User:Riveshp/HoverCraft

Write problem/project Goal
Overall goal is to have our hover craft function according to command. We would like to have the hover craft, first, move straight without help from our group members and then move according to command programmed in the arduino. The major goal is have the hover craft move down a pathway without help from our group members and a minor goal is to balance the weight of the battery and other parts holding the hovercraft together so the hover craft does not 'glide' on the ground when it is functioning.

My First Task
As of Wednesday, October 16, I hope to come up with a solution to properly balance the battery on the hovercraft. We are currently having issues balancing the battery on top. When the battery is placed on the hovercraft, the hovercraft tends to 'drag' on one end. Hopefully, by the end of the week, I have a solution on how to balance the battery on the hovercraft and reduce the drag. Also, I hope to find a solution on the direction of the hovercraft. Currently, we are having issues on the way it spins. We would, first, like it to go straight, instead of spinning left and right. Summary of tasks for my first weekend is to, find a way to properly balance the battery on top of the hovercraft and have the hovercraft move in the proper direction before we have it spin a full 360 degrees.

Summary of actual work over first weekend
Earlier in the week I planned to have one battery powering the fan and have that battery balanced on top of the hovercraft. After review with my team mates, the design on top of the hovercraft was changed from one battery to three batteries that power the blower at the bottom of the hovercraft. However, the addition of the batteries did increase the weight of the hovercraft but the power of the fan is stronger and can handle the additional weight. The addition of the batteries could have a high damage risk to the blower because there is a chance of high voltage being transported from the three batteries to the one blower. Adam attached an additional fan on the top of the hovercraft to have it move forward, however that did not work. I figured since the fan is, one, not powerful enough and two, the air is just being blown. What I mean by the air just being blown is, the air is not forced up against any other object behind it to move forward. I figured, if the fan was tilted down and blowing towards the ground, that may have the hovercraft move forward. After brainstorming and completing ideas to have the hovercraft move forward. I did research on how other 'homemade' hovercrafts were operated. I found some unique videos, but they all were using leaf blower fans or other powerful fans to have the hovercraft move. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ruwpuSI2G0 ) I have a few new ideas on how to make the hovercraft move forward such as, destroying the old one and creating a new one, with a new design, new structure, and new material. Another idea is to re-coat the bottom with new bubble wrap and pop holes in specific areas only.

Week1 Narrative
What I did for my team this weekend was brainstorm new ideas for design just in case we decided to re-model the hovercraft. Earlier in the week in brainstormed ideas on how to balance the battery on top of the hovercraft until we added two additional batteries which made it a total of three batteries. I also helped look for materials to properly seal the hovercraft because our major problem for the hovercraft was air escaping from small areas on the hovercraft. I helped my teammates re-coat the outside by adding additional hot glue and duct tape to stop the additional air from being wasted and escaping out. I figured since the duct tape has issues with air escaping, packing tape could be used as a resolution, since many different shipping companies say that packing tape helps to close items that have air flow. I also did research on purchasing new blower fans and the cost to purchase them. There are many different blowers that can be purchased that are smaller and pack more power but they cost a lot more money. Excluding that, I figured adding batteries and restricting air flow to certain areas throughout the hovercraft can help it lift off the ground and adding a powerful fan on top of the hovercraft help it move forward. I did research arduino programming for the hovercraft also and found a video for beginners to work with arduino. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HqXAmV_Ock) Over the course of next week I will continue to study the arduino programming and become stronger at it to accomplish our major task for this project which is to have it move from point A to point B (in an obstacle course)using the arduino programming.

My Second Task
What I plan to do for the second weekend for my team is, have an additional design ready for the hover craft for my team to use just in case the original model fails to produce the way we prefer. Come up with a light weight solution so the blower can handle the lift of the hovercraft and have a program for arduino. A minor goal, which can be accomplished on Wednesday or Friday of next week, if we keep the original design, is to modify the top of the hovercraft. Meaning having all batteries and fans neatly connected on top so if the hovercraft bumps against another object it can with hold the shock and the wires can stay intact, basically make it neat and more sturdy to with hold impact from other objects.

Summary of actual work over second weekend
This week I primarily helped work on the design of the hovercraft. Trying to find ways to add power to the blower and reduce weight on the hovercraft at the same time. I thought adding 2 small fans would help the hovercraft lift off the ground to a level that the group would like (about 1-2 inches) but I was wrong. The addition of the fans did not work so I then decided to just add more power to the blower and replace the bottom of the hovercraft with a new coating. I also reviewed arduino videos via youtube and am still trying to create a program for the hovercraft. The major problem I face with the arduino is, the hovercrafts movement itself. A major problem is, if the hovercraft bumps against a wall and spins around then the programming listed for the hovercraft via the arduino won't work for the directions planned. So next week my plan is to figure out a way around the 'major flaw' for the hovercraft.



Week2 Narrative
I have been studying arduino programming for my team this weekend and helping to redesign our hovercraft by recoating the bottom and having more of a lift off the ground. Adding fans and reducing weight is my major goal over the weekend. As listed above the major problem for me is if the hovercraft bumps against a wall, then the programming won't go as planned. I hope to find sensors and attach them to the hovercraft which can help the movement from bumping against any walls or other obstacles.

My Third task
This weekend I hope to find a battery that provides the max amount of power for our blower. Find a way to have the hovercraft lift off of the ground and find an arduino program for the hovercraft.



Summary of actual work over third weekend
How is what you did different than what you planned? This week I really didn't have a solid plan. But I found an arduino program that can have a hovercraft move through a course. My next task is to compare and contrast the arduino programming. What I mean by that is to compare the arduino programming that I found online and create my own so I can control the hovercraft by my command. Hovercraft arduino commands that I found online are; enum commands = { START, STOP, SPEEDUP, SPEEDDOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, FORWARD, BACKWARDS, LIGHTSON, LIGHTSOFF, EMERGENCYSTOP, DEMOMODE, STATUSREPORT, ... }. The only commands that we will not use are the lights on and lights off. I am also looking for inexpensive sensor to detect any obstacles because we are looking into adding sensors to help the hovercraft in direction.

I did additional research and found out that Each pin on the Arduino can only handle 40 mA of current. So what we decided to do is add additional power supply and I am looking for a motor controller.

Week3 Narrative
I was doing additional research on the arudino programming and did find a program, the only thing I have to do is compare and contrast the two codes and come up with a working code for the hovercraft. The primary issue I am having right now with the arduino is finding a comparison model that was previously used by another hovercraft. Comparing many different arduino codes I think I may have a code ready and have it copied on my page by next week. What I need to do on next week is test the program with our hovercraft and see if it is compatible. Most of my work was cut short due to the power outage at my house for 3 days. With the limited resources, I came up with an effective light weight idea for our hovercraft. After testing my prototype at home, I found out that placing some sort of bag or air restriction at the bottom of the hovercraft can help it rise above the ground. I noticed that the restricted air flow gave it more of a push in the bag and with the limited air that was escaping from the bubble wrap that sealed the bottom. Since I do not have an arudino at home, I gave my prototype a push with my hands. I noticed that it glided across the floor easily and did not spin in circles. What I did was position the arduino so it does not bob and weave left and right, it moves straight which not only is easier when creating a program and having the hovercraft move through an obstacle course, I know that it will not bump against any wall on the sides. Preventing the hovercraft from hitting anything when being tested is key. The programming becomes ten times easier knowing that a major flaw is out of the way.

I will continue to test my prototype and make modifications to the one we have in class. I also noticed that my hovercraft is lighter in weight, primarily because I am using less batteries and have light weight fans at the bottom. I am trying to find new fans for the hovercraft in the classroom and replace it with the heavy weight blower we are currently using. At the end of the day, my prototype at home is always available for use in the classroom as the final product.

My Fourth task
This weekend I am going to have an arduino program ready to where the hovercraft can at least move backward and forward, if not side to side. I am also going to create a way to make the hovercraft weigh less which can help it rise above the ground. I have an idea already, just to use it on the classroom hovercraft, I am positive that the idea will work because it has worked on the prototype that I have ready. I had a lot more work documented but the mother board on my computer is fried due to the power issues at home. I am getting the board fixed and have the arudino code on it that will incorporate that forward and backward movement.

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend
Towards the end of the project, I was unable to create a ardunio code for the hovercraft, I had to let my team member Joseph take over in that department. However, we did work together and keep in contact to compare ideas that we had for the arduino code. I ended up mostly working on the design and transformation of the hovercraft with Adam. We found a solution to the voltage problem we had, which then created a problem to the solution. The problem I had primarily was the power from the batteries being released, there was not enough and the batteries were draining rather quickly. So we then decided to use the power box that releases voltage from the classroom. I found out that the power we need to make this hovercraft operate, was in that box. However, I noticed that the box and the wires released from it gave the hovercraft limited mobility so that was out of the question. I then decided to add 4 nine volt batteries that could give off the same amount of voltage the power box in classroom does, but that did not work. The batteries began to drain fast and the weight on top of the hovercraft kept it from moving the we wanted it to. The hovercraft basically did not glide across the ground, it just dragged.



Week4 Narrative
This weekend, I helped my team member Joseph create and arduino code by giving him ideas from studying arduino and relating to previous codes. I worked mostly on the balance of the hovercraft this week and was at a point of success then at a point of the worst thing ever, failure to have the hovercraft work. Power and voltage is there to have the hovercraft operate however finding the balance for the batteries to operate the hovercraft and having a battery that is light weight, is nearly impossible, unless of course, we invest in an expensive battery that is high in voltage and light in weight, but as stated before the batteries are very expensive. With that out of the question, we tested the hovercraft with the power box in class to see the correct amount of voltage required to finally have this hovercraft work. I found out that the hovercraft needed 12 volts to operate possibly more but that could possibly danger the blower so I placed and (x) on that decision. After deciding that the hovercraft requires 12 volts, we used another 3 volt battery that could help the hovercraft. The addition of the battery made it a total of 4 batteries and a total of 12 volts. The idea with the battery and proper lift worked, but the blower was draining the power in the battery so fast that it was practically impossible to have it move to our speed. I know that we can use the power box in the classroom to have the hovercraft, so our only idea was the batteries and with the limited power we had, the decision was made to just work with it. An arudino program was photographed and placed on the team page, the arduino code was created to have the hovercraft move forward at least.



Complete Team Page
Fill out the Team Form (should have already copied the form, created the team page, linked to it and started filling it out).