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While not part of the initial scope, the team found itself with some extra time and performed some preliminary prototyping of an imaging/docking location. These components enable the next steps of petri dish analysis by providing a location for the petri dish bottom to be rested and dish lid to be illuminated for clear imaging.
Initial Design
Initial Design
The first imaging/docking station was a box with uniform lighting that ensured consistent image quality. The standalone container as cited as an effective solution in other outside bacterial studies, but lacked the portability present in Tactus' design language.
Design Pivot and Tests
Design Pivot and Tests
Upon seeing the box, Tactus suggested developing a design that utilized the second Lab Assistant arm not active in gripping. This proposition required additional testing of lighting and camera positioning in order to determine a system that could create the conditions for consistent lighting regardless of environmental lighting conditions.
LED strip and dish inside of white PVC
LED strip and dish outside of black PVC
Pure backlight with vellum diffusion with no PVC
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
Light testing showed that pure backlight with vellum was the most effective illumination source. For blocking ambient light, research determined that a cone was optimal for its ability to conform to the shape of the camera lens and dish lid diameter via tapering.
The image tube mount slides onto the existing wrist motor and angles the tube to match the orientation of the existing wrist camera housing. The petri dish base dock has chamfered lips allowing for slight misorientation during base placement.
A "lampshade" contains the LED backlight and has an opening for users to access the light's settings buttons. The stationary and moving jaws are the same as in the pure retreival gripper but have been elongated to accomodate for the lampshade.
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