What will it do?
Visually display the passage of time using a sea urchin model with retracting spikes.
Who has done what beforehand?
There are other timers that are designed for the pomodoro tecnhique - such as the classic tomato timer
What will you design?
The 3D-printed body, stand and spikes, internal servo mounts, web interface, design and solder pcb.
What materials and components will be used?
PLA, TPU, 2× MG996R servos, ESP32-C3, custom PCB, M4 screws, power supply.
Where will they come from?
PLA/TPU from our lab, ESP32-C3 and servos from online stores, PCB made in-house.
How much will they cost?
Approx. $30–40 total.
What parts and systems will be made?
3D-printed parts, laser-cut fish design, assembled electronics, Wi-Fi interface.
What processes will be used?
3D printing, laser cutting, PCB milling, web programming, embedded programming.
What questions need to be answered?
Is the mechanism stable? Will the servos work for longer durations?
How will it be evaluated?
By whether it can run a full cycle smoothly and reset via the interface.
What tasks have been completed?
3D modeling, main assembly, servo control, web UI, and base structure.
What tasks remain?
External power wiring, integration documentation, final packaging.
What has worked? What hasn’t?
The web interface and servo logic work; power of the servos was a problem until I switched to stronger servos.
What questions need to be resolved?
Which mechanical system would be the most appropriate and ideal
What will happen when?
I will look into different mechanical systems for the spikes, final packaging, video editing.
What have you learned?
How to combine mechanical design with electronics and embedded systems, and how to debug servo behavior.