As the project progresses, additional steps will be taken to achieve the overall goal of having a functioning device to aid manual wheelchair users to go up and down inclines and declines by May 2021. Each subsystem has their individual goals and steps to achieve this described below. The team as a whole also has steps to take to achieve this end of school year goal. Over interim the entire team will meet weekly starting in January to discuss progress of each subsystem as well as other team goals. In January, the team will also be purchasing, manufacturing, and prototyping parts and components specific to each subsystem. The team will also conduct interviews and surveys with stakeholders to elicit feedback about the current prototype and design. Design modifications will be made to address suggestions and concerns that arise from these conversations. Starting in February, parts will continue to be manufactured and prototyped. Once the team is back on campus, parts and prototypes will be assembled and tested physically. Much of the testing will be in accordance with the ISO testing methods from the standards mentioned in Planned Approach – Design Metrics and Constraints. A successful project will be a device that functions safely and suits the needs of our stakeholders.
Propulsion
Plans for the interim:
- Purchase the motor, motor driver, battery, brakes, gears, and stock material (January 15, 2021)
- Determine how we will keep a normal force on the wheel to allow for propulsion of the wheelchair (January 20, 2021)
- Finalize CAD drawings for the attachment, hitch attachment, transmission housing, and battery housing (January 20, 2021)
- 3D print designs to determine if any modifications need to be made (January 20, 2021)
- Redesign any CAD models based on 3D printed prototypes (January 30, 2021)
- Create CAD models for the braking system and lifting mechanism (February 2, 2021)
What needs to be done to accomplish end of the year goals:
- Manufacture all of the components: attachment, hitch attachment, transmission housing, battery housing, braking system and lifting system (March 15, 2021)
- Test the complete system (April 15, 2021)
- Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)
Electrical-Mechanical Integration
Plans for the interim:
- Test user interface layout based on the 3D printed prototype (January 5, 2021)
- Finalize CAD drawings for adjustment rods, interface housing, and hinge (January 8, 2021)
- Create alternate CAD files for sheet metal manufacturing of the interface housing (January 8, 2021)
- Finalize complete user interface assembly by combining sub assemblies (January 15, 2021)
- Order the stock metal for the adjustment tubes (February 5, 2021)
- Begin developing our coding approach possibly in the form of a finite state machine (February 5, 2021)
What needs to be done to accomplish end of year goals:
- Complete the open loop controller of system (February 28, 2021)
- Complete ANSYS modeling to determine the strength of the attachment points (February 28, 2021)
- Conduct a heat transfer analysis to determine if a fan or heat sink is required (February 28, 2021)
- Investigate possible waterproofing options (February 28, 2021)
- Test the functionality of the circuit board (March 7, 2021)
- Solder electrical components to the circuit board (March 15, 2021)
- Manufacture and Assemble Components (March 15, 2021)
- Test complete system (April 15, 2021)
- Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)
Effort Sensing
Plans for the interim:
- Convert the readings from the magnetometer into useful information (January, 16 2021)
- Measure and calculate necessary inputs based on readings from the magnetometer (January 30, 2021)
- Complete physical testing with the prototype in different scenarios (February 28, 2021)
- Build a physical testing apparatus necessary for testing (January 23, 2021)
What needs to be done to accomplish end of year goals:
- Continued testing and refining of data collection (March 7, 2021)
- Development of the architecture of the code as well as finite state machine logic (March 7, 2021)
- Physical integration of subsystem (April 15, 2021)
- Software integration of subsystem (April 15, 2021)
- Test complete system (April 15, 2021)
- Make improvements as needed (May 15, 2021)