To begin with, the general concept of the project originally came from the racing tracks that they sold before they became virtual games. With this idea I wanted to implement two situations, one that was controlled only by a button, but I didn't think it would be so interactive. However, the second idea can be much more expandable to add more challenges and is controlled by the joysticks, to which more functions can easily be added when adding more obstacles, so basically in my perspective the project Although pieces like this already exist, what makes it unique is the fact that everything is controlled through controls, as if it were a digital video game but with something physical in front of it. The design is governed mainly by the main structure, since it is what will support the weight of the car, as well as the angle of the ramp, which can be modified, but this will depend on the things that are added and removed.
My project is aimed at all types of general public, but mainly at young people and men who want to remember the old days, or also children who want to use it and are curious to play it.
After having this main idea described above and the setbacks that occurred, I had one factor against me and it was the time for manufacturing, since I had hours left for user testing, so I decided to first build the ramp and the base of everything for this, I started by choosing what type of cardboard I would use, because if I used a very soft cardboard, it would not have enough resistance to support the weight of the cart, so I chose a relatively thick one, so that it could support the weight and could be molded to give it the shape of a ramp, another problem that I ran into was the "elevator" that I was going to make, which due to the setback, I thought of another idea and built an aerial storage from which the car was going to be launched, for this reason, I no longer built the ramp that would return the cart to the mini elevator and only left it with the descent ramp.
After this I had the problem of what I was going to use in relation to the arduino, so first I had the idea of using ultrasonic sensors, to activate the servomotors and in relation to the distance from which the person was, I would activate them and make them unlocked the cart, but then I started to analyze this and for a game it didn't make much sense, so I found the ones that were going to solve my life, which were the joysticks, and with these I managed to program the servomotors so that each one It would move according to the joysticks, just as I had the idea of programming it so that with the button on one of the joysticks, a countdown could be activated. I tried first with the countdown of a single segment, but I didn't know how to configure it, so I looked for it. Among all the resources that the IMA laboratory provides us, and I found a 4-digit display, which I managed to connect and program to the Arduino with the help of a TM1637, which brought power to each of the pins, it is worth highlighting that all this programming and construction is done in a single night by myself.
First code used for user testing
After testing the code, and connecting it to the Arduino, the time for user testing dawned and arrived, but for all this it should be noted that I placed one of the servomotors above the compartment where the car is stored, so that it would give it a boost exit to the car, then I put the other servomotor next to it, on one of the columns that faces the ramp, to hold the blocking bar, and that this other servomotor was in charge of opening and closing this barrier, and the countdown that I placed it in front of the ramp, as it is worth mentioning that as the first instance I placed a stop at the end of the ramp, so that it would be where the cart would hit. Another thing I realized was that the barrier was working the opposite of how it should work, because within the code it had the servomotor to rotate in the opposite direction.
Operation of the first prototype
The user testing phase began, and several saw the project and gave me feedback, which helped me specify and take into account many improvements to the project, such as the countdown that honestly was not of much use within the project, or the echo That it was just the ramp, I needed something else to make it more fun, because what I did receive and it was the purpose from the beginning were comments that it reminded them of their childhood toys, I also received ideas on how to improve the project, such as putting and opening holes in the black wall, so that in some way or another "levels" could be created and depending on where the cart fell it was determined if it won or lost, all these ideas and comments helped me realize many important things. It is also worth noting that for the user testing I used a hotwheels cart, since previously I was using a truck-shaped cart and it turned out that it was too heavy for the ramp and would get stuck, which did not happen with the other cart, so I stay with the hotwheels. It is also worth mentioning that it made me realize that I had to improve the appearance of the ramp, because due to the inclination the car sometimes got stuck.
User Testing:
After the user testing, the next day I had to improve the project, so first I started by removing the black stopper that I had made, to be able to expand the track, so first of all I started thinking that I wanted to remove one of the servomotors, well No, these do not have a 360 degree rotation, so I later decided to use a DC motor, since it does make a complete revolution, so I put together a rotating wheel in which now the purpose was to be for the person who will play, first align the wheel correctly so that the cart can reach its final destination, which was a box, if the person does not make the cart pass it is a fail, while if the person manages to make it pass, the player wins. It is also worth mentioning that I removed the countdown, and modified the code so that now one of the joysticks would manage the DC motor.
After putting everything together and having it completely, it was time to paint it and give the structure a design, since it was based entirely on cardboard and Teip, then I proceeded to give it color and decorate it, and with everything painted, I proceeded to put a better base on it. to the ramp where the car was going to pass, because I had a problem there that when I painted it, the paint made the wheels of the car get stuck, so I had to cover it with a flatter surface, with this, it worked . Just like I added a support below the ramp, so that it would have an adequate angle for the car to pass in the correct way.
With everything armed and configured, the final code used was the following
Final Arduino Connect
Functioning of the final prototype
When the user loses
When the user wins
From another perspective, if the user wins
Throughout the project, I was able to realize how much more can be added to the projects and how much the feedback from the people in your project helps. I also learned how to add new things without being afraid to experiment with them. the new thing, such as the configuration and programming of the joysticks, for my project itself, according to people's comments, if it reminds them of their childhood, then I consider that it fulfilled its main objective and above all it gave them a good time time to the people who played with it, I was also able to realize how quickly and in the short time in which I can build a complete structure, since I assembled the base structure in just a few hours, and I consider that for having done it so quickly, It's not bad at all, I would have improved it much more if I had had more time, such as adding more obstacles or more functions with the joysticks, or even making the game for two people and not just one, such as assembling a second ramp and make it a competition between both ramps between two people. It is also worth mentioning that I realized the utmost importance of communication between a person and you, if work is going to be done in a group or in pairs, because unfortunately this was not the case and there was a lack of communication, so that in the end we both ended up doing different projects, but that remains an experience.
As a final conclusion, I consider that with so few things and with materials that can be found in many places, you can create things and projects that are so interactive that if many opinions from several people are added, you can create spectacular projects, and that thanks to the Add help from platforms and tools like Arduino, you don't need something so comfortable to create something interactive with the public.