Group 3!!! aka - TUBES SUCKAS!!!!
3.7.06
YO! We got a midi controller inspired by the bike pump. We went that route because it was basically....just more fun and entertaining. Here's our code.
One flex sensor controls the note value, one controls the program value, and a pot controls the tempo of the ostinato of the notes. GET READY.
xo,
Tubes R 4 Suckas
______________________________________________________________________________
2.28.06
Here's the code I ended up using to take in the data from the flex sensor on the balloon.
Our concept started to lean towards merging the pump with the object it's inflating to create a type of musical instrument. After talking with Michael about it, we found that we needed a pressure sensor to measure the pressure within the object being inflated. If using an FSR, we would need to cage the object in order to get the pressure from both sides of the sensor. He also recommended using a pneumatic solenoid valve, which can be controlled by a pic chip and control the air flow from the pump to the object.
We started with the pressure sensor, a Motorola MPX10D?, which was available at the computer store. I also met with Todd about our concept, and he advised us to take the simplest route, to get things going. I was planning to cut open a cheap pump, figure out how to rebuild it to fit our ideas, but his advice made total sense - just get it hooked up to a pressure sensor, read in the data and we're set. Once we can get the pressure data, we could manipulate other actions with it. Teresa and I found the data sheets on the MPX10D?, sorted out the power and some of the connecting leads, but I missed the part about how much pressure it could handle. Um, yeah - I blew out the pressure sensor. It turns out this particular sensor can handle very minute amounts of pressure, and I probably pumped at least 50-100PSI into it. We noticed a type of goo leak out, which was probably the membrane used to contain the pressure for measurement. So by the time Bennett and Teresa had hooked it up with the PIC Basic code, the readings off the serial communicator were not making any sense. We need to find a pressure sensor that is capable of managing the PSI we're using.
To date, here's links to research we've compiled on the project.
Our prototype to date consists of the hardware (pump, pressure sensor/FSR, breadboard, chip) and software (music files). Images, diagrams, audio files and additional code will be posted shortly.
2.21.06
Video Files
Bennett - Pumping
Angela - Football
Audio Files
Slide Whistle examples
Melodica examples
2.17.06
And the PROTOTIZZ is born
2.16.06
Breakdown Bike Pump Actions
1 - Unlock tube from indentations in pump
2 - Put nozzle onto tire
3 - Place feet on foot platforms
4 - Pull pump up
5 - Pull pump down
6 - Monitor gauge
Possible Mediums
1 - Audible signal to show that proper nozzle angle / position was achieved
2 - Kazoo or slide whistle sound if air is leaking between pump and tire
3 - "Muscle Contest" while the harder / faster you pump, the more lights light up
4 - Visual of huge inflatables (Macy's day parade balloons, zeppelin, etc) being inflated while pumping wheel
5 - Music plays note by note each time pump is pressed down or up
Sketches of ideas for modifying tool
2.14.06
We'll have some videos and pics up soon, but for now, here's what we observed.
Had problems uploading photos to our page, so for now, please click here
Our video files are too big to post here (will compress files) - we'll bring them in for the presentation.
Bennett brought his righteous bike pump over and pumped in and released air into his bike tire, over and over. Here were our observations:
Bennett's Pumping of Air
- A full pump consisted of the handle pulled as far up as it would go, to as far down as it would go. That pumped about 5 PSI of air into the tire.
- The most tension for Bennett was when the pump handle was about midway down his stroke
- 27 pumps filled up the tire to about 100 PSI
- By the 7th time filling and releasing the tire, his lower back hurt and his triceps were sore
- He put on his helmet after the 7th time, for inspiration. and it worked
- After the 9th time, we felt the base of the pump was extremely warm
- By the 10th time, he was really warm and the edges of his palms were feeling tension but because of the 'v' design of the pump handle, there wasn't much pain in the hands at all
Joanna's Pumping of Air
- I tried the one foot on, one foot off approach on the foot platform, which gave me a little bit better stance, and it was easy to get the most force to push the pump down
- My arms shuddered as there was more pressure exerted against me by the pump
- Had to roll the sleeves up on time two
Here's some videos of "the action":
Teresa's Pumping of Air
- Video to be shown during class presentation
Angela's Pumping of Air
The goal was to get air into a bicycle tire using an aluminum floor pump.
Actions required:
- Use of the feet (to stabilize the pump on the ground)
- Use of hands to attach pump's nozzle to object
- Upright position, hands on handles
- Bending down, lean weight in a downward motion to push air through pump into object.
- Repeat up & down motion until you meet pressure/resistance from object (can't receive anymore air without bursting).
- Also use vision to gauge fullness, squeeze object with fingers to sense pressure
The product overall was designed nicely - lightweight, stable, aesthetically pleasing, fairly simple. The only difficulties we experienced were sometimes having the nozzle snap on our fingers. It looks similar to a garden hose attachment, but isn't meant to be held in the same way, so that's a bit misleading. The process of observing these actions made me think of what else the pump could be applied to besides bicycle tires. We tried with an inflatable football toy, but an additional pin is necessary. I blew it up anyway and have some video of that to contrast our images and video of the pump in use with a human approach to inflating. The inhale/exhale process is similar to the up and down pumping motion (expanding/contracting).
Similar products/actions include respirator, built in airbed pumps, breathing/blowing, air compressor.
The real difference between this and other bike pumps is in the nozzle. On the nozzle itself, it has the word "Switchitter" and a picture of two kinds of bike tire valves. This nozzle is built to accomodate either of the two most popular types of tire valves, Schrader (old-school) and Presta (newer, the kind pictured in our photos). Once the nozzle is engaged on the valve, it gets locked into place by pulling the gray handle up, away from the valve body. When this happens, a small rubber ring engages around the valve to lock it in place and create an air-tight seal. I have found this to be the most pleasing feature of the pump. Most other pumps have separate holes on the same nozzle head for Presta and Schrader valves. This pump has just the one, and is also much easier to release and remove from a tire that has been pumped to full capacity.
The pump is also a "floor pump" design as opposed to smaller, travel style pumps that might fit in a bag. Floor pumps are generally used at home or in a bike shop, and their design allows them to pump to a much higher pressure than travel pumps. In our testing with the tube and tire, we deflated the tire all the way and pumped it to full capacity each time. In reality, the pump would more often be used to just add a few pounds of pressure at a time to keep tires firm at home, or to pump up a new tube that has been replaced. In our test we were doing a lot more work with it than one would normally do at a time.