Tag: exercise watch

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Week 9: Final Session in Fab Lab – Assembling the Pieces and Creating a Storyboard

This week is our final week of learning sessions in the fab lab. In this week, our class is separated in two parts, assembling the pieces of the watch and creating a storyboard for how our product will reach our target consumers.

Assembling the Pieces

In this week, we started with learning how to use the Arduino software to manipulate pre-packaged codes that are available in the software and load these codes to the Arduino, a single board computer. We went through how to make the LED light blink every second and how to use the tilt sensor to allow the computer detect different inputs of the tilt sensor triggered by the different movements of the tilt sensor. Utilizing the tilt sensor made it possible to assemble the watch that detects curl and twists movements. The Arduino board computer with the code that can detect the inputs of the tilt sensor is the core of the watch that can detect curl and twist movements.

Unpacked tool-pack, Arduino connected to desktop (I lost the other pictures I took during the process of assembling)

After learning how to manipulate codes and load codes to the Arduino, we got to the process of learning how to assemble the watch with different parts of the watch. This process is more about following instructions, but the end result is more important to me. I think, the ability to actually assemble the watch is very exciting. I am very proud of the final product, the watch, I assembled because I finally made something. This also familiarizes me with the process that we may need to go through during the Make-a-thon. We will be making and assembling our final product during the Make-a-thon, which may need to go through the same process we went through in the Fab Lab in the past three weeks.

  • Assembled Watch Face
  • Assembled Watch Side

Creating a Storyboard

The second half of the session was working with our team again. We worked on creating a storyboard for how our product will reach our target consumers this time. We needed to draw sketches of the steps of how our product will reach our target consumers and describe the sketches below them in words. We had ideas of how we are going to bring our product to our target consumers; however, we were not art majors. We did not really know how to draw the sketches that we had in our mind beautifully, but we sketched out what we thought in simple strokes that our teammates can understand. This exercise helped us to plan out our marketing strategy in advance and understand our target consumer better. We need to understand how we are going to approach our target consumer before creating the product because we don’t want the product to be created but has no users. I think this is the main reason why we need to create this storyboard before putting together our product.

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Watching It All Come Together

ASSEMBLING.

This week we finished our three-week project at the Fab Lab to create an exercise watch that is able to sense whether you are doing curls or twists correctly. This project was designed so that we would have to use as many of the Fab Lab’s tools as possible, and it was an incredibly interesting way to familiarize ourselves with these resources. This week’s portion of the project included coding the Arduino and assembling the rest of the already created parts. To recap, we used a laser engraver to create the wooden parts of the watch, where we created our own designs to both differentiate between when the watch is sensing curls or twists and to make the watch more interesting for a specified consumer base. Next the watch strap was sewn using one of the Fab Lab’s sewing machines. We also connected tilt sensors and wires to the Arduino. Finally, while we were provided with the parts, the holder for the tilt sensor (the little white thing in the images) was 3D printed from the Fab Lab’s 3D printers. It was really gratifying to finally see three weeks’ worth of work culminate into one final project! These multiple tools have also got me thinking on different applications that we could possibly use in our own prototyping projects, and I’m even more excited to explore the opportunities.

TELLING A STORY.

With the remaining time after the watch assembly, we congregated in our groups and storyboarded the experience that we wanted users of our product to have. This included how the user would find out about, attain, and learn to use our product. As a review, I am a part of Team Solestice, and we are creating a detachable tread that would allow leg prosthetic users to walk on ice while minimizing slippage. We created 7 storyboard boxes in total. The first box identifies who we think the users of our product would be, in Solestice’s case, this would be leg prosthetic users. The next box identifies how the user would find out about our product, which Solestice believes would be through either some internet ad or word of mouth from social media. Following, we showed the prosthetic user going to a store to see the product in person, and possibly asking the store clerk more information about how the product works. The fourth box includes the user watching a YouTube video, which would be uploaded by Solestice, on how to put the tread on, take the tread off, etc. In the next two boxes, we have a prosthetic user putting the tread on by themselves and walking fearlessly over ice without slipping. In the final box, we have the user taking the tread off once they have entered an indoor area and storing it easily. This is the vision that we as a team have for Solestice, and we hope to make it a reality!

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Fab Lab Round 2

Fabrication

We returned to the Fab Lab to continue learning about different types of fabrication! Last week, I created a circuit that made an LED light illuminate. This time, I had the opportunity to design the surface of a watch for outpatients who are required to perform exercises like bicep curls and twisting their wrist.

First prototype of the watch that will track movements during the patient’s rehabilitation exercises.

The watch is made of 3 pieces of wood. The top piece can spin by 90 degrees in order to detect the movements for the 2 different exercises. We were first tasked with designing the top of the watch, so users would know which way to spin the watch while performing each exercise. Utilizing the software program, Inkscape, I drew 1 arrow on the top of the watch along with the text, “TWIST,” and another arrow on the bottom of the watch with the text, “CURL.” Thus, the user would know which way to spin the watch when performing hand twists versus bicep curls.

Here you can see me practicing using Inkscape.

After designing the surface of the watch, we sewed straps for the watch. Using sewing machines, we first practiced on a sheet of fabric to get used to the machine. Once we got the hang of it, we began sewing the straps for our watches. We initially sewed the strap inside-out, then use a stick to help turn it right-side-out. Lastly, we sewed velcro onto the strap so the watch user can adjust it to the size of their wrist. You can see pictures of the process below!

  • Practicing sewing on a plain sheet of fabric.
  • Line we followed when sewing on the plain fabric.
  • Turning the strap right-side-out with the stick.
  • Learning to sew with classmates!

Project Progress

During the second half of class, each team took turns presenting our project to 2 of our mentors, Milestone Labs and Adam Bleakney. We shared the progress we have made since we first spoke with them. From our conversation, we realized that we need to narrow down our topic and start conducting more secondary research on what already exists for shoe treads and attachments. Also, it is necessary for us to speak more with Jenna, our user, about her desired experience with the tread, i.e. if she would need to sit down when taking the tread on and off. From here, we are going to conduct more secondary research and speak with a Materials Science professor, physical therapist, and a shoe maker so we can gain insight on where we would like to focus our project.

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New Resources: A Fabulous Lab

FAB-TASTIC.

This week, we got a formal introduction to the Fab Lab. The director of the Fab Lab had previously been a guest speaker in the class, but this time we had a chance to host the class there and use their facilities. We first started with a tour of the place and the different tools they had there. They first went through their policies for use, which was surprisingly accessible. Most tools were only priced at $1 for use, and they allowed people to use their own materials while also having some for sale.

In terms of the tools, the staff went through the multiple applications of the electric cutter, which could not only be used to cut vinyl stickers, but also precision paint things if the knife part was replaced. Next, they showed us the screen printing and embroidering/sewing areas. They also introduced us to the concept of 3D printing on top of meshed fabric, which has been used a lot in the fashion industry recently (seen green scales picture for an example). Next, they showed us the milling, soldering, and electronics area, where they showed some applications, such as milling your own circuit board or working with microcontrollers. Finally, they brought us to the 3D printing and laser engraving workstations. Overall, it was really inspiring to see all these different technologies consolidated in a single area as well as to hear about many of the different projects that have been created at the lab. I was shocked to find out about such an untapped resource that I had not known that I could take advantage of as a resident of the Champaign-Urbana area.

FABRICATION IN PROGRESS.

After our brief but thorough tour, we were split into two groups to attend workshops run by the staff of the Fab Lab. I attended the workshop relating to using the laser engraver as well as the program used to vector model what we want to engrave, Inkscape. Inkscape is an open source program which is quite similar to Adobe Illustrator and allows people to vector model their illustrations; I found it really fascinating that the Fab Lab intentionally uses a lot of open source software so that when they teach people how to use their programs, the skills will continue to be applicable outside of the Fab Lab.

Within Inkscape, we started modelling an exercise watch made out of wood which would be able to track if outpatients are performing their exercises correctly. There will be motion sensors inside the watch, where if the face is facing one way, it would detect bicep curls and facing another way, wrist twists. We first modelled the watch face together while the instructors introduced us to the program, and once we started to become more familiar with Inkscape, the staff released us to add our own designs to the watch. We were instructed to keep the user base in mind and make our unique designs while thinking of certain groups, such as children or elderly outpatients.

With the last 45 minutes of class, we started brainstorming prototypes for our team products. While brainstorming, our TA Mehmet wanted us to think of new ideas quickly, never spending too much time on a single idea. We were instructed to brainstorm in different rounds with different restrictions. For example, one round we had to think as if we had a $0 budget, another if we had an unlimited budget, and yet another if we had to think of our product with children in mind. In the end, we then had to decide which prototype we thought would be the most feasible, easiest to implement, and most effective and decide based on individual team members’ decisions which prototype to make a crude 3D prototype of. In the end, Solestice decided to go with a sole that is attachable by Velcro strips to a shoe, and we will be making this prototype before the next class.