Concept Statement:

Our NEW AND IMPROVED™ project concept is to create a machine that shoots paintballs when you yell at it. This is to display a physical representation of sound.

Project Narrative:

This is a visual and physical display of sound.

Justification:

The project relates to the course themes in that it interacts with paint and a canvas to create meaning. The meaning comes from the interpretation and visualization of the viewers speech.

Resources:

–Paintballs

-Mic

-Paint vessels/pump

-Canvas

-Easel/stand for canvas

-Plastic Tarps,

-Paint Sprayer

-Motor

-Laser cut/ CNC routed pieces to assemble robot armature

-Table/stand for robot

-Pittsburgh crime data

Objectives:

Proof of Concept: 

Our most critical initial question with this project is what is required to get paint to shoot across some distance? The goal in this stage will be to test various setups involving varying air supplies and pressures as well as paint viscosities to determine what works best and the range of plausible distances between the robot and the canvas.

Initial Design Documentation:

At this checkpoint we plan on developing a detailed design which includes the following:

-a list of parts needed to be purchased as well as a list of parts to be fabricated

-CAD drawings and diagrams of the overall system as well as of parts to be fabricated for the robot arm

-a code outline which should account for shooting different colors of paint based on input, moving the paint sprayer on the motor, and interpret the sounds from the room.

Critical Path Analysis:

We plan on developing a detailed schedule for fabrication based on our findings from earlier stages. Tasks will be allotted reasonable amounts of time to complete in a planned sequence which ensures the project will be fully complete and working by the final presentation date.

Phase 1 Prototype:

For our first prototype it is essential we get the paint shooting from the fabricated device and the colors synced to the crime data we are inputing. We will also make sure the rotational abilities of the physical prototype are functional to allow the location of the paint splatter on the canvas to accurately correspond to a pre-determined position algorithm.

Phase 2 Prototype:

Our second prototype will more or less be a refined version of the first prototype with the issues fully resolved or close to it.