but it proved too difficult to implement. Consequently, we developed this new iteration equipped with three motors: one for forward movement, one for sideways rotation, and a third for an additional movement mechanism. Currently, an elastic band is being used to demonstrate this action, but the final model will utilize a spring for better performance. The design includes alternative leg models and a central body casing designed to house all the electronics, resulting in a "cyber dog" aesthetic.

Our overall goal is to build an all-purpose, autonomous robot dog inspired by companies like Boston Dynamics. We are aiming to create a system where the robot can sense its environment and navigate autonomously. This autonomous navigation will be integrated directly with the complex mechanical movements of the legs.

We are testing the prototype using micro servo motors and cardboard before transitioning to more robust, final materials. Three micro servo motors have been connected to automate the initial prototype and replicate the intended movements. We plan to upgrade to much stronger, standard servo motors once the necessary components are ordered and arrive. Regarding construction, we are working to make the cardboard prototype fully functional first. Eventually, we plan to 3D print the components for the legs. For the main body, we are considering adapting a hollow plastic dog casing by cutting the necessary holes into it, or possibly continuing to use cardboard.

In addition to the robotic dog, we are exploring the development of a purely mechanical prosthetic leg for real dogs. Existing commercial prosthetics often lack articulating joints, making them essentially straight appendages that prevent dogs from bending their knees or sitting down. Our objective is to design a prosthetic with functional knees that allows dogs to walk and sit naturally. Unlike the robot dog, these prosthetics will not use electrical motors; instead, they will rely entirely on passive mechanical movement to function.

Action Items

• [ ] Order the necessary stronger servo motors and associated electronics so the robot dog can transition from using micro servos to real servos.
• [ ] Build a cardboard prototype of the robot dog with one motorized leg and one prosthetic or counteracting leg, connected by a string or similar mechanism, to test basic movement and opposite-motion behavior before adding wheels or 3D-printed parts.
• [ ] Research existing kinetic sculptures and videos of dogs and other animals walking to understand natural joint and limb motion patterns that could inspire the prosthetic leg mechanism.
• [ ] Use available camera setups to capture multi-frame images of team members walking and analyze the resulting motion data to inform the design of the prosthetic leg’s gait pattern.
• [ ] Coordinate bringing in the team’s golden retrievers for prototyping so their movements can be tracked and used as reference for designing the prosthetic leg mechanism.
• [ ] Postpone detailed 3D modeling and printing of legs and body until later in the project, after the cardboard prototype with one motorized leg and one prosthetic leg has been tested and refined.
• [ ] When adding sensors to the robot dog, ensure each sensor has a clear purpose and demonstrate that it enables a meaningful function or improvement rather than being included only for novelty.

Rocket Goat Design Review

Our project is a deployable device designed to be thrown off a roof, deploy a parachute, and land vertically upright. Originally, we started with the idea of launching a rocket that would descend and land itself. However, we quickly realized that the landing mechanism was our primary focus, so we decided to simplify the launch process by manually throwing the device. We are currently calling this concept the "flinging parachuter," and we will figure out the remaining details as we proceed.

Over the past two days, our team has mainly focused on two specific mechanisms: the parachute deployment and the leg deployment. When discussing the parachute deployment, we initially evaluated two different designs. The first was a classic model rocket approach, which uses a pyro charge—a small gunpowder explosion—to eject the parachute. We ultimately abandoned this original plan because the explosive charge would likely burn our device, making a safe and successful landing impossible.

To safely eject the parachute, our current plan utilizes a spring compression system. The base of the mechanism will feature compressed springs held in place by trapdoors connected to servo motors on each side. At a designated time, the servo motors will actuate, uncompressing the springs and pushing off the nose cone at the top of the rocket. As I attempted to illustrate in my drawing—which was supposed to be a dog but humorously ended up looking like a cow—this spring action will create a gap between the nose cone and the main body to allow the parachute to deploy.

Action Items

• [ ] Create slow-motion videos of various flung objects (such as bottles or rocket prototypes) to analyze their flight behavior and use those observations to decide whether the design needs a cone nose, a parachute, or leg deployment.
• [ ] Attach a small parachute to a water bottle, fling it, and observe whether the parachute helps the bottle land upright, then iterate the design based on the results.
• [ ] Run a systematic experiment by filling plastic water bottles nearly full, adding weight at the bottom (for example by taping a rock), building simple landing legs, adding a parachute, and repeatedly flinging the bottle from different heights and angles while recording slow-motion videos and tracking how often it lands successfully; vary conditions such as who throws it and what parachute materials are used, then refine the mechanical design based on the failure patterns.
• [ ] Design the parachute deployment mechanism to rely on airflow and a simple cup-shaped opening (for example using plastic bags) instead of springs, researching real pilot chute mechanisms and testing different materials and shapes.
• [ ] Re-cut the existing joint or mounting component on the laser cutter using acrylic instead of wood and test how well it performs under load, adjusting thickness or adding lubricant if needed.
• [ ] Ask Chris to send in the next group to participate in the review session.
• [ ] Stay after the end of the program so the mentor can talk with you individually about your project.

Grab and Go Project Design Review

The core design of our project is a mobile, remote-controlled mechanism built to retrieve objects. While we initially built a custom prototype for the vehicle base and grabbing mechanism, we recently acquired a pre-assembled RC car to serve as the mobile foundation. This upgrade has allowed the team to shift our focus entirely toward designing and refining an improved robotic claw.

Our current objective is to finalize a sophisticated, laser-cut claw mechanism for capturing items. The initial prototype simply relied on adhesive tape to stick to objects, successfully picking up a pencil, but we are now transitioning to a fully mechanical approach. The new design utilizes a motor-driven worm screw attached to strings; as the motor turns the screw, the strings will tighten to pull the claw closed. To ensure the mechanism can securely hold captured objects, we also plan to attach rubber to the tips of the claw for extra grip.

To properly position the grabbing mechanism, we are designing a fully 3D-printed robotic arm inspired by heavy-duty industrial machinery. Modeled as a miniaturized version of industrial robotic arms, this component will feature multiple joints articulated by servo motors. Specifically, we will install one servo motor at the base to rotate the entire arm, another at the elbow joint to allow the arm to reach the ground, and a final motor to independently rotate the claw itself.

Action Items

• [ ] Stop the team from completing their robot arm mechanism prototype until they can demonstrate a working motion sequence.

Mentor Meeting: