Embedded Files
Requirements
Requirements
Our requirements for the mini sculpture was to make a machine using at least one motor, one sensor, a human interaction and only one NXT. We also had to make sure that the sensor was what caused the motors to move, not the other way around. We are building these mini sculptures in order to apply and prove our understanding of physics concepts that have been taught to us, and in order to experiment with movement, kinetics, and control. Our goal is to make a working mini sculpture that meets all the requirements and that demonstrates our understanding of what we've been taught over the last two weeks.
Our Design
Our Design
WorkingSorter.MOVDesign Concepts
Design Concepts
Stopper/Sensor
Stopper/Sensor
In our queue design we are able to have multiple marbles lined up and have them go down the ramp one at a time. Two motors control gates that stop the marbles and release them as needed.
The color sensor is our first sensor for our mini sculpture. It will read the color of the marble while it is stopped in between the two marble gates. The color detected by the sensor will then be used by to determine the motion of the ramp.
Motor & Ramp
Motor & Ramp
Based on the color of the marble, which was detected by the color sensor, the motor will rotate either 80° or 180° down. The angle of the ramp will determine which basket the marble will enter. The ramp is moved by a pedal connected to a motor which will allow it to move.
Basket Catcher
Basket Catcher
These baskets will catch the balls as they fly off of the angled track. The upper one will catch the green and yellow marbles and the upper one will catch all other marbles.
The color detector cannot differentiate between the black track and black (or metallic) colored marbles, so those marbles cannot be used with this sculpture.
Flow Chart
Flow Chart
Design Concepts Cont.
Design Concepts Cont.
One of our ideas for our mini sculpture was to have the marbles be distributed to three side-by-side ramps based on their colour, but we soon realised that that might not be the best option. We weren't sure how to make the moving ramp connect to the three adjacent tracks, so we pivoted and decided to go with two baskets with one sitting above the other. It would have a ramp that moves up and down to distribute the marbles between them based on their colour, as shown below.
Concept Risk Reduction Table
Structure Risk Reduction Table
Pugh Chart:
Pugh Chart:
We knew that we wanted to make a marble sorter for our mini sculpture, so our main problem was deciding between how we wanted to move the ramp up and down. We came up with three options, and when we evaluated them, we found that the motor controlled ramp would be the best design idea.
Coding
Coding
Final Design
Final Design
Analysis & Results
Analysis & Results
Using Working Model 2D, we simulated our Motor Modulation design, and experimented with a second kinetic scupture design with a moving trampoline.
Mini Sculpture 1
Mini Sculpture 1
3BETTERMiniSculptureWM2D.aviThe ball hits the first stopper, and rests there until a human pushes the touch sensor button. Once pressed, the button will cause the first stopper to raise, allowing the marble to roll into the space between the first and second stopper. Next, the RGB Color Sensor will detect the color of the marble and rotate the ramp a certain amount of degrees based on its color (note that black and metallic colored marbles will not work because the track is black and so the sensor cannot detect them). Once the ramp moves down, the second stopper raises and the marble is released. The marble then rolls off the ramp into one of the two cups.
Mini Sculpture 2
Mini Sculpture 2
MiniSculpture2.aviOur second kinetic sculpture consists of a velocity sensor, motor, trampoline, and cup. The ball rolls through the velocity sensor, which then lets the motor know to move the trampoline a certain distance. Strangely enough, we aren't using the velocity sensor to measure the distance the trampoline needs to travel; because the marble always starts from the same place in our sculpture, its final velocity is always the same, therefore there is no need to constantly measure the distance the trampoline needs to move using the velocity because the distance will always be the same. Once the marble hits the trampoline, it bounces off into the stationairy cup we have.
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