This week was focused primarily on our major projects with a couple of breaks for engineering workshops. My team continued work on the forearm rotation device by first building a replica of the past team’s final prototype. We used their SolidWorks files to create pieces of the device and 3D print many of the specific pieces. We completed this on Monday, along with a few modifications, and it looks like the picture shown below.

The main orange collar would be attached to the patient’s elbow to hold it in place, while the two blue rings and orange beam on top are free to rotate with the wrist. The main challenge we faced was developing a way to slide tabs along that inner orange ring to measure the angle the wrist rotates. After a couple days of research, we brainstormed on Wednesday and decided to move forward testing three of our designs. We created several different SolidWorks assemblies of our ideas, one of which is pictured below. We also managed to 3D print and construct one of our three designs, which is also pictured below. Next week we will determine which of our three deigns we will move forward with.

 

We also had a workshop this week on laser cutting and Arduino programming. Half of the interns went with Helen to learn how to solder and use the Arduinos, and the rest of us, myself included, went with Mikaela to use Adobe Illustrator and the laser cutter. The TA’s did a great job teaching us about their particular topics, and by the end of the workshop I was able to make a small laser cut box out of ply wood with my partner Nathalie.

SEED is going great so far, I’m having a great time with my teammates Hillary and Saad, and I’m looking forward to solving our engineering problem, and the rest of the experience.