Senior Capstone Project
As part of Northeastern's Mechanical Engineering, program, I completed a capstone project with a team of other seniors. Our goal was to create an adaptive baseball pitcher for our client, Bob, who coaches a baseball team and has limited mobility. We were able to develop a baseball pitcher that was controllable through only hand and head movements, allowing our client to practice with his team. A special thank you to Professor Andrew Gouldstone for being our faculty advisor for this project.
Details of each component of the project can be found below. The full executive summary of this project is linked here.
Dynamic Stand
The "Dynamic Stand" was the assembly we used for holding and aiming the baseball launcher. The parts were designed in SolidWorks before being sent to the capstone staff to be machined. The base of the stand was controlled by a servo motor and could fully rotate in either direction. The bottom arm is an actuator that allows the client to aim the launcher at an upwards angle. The servo and actuator are both controlled by the control module headset, explained below.
One of the top priorities for this component was transportability, so the base is connected to a commercial wheelbarrow, allowing it to be moved around the field. Additionally, the launcher is connected at the top of the frame by a screw and mounting plate, making it easy for the client to dissemble in order to transport it to and from practice.
Control Module
The Control Module is the interface for the client to interact with the machine. Because our client's mobility was limited to his head and hand, the launcher had to be entirely controllable through those two movements. The main component consists of an Internal Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted to a hat, which allows the user to aim the launcher with head controls. This component sends Bluetooth signals to the servo on the Dynamic Stand so the user does not have to be near the launcher to operate it. Two microlight switches are used to calibrate, lock, and fire the launcher. As a second means of operation, the Control Module can be controlled by voice commands and provides audio feedback for each input.
Electronics Mount
For electronics protection, portability, and safety, we mounted all the electronics inside the launcher itself. For this module, I measured each electronics component and designed a two-tiered electronics mount in SolidWorks. The design consisted of two interlocking pieces that allowed all the electronics to be contained in a small area while leaving room for wiring. All of the electronics on the top level were mounted with extruded screw holes for security and added ventilation. I 3D-printed the components and machined them down to the exact specifications we needed.
Pictures and Videos
Completed project at Northeastern's MIE Capstone Day
Our client, Bob, using the prototype with his son