You decided to combine these three days into one post as most of what happened is not pertinent to your senior project. You did do some work on Tuesday morning at Travis's after you biked to his house. You ordered a few necessary parts from amazon.com and worked on the laser harp which you hope might work for senior diner…
You also did some work with planning out the rest of the week and thinking about how to do the power transfer on the spool.
Tuesday afternoon you headed to the school where the entire Freeport delegation headed to Maine Model United Nations. You had a lot over fun over the next two days. You were a part of the United Nations Special Session on Sports and were a delegate from the USA.
In the end, Freeport won the dodgeball game, the USA won best delegation, and you got the diplomacy award for your committee.
You then returned home this (Thursday) afternoon just in time to change out of a suit and head to frisbee practice. You really enjoyed getting to play frisbee and running around after a few long days of deliberation stuck in fairly small rooms with many people.
You are now fairly tired and look forward to sleeping for a long time tonight.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
Stuff I Could have Learned...
Today you woke up on time for school and ready to work on the project! You went to Nick's house after dropping your brother off for school and sat in a chair for a while. After reading up on different things for the project you went upstairs to make sure Nick was alive....
At Nick's you ordered a half-sphere for the submersible and decided what to do with the oversized batteries (oversized for our 8in float). You also thought you figured out how to measure the battery voltage of the batteries, but were mistaken (as you found out later that evening).
After finished up at Nick's, both you and Nick went back to your house. While at your house you ordered the final HobbyKing motors and ESCs. Unfortunately for you, they were out of the ESCs we had been using, but it ended up working out as the slightly stronger ESCs would still work for our thrusters.
You also tested running processes in Python using Threads (which worked very nicely). The software for the sub and float is finally coming together.
Around 12:00 you and Nick stopped by the bank and then headed over for the AP Physics test...
After the test you went to Frisbee practice (which you thought was sweltering hot) and then you went to swimming. After swimming you ate 3 hamburgers and a big bowl of pasta. Around 20:15 Jessica came over after her softball game and Nick came to drop off his gear for Model UN.
At 22:15 you drove Jess home and then started working on the voltage divider you thought would work to measure the voltage of the battery on the float. Using this simple formula (below) it was supposed to be easy to step down the voltage of a system. By stepping down the system you could then read the analog output from the battery easily through the ADC on the BeagleBone Black.
But sadly nothing is easy...it seems that the 1/4 Watt resistors didn't have a large enough power rating to handle the current (although nothing was being drawn...). You proffer this using Joule's Law (below):
At Nick's you ordered a half-sphere for the submersible and decided what to do with the oversized batteries (oversized for our 8in float). You also thought you figured out how to measure the battery voltage of the batteries, but were mistaken (as you found out later that evening).
After finished up at Nick's, both you and Nick went back to your house. While at your house you ordered the final HobbyKing motors and ESCs. Unfortunately for you, they were out of the ESCs we had been using, but it ended up working out as the slightly stronger ESCs would still work for our thrusters.
You also tested running processes in Python using Threads (which worked very nicely). The software for the sub and float is finally coming together.
Around 12:00 you and Nick stopped by the bank and then headed over for the AP Physics test...
After the test you went to Frisbee practice (which you thought was sweltering hot) and then you went to swimming. After swimming you ate 3 hamburgers and a big bowl of pasta. Around 20:15 Jessica came over after her softball game and Nick came to drop off his gear for Model UN.
At 22:15 you drove Jess home and then started working on the voltage divider you thought would work to measure the voltage of the battery on the float. Using this simple formula (below) it was supposed to be easy to step down the voltage of a system. By stepping down the system you could then read the analog output from the battery easily through the ADC on the BeagleBone Black.
But sadly nothing is easy...it seems that the 1/4 Watt resistors didn't have a large enough power rating to handle the current (although nothing was being drawn...). You proffer this using Joule's Law (below):
In conclusion you will need to purchase larger resistors (maybe 10W?) to handle to current running through the resistors. Once you're able to read the stepped down voltage you will be able to easily translate that to % battery life for the LiFePO4 batteries on the float.
Physics and Packing
You had an overall good day today. You woke up and Travis came over around 0830. You bought some things, looked into depth mapping, and contemplated fitting batteries in the float.
You then headed to Travis's around 1000 and bought some more things, and continued work on the things in the above listing.
You then went to the Community Library to take the Physics test, which was a little bit easier than you expected. You felt pretty good on the long answer and a good portion of the multiple choice, but you are not holding your breath as it probably wont be a 5.
You then went to frisbee. It was a very hot practice but you and the team learned a couple plays, worked on handling and scrimmaged a bit.
Finally you went home to pack and prepare for Model UN over the next couple of days. And, once done packing, you sat down to the Bruin's game which unfortunately was not a good game (for the Bruins anyway). You are looking forward to the next few days at Model UN and hope to bring home best delegation with the rest of the US.
You then headed to Travis's around 1000 and bought some more things, and continued work on the things in the above listing.
You then went to the Community Library to take the Physics test, which was a little bit easier than you expected. You felt pretty good on the long answer and a good portion of the multiple choice, but you are not holding your breath as it probably wont be a 5.
You then went to frisbee. It was a very hot practice but you and the team learned a couple plays, worked on handling and scrimmaged a bit.
Finally you went home to pack and prepare for Model UN over the next couple of days. And, once done packing, you sat down to the Bruin's game which unfortunately was not a good game (for the Bruins anyway). You are looking forward to the next few days at Model UN and hope to bring home best delegation with the rest of the US.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mother's Day
Today you didn't actually work on the project. You woke up and made a card for mother's day, and helped to make crepes. Breakfast was very good and mom seemed to enjoy it.
Then you mowed the lawn. This took a long time as it was the first use of the tractor this year. So the battery was dead, the bagger didn't all fit together correctly on the first try, and a few other things went wrong. All in all, the lawn got mowed and looks pretty good.
You then went driving with your sister and father as she is taking her driver's test this week and wanted some tips on what they look for and where in Brunswick they take you.
While driving you got a little bit of project work done by talking to your father. You talked about how best to make brushes for energy transfer on the float. It turns out that it is better to use a brush with a metal strip as the "spring" instead of using one of the actual spring based brushes.
Finally you had diner from Thai Garden and looked at a little physics in preparation for tomorrow's test.
Then you mowed the lawn. This took a long time as it was the first use of the tractor this year. So the battery was dead, the bagger didn't all fit together correctly on the first try, and a few other things went wrong. All in all, the lawn got mowed and looks pretty good.
You then went driving with your sister and father as she is taking her driver's test this week and wanted some tips on what they look for and where in Brunswick they take you.
While driving you got a little bit of project work done by talking to your father. You talked about how best to make brushes for energy transfer on the float. It turns out that it is better to use a brush with a metal strip as the "spring" instead of using one of the actual spring based brushes.
Finally you had diner from Thai Garden and looked at a little physics in preparation for tomorrow's test.
Weekend 1 - Mother's Day
Today you did not do too much for the project.
You woke up early and made your mom breakfast. Later you went on a walk and had a nice dinner.
For the project you finished setting up the Python Server/Socket Module on the BeagleBone. You also decided on different ways to run the communication/data/motor system due to some deficiencies in the software. Overall though the software is looking good. Your very excited to get RoboGoby 1.0 into the water and working!
As promised, below is a video of the rocket fuel you made yesterday:
You woke up early and made your mom breakfast. Later you went on a walk and had a nice dinner.
For the project you finished setting up the Python Server/Socket Module on the BeagleBone. You also decided on different ways to run the communication/data/motor system due to some deficiencies in the software. Overall though the software is looking good. Your very excited to get RoboGoby 1.0 into the water and working!
As promised, below is a video of the rocket fuel you made yesterday:
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Weekend 1 - Some Free Time
You had a good Saturday, although you did not get that much done for the project. In the morning you used the 5 pounds of Potassium Nitrate you bought to make an awesome sugar-rocket surprise. The stuff you made was explosive! and awesome.
At 13:15 Nick, Liam, and Josef came over. Josef work on streaming video, while Nick and Liam worked on the list of materials we need to purchase for the project. You helped Josef with the video streaming and finally finished the TCP Python Server (which took a while for some reason). You also helped create the list which included a few things. You ended up purchasing timing belts for the float, materials for the thrusters, and double o-ring seals for both the submersible and the float. You and Nick decided on the best way to seal the sub and the float and walked away feeling good about both designs. You also read the post Nick wrote about the first half Float V2, edited it, and added some pictures. You also planned on meeting Monday morning at Nick's to choose the brushes need for the power transfer on the float (from the batteries through the spool and into the wire).
You had a productive day because the materials you purchased today will allow you to finish the entire float next weekend (including the tether). It will also allow you to start work on the actual submersible (by hopefully finishing the LEDs and heat-sinks).
After spending around 3 hours on the project, you made some more rocket fuel and ignited it in some water (it burned surprising well half submerged). Tomorrow you will have a video demonstration...sadly you did not take a video today.
Your also excited to read the new volume of Make!
At 13:15 Nick, Liam, and Josef came over. Josef work on streaming video, while Nick and Liam worked on the list of materials we need to purchase for the project. You helped Josef with the video streaming and finally finished the TCP Python Server (which took a while for some reason). You also helped create the list which included a few things. You ended up purchasing timing belts for the float, materials for the thrusters, and double o-ring seals for both the submersible and the float. You and Nick decided on the best way to seal the sub and the float and walked away feeling good about both designs. You also read the post Nick wrote about the first half Float V2, edited it, and added some pictures. You also planned on meeting Monday morning at Nick's to choose the brushes need for the power transfer on the float (from the batteries through the spool and into the wire).
You had a productive day because the materials you purchased today will allow you to finish the entire float next weekend (including the tether). It will also allow you to start work on the actual submersible (by hopefully finishing the LEDs and heat-sinks).
After spending around 3 hours on the project, you made some more rocket fuel and ignited it in some water (it burned surprising well half submerged). Tomorrow you will have a video demonstration...sadly you did not take a video today.
Your also excited to read the new volume of Make!
A laid back Saturday
Nick, your Saturday was pretty easy. You slept quite late by your standards (1030), this was a very good thing as you had felt pretty sick the night before. Upon waking you felt much more rested and not as sick.
You sat down to write a blog post around 1130, and you took about 45 minutes to write up the first draft of the Float V2 - Spool half. Later on Josef and Travis edited, added pictures to, and posted that blog post.
Around 1315 all four of you met up at Travis's house. You worked on video streaming again, getting quite close to a solution. You and Liam also looked for waterproof lock boxes that could store the electronics in the submersible. This proved impossible as there were none with the right sizes that were also rated to any depth greater than 100ft.
With that in mind you started thinking about other possible ways to water proof the electronics. You decided to get some o-rings from McMaster as well as latches. You plan to use these to test a couple possible answers, and if one works to make the final version sometime in the next week and a half.
Along with that you got some things from McMaster for the float, the LED heat sinks, and Mr. Amory's kids down at Baxter Academy.
Lastly you went to the Middle School's production of the musical Annie at the Mast Landing School.
All in all it was a laid back day and you feel very recovered after being tired, sore, and sick due to yesterday's frisbee game against Cumberland.
You sat down to write a blog post around 1130, and you took about 45 minutes to write up the first draft of the Float V2 - Spool half. Later on Josef and Travis edited, added pictures to, and posted that blog post.
Around 1315 all four of you met up at Travis's house. You worked on video streaming again, getting quite close to a solution. You and Liam also looked for waterproof lock boxes that could store the electronics in the submersible. This proved impossible as there were none with the right sizes that were also rated to any depth greater than 100ft.
With that in mind you started thinking about other possible ways to water proof the electronics. You decided to get some o-rings from McMaster as well as latches. You plan to use these to test a couple possible answers, and if one works to make the final version sometime in the next week and a half.
Along with that you got some things from McMaster for the float, the LED heat sinks, and Mr. Amory's kids down at Baxter Academy.
Lastly you went to the Middle School's production of the musical Annie at the Mast Landing School.
All in all it was a laid back day and you feel very recovered after being tired, sore, and sick due to yesterday's frisbee game against Cumberland.
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