Generate - Northeastern University's Product Development Studio
Final design render
Includes:
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Computer vision software to track the movement of the ball and the batter
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A screen for controls and playback
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A system of colored LEDs to inform if the throw was a ball or strike
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Electrical components held within a chassis, that is encompassed by an enclosure
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A foldable tripod system with locking hinges
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A laser to easily reposition the camera
RoboUmp
Fall 2023
Scope: 4 months
Role: Hardware Engineer
Team Size: 16 engineers
Budget: $2500
Problem: Create a robotic umpire for baseball that accurately detects balls and strikes for easy practice and in game use
Final design render
Final design render
Locking hinge 3d-printed test
Tools:
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OnShape
Skills:
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Design for Manufacturing
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Design for Assembly
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3D Printing
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Material Selection
Contributions: Tripod subsystem
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Designed and manufactured the foldable tripod system to hold the camera up at 5 feet
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Includes hinges that use offset friction to lock the legs in place at 180 degree
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Manufactured out of aluminum to ensure durability against fast baseball
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Designed for easy and quick set up and disassembly
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Designed to fit into a duffle bag for easy transportation
Tripod legs final result - folded
Locking hinges design sketch
Contributions: Enclosure
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Designed the enclosure to securely fit the chassis while still having a personalized sports style
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Includes mounting for the camera, laser, LEDs, buttons, wire connections and the screen
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Designed with an easily detachable lid for easy access to the chassis and the inner electrical components
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3d printed out of PLA plastic but designed for injection molding
Enclosure and Chassis render
Results and Future Improvements
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The enclosure worked very well to hold the chassis and provide a sleek look for the machine
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The tripod legs succeeded in being able to fold to a compact size
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The locking aspect of the leg hinges were lower friction than needed, causing the legs to be unstable while standing
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if given more time, even more testing should have been done on the hinges to determine the optimal resistance
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The legs were very durable and able to withstand fast baseballs, however because of the material choice, it was very heavy
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A stronger plastic or lighter alternative would have worked better instead of aluminum in order to make it easier for the users to move the machine
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