Project statement
The idea behind the shelf is thinking about a shelf for a book or anything that could be easily used or accessed. The each shelf is placed in a different columns and rows, so every one of the shelves have different combination of column and row numbers. When a person puts in the combination of row and a column the machine reacts to it by going up to the that exact spot and bringing the shelf down to the person. How is that worked? The platform moves up and down the rows and another platform that carries the motor moves across the row by moving side ways. When the motor moves and stops at the exact point, the motor loosens up the string, which expands the tube by the spring in the middle (on the sketch). This allows the magnet on the tube and the shelf to attach. After that the motor pulls the string (spring compresses and the tube shrinks) therefore pulling the shelf and dropping it onto the platform, which later moves itself down to the opening.
Initial sketch
Movie
Attaching to the shelf and pulling out
Pictures
Project statement
The idea behind the moving partition is to react to something that is in front of the partition. Our strategy was to react to the other objects by changing the partition's direction whenever it detects an object with a IR sensor. Starting from scratch, we first thought about ways to mechanically fasten the wheel and the motor to the partition. First, we tried bending metals in a shape of the motor shaft but it didn't fasten very tightly. Then we tried using wooden block; we cut them into two pieces and made grooves to fit the motor shaft and the steel frame on the partition. After putting them around the motor shaft and the framing of the partition, we used epoxy to glue the two pieces around the frameing and the motor. Then the motor was tightly jammed into another wood block and the wood block was screwed with the threaded steel bar, which was also connected to the motor. The rendering diagrams show how it is put together.
After connecting all of the wires to the motor and the IR sensor, the board was ready to be tested. The board moved forward in the direction of where IR sensor was pointing. Then when there was an object in front of it, the IR sensor picked up the object. When the IR senses that an object is in front of the partitions, one wheel stopped but the other kept on rolling, hence making the partitions to turn in such direction way from the object.
Renderings sketches
Circuit diagram
Pictures
In this project, we made a model of one playground scene. We focused on the see saw. To make the see saw go up and down, we used a reciprocal motion. As you can see on the sketch, the bar is attached off-center on a wheel. As the wheel rotates with the motor, the bar moves up and down pushing one side of the see saw up and down. Two people seating on the end of the bar move up and down. As they move up their arms and legs are raised. We made this possible by attaching a wire on their arms and legs that rotate. When the wire is taut as one side moves up, the arms and legs move up and as the wire gets loose while one part of see saw goes down, the arms and legs move down. It's just a simple mechanism.
Initial sketches and circuit diagram
In this project, we have made state machine that reacts to the sequence of buttons that one has to press in a right way to go through the states. Going through the states in a right sequence will make the robot move at the end. The sequence of the state is that one must press or go through states pin 3 (b1) , pin 5 (b2), then pin 7 (b3) to wake up the robot (LED will turn on for 1 second, delay of 1 second). Then, next sequence after the first three states is making the copper wires touch that are on top of the machine's head. This will unlock and make the motor of the machine run and the LEDs to turn on, completing all four states in a right sequence. If one goes through a wrong sequence from state b1 through b4 the buzzer will turn on and the state will reset and lock itself.
Initial Sketches
State Machine Diagram
Circuit diagram
State Machine Video1 (Right sequence)
State Machine Video2 (Wrong sequence)
The project of making a robot making alternating and multiple sounds was based on a concept of group of percussion. We first thought about the hitting chimes with the rod and hitting metal objects or in our case vibrating within a metal tube. Then we came up with an idea of making different sounds out of the metal tube by choosing different sizes to differentiate the pitch. Next came the different times when the vibrators in the metal tubes will go on and off . We chose the infrared sensor (input) to determine which vibrators in the metal tubes (output) to go on and off when an object is at certain distance from the robot. Another output component of the robot is the servo motor with a rod attached to it that rotates 180 degrees. The servo motor is also set to the IR sensor so that it rotates according to an object or a person's distance from the robot. When the motor runs and rotates, the rod that is attached to the motor hits the chimes hanging over it. Therefore, creating a band or an orchestra of percussion that allows a person to perform by moving close and away from the robot.
In this reponsive space project, we have defined a space where the roof of the space reacts to the rainfall. To achieve our goal we used whatever we could find in the tool kit. Two components that we used were the mercury switch (input) and the motor (output). When there is a rainfall, the rain sensor lever (one side with styrofoam and the other with the mercury switch) will swing and make the mercury swith to complete the circuit. The completed circuit allows the motor to release lever holding the roof, and hence the roof encloses the space underneath.
Roof system circuit diagram
