{"id":14888,"date":"2021-12-10T18:23:44","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T23:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.ideate.cmu.edu\/60-223\/f2021\/work\/?p=14888"},"modified":"2021-12-10T18:28:30","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T23:28:30","slug":"talking-scale-by-team-figs-final-documentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/courses.ideate.cmu.edu\/60-223\/f2021\/work\/talking-scale-by-team-figs-final-documentation\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking Scale by Team Figs: Final Documentation"},"content":{"rendered":"

This project consisted of creating a “talking scale” for our client, Justin. This project in particular featured building an assistive device for a client, building off our prior project of building an assistive device for ourselves. Here, we met with Justin, talking through his needs and desires, and were able to work collaboratively towards creating a product that could help him. For information about our process working with Justin, see our interview documentation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What We Built<\/h1>\n

Our talking scale functions as a typical scale, able to measure how much an item placed on it weighs, with additional functionality that allows it to be accessible for a blind person. For example, each function that we have also has an audio cue. In addition, our buttons have printed braille labels that allow Justin to be able to read what each one does.<\/p>\n

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Overall view of the final product<\/p><\/div>\n

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Grate for the speaker<\/p><\/div>\n

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Buttons for unit change, tare, and speak functions<\/p><\/div>\n

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Knob to control the volume<\/p><\/div>\n

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Braille strips graciously provided by Justin<\/p><\/div>\n

Our talking scale functions as a typical scale, able to measure how much an item placed on it weighs, with additional functionality that allows it to be accessible for a blind person. For example, each function that we have also has an audio cue. In addition, our buttons have printed braille labels that allow Justin to be able to read what each one does.<\/p>\n

\nhttps:\/\/courses.ideate.cmu.edu\/60-223\/f2021\/work\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/ezgif.com-gif-maker-1.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

Narrative Sketch<\/h3>\n

As Justin prepares his yearly deer jerky, he goes to his kitchen and to his kitchen counter, where he has his Talking Scale. He plugs it in, and it does a little musical motif to notify him that it\u2019s on. He places a bowl in the middle of the scale and pushes the middle button, which reads \u201ctare\u201d in braille underneath in order to zero out the scale. From the speaker, the scale says, \u201cweight is now zero\u201d indicating that the tare worked. He then places the jerky in the bowl, and presses the button on the right, which has the \u201ctalk\u201d label in braille. The scale reads out, \u201cOne point one pounds,\u201d telling him that the jerky weighs 1.1 pounds. He also wants the reading in grams, so he presses the left button, which has the \u201cunits\u201d label in braille, changing the units. The scale says \u201cgrams\u201d indicating that the unit is now in grams. He presses the talk button once more, and it reads out, \u201cfour hundred ninety nine grams,\u201d telling him the weight of the jerky in grams. Satisfied with the weight of his jerky, he is able to successfully partition it out.<\/p>\n

How We Got Here<\/h1>\n

This prototype was designed to help answer the design question of how we would get the load cell to work and how we would design the scale to be as accessible as possible for a blind person.<\/p>\n

As such, our prototype had a working load cell. We also had a Fusion design mockup, and braille prototypes for Justin to give feedback on.<\/p>\n

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Sketchbook work brainstorming forms of the project, as well as how to integrate the mechanism of the load cell<\/p><\/div>\n

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Progress shot of different braille squares produced by experimenting with different laser settings<\/p><\/div>\n

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Progress shot of the CAD file at the onset of the project<\/p><\/div>\n

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Overall view of the prototype<\/p><\/div>\n

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Closer detail look at the load cell, the tool with which we weigh objects<\/p><\/div>\n

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Closer details of the wiring and chips used in the prototype<\/p><\/div>\n