Week 16. Applications and Implications
Before the Start
Introduction 🖊
This week relates to “Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered during the FabAcademy”.
In order words, I will explain in detail the reason why I am working on my final project, How does it works, Which are Its components, and How I will fabricate it, …
Fab Assignments 📚
During this week, I will give an answer to all these questions:
- What will it do?
- Who’s done what beforehand?
- What will you design?
- What materials and components will be used?
- Where will come from?
- How much will they cost?
- What parts and systems will be made?
- What processes will be used?
- What questions need to be answered?
- How will it be evaluated?
Project Management
How I’m going to organize my work during the week.
| Task | Time | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 5h | 18 / 19 / 20, May |
| Documentation | 3h | 20, 21 May |
Research
Some websites which I found interesting for the development of my work during the week, or from where I learned new processes:
- Pulse Sensor interfacing with Arduino
- Heart beatSensor with Arduino, Heart rate monitor system
- DIY Peristaltic Pump
- Low cost peristaltic pump
- Mechanical Design - Ait Siamermadjid
- Fablab Toscana - Mechanical Design
- Arnar Dadi - Mechanical Design
- Francis Lance
- Yazan Abudasah
- Laura María Gonzalez - 2 Peristaltic Pumps Experiments
During the Process
Questions Answered 🔢
Why did I changed my Final Project Idea?
Since I decided to change the idea of my final project, this week was a key point to put all the concepts down to earth and keep building on them.
I decided to change my idea because I felt that was right to make an interactive project where I could show my “master skills” acquired during the course, instead of on focus on a mechanical system where I was using basically 3d printing as a fabrication process.
I was not a big fan of changing the idea with 5 weeks left of the FabAcademy, but now I am happy of doing it since this decision motivated me to push my new knowledge and make the best of it for the final presentations!
What will it do?
The concept behind my final project idea is a system that connects humans with plants during the meditation practice.
The idea is to create a tangible metaphor of personal growth generated by meditation, reflected in the growth of plants.
There will be three components in the system:
| Component | What does it does? | What does it represents in the Metaphor? | What does it represents in the System? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Person (me in this case, or whoever wants to have the experience of connecting with the plants) | Practice Mindfullness | Individual Who is working on his/her mental growth | INPUT |
| The Water | Watering System | Energies shared by the individual with the plants | OUTPUT |
| 3 The Plants | Grow Up | Three Human Brains. Each one has a different shape, length, and color and represents the growth of the human brain | — |
Who’s done what beforehand?
I have not found projects within the Fab Academy similar to this in terms of concept. However, there are many projects dedicated to developing irrigation systems, agriculture, plant care and growth from which I was able to take inspiration to design the irrigation system. Some of the examples are as follows:
All the other Agriculture projects which I researched can be found on this page:
What will you design? What parts and systems will be made?
For the development of my final project, I did designed all the components expect for the Peristaltic Pump system for the watering system. Which I could find in the following website:
In order to 3d print it, instead of using ABS as the website advises, I choose a less toxic material with similar properties: PETG for Prusa in orange color.
The components of the system are:
| Nº | Component | Designed by me? | Made by me? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plants Pots | ✅ | ✅ |
| 2 | Plants Stands | ✅ | ✅ |
| 3 | Sensor Touch system | ✅ | ✅ |
| 4 | DC Motor | ❌ | ❌ |
| 1 | PCBs | ✅ | ✅ |
| 1 | Packaging integration | ✅ | ✅ |
What materials and components will be used? Where will come from? What processes will be used? How much will they cost? 🏁
This is the list of the components, materials and processes used to fabricate each of the items needed for the system:
| Nº | Component | Material | Process | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plants Pots Mold | Cardboard | Laser Cutter | Recycled Cardboard from Amazon Packaging = 0€ |
| 1 | Plants Pots Cover | Mix of Cotton + Polyester Cloth | Laser Cutter + Casting with Epoxy | Cloth = 26€ |
| 3 | Plants Stands | PlyWood | CNC | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Sensor Touch | PLA | 3D Printing | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | DC Pump Motor | DC Motor | Buy Online | 12€ |
| 1 | Relay | Motor driver | Buy Online | 12€ |
| 1 | 4x2 mm Silicone Tubes | Silicon | Buy Local Shop | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Microcontroller 1614 | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | BLUE LED | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Resistor | 499K | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Resistor | 1K | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Regulator | LDO 5V 1A | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Button | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 2 | 3 PIN FEMALE | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Button | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | 8 PIN MALE | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
| 1 | Power Supply - 5V | — | — | 0€, material from the fablab |
Total ammount: 50€
What questions need to be answered?
Which Sensor should I use as an INPUT?
I first thought about using a distance sensor. So when the user is putting his/her hand at a distance of 1 cm, the watering system would receive the input and start the watering function.
My local instructor Henk proposed I use a pulse sensor instead. I tough it would be a good idea since this kind of sensor fits with the concept behind the main idea.
In this way, when the user shares her/his pulse, she/he enters into contact with the flowers in a symbiotic process.
How does the Watering system works as an OUTPUT?
I decided to make my own DIY Peristaltic Pump in order to use the 3D Printing Machines of our Fablab.
It is also possible to buy Peristaltic Waterproof Pumps online, but I thought that doing it by myself would show better my master fablab’s skills.
As I already explained, I followed this tutorial in order to create my Peristaltic Pump, and I used a Stepper Motor to make it work.
Retrospective 🤔
This week resulted in being very productive and self-empowering. I did work on the development of the Flower Pots, where I put into practice my new master skills in laser cutting with cardboard + casting with epoxy.
I love designing, materials, and experimenting with processes - this is what drives me as a person and designer - so I really enjoyed the conceptualization and 3D development of each plant pot from scratch. Playing around with new techniques, and materials.
My only concern is using epoxy as casting material for the pots since I don’t feel comfortable working with such not sustainable materials. I mainly used it because of the lack of time, and it make my first try at the pot concept. This would be something that I would like to work on in my future projects.
During this week I also worked on the concept, design, and 3D development of the Flower Stands. The CNC week was probably one of the weeks which I enjoyed the most during my FabAcademy path, so I am looking forward to milling these pieces next week!
Last but not least, during this week I also worked on the Arduino’s first test with the pulse sensor. Did it work, is not a difficult INPUT to use, but the code which I use was very long and complicated so I am going to code a new one much shorter and easier to understand.
@ 25/06/22
Back time to this week, I thought of using a Periestlatic pump made by me. I discarded this idea for the development of the final project due to the time needed for its projection.
I will probably use the research and conclusions made about the DIY Periestaltic Pump for my future projects.