Skip to content

10. Mechanical design

This week I worked with fellow students in Hong Kong to make a machine.

Group assignment - design a machine that includes mechanism+actuation+automation - build the mechanical parts and operate it manually - document the group project and your individual contribution

What I did this week

  1. brainstorm ideas for a machine with the team
  2. research how to set up and communicate with ESP32-CAM via Arduino IDE
  3. research websocket protocol
  4. order ESP32-CAM for testing

First group meeting

On Thursday this week, we had online discussion about what to do for this assignment. Our instructor Ted Hung shared some examples of past projects, including a laser-light painting project, and that gave us the inspiration to make a laser pointer for cats that can be controlled via the Internet. Here is a video of a similar project.

Our team divided the tasks among team members as follows.

  1. Design Ideas & Schedule ~ Lydia
  2. Hardwares Prototype ~ German
  3. Coding for ESP32-CAM ~ Patrick
  4. Design for Touch Interface ~ Mai
  5. Design for Machine Appearance ~ German, Queenie, Lydia
  6. Machine Testing ~ Lydia
  7. Video making ~ Queenie
  8. Project Presentation ~ All

After this meeting, I joined a Global Open Time session where a tutor suggested me to look at a similar project named Lazer Chazer on Wikifactory.

Bill of Materials

To build this machine, my team members in Hong Kong will need to acquire the following parts

  • 02 SG90 servo
  • 01 Laser pointer
  • 01 ESP32-CAM
  • Casing (to be lasercut or 3d-printed)

Note to self: insert pictures of the components

Research ESP32-CAM

HTML for touch interface

WebSockets

Creating an IoT device on AWS

Initially I thought it would be nice to set up an AWS server that talks to ESP32-CAM.

On AWS Management Console, I navigated to Build a solution section and clicked on Create an IoT device.

Select Platform

Name your device

Download a connection kit

Configure and test

Successfully connected

Now we can see our CatLazer device in the list of things

However, I realized that it is not necessary to use AWS server at this point. We can have the ESP32 being a server itself. I can come back and explore AWS server in the future.

SPIFFS

Second group meeting

On Sunday the same week, our team called again to discuss our research progress. I shared my learning about WebSocket protocol and SPIFFS.

After this meeting, I ordered two ESP32-CAM modules from China. They are due to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City sometimes during the first week of April.

Last update: June 6, 2021