Jenga Earthquake Table
NU Toys: Club Project (2017)
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Construct a randomly vibrating base table for a game to Jenga to increase the game's difficulty.
CONSTRAINTS:
Budget limited to $50. Due to fall e-board responsibilities I set myself a deadline to finish this project before 09/2017, leaving about one month to complete the first prototype.
Jenga Earthquake Table
NU Toys: Club Project (2017)
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Construct a randomly vibrating base table for a game to Jenga to increase the game's difficulty.
CONSTRAINTS:
Budget limited to $50. Due to fall e-board responsibilities I set myself a deadline to finish this project before 09/2017, leaving about one month to complete the first prototype.
Jenga Earthquake Table
NU Toys: Club Project (2017)
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Construct a randomly vibrating base table for a game to Jenga to increase the game's difficulty.
CONSTRAINTS:
Budget limited to $50. Due to fall e-board responsibilities I set myself a deadline to finish this project before 09/2017, leaving about one month to complete the first prototype.
Jenga Earthquake Table
NU Toys: Club Project (Fall 2017)
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Construct a randomly vibrating base table for Jenga to increase the game's difficulty.
DESIGN - ELECTRICAL
- Coming into this project I knew very little about motor control so a lot of time was spent resarching
- I ultimately chose a SparkFun motor control board that plugs into an Arduino UNO. In retrospect, smaller, cheaper components would have worked too.
- I also figured out how to program the motor to spin at random time intervals, at varying intensity
Soldering practice
DESIGN - MECHANICAL
- I needed to convert the motor's circular motion into linear motion along one axis
- The hinged lever arm connecting the motor to the platform was inspired by a steam engine and properly constrained the platform's motion
- Rollers were placed underneath the platform so it could oscillate with little friction
SolidWorks model of assembly
Completed prototype!
SKILLS GAINED:
- Introduction to motor control
- Rapid prototyping with tight budget and time constraints
- Transforming CAD design into a working prototype
FURTHER STEPS:
- Add a second motor to allow for motion in two axes
- Upgrade rollers to ball casters to allow for second movement direction
- Build an enclosure to make the game more attractive to users
Working demo of Jenga earthquake table