Mech Simulation

        The Mech Simulation was a 3-month final project and we used a Moog 6-Dof platform. Everything besides the Motion platform and Chair was created from scratch. The Console, Window frame and base were designed in SolidWorks and then created out of wood. The buttons on the console are connected to a Nook using a Arduino over a serial port and the Nook communicates to the Simulation computer via UDP connection. The simulation computer then sends and recieves data to the Moog computer also using UDP. 

        For the first month I was tasked with assisting my upperclassmen with anything that they needed. I programmed the Arduino that received button presses and then sent data to a Nook running unity over a serial port. I also hacked into a wireless light switch and was able to activate it by using the Arduino.By doing so when the button to engage the platform was pressed the switch would activate a spinning red light letting people know to watch out. After the platform was fully engage the light would be activated again and shut off. Another project I was tasked with was to design and 3-D print a mount for the Oculus Rift camera. The main challenges with creating the camera mount was making sure that it would be sable enough to hold the camera in place while the platform was moving around while also not obstructing the cameras field of view.

        For the Second Month I was mainly tasked with maintaining the simulation and also fixing any of the bugs that were found during the previous showcase of the Mech simulation. One issue was in the data packet that the game was sending to the Moog platform. The game was missing the 2-bytes that told the platform what rate the data was being sent over. As a result the platform would not initiate properly. After reading through the manual, testing the data being sent and received I was able to figure out what was wrong and fixed the code. The last thing that I was assigned was to assist my other classmates in the construction and installation of the wooden window frame that was placed in the front of the mech.  

        In my Final month, I worked on designing, creating and programming a rack and pinion gear to automate moving the seat forward and backward. I decided to use a 12V DC Maker Motor to power the gear. I took the Motors diagram into SolidWorks and created a quick but accurate model. Then I moved on to develop the pinion gear that I would attach to the motor. While I created the gear I also worked on the rack that would be placed under the seat. After I had a basic prototype for the rack and pinion I printed them out to see what needed to be adjusted. After calculating the adjustments needed I went back into SolidWorks to make the corrections and printed the final pieces that I would use. 

        Once the rack and pinion were completed I started work on the motor mount that would be attached to the seat. Originally the motor mount was to be made of metal but after testing the mount prototype we decided that 3-D printing would be better in the long run.  After this was decided I made the motor mount more robust to be able to take the forces that were going to be applied to it. I also created holes for the nuts to make installation and removal of the mount easier and faster than before. Once all the pieces were in place I moved on to programming the Arduino to be able to control the motor. I determined that the best way to do this was to utilize PID controller with a bailiff sensor for positional tracking. After spending some time tuning the controller I could get the motor to reliably move to a preset position with very little error.