This week’s session in the FabLab was especially exciting for me, since I had missed the inaugural week. We delved right in by working with Arduinos, breadboards, and LEDs. You could say it lit up the room. Personally, I had a cool reconnection with a colleague who I had not seen in 11 months who just happened to be an employee at our local FabLab.
Nonetheless, our updated design challenge is oriented around electrical engineering as we are looking to create a sealant for power wheelchairs to prevent the wiring of the steering handle from getting soaked in the rain. This causes malfunctions and deteriorates the wheelchair significantly faster. I do not expect us to do any wiring, however it is beneficial to discover which electrical components are currently most at risk.
Milestone Labs also gave us a plethora of great insight. They recommended looking at wetsuits, boating, fishing, and general aqua activities for inspiration. We were also directed to look at motorcyclists and how they remain protected when riding in the rain. Other general sealants will also be important for us to look at.
Since our main purpose is now to prevent electrical damage from water leakage, the filament of our 3D print is also a vital factor. We need to ensure that the filament would not let water penetrate the electrical circuit.
I believe the biggest challenge will come with customization. If the steering handles are different based on model, then we will most likely need to create 3D printed molds for each model. However, if there is a limited amount of variation then scalability will prove to be a negligible issue.
Hi Michal,
I am interested to see what your product will look like! I am envisioning a spray (which probably isn’t feasible for this class) that would protect the steering handle while still remaining flexible. I also think it’s cool that you were able to relate your project to the electrical circuits we made at the Fab Lab.
Other than a spray, I can see the seal being some sort of a sleeve–maybe made of rubber? Either way, I think it would have to be flexible so it doesn’t mess up the steering. I can’t wait to see your final prototype!!
Hi Michal, I think your group is making great progress. The insights Milestone lab provided are definitely great sources of ideas for more prototyping. It totally makes sense to see how other objects are preventing the harm of water despite the fact that they are for different uses.
For the customization, I am wondering if you can find some common parameters among the existing power wheelchairs. If there are some common parameters, once you identify them, it would be easier for the customization; you would only need to alter some parts instead of every component. This will save time and potentially costs which can benefit the users.
Michal – I really enjoyed reading your perspective through your blog post and I enjoyed reading about your group’s preparations of the make-a-thon. I think your design challenge is brilliant and I can see the enthusiasm in your ideas for this design. I like how you related the work in last class to your design – even though, as you mentioned, you will not be doing any wiring for your project. Nice job!