Space-Invaders.IO

Project team member(s): Sean Fowler, Timbre Carey, Jonah Simpkins, Luke Hyman

Give a one-paragraph description/summary of the project, which includes information like the motivation for the project, the goals of the project, and the resulting implementation and success of the project.

Introduction

Explain the motivation for your project in terms of the educational objectives and why your haptic device is an appropriate approach.

Background

Explain the relevant prior work in the field of haptics and provide references. These will likely be different from the references in your project proposal. Make sure to do a thorough literature search on relevant haptic devices/application.

Methods

Provide a detailed description of your project, such that another student from the class could generally re-create your project/experiment from the report if necessary. (You don't need to document every screw, but the design should be clear.) Add images and videos as needed to support the description. You can refer to downloadable drawings and code in the "Files" section (later). You should divide this section into subsections, which can vary depending on your particular project. Here is an example set of subsections:

Hardware Design and Implementation

System Analysis and Control

Demonstration / Application

Results

Describe the results, which may include qualitative responses from users at the open house.

Future Work

Describe how your system could be tested (e.g., through experiments if you have not already done so), how it can be improved, and how it might be applied.

Acknowledgments

Here you can list any individuals or groups who helped you with your project. (e.g., another student in the class, a course assistant, or an especially helpful PRL TA). Optional, so delete this section if you aren't using it.

Files

Code and drawings should be linked here. You should be able to upload these using the Attach command. If you aren't willing to share these data on a public site, please discuss with the instructor. Also, in this section include a link to a file with a list of major components and their approximate costs.

References

List the referenced literature, websites, etc. here.

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Appendix: Project Checkpoints

Checkpoint 1

Physical game controller hardware concept and design

To interface the player with the game engine, we aim to design a 2 DOF direct drive controller that is rigidly attached to a fixed surface so as to allow rigid application of controller forces to the player. One degree of freedom controls player orientation, while the other controls the throttle. Both of these will be direct driven by a Maxon motor, and will be oriented 90 degrees from one another. For the first check point, we have completed the preliminary hardware conceptualization and design for the box itself.

We are waiting to design the actual control inputs until we have characterized the torque of the Maxon motors. If it is lower than expected, we will want the smallest moment arms possible to transfer the greatest force. The design will house the hapkit board that drives the two motors, as well as a power on switch and status LEDs mounted to the outside of the game controller. Side-mounted plates constitute the motor mounting points, and bolt to the main housing with a flange. The whole assembly can be easily 3D printed, and is made thick enough to be completely rigid within the limits of human tactile forces.

Precise measurements of our motors will allow us to complete this design. The use of the Maxon motor with built in encoder was successfully derisked. The interrupt pins, D2 and D3, on the hapkit board were used to read the encoder in quadrature. This allows the mechanical design to be built up around this motor. Position in encoder counts and calculated RPM were communicated via serial as demonstrated:

Attach:DaVinciEncoderCounting.mp4

The “dry” haptic effects (both player-driven and event-driven) are given in the Arduino file below. They currently exist as isolated functions with their associated variables and will later be connected with the motor drivers and game engine to complete the stack. The given functions can be used with the hapkit helper function framework from Homework 4.

Attach:Haptic_Effect_Functions

Checkpoint 2

Here you will write a few paragraphs about what you accomplished in the project so far. Include the checkpoint goals and describe which goals were met (and how), which were not (what were the challenges?), and any change of plans for the project based on what you learned. Include images and/or drawings where appropriate.

Example Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_aLBql4Ufo