Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Collapsing Module Update
Two videos of our half module tests showing the flexinol lever action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCpM1n7NT0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0vh2YypnmI
Testing new Prototype modules. We began by taking our midterm model, keeping what worked, removing what didn't, and experimenting with more efficient ways collapse and open it.
First pic shows a module with hard connections at the top of the module and at the bottom of the flexinol, leaving the bottom and sides of the module loose. The component which reopens the module is, inthis case, a rubberband that attaches from the bottom of the modeul to the bottom of the flexinol.
The second image shows the module similarly arranged, except with the flexinol greatly lengthened and the reopening component connected to the backing, instead of the flexinol. Marks show the range of collapse we achieved with various power levels and rubberbands.
Our nearly finalized module. Reorients the reopening component to work perpindicular to the flexinol. In this case we used a length of piano wire that would bend and be compress outwards as the module collapsed. It would then bend back into shape, thus reopening the module.
We've also got 2 PIR sensors (one of which we think is bad), a relay ,and two circuits connected on the breadboard. Another relay will be added and hopefully a PIR that works. Below is an image of the breadboard and our code which is only partially working.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCpM1n7NT0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0vh2YypnmI
Testing new Prototype modules. We began by taking our midterm model, keeping what worked, removing what didn't, and experimenting with more efficient ways collapse and open it.
First pic shows a module with hard connections at the top of the module and at the bottom of the flexinol, leaving the bottom and sides of the module loose. The component which reopens the module is, inthis case, a rubberband that attaches from the bottom of the modeul to the bottom of the flexinol.
The second image shows the module similarly arranged, except with the flexinol greatly lengthened and the reopening component connected to the backing, instead of the flexinol. Marks show the range of collapse we achieved with various power levels and rubberbands.
Our nearly finalized module. Reorients the reopening component to work perpindicular to the flexinol. In this case we used a length of piano wire that would bend and be compress outwards as the module collapsed. It would then bend back into shape, thus reopening the module.
We've also got 2 PIR sensors (one of which we think is bad), a relay ,and two circuits connected on the breadboard. Another relay will be added and hopefully a PIR that works. Below is an image of the breadboard and our code which is only partially working.
# posted by John Seward : 11:44 PM
