DRAwER: An assistive robotic arm for those with Cerebral Palsy (CP). This project aids with opening drawers and cabinets to allow those with CP to be more independent and take on a larger role helping others around the house.

The DRAwER project idea was conceived after visiting McMains Children’s Developmental Center and seeing a 15-year-old boy named Andrew, who has Cerebral Palsy, practicing everyday functions (making himself a snack, brushing his teeth, etc.) that are taken for granted by otherwise healthy people. This observation of Andrew training to be more independent spurred the idea of other challenges he may face doing basic chores/functions. One major challenge was the difficulty of opening a drawer for someone, like Andrew, with Cerebral Palsy. This is a basic task for those without CP, but for those with it, it could be a daunting and an almost impossible one. So, this gave way to the idea of how can the task of opening a drawer could also help someone with CP become a more integral part in their family’s daily chores and tasks. The DRAwER project makes the task of opening a drawer easier for people with CP by allowing them to control an arm that is more dexterous, strong, and maneuverable than their own.

The design of the DRAwER project changed greatly over several different models, all vastly different from each other, but all with the same goal in mind. The design of the DRAwER revolved around reaching varying heights of drawers and having the structural integrity to open them. The first design ideas consisted of a jointed arm and a vertical track with an arm that moved up and down. The jointed arm proved to be the better design. Eventually several prototypes were made and improvements to the design followed. The initial idea was to have a suction cup that would attach to the front of the drawer to allow the arm to open it. This idea arose to avoid the complications of creating a claw that would attach to every different type of handle. The first prototype was constructed out of straws and featured a suction cup at the end. Then, a cardboard prototype was constructed of the arm, featuring “U” shaped pieces/brackets that would form the arm structure. After further refining of the design, a wooden prototype was constructed using threaded rods to keep it together and provide structural support. Then the decision was made to drop the suction cup idea in favor for a claw-like device or “hook,” as the suction cup design proved to be too complicated. It was then, after much work on this design and many complications that followed, that another, better design was introduced.

This design featured a main arm that would rotate on an axle which would move forwards and backwards. This, in turn, would cause the main arm to slide along a support arm that would be in the front center of the chassis, moving main arm up and down. This design was initially sketched, and the first prototype was made using straws, popsicle sticks, and brads. Then a better prototype was constructed using cardboard pieces to construct the base. Using this information as a result of trial and error, and many measurements, a final iteration was designed and constructed using laser-cut wooden pieces designed in Rhino. The final iteration consists of a wooden base structure, secured with braces, with a track system in which bearings run along where a metal rod is used as the axle. The arms are constructed out of laser-cut wooden pieces as well, and rotate around the metal rod. The support arm is constructed using wood and secured using metal braces. It features a metal rod at the top to allow the two arms to run along it with bearings, doubling as another set of tracks. This final iteration was the result of many months of trial and error. Although not entirely completed, the final iteration of the DRAwER project paved the path for what could come about in the future and it sets a precedent in aiding those with CP to perform functions such as opening a drawer.

Gravity Table allows people to experience the effects of gravity on other planets by lifting a familiar object. Using simple machines, the project involves a lever and weight to change the weight effect of the hammer (object) to the desired planet that the user wants to feel.

Gravity! It’s all around us! We know how it works, but what does it feel like when the effect of gravity is expressed on other planets? Gravity Table lets the user feel how the weight of an object (a hammer) changes depending on the gravitational pull from different planets. When using the project, a weighted box is moved across a lever and dropped in a notch. From there, the hammer is then lifted to feel the new weight of the object.

The main goal of this project is to create a hands-on experience for those who are fascinated with gravity and space. The core idea of our project has always revolved around the process of lifting an object off of a table,. However, over time we have changed, the project went through many design iterations. Some of the first ideas involved using a ball on a string and depending on a setting chosen, the ball would feel lighter or heavier as it is moved up the string. After realizing this would be difficult to make because of size, a new idea came to mind. From this point on, the project began to look like the final design which we have. One difference between this early idea and the final is the use of simple machines. Originally, the weight of an object was going to be adjusted using a system of pulleys. This was worked on for a month or so until we hit a moment of realization: Pulleys would be inefficient to use because the effect of the machine changes an object’s weight in set fractional increments (i.e. ½, ¼, ⅛). After spending some time figuring out how to make a pulley system work eventually, the idea of a lever was proposed and incorporated into new design concepts.

The table was designed using a lever to convey an understanding to others how the effect of gravity feels on other planets than Earth. The hammer was chosen as the lifted object because its weight is familiar to the user, giving them a better sense of the change in gravity from different planets. The brains behind the idea of Gravity Table wanted to use an object that both showed a significant change in weight between the planets and also is familiar with the user's knowledge of how the object feels. The lever allowed for the weight to be varied to match specific calculations and could be easily adjusted when changing settings for the chosen gravitational pull.  The final product was then designed to show graphics of outer space and fun phrases were added to make the final project more visually appealing. The panels were designed to look like the night sky with eye-catching stars. Some of the side panels displayed the phrases "Don't Worry, It's Just Gravity," and "Got Gravity?" to add to the interaction and appeal to the user.

The final product of our project properly displayed the changing of the hammer's weight but using the simple machine of a lever allowing for a basic way to portray our original ideas.

The soul of the project is to let people physically move the sun, so that they can learn about how solar panels optimize solar energy. The solar panels generate energy from the light source so that all the mechanics of the greenhouse can function.

 Solar Trackers address many different questions regarding solar energy. How do solar panels respond to the sun's movements?  Are solar panels getting more energy at sunset or dawn? Do the components connected to the solar panels work differently at these times?  In this exhibit, visitors will be involved as much as they can. The aim of the project is for visitors of different abilities to interact with and learn from the exhibit. 

This piece is multi-sensory in this exhibit in many ways. This room you are standing works with our greenhouse and exhibit, so when it’s sunset, the room will  dim/light bright. This also means the functions inside the exhibit will be running, but not at its max power. Once you keep moving up this arc figure while moving the sun, the lights in the room with start to brighten, which them makes all the functions in the Greenhouse power increase. This room will smell like the outdoor, or a Greenhouse which is like that wet plant smell. Also, in front of you is a huge screen where the it’s will show Earth and the sun and house this system really works, for the blind people, we will have a voice telling them everything that is going on in the room. For the death people, they will be able to look at the screen and read what’s going on through the exhibit. For handicaps or people who aren’t able to walk up the arc, they are able to walk into the greenhouse, not only see all the functions working, but feel, smell the Greenhouse atmosphere. 

The Greenhouse is made up of wood and inside of it, is plants, three different types of plants, Common Yarrow, Box Elder, and Drummond’s maple. These pants are the most common plants in the Louisiana, so this suited the exhibit the best. The arc represent the sun’s path, there are six slots were you can place the sun, once placing it there, the solar panels rotate to a certain angle, and everything starts to function at the calculated speed or power. The slots were add to the arc to make sure little kids weren’t just running up and down our arc, which would have led to our solar panel breaking or malfunctioning. For the solar panels to move, you have to place the sun in one of those slots.  

 The purpose of this exhibit is to help people today, give the people something to use in today’s world. This exhibit has a purpose and a reason to come and interact. SO HAVE FUN!!!!!!! 

Solar Trackers is a multi-sensory exhibit that provides an ; interactive educational experience for students.   This project allows students to physically move an artificial sun to make the solar panels to react to optimize the amount of energy being produced. The purpose of this It also allows students to take the knowledge from our exhibit and apply it to their everyday lives. 

The Solar Tracker exhibit is made up of two main structures: a uniquely-designed greenhouse and an arc which serves as the track for the sun to move along?. The greenhouse and arc were made by laser cutting plywood parts, then assembled to create the final designs. both of these sentences relate to laser cutting parts and can be combined into one. On the top portion of the greenhouse there are two solar panels  connected to servo motors which allow the panels to rotate in place? The arc contains  multiple photo-resistors, small sensors that read light intensity, which connect to an Arduino and communicate to the servo motors? The visitor moves the artificial sun along a track on the arc. When the photo-resistors picking up the change in light, they trigger to the servo motors to move the solar panels. The angles of the motors perfectly align with the solar panels, allowing them to gather the  greatest amount of electricity.

Solar Trackers would be best suited in an area of a museum that is large and open tell us why... to allow visitors to move about?  If the space is too bright,  the photo-resistors will not be able to pick up the artificial sun  as it moves along the track. The carbon dioxide and smog which accumulates each day affects the way we live, the water we drink, the air we breathe and the plants we eat. This project aims to teach others about the advances of solar energy technology and the importance of sustainability . Solar Trackers cares and wants the future to be bright and full of life.

How can we make people aware of the senses we take for granted?

Using a mechanical arm and a Wacom tablet to skew a person’s proprioception (the ability to know where your limbs are without looking). We believe we can make people aware of the difficulties certain people may face when attempting to functionally take advantage of the movements the arms and legs have to offer.

The idea of proprioception probably never crosses paths with the average Joe’s life, at least not that they aren’t aware of. Proprioception exists in almost everything you can imagine doing. The idea that you can control your body’s movements subconsciously and not have to stop to think about what to do next isn’t something you normally think about. We wanted to create a project that could bring awareness to the topic for the general interest of the public but mostly to give the people with proprioceptive disabilities a chance to be understood. There’s a certain population of people who face disabilities making them unable to control their body’s movements as well as others due to a lack of proprioceptive ability. As technology improves and sciences finds ways to scratch more than just the surface of the comprehensible existence, we’re given opportunities to take advantage of such primary senses in ways we could never imagine. Situations such as a doctor given microscopic surgery using a robotic arm, or even as simple as reversing bike handlebars to be flipped, shooting the basketball in goggles that shift your vision, or understanding goats by living like one, are all perfect examples of how we can train our brain to learn and benefit from proprioception.

This project consists of 3 main components: a drawing tablet, the arm that moves, and a computer connecting and transferring information between the two. The general idea for an exhibit would look something like this: you walk up to the tablet and start to draw and see that it moves the arm. The arm wouldn’t function as you hoped and would probably draw something very off from what you had hoped. Depending on whether you’re determined or not, you will probably believe that it’s on purpose and not just broken. Hopefully the exhibit is explained well enough that a user would be able to see that as you keep drawing and failing, you will be learning how to change your movements to achieve the external outcome that was originally hoped for. In theory if you get good enough you can show off your mediocre art skills and look like a genius when no else can do it.

The entire goal is essentially to make an interactive, multi-sensory, brain game. It is to give someone the opportunity to really put their brain to work and to see how well they can focus on the other arm rather than their own. To show how well the human brain can learn in such a short period of time. The idea is also that it is supposed to be engaging and something that you feel valuable to your time. Through the recognition for being able to successfully inhabit the external proprioception as well and the satisfaction of completely a possibly difficult task should give people a deeper appreciation for proprioception itself as well as people with the disabilities.

How can we make people conscious of the kinetic movements we take for granted?

Through the use of a mechanical arm and a drawing tablet and by skewing a person’s proprioception (the ability to know where your limbs are without looking). We believe we can make people aware of the difficulties certain people may face when attempting to functionally take advantage of the movements the arms and legs have to offer.

                It is important to bring proprioception, an often misunderstood or completely unheard-of sense, into the spotlight. It is often hard to sympathize with a person with proprioceptive disorders. Additionally, it is important to achieve a deeper understanding of how humans can mold and change their own proprioception. Doctors performing laparoscopic-robotic surgery are required to understand the movement and control of their surgery robots on a level deeper than conscious, much like we understand our own bodies.  

                The exhibit includes a Wacom drawing tablet connected to a computer, and an Arduino. The Arduino uses pulse width modulation to control the angles of two servo motors acting as arm joints. Code converts the X and Y coordinates input from the Wacom tablet to two angles to be written to the servos. In a previous model, Bike chain connects and turns the second “elbow” joint from a motor located at the first joint (the shoulder).  Far too late, however, that the stepper motors could not turn the chain or the whole assembly,  so the project now consists of two servo motors and connecting Popsicle sticks. 

                The main goals of the project were to create something interactive yet engaging, and challenging yet intuitive. The ideal interaction between the robotic arm and a user might look something like: The user walks up to the drawing pad with the pen; he/she touches the pen to the pad; the arm moves somewhere; the user tries to move the pen and finds that it does not move the way they wanted; maybe they will give up and think the arm doesn’t work, but more persistent users may try again in a different way. Hopefully, after trial and error most people will be able to figure out how to draw what they want. Through this experience of learning to use a new device, he/she may receive a greater appreciation for proprioception.

BRIEF

Gravity Table: This proposed museum exhibit piece creates a dynamic hands-on experience for visitors to learn about gravity. It uses simple machines to generate the affect that varying gravitational pulls other planets would have on an everyday object.

Cultivating ideas for this project resulted in many different ideas, including a vest to simulate weight change on other planets. The idea eventually morphed into a table which held everyday objects such as, a water-bottle, a pencil, and a hammer. One after another, cardboard models were broken and re-designed.This process resulted with the Gravity Table. at first it was gonna hose many different objects but the table designed was not large enough for this process so a singular object would be the example, or at least that's what we planned. Day after day, the search for new methods to alter an object's weight were recorded and tested. These tests included different types of pulley systems?, until the design was discovered in a physics meeting. A lever utilizes the input of force to make something heavier. The first prototype for this new design was made using a pencil, string, paint stick, and a fulcrum. Once a cardboard model of the lever design was created and successfully tested,   the creation of a more robust, wooden lever and 3D-printed fulcrum began.

 The second class lever was used in this project because it allows adjustment to be made to an object's weight when lifted. The second class lever placed the fulcrum to the far side of the lever in order to maximize the amount of space needed to edit an objects weight. Mounting the fulcrum and lever to the table then led  to the next step in the design process: a flashy design to hide the machines inside and create an aura of mystery with the project and the calculation of the placement of notches on a panel to allow for a weight change. The calculations easily more difficult took multiple weeks and ended up being right on time as the last of the optical stimulating panels was printed and applied to the table. The notched panel was designed, laser cut and hand-painted.  However, one challenge remained. The notches where not tall enough to allow  the object that rested on the table to move when lifted but  the panel notches were adjusted accordingly using a jig-saw. To complete the final process, the adjustable weight was created and placed in its rightful throne . The goal to make learning about or educating others on gravity a more hands-on  experience, had been done and in an elaborate manner in that met standards higher than what we set for the project. The presentation was nearly flawless and the feedback collected was genuine. From there the creation of a brief and the closing of High School careers,  what's next?