WEEK 2: 1-28-02
 

Current Status of the Project: We have started working on the preliminary presentation.  Ideas have been organized and put on paper.  We have also done a fair amount of research and collected quite a bit of information via literature and patent searches.  The web-page skeleton in up and can be viewed at students.cec.wustl.edu/~kp8 Work Completed in the Last Week: The group met with Dr. Silva on Friday and discussed some of the advantages and disadvantages of existing design ideas and feasibility of more practical ones.  Some clarifications regarding the dynamics of the cage and, preliminary analysis with regards to control systems involved were made.  The group has started using the design safe software, and is in the process of acclimatizing itself to the various aspects of the software. What the group is currently working on: The presentation and first written report is being constructed. Our group is finishing up the preliminary analysis in order to complete the specifications of the project. The Pugh chart for our designs is being discussed in order to come up with the design that is best suited to accomplish our goals and specifications. The Web-page is under constructions as well and is being continually modified.  What the group is planning next: The group is going to finish the presentation/written report. We are also determining a long term schedule. When we choose our final design idea, we will delegate the responsibilities to the various members of our group.

WEEK 3: 02-04-02
 

Current status of project : This week, we have been getting ready for the presentation and finishing up the written report.  We discussed some aspects of the written report with Dr. Silva and asked his opinion on a few issues. Work Completed in the Last Week: We finished preliminary analysis in order to complete the specifications of the project.  An expression relating our important parameters namely, frequency, Displacement and acceleration was derived and modified to suit our sinusoidal dynamic system. What the group is currently working on: Currently, preparation for final presentation and written report has taken precedence.  We are deeply involved in completing these assignments. What the group is planning next: Next we would like to think about making up a pugh chart and considering the various design alternatives to choose an optimal one that is both practical and feasible.

WEEK 4: 02-11-02
 

Current status of project :  At this point, we have finished presentation material as well as are putting finishing touches to the written report.  We have finished a pugh chart and have decided in favor of the electromagnetic actuator. Work completed in the Last Week:  The presentation went well.  The written report has almost been completed and ready to be turned in. What the group is working on: Since the actuator and the spring motor system both scored high in our pugh chart analysis, we are working on trying to decide between the two systems for our final design. What the group is planning next: After have chosen a particular design, we shall try to come up with an initial layout of the design and decide on various aspects of the design and components that we might need for our system.

WEEK 5: 02-18-02
 

Current Status of the Project: We have decided on the specific design of the project- the speaker driven by the electromagnetic coil. Our mentor has also noted that he believes that this alternative seems the most plausible. We have allocated responsibilities to each of the members for the upcoming problems and design parameters. The updated web-page is almost completely up and can be viewed at students.cec.wustl.edu/~kp8 Work Completed in the Last Week: We have finished our presentation, and met with Dr. Silva on Friday to discuss the design alternative that we agreed would be the most easily controlled and implemented. Some clarifications regarding preliminary analysis with regards to control systems involved were made, including feedback systems and the ability to transform a mechanical vibration into an electrical signal. The group is also using the design safe software and becoming familiar with the upcoming roadblocks of design  fabrication. What the group is currently working on: The group is dividing up team responsibilities and discussing different ways that might be used to fabricate this device.  What the group is planning next: The group has divided up into its various responsibilities, many of them overlapping. Michael Dahl is responsible for contacting the machine shops/vendors, reviewing parameters found in patent and literature searches, and some of the control systems analysis. Kiran Pandey is working on the biomechanics in place, and some of the acceleration and force calculations. Mike Peters is looking into ways to transform the mechanical signal into an electrical one and working with Mike on some  of the control systems analysis. The Web-page is under construction as well and is being continually modified.

 WEEK 6: 02-25-02
 

Current Status of the Project: We have decided on the specific design of the project- the speaker driven by the electromagnetic actuator. Our mentor has also noted that he believes that this alternative seems the most plausible. We have allocated responsibilities to each of the members for the upcoming design parameters and presentation. The updated web-page can be viewed at students.cec.wustl.edu/~kp8 Work Completed in the Last Week: We met with Dr. Silva on Friday to discuss the design alternative of the electromagnetic actuator. We discussed the resonant frequency issues and talked about the control system alternatives.  What the group is currently working on: The group is dividing up team responsibilities for the upcoming presentation and report, as well as discussing different ways that might be used to fabricate this device. The group is also researching  different control system capabilities of function generators, and determining system mechanics  models. What the group is planning next: The group has divided up into its various responsibilities for the presentation. Michael Dahl is responsible for contacting the machine shops/vendors, reviewing parameters found in patent and literature searches, and some of the control systems analysis. Kiran Pandey is working on the biomechanics in place, and some of the acceleration and force calculations. Mike Peters is looking into force transducers and plate structure, while working with Mike on some of the control systems  analysis. The web-page is under construction as well and is being continually modified.

 

WEEK 7: 03-04-02
 

SPRING BREAK

 

WEEK 8: 03-11-02
 

Current status of project :  Each group member is researching and gathering information in his area.  Also, we have been getting ready for the presentation and starting on an outline for the written report. What the group is working on now:  The group is involved in finishing up the slides etc. for presentation while also working on the final draft of the progress report. What group is planning next: Control system would be a major emphasis during the next few weeks.

WEEK 9: 03-18-02
 

Current Status of the Project: We have finished the second presentation and written report. We have determined the design and most of the components needed.  The updated web-page can be viewed at students.cec.wustl.edu/~kp8 Work Completed in the Last Week: We met with Dr. Silva on Friday to discuss the control system as well as specific aspects of other components such as the springs and the cage. We finished writing the second report. What the group is currently working on: The group is working on finding more about the control system and its possible integration into the function generator. We are also nailing down the more specific specs of each component, making sure they will integrate with each other. What the group is planning next: The group has a meeting with Dr. Murphy to help with the possibility of a function generator as a control system. We will also be trying to contact vendors to determine more accurate specs of the components. We will also look into the more specific construction of the device, such  as size of bolts, etc.

 

WEEK 10: 03-25-02
 

Current status of project :  Michael Dahl met with Dr. William Murphy and discussed the open versus closed loop control system.  In the end it was decided that an open loop control system would be most suitable for our project at hand.  We also received correspondances from the vendors, namely CSA engineering, Kistler, etc. What the group is working on now:  The group is working on integrating the components together and acconting for the mismatches between the input and output sources of various components by using amplifiers.  So far we have determined that the amplifier set for the transducer is available at kistler itself and we still have to find out about the amplifier between the wave generator and the actuator. What group is planning next:  We are going to talk to Michael Evert from CSA engineering and get more clarifications on the amplifier that can be used to correct the mismatch between the function generator output and the input into the amplifier.

 

WEEK 11: 04-01-02
 

Current status of project :  At this time, we have all the information about the various components, the biomechanical analysis is almost complete and the calculations of various component parts are in progress. In other words we have all the required information in order to make a final draft of our design proposal. What the group is working on now:  We are gathering all the information and putting it together.  We are also preparing for the presentation and the final written report. What group is planning next:  Wrap up the project and get ready for the presentation.