Week 2: Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

Ancora

My final project name is "Ancora" , a device that monitors the heart rate of its user to detect if the person is having a panic attack in order to guide them to their calmness. The inspiration for this project came from my interest in helping my closest people who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks.

Final Project Sketch 2

3D model creation

Onshape

First, I gave Onshape a try and liked that I didn’t have to download any software; however, the downside is that the computer must be connected to Wi-Fi. After that, I tried SolidWorks, where I felt more comfortable.

SolidWorks

I already knew how to use SolidWorks from previous projects, which allowed me to create a 3D model of my final project in a short amount of time. I used the computers at my university to develop this model. First, I designed the base of the device, which will hold the heart rate sensor and the straps.

Then, using the symmetry command, I mirrored the strap attachment feature to the opposite side of the base.

Finally, I created the holes where the sensor will be placed, as well as an additional hole to route the wires to the other side.

Compressing Images and videos

I love img

I use I love img to compress the majority of my images to reduce their file size without losing quality.

FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a powerful command-line tool for video and audio processing. I use it to compress my videos.

Here is a short tutorial on how to download the program and compress a video.

Recipe

.\ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=-2:720" -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 30 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -an output_new.mp4

Notes

• Before starting, make sure to extract the ZIP folder so all files can be accessed correctly.
• Make sure to have the input.mp4 file in the same directory as the command is executed.
• The output_new.mp4 file will be created in the same directory.
• Adjust the resolution (720) and quality (crf 30) as needed for your specific requirements.