Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Materials List (as of 11/25/14)

Materials List (for snare line)
Snare Drums (x3)
Drum Sticks (x6)
Car door lock actuator motor (x6)
Arduino Uno (x3)
Arduino Motor Shield (x3)
Plywood sheets
Hose clamps (or any type of mounting device)
Wire spools
USB hub (?)
Screws
Bolts & Corresponding Nuts
Spacers

Meeting 3: 11/25/14

Project Overview & Listing Materials

Member in attendance: Stanislas Camin, Gerard Colome, Micah Menendez-Aponte

Details: 1 hour group meeting to discuss specifications for our project, brainstorm designs, and compile a materials list to take home over the break


After an extended period of minimal communication, the team got back together to discuss how we would go about this project with what resources we had at our disposal. It came to our attention that with our current funds, designing and building a full drum kit was out of the question. However, we opted to fall back on the Winter Percussion idea and are preparing to set up a marching snare (or snare line) instead.

Initial brainstorm/sketch for prototype.
Based on this project, we have also compiled a list of materials that will be required to produce this end product (post pending). We will bring this list with us over the break and ideally return to school refreshed with as many parts as we could find.













-Micah will continue doing blog related tasks and start looking for parts at scrapyards.
-Stan and Gerard will start looking for parts by recycling what they can at home and buy parts from hardware stores when necessary.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Meeting 2: 11/4/14

Further Introductions and Team Photo

Members in attendance: Stanislas Camin, Gerard Colome, Micah Menendez-Aponte

Details: 10 minute meeting in Fox Common to iron out details and take our team photo


Today the team met again in its entirety for the first time. We had been communicating earlier and have now decided to go ahead with the mechanized drum kit project. Our primary inspiration comes from the video linked here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHvxF7ze5EY), the idea being we will build something close to the drum kit featured here or put a twist on it and fully mechanize a drumline ensemble "a la Winter Percussion". In addition to the YouTube video, there is a project listed on Instructables linked here (http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Controlled-Robotic-Drum/) that we will likely draw heavily from to help along during this project. The team seems pumped and ready to go, work on our idea should commence next week.
SMG Drum Co. is now open for business.

-Micah will be creating the blog and documenting the first two meetings.


Meeting 1: 11/3/14

Introductions and Brainstorming

Members in attendance: Stanislas Camin, Micah Menendez-Aponte

Details: 30 minute meeting in Ball 210 to brainstorm


Today most of the team met for the first time for introductions and to discuss the project (Gerard was preoccupied and unable to attend). We brainstormed team names as well as group projects and how we would go about fulfilling the requirements for them.

At the end of the meeting we were set on a team name, Team SMG, which is an acronym for our initials (Stan, Micah, Gerard). Though the project idea was still up in the air as can be seen here, we have a fair idea of what we wanted to do. Our favorites right now are a flamethrower to roast marshmallows for passing students, or a fully mechanized drum kit/line.







-Stan will be making the blog and documenting the first meeting.