We began this week, the second of our design weeks, with several clear action items for each team:
- Team Video: Research 360 degree video software and review free options!
- Team Printing: Determine size of torches and whether we want three separate or three together, and where they will be vis-a-vis the cameras.
- Team Video and Team Printing: work out how to attach the 3D printed torches to the 3D printed camera rig, so that the torches are where we want them!
- Team Tracking and Team Mechies: work out ascent and descent rates based on estimated weights to determine how long up, and how long down, so that we do not land in the ocean!
- Team Mechies: Finalize balloon and parachute purchase decisions based on previous action item!
- Team Social: Continue to document class activities and post on social media outlets.
- All Students: Please Follow #launchthetorch on social media!!!
It was very important that we wrap up as many outstanding design issues as possible in order to finalize the class purchases (the tracking equipment, having been finalized during Week 07, was already purchased). Each team therefore set to work this week addressing their action items.
Team Video successfully printed a 3D rig to hold the GoPro cameras for shooting 360 degree video, although there were complications with reversing the rig parts to get all the cameras pointing in the right direction (this will need to be fixed in a future print). They also researched different options for creating 360 degree video, settling on Kolor Autopano as the best (albeit expensive) option.
Team Printing explored several different design ideas for the FSU torches, trying to determine between printing individual torches in 3D vs. printing the torches seal.
Team Mechies worked with Team Tracking to finalize their choice of a 600g weather balloon and a 1.5 meter parachute, aiming for a flight time of approximately 90 minutes up, and 30 minutes down. They also decided to try making their own inflator for the weather balloon.
Team Mechies worked with Team Video and Team Printing to determine their options for affixing the GoPro Camera Rig, the 3D Printed copy of the FSU Torches, and the payload containing the tracking devices to the weather balloon and parachute.
Several different options were considered, but by the end of the week we had settled on a design where the payload was affixed to the top of the GoPro Camera Rig (which would have five cameras — four pointing out, and one pointing down), and the FSU torches would hang down from the payload in front of the cameras.