Inspiration
We've been discussing the idea of suspending a ping-pong ball for a while. After finding a nice impeller in the last few days, we decided to do something with it, eventually settling on a game.
What it does
This is an interactive game that uses a LeapMotion to track a user's hand and rotate a gimballed impeller fan to suspend a ball. The object of the game is to navigate the ball though metal wire hoops in the air while keeping it levitated. The fan can suspend the ball around 40 degrees from the vertical axis, so the user has lots of space to move around in.
How I built it
We used a 3D printer to create most of the hardware in the game. The models we used were all created during the hackathon using SOLIDWORKS. We also used balsa wood for simple surfaces like the box that the game is housed in. The fan is rotated by two servos, each on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the other. Using a dual gimbal system, we can rotate the fan to point in any direction.
Challenges I ran into
We encountered a few setbacks during this project, most of them being unforeseen consequences. For instance, we had a few 3D prints that we needed to modify and remake later due to a problem we did not anticipate like a collision between two parts in the complex gimbal. Also, it took some time to perfectly coordinate the LeapMotion with the servos.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
We're very proud of being able to finish a project like this within a 12-hour timespan. We all learned things today that we didn't know beforehand, as well as some lessons we can apply to our future projects.
What I learned
- Think about all the possible positions for a part to take before you model it. Be sure it doesn't interfere with anything else, or vice versa.
- Be careful with electronics. You can accidentally destroy parts if you're not sure of the circuitry beforehand. ## What's next for Mystic Wind of the East College mostly!
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