Assignment Part 1
Plan and sketch a potential final project
Learning outcomes
- Communicate an initial project proposal
Final Project Ideas
Sign language Thing hand
My original idea was to create the Thing from the Addams family, a hand that could walk on its fingers. I am not sure how I can accomplish this so I thought of creating a sign language hand. The sign language hand would be networked and connected to a website. Users could type in letters or words on the website and the hand would sign out the letters or words. The hand would be 3d printed and placed on a laser cut platform. The electrical components would be housed in the laser cut platform and would include a milled circuit board loaded with motors and networking components.
This would be an exciting project but I am not sure how I would accomplish the fine movement on the hand for the sign language let alone how I would get the hand to be able to walk.
Mini Arcade device
I have wanted to create an arcade machine for quite some time now using a rasperry pi and a monitor in a laser cut or CNC milled housing. As a Fab Academy project I would like to make a mini arcade machine by creating a 32x32 or 64x64 LED matrix screen. The screen would be housed in a laser cut enclosure with 3d printed housing for the buttons and electronics.
My biggest concern is the game programming aspect and making sure the microcontrollers have enough memory. This can probably be solved by using SD-card memory or other addition memory components but right now I am not sure how to accomplish this.
Vermicompost monitoring system
I have been mulling over the idea of creating a vermicompost monitoring system. A successful vermicomposting system requires certain conditions such as optimal humidity, temperature and more. My idea is to use sensors, such as humidity, temperature, gas, ph and possibly more sensors to monitor a vermicomposting system. The data gathered from these sensors would be sent via WiFi and displayed on a website. The project would use a laser cut or CNC milled box to house the worms and compost, 3d printed housing for the electricals which would include a milled circuit board loaded with sensors and networking capabilities.
Although this is a viable project I would like to keep my options open and consider other projects.
Mini Arcade device
Research
I have had a look online and found some projects using Arduino and a small resolution LED screen. I have also found some previous Fab Academy students creating similar projects. I would not want to replicate a previous project but I will definitely use other projects as inspiration.
Some projects from former Fab Academy students include LEDmePlay w/u by Thomas Laubach which is an arcade machine using a LED panel. Jofin Thomas also created an arcade box that i can use as reference. Matthew Gerber used a LED panel that I can use as reference. Kreg Hanning created an arcade cabinet that may be helpful for my cabinet design. Nadieh Bremer also created a beautiful game using a home made LED panel.
One previous Fab Academy student project I found used a prebuilt 32x32 LED matrix screen. In a pinch I may use a prebuilt screen but I would like to make my entire project from scratch, soldering each individual RGB LED.
I also found code online for games that can be run on an Arduino such as a Snake clone but I would like to program my own game from scratch.
I will probably be the primary user of the arcade but I plan on keeping the arcade at my Fab Lab for guests to try and as an example project fot others to get ideas of what can be made at a Fab Lab.
Plan
For the arcade box I would like to use laser cut plexi glass.
For responsive buttons it is probably best to buy arcade buttons but I would like to 3d print buttons and at least test them out.
The housing for the electronics will be 3d printed and placed inside the arcade box.
I am not sure which microcontroller to use but I would like to add a SD-card reader so I have the option to code many games and put each game on a SD-card.
Sketch
