Reaction Game

Project Overview 

During my first year in the NTU EEE garage, I took an interactive "drop-catch" reaction game from a rough sketch to a fully functional physical prototype. This project served as a foundational exercise in rapid prototyping, budget management, and iterative engineering design, bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and hands-on system integration. 

My initial design utilized electromagnets as the release mechanism to hold and drop the sticks. However, practical run-time testing quickly revealed a critical flaw: the electromagnets drew continuous current to hold the payloads, leading to severe overheating issues.

Instead of forcing a failing concept, I pivoted the design toward a mechanical solution that would be more power-efficient and thermally stable. I replaced the electromagnets with micro servo motors, which only draw significant current during the brief actuation window.