Team Julie: AT Bagpipe

Inspiration

Julie has been bagpiping for many years for different occasions, but she is particularly touched by the services for the recently deceased, so she can play to bring a sacred honor to their life when so many around them feel helpless. Three years ago Julie lost movement in her right side, due to a stroke. This project is to help Julie be able to play once again, this time with only her left hand.

What it does

With Julie, we designed a two-handed practice chanter to be played with the left hand. The thumb's note is shifted to the pinky, which normally doesn't play a note. This allows the thumb to now play the five notes from the right hand. This swap is important because the thumb has so many more muscles controlling it, allowing it to move between the five notes more seamlessly than the pinky.

How I built it

We went through multiple iterations laser cutting the brackets and flaps out of acrylic and wood. We also created these parts from 3D printed material and a milled delrin version. We cut down steel rod to size, bent it, and drilled out holes into the bracket and flaps. We used set screws to tighten the brackets onto the rod in the right orientation.

Challenges I ran into

We ran into challenges at getting the proper dimensions for the bracket and flaps. It is also very precise, and we had challenges having everything line up exactly as it should. We also had trouble choosing the right material and manufacturing method while our design was rapidly evolving.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

We are proud of the design choice of swapping the thumb and pinky, and the sleek, small design of the device. We are also proud that it can play notes and provides opportunity for Julie to play the bagpipes again. We have iterated through many designs and are proud to see how far we have come from the first design.

What I learned

We learned about the importance of the quick iterations and very precise measurements. We also learned how to communicate designs with the (very helpful) machinists.

What's next for Team Julie: AT Bagpipe

We hope to continue the iterative process and to create a next version of our bagpipes -- 3D printing our pieces with our official shapes and dimensions. Also, now that the mechanics work smoothly, we hope to add in more user friendly opportunities to the bagpipe -- adding comfortable pieces for the thumb and pinky levels, and a spot for the right hand to rest.

For more information:

Check our our website for our documentation and images: https://mandyrosengren.wixsite.com/athack

Built With

• mechanical