Project Timeline

First Semester Accomplishments:

Concept Generation:

  1. The team brainstormed project concepts and landed on wheelchair assistive movement (Sep 7, 2020)
  2. The team created and refined a conceptual prototype (Sep 25, 2020)

 

CAD Prototype Development:

  1. The team began designing the prototype and subsystems of the device (Oct 4, 2020)
  2. The team refined and finalize design for the system prototype model (Dec 6, 2020)

 

 

Preliminary Design Report:

  1. The team created an initial draft for the preliminary design report (Sep 15, 2020)
  2. The team revised the initial draft of the preliminary design report for submission (Sep 21, 2020)

 

Initial Project Presentation:

  1. The team created a presentation detailing the first stages of the project (Sep 20, 2020)
  2. Carolyn Pye represented the team and presented to the other design teams (Sep 20, 2020)

 

Design Proposal:

  1. The team created an initial draft for the Design Proposal (Oct 5, 2020)
  2. The team revised the initial draft of the Design Proposal for submission (Oct 11, 2020)

 

Mid-Semester Project Presentation:

  1. The team created a presentation detailing the progress made to the project up to that point (Oct 18, 2020)
  2. The team presented to the other design teams (Oct 18, 2020)

 

Mid-Year Report:

  1. The team created an initial draft of the Mid-Year Progress Report (Nov 23, 2020)
  2. The team revised the initial draft of the Mid-Year Progress Report for submission (Dec 3, 2020)

 

Final Design Presentation:

  1. The team created an initial draft of the final design presentation discussing the final system design and the team’s progress up until that point (Nov 13, 2020)
  2. The team revised the initial draft of the final design presentation (Dec 3, 2020)
  3. The team presented the final design to the other design teams (Dec 3, 2020)

 

Website Development:

  1. The team began development for the project website (Sep 27, 2020)
  2. The team updated the website to include the design proposal and prototype development progress (Oct 25, 2020)
  3. The team updated the website to update the prototype development and Mid-Year Report (Dec 6, 2020)

 

Propulsion Subteam Schedule:

  1. The subteam chose the general placement of the subsystem on the wheelchair (Oct 17, 2020)
  2. The subteam chose the general placement of the motor on the wheelchair (Oct 28, 2020)
  3. The subteam chose the transmission as well as performing relevant calculations to decide the optimal motor and battery type (Oct 28, 2020)
  4. The subteam  chose the motor, battery, and motor driver as well as choosing the battery type (Oct 29, 2020)
  5. The subteam choose the specific placement of the motor and battery (Oct 29, 2020)
  6. The subteam created CAD models for the motor, transmission, transmission housing, hitch, attachment, wheels,  and torque transmitter and performed structural analysis on the model (Dec 1, 2020)

 

Electro-Mechanical Integration Subteam Schedule:

  1. The subteam preliminary planning for the subsystem including drafting concept drawings and determining the necessary components of the controller (Oct 10, 2020)
  2. The subteam chose the general placement of the subsystem on the wheelchair (Oct 13, 2020)
  3. The subteam chose and purchased the arduino and other components of the controller (Oct 15, 2020)
  4. The subteam designed the circuit boards necessary for the controller subsystem (Oct 26, 2020)
  5. The subteam assembled and solder the circuit boards and other components(Nov 4, 2020)
  6. The subteam began the initial stages of programming the subsystem (Nov 4, 2020)
  7. The subteam completed the programming of the subsystem (Nov 24, 2020)
  8. The subteam completed a structural analysis of the subsystem (Dec 7, 2020)

 

Effort Sensor Subteam Schedule:

  1. The subteam chose an initial concept for effort sensing (Oct 14, 2020)
  2. The subteam developed and refine conceptual brainstorming for effort sensing (Oct 16, 2020)
  3. The subteam drafted conceptual sketches of the subsystem (Oct 22, 2020)
  4. The subteam chose the placement of the effort sensor on the wheelchair (Oct 22, 2020)
  5. The subteam chose the effort sensors based on research (Oct 22, 2020)
  6. The subteam created a CAD model of the effort sensor and performed structual analysis (Oct 28, 2020)
  7. The subteam ordered components of the subsystem (Oct 24, 2020)
  8. The subteam began physical prototyping of the conceptual design of the subsystem (Nov 11, 2020)
  9. The subteam designed the control system (Nov 18, 2020)
  10. The subteam integrated the effort sensor subsystem into the wheel chair and full system (Nov 20, 2020)

Next Steps:

Interim Plans:

Interviewing and Surveys: 

The team will conduct interviews and surveys from wheelchair users and health care professionals to elicit feedback on current designs

Propulsion Subteam: 

  1. Purchase the motor, motor driver, battery, brakes, gears, and stock material (January 15, 2021)
  2. Determine how we will keep a normal force on the wheel to allow for propulsion of the wheelchair (January 20, 2021)
  3. Finalize CAD drawings for the attachment, hitch attachment, transmission housing, and battery housing (January 20, 2021)
  4. 3D print designs to determine if any modifications need to be made (January 20, 2021)
  5. Redesign any CAD models based on 3D printed prototypes (January 30, 2021)
  6. Create CAD models for the braking system and lifting mechanism (February 2, 2021) 

 

Electro-Mechanical Integration Subteam: 

  1. Test user interface layout based on the 3D printed prototype (January 5, 2021) 
  2. Finalize CAD drawings for adjustment rods, interface housing, and hinge (January 8, 2021) 
  3. Create alternate CAD files for sheet metal manufacturing of the interface housing (January 8, 2021) 
  4. Finalize complete user interface assembly by combining sub assemblies (January 15, 2021) 
  5. Order the stock metal for the adjustment tubes  (February 5, 2021)
  6. Begin developing our coding approach possibly in the form of a finite state machine (February 5, 2021)  

 

Effort Sensor Subteam: 

  1. Convert the readings from the magnetometer into useful information (January, 16 2021) 
  2. Measure and calculate necessary inputs based on readings from the magnetometer (January 30, 2021)
  3. Complete physical testing with the prototype in different scenarios (February 28, 2021)
  4. Build a physical testing apparatus necessary for testing (January 23, 2021)

 

Next Semester Plans:

Prototype Development:

Physical prototyping will begin next semester.

 

Propulsion Subteam: 

  1. Manufacture all of the components: attachment, hitch attachment, transmission housing, battery housing, braking system and lifting system (March 15, 2021)
  2. Test the complete system  (April 15, 2021) 
  3. Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)  

 

Electro-Mechanical Integration Subteam: 

  1. Complete the open loop controller of system (February 28, 2021)
  2. Complete ANSYS modeling to determine the strength of the attachment points (February 28, 2021)
  3. Conduct a heat transfer analysis to determine if a fan or heat sink is required (February 28, 2021)
  4. Investigate possible waterproofing options (February 28, 2021)
  5. Test the functionality of the circuit board (March 7, 2021)
  6. Solder electrical components to the circuit board  (March 15, 2021)
  7. Manufacture and Assemble Components (March 15, 2021)
  8. Test complete system  (April 15, 2021) 
  9. Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)

 

Effort Sensor Subteam:

  1. Continued testing and refining of data collection (March 7, 2021)
  2. Development of the architecture of the code as well as finite state machine logic (March 7, 2021)
  3. Physical integration of subsystem (April 15, 2021)
  4. Software integration of subsystem (April 15, 2021)
  5. Test complete system (April 15, 2021)
  6. Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)