final prototype!
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: prototype, success
We’ve got it! The final prototype and on camera! The LEDs work and look great. The skirt is mostly functional, works 1 out of 3 times now! (Vast improvement from the last post, which was 1 out of 5.)
We need to calibrate the skirt strings after ever 3 or 4 pulls and there are some issues with alignment from time to time, I think it has to do with the string being too twisted and thin. But the whole thing works!
A job well done!
finishing touches
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: materials, mechanics, presentation, prototype
Only days until it is time to present our final prototype and we have some bugs to sort out and features to hash out. The skirt is mostly working. We need to workout the right level of taught-ness for the string on the pulley along with the right number of revolutions for the motor to be programmed. In addition, the skirt is a little slouchy. We need to create a better support system for it to look good and hold up.
Finally, we need more pizazz for the final presentation. We got some funky sleeves in the works. We plan on embedding LEDs to it that will light up when the transformation is complete with a switch activated by putting my hands on my hips. We also have a crown that might add to the princess aesthetic. We got the Disney princess feel, why not go the whole 9?
mechanics issue #2
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: mechanics, prototype
Today we finally got the skirt working with the Lego motors. We found, however, that we need to do something not typical to a hoop skirt. The partial reasoning behind the hoop skirt was to cover the bulk of the motors but it was also to help with the alignment issues we were having with the previous design. The trick is to pull straight up or down. Now we are pulling at an angle because the angle of the skirt grows over time causing it to end up at a slant.
As you can see there's the string to pull and a spool type mechanism for the the string to be pulled on.
To solve this, we came up with the idea of making an inner support system. Having an inner loop attached to each hoop attached to the skirt so that the strings can go straight down but still affect the whole skirt. To attach the inner and outer hoops, we have reinforced cardboard “beams” (if you will) that are attached with lots of duct tape to the hoops.
Now we have a smoother pull and nearly no alignment issues!
new materials part 2
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: materials, prototype, success
After the issues with the skirt and motor, we decided to reconsider the aesthetics as well. Although a great concept to work from fabric that looks like Batman’s cape, not quite the most dramatic look and feel when it’s just a skirt moving up and down a feet or two.
The result was a gorgeous golden fabric that had wonderful shine and was lighter, too!
higher fidelity prototype & mechanics issue #1
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: challenges, issues, mechanics, Prototypes
We cut the black satiny fabric into a shape that would do away with all the extra fabric to help with the weight of the skirt. The hoops were loosely sewn to the skirt. We fond that the hardest part of the twist ties was to find something strong enough to get rid of the locking part of it. It made a tear drop shape more than a circle. After some digging in the engineering lab we found some sheers and used those.
For the motors, we had to create the means of powering them. They spun insanely fast but they were having a hard time pulling up the lightest loads. What was more disconcerting was the issue of the pulley mechanism. The system we have figured out is one where the skirt hoops are threaded through with string and the string is attached to a a spool which is attached to a motor. Once the motor is started in a direction, the string will wrap around the spool, pulling the hoops and skirt up. If we wanted to drop the skirt, we’d just need to reverse the motor’s direction.
The issue was that the DC motors did not work with the Lego pieces we had so we would need to custom make the spool if we were to use the DC motors. In addition, we would lose the up and down functionality for the most part because we had not figured out how to program the DC motors.
So it was back to the drawing board.
new materials
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: materials, Prototypes, TUI
In the spirit of super hero transformations, we got a shiny black fabric for this prototype, similar to Batman’s cape. That was the most creative material acquired. The rest were purely about logistics. We found extra large twist ties and are going to try those out for the hoop support system. We also have the DC motors to try out for this task. They are surprisingly small! I suppose we shall see how the actual skirt work now. We need to sew the fabric on before we can test the mechanics this time.
post-high fidelity prototype
13 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: concepts, prototype, TUI
After the presentation of the mechanical skirt-belt and the pulley mechanisms on actual fabric, the group was a little disheartened when we saw the flashiness of the other groups. We did feel revitalized, however, after speaking with our professor. Our spirits were raised with the reminder of the challenge that we took on with a project based on physical output. Due to the nature of the class and the nature of our project, our professor requested that we focus on the mechanics of the outfit more than the interaction of the user with the outfit. Specifically, that we table the user over-ride controls as well as the sensors.
Our professor also suggested some very reasonable changes in focus and design for the project. Because the outfit is so futuristic and it is aiming towards TEI the super hero contest, it is valid to scrap reality and pragmatism. It was suggested that we consider a bubble skirt as a fix for the current bulk problem.
With this in mind, we ran without creative reigns! We completely revamped our audience and application. The new outfit does not yet have a name but there are strong concepts and features we plan on implementing.
First and foremost, the physical movement, we will implement the skirt with hoops that will have it extend over the motors in a victorian-esque style. The skirt will start out long, at around the ankles. On command, the skirt will be reeled in to knee-length, maybe shorter. Ideally, the skirt will be able to reel in asymmetrically as well as symmetrically; this way we can create a more eccentric party look. Second, we will implement similar sleeves. The sleeves would transform from cap sleeves to a futuristic-take on the spaghetti strap. Though we have been working with Lego Mindstorms, we want to try DC motors, because we are sure this will help with bulk and make the transitions snappier.
Here is what the asymmetric sketch might look like based on one of Lady Gaga's outfits
Here is a sketch from one of Lady Gaga's outfits that has puffy sleeves similar to the ones we want
The next priority is LEDs. We want the outfit to look futuristic and lively. The LEDs don’t have a particular purpose other than lighting up in our conceptual design. This ties closely to our complete design revamp. We are aiming at a futuristic look and feel for the outfit with a nod at the past. The outfit will have details from the past, such as the hooped skirt and potentially a raised victorian collar with lace trim, but the whole outfit will shimmer, giving it that futuristic-metallic look. With LEDs, the outfit will look more flashy, the trick is to get the right rhythm and colors for it. In addition, addition to the collar, there are plans for a cape for the outfit as well. The idea is that the cape will go with the initial regal look of the outfit only to transition into a funky hood. Below, you can find some images that relate to the ideas and concepts we have in mind.
Possible take on LEDs
Another take on LEDs
An alternative approach to lights
Higher fidelity prototype: the belt-skirt
13 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: difficulties, Prototypes, TUI
For the past week, we have been toiling to find the right mechanics and set up for the mechanical skirt-belt. The concept is that a skirt can be pulled up to a ruffled belt and a belt can be extended into a skirt, mechanically.
We chose this to be our fully developed prototype because the rest of our outfit follows the same mechanics, if we can master it for a short bit of cloth, the others should be relatively easy. Unfortunately, we’ve found this to be false. The mechanics of the skirt proved to be a challenge due to our materials at hand. We were initially going to use phidget servo motors, but found that the motors we had did not complete a full rotation. Because of this, we moved on to the next motors we had available, Lego MindstormsNXT motors. Although powerful, these are very bulky. In addition to the bulk of the motor, we have had to construct a gear train for the wheels that we attached the skirt pulleys to. This added to the bulk of it all so that the skirt currently has a 6 inch gear train coming out from the back of the user’s skirt.
Back view of skirt-belt with NXT brick & pulley wheels
In addition to the bulk, we have found that the angle of the motors and the gears now make it such that the pulleys do not wind about the wheel, but get tangled. This basically means that we need another motor for our current design.
Reflections Post-Prototype 1
01 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
After presenting our initial prototype to the class, we reflected on their feedback and this is what we learned.
We need to notify the user prior to any transition. This will prevent any unwanted changes as well and potential embarrassment for the user as a transition may be awkward any where public.
To address the weather change concerns that were mentioned in our critique we will attempt to implement heat sensors. With this, however, we will need to consider the possible noise from changing locations (indoor heat versus outdoor heat) and the person’s own body heat.
For the most part, the rest of the comments pertained to the cleaning of the outfits, which is not really being considered at the moment and how awesome our idea is. We will accommodated our user scenario to consider the above changes, appropriately.
Shopping for the first prototype
01 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
In order to approach our second prototype, we were considering implementing the pants retraction feature. However, after much discussion and back and forth, we found that a riskier feature is the belt to skirt feature. In our brainstorming for implementation, we found that we needed to keep the belt stationary, rather than use it as our weight because the belt would likely not fall beyond the hips without more engineering.
In this case, we believe that we can have the cloth of the skirt tucked underneath the belt and have weights attached to the skirt that are held up by four strings attached to motors. When the time is right, the weights are released, causing the skirt to come down with the help of gravity. When the skirt needs to be retracted, the motors will spin and pull the skirt back in to place, under the belt.
We also considered how we will communicate with the user’s calendar. We can potentially have a blue tooth transmitter of some kind on the outfit that will receive a notification from the user’s cellphone when it needs to transition. The cellphone might have an app or extension running on it that would notify the user of a scheduled event and the change required.
