ADAPTIVE SHUFFLEBOARD GAME
July 2021 - Present (Anticipated Completion April 26, 2022)
Team of 5
Problem Statement
To design an easily operated Shuffleboard gaming system for a quadriplegic client to use comfortably without fully automating the game.
Design Constraints
need lateral movement to aim the puck (no speed requirements)
need longitudinal movement to shoot the puck (at 100in/s)
need a method to hold the puck (i.e. a claw)
system needs to return to “home” after each shot
needs to be easy, comfortable, and enjoyable for the client to use
needs to be long-lasting with minimal or no maintenance
Design Overview
This gaming system is being designed for a client with C3/C5 quadriplegia.
The final design is broken into four subsystems, as follows:
lateral movement (aiming)
longitudinal movement (shooting)
puck handling
user input.
Component Selection:
A slow-speed linear track actuator has been selected for lateral movement, to ensure easy and precise aiming of the puck.
The shooting mechanism will consist of a lightweight rack and pinion driven by a DC motor. This configuration allows for high speed shooting & speed selection.
The puck will be controlled (handled) by a U-shaped claw mechanism.
The user input will consist of 2 custom sip-and-puff sensors and a mouth joystick.
Gifs and images of the subsystem development can be viewed in the gallery below. For more information, hover or click on each image.
My Focus - The Input System
The input system will consist of 2 custom sip-and-puff sensors and a mouth joystick, designed using Arduino components. An LCD screen will also be used as a visual display for the user.
Each sensor will control the following motions:
Mouth joystick - movement of the linear actuator
Sip-and-puff 1 - Toggling between modes (sip), shooting (puff)
Sip-and-puff 2 - Shooting speed selection
Progress to Date:
Sensor & key components acquired
Built and tested first iteration of sip-and-puffs
Integrated LCD screen (see left image)
Tested sensor range and sensitivity
Developed first iteration of mouthpiece
Next Steps:
Connect sip-and-puff sensors to mechanical game system
Human factors study on mouthpiece ergonomics & ease of assembly
Next Steps
Finalize Prototype 1 design
Confirm final materials selection
Perform FMEA & lifespan analysis
Integrate subsystems
Mount system to Shuffleboard table
Test initial system
Human Factors Testing
Calibrate controls to user
Gather information on user likes/dislikes using Likert scale
Finalize Prototype 2 design
Finalize user interfacing
Repeat user testing (if schedule permits)
Finalize System Build
Deadline: 4/26/2022