Mechanical Design
ME 112, Mechanical Systems Design, is about having fun building things that roll and crawl.
For the first project, I worked with a team to design a wheeled rover which would to ascend an uphill tunnel full of loose gravel. Our rover was unique in that it was four-wheel drive, and we figured out a cool way to brace the body to react the torque of the motor.
The second project was a bit more difficult: a robotic alligator that would mimic the gait and all-terrain abilities of an alligator. Working together, we designed a four-bar linkage to move the legs through a lifelike, but constant torque motion. We found that good tension on our chain drive, lightweight structures, and detailed leg and foot design were the trick.
