Hi!

Strength: I am generally organized with my work and can think creatively during brainstorming/ideation.

Area for growth: I don't always take the time needed during the planning stage which sometimes leaves me rushed during building.

3 commitments:

I will take lots of clear pictures throughout the design and building process
I will document my mistakes and revisions
I will update my site regularly with concise descriptions and photos

PCB Design Ideation

Brock and I ultimately chose the apple tree design. We thought it would be a fun way to incorperate the LEDs (as the apples) and would allow for enough space for the battery, etc. This design is also generally straightforward to create on Rhino, allowing us to make sure all the circuits are functioning.

Collaborative PCB:

Brock and I designed a circuit board shaped like an apple tree, with each apple being an LED light. From this project I will remember the difference between a parallel and series circuit and the benefits of a parallel circuit in particular (each bulb recieves the same voltage!). I will also remember that often simple designs work for effectively for PCB boards.

Speaker designs:

Out of the many design options I sketched, my favorites are the car (with speakers as the wheels), the ice cream (with speakers as the scoops), and the telephone (with speakers as either end of the phone). My main concern is about usage of the materials: how can I use what is available to me most effectively? I will defeinitely to think about these ideas in the 3-D to have a better understanding before my final decision.

Speaker Design Feedback Post-its

Post Phase 2 Design Drawing:

Here is what I am envisioning for my final design. The dimensions are not final yet and I am still deciding what text to put on the top of the milk carton!

Modeled Enclosed Design:

For my milk carton speaker, I am thinking of using a light wood and vinyl stickers for the cow print. I am still a little uncertain about the way the main box and lid will fit together, but I think it will become clear further into the design process.

Cardboard Prototype

Here is my cardboard prototype. Generally I think it will be a successful design - I may want to consider making the main box larger to accomodate for the battery, etc.

Amp Circuit on Breadboard

Here is my amp circuit on the breadboard. This process was new to me and I learned how determine where the errors are through testing. Ultimately, my main error was the soldering on my audio jack breakout board, and once I fixed that, my audio was loud and clear!

Link to Python Exercise 1: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x5B3_7iG4Rx9KPQi3hJYVFcpIbM6V6HDsvEzKXmLL7Y/edit

Link to Python Exercise 2:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PoEYgdCi0VUM_yS7_wi8J0ToV1uA710naMzSHXyxs48/edit

Amp PCB Design and Schematic:

Here are screenshots of my board and schematic. I worked with Maxine and we did a good job of dividing the work equally. She took the lead with connecting pieces on the schematic and I worked to organize the board and fix errors. This extra practice with circuit boards solidified my understanding of how to approach problems that may arise with connections, etc.

Microcontroller Challenge:

We attempted to write a code that would change the color of the LEDs depending on the temperature detected (red=hot, blue=cold). We added an if else statement that said if the temperature is less than 28 degrees make the LEDs blue and if it is not less than 28 degrees make the LEDs red. Here is a link to our code: https://gist.github.com/25nataliec/c2103b4af4c6b0d14c53ccd2bfccd1cc

Microcontroller Challenge:

We wrote a code that would display our names. We changed the text and the scale so that the words would fit on the screen. Here is a link to our code: https://gist.github.com/25nataliec/cbc314883d85627204871a27b0bf6725

Digital Project Plan: I plan to use the Feather M4 Express OLED screen to write a super old expiration date on my milk carton speaker! As of now, text will say "guarenteed fresh Aug 2 1925" - but it is all TBD and I am planning to put it along the side of my speaker/box.

Unsoldered Circuit Board: This is my circuit board for my speaker unsoldered.

Collaborative PCB Final Product: This is my final, soldered PCB board (apple tree) which I designed with Brock!

Final Soldered Amp Circuit: This is my final, soldered amp circuit. During this process, I improved my soldering skills and learned how to solve when things do not work perfectly. For example, I had to add an additional wire underneath because the circuit was not fully closed in one area.

Enclosure Build Process: This is a progress photo of my final speaker (I also attached my speakers but don't have a photo). What still needs to be done: finalizing my digital project, cut the vinyl stickers, and assemble!

Digital Project: For my digital project, I coded a OLED Feather M4 Express to display text that reads "GUARANTEED FRESH: OCT 11 1932". During this process, I learned how to create multi-lined text, how to rotate text (perfect for when the screen doesn't fit in your box), and more generally, how to adjust when things do not go to plan. Here is a link to my code: https://gist.github.com/25nataliec/1c17ad4acde9278e03bcb27c237b902f

Amplifier Project: For my amplifier project, I build a milk carton speaker. I am really satisfied with the way my pieces fit together. The tabs were successful and it looks clean and polished. If I were to start over, I would build it so that my battery would be accessible without taking it out of the box entirely. Going forward, I am learning the lesson of being prepared for things not to go according to plan. Mistakes/mess-ups happen and what's important is staying calm and knowing how to move forward.

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