Arm mission needs Pick up tools (e.g. screwdriver, hammer, wrench) – graspable features (such as a handle) no greater than 5 cm in diameter Rocks up to 5 kg in mass (Max Dim: 40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm) Pick up 10g of soil from multiple sources Design calculations for arm (Load calculations) Joints Load Joint 1 […]
Arm control and electronics
4 DoF forward kinematic controlled arm – capable of lifting a weight of over 5kgs. Dedicated PID Stepper drivers in connection with Marlin hardware and software allowed us to manually operate the arm. Control was also executed by physical twin system using position tracking of a twin’s joins using integrated potentiometers. Depending on the settings our arm is capable of […]
Lab electronics
Using RAMPS 1.4 and Stepper Drivers as the base hardware we are controlling the lab using Marlin. Marlin is known to be used for 3d printers as it’s G-code execution and printer hardware controller. We modified and used it in tandem with CNCjs – our G-code editor and Automator. This enable us to execute command positions based on pre-inputted G-code […]
Science part (Spectrophotometer V2)
A scientific research paper was found which explained step by step the procedure of making a DIY spectrophotometer with easily available material. (Silva, W. R. F., Suarez, W. T., Reis, C., Santos, V. B. D., Carvalho, F. A., Reis, E. L., & Vicentini, F. C. (2021). Multifunctional webcam spectrophotometer for performing analytical determination and measurements of emission, absorption, and fluorescence […]
Science part ( Spectrophotometer V1)
Due to space and budget constraints, a decision to make a DIY spectrophotometer was taken. The plan was to compare the results of our DIY device with industrial grade lab equipment to set a golden standard a get a measure of our margin for error. (Image explaining the underlying principle of our test) Equipment used: Light source – LED Grating […]
Design iteration 3: Mechanical Picker (Current design)
The idea behind this was to move away from an assembly line and towards a fixed testing rig approach. This is heavily inspired from a 3D printer and a vending machine. It combines the movements of a 3D printer and the picking mechanism of a vending machine. Design thinking process: Permanently fixes all testing material Cuvettes and watch glasses are […]
Design Iteration 2 : Rotary Plate
This iteration developed on the presence of test stations from the previous idea. The plan was to have a pseudo assembly line with separate points at which testing areas were placed. The difference was that the line would rotate in one place. Advantages as compared from the previous iteration: More reliability on mechanical movement leading to less chances of failure. […]
Design iteration 1 : The Helix
The idea behind the iteration was to form an assembly line type system to roll cuvettes through different testing stations. The supports contained ball bearings to help cuvettes roll. Design thinking process: (Figure depicts the mathematical design of curve that is printed for testing) Mount curves that resembled rails on to a hollow cylinder Make stops along the curve to […]