Week 15

 Did not get done as much as I wanted this week. I got the perf board from the bulletin board. Unfortunately I have not had the energy to work on it but I will try to tomorrow. I have collected cardboard for the body and the yarn for the “fur”. I did a test for the wheels and I have determined to use cardboard for the wheels as well as it would be easier to tuft. On Tuesday we got the motor working and able to be controlled separately. I started implementing code for the ultrasonic sensor and the motor to work in tandem but I still beed to work on that as well. 

Thursday I got nothing done. 

I did take a look at diptrace on Wednesday and I kinda learned the rough idea of how to create a schematic in there. I more of got confused on how to find the elements I was looking for.

Week 14

 This week I got the ultrasonic senor working

    The sensor displays the distance fairly reliably

I could not however get the motor to be able to control both sides separately

    I could get them running on the same circuit

    Running them separately I attempted to get in class but to no avail 

    Unfortunately I got sick as well

    I will attempt to get it working on Monday in the FabLab if I feel better by then 

        I will try to create jumper cables into the staple like things to make sure the                           connections are being made properly and to double check my wiring 

Shell test

    The shell test was unfortunately the wrong size so I will not be able to use it for the shell

    The test will work for mounting the objects as the holes are the right size for the pins I will have to adjust where the holes are though to make the connections solid

        What I need to figure out for the shell now is the scale of the holes to "tuft" yarn                     through to create a fur for the creature to make it look natural 

        The eyes for the creature will be the ultrasonic sensor 

    The wheels I am trying to design in a way that I can also cover them in the fur

        The plan is to put holes on the rims of the wheels to also be able to tuft the yarn in as             well

Week 13

 Labs

     7

• Transistors switch currents rapidly since they do not have moving parts
• Mosfet detects the voltage at the gate pin instead of current and can be used as switches when triggered to HIGH 
• Mosfets are used for higher currents and voltages than transistors
• Benefits of a relay are that the circuits the relay is switching are completely disconnected from the relays coil
• Do not connect the grounds together because that will connect the circuits again

     Servo

• After soldering onto the barrel jack to bypass all of the circuitry setting up a servo motor to do basic movements is pretty easy
• It benefits in the ability to decide exactly how far the motor should turn and how fast
• It also is able to stack movements 
• The motor does only go 180 degrees
  
  
  
  

Project Updates

• Roach like being that will respond to human interaction
• If approach fast it will be scared and timid 
• If approach slowly it will be more trusting
• Will have a "house" that is a box that will try to get back in if scared but will fail
• Bought and picked up the double motor gearbox piece from Mark
• Researched different materials that could be used to look natural but synthetic
• Leading idea is 3d printed shell with brushed yarn tufted through to create a "fur" for the creature but still able to tell something is not right with it