Objective Design, build and implement a portable and user-friendly interface to remotely control a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II digital camera for use by a disabled individual. Background The customer is Dr. Alfred Loeb, a 79 year old retired engineer who had been involved in an accident which left him fully paralyzed in his left arm, and with severely limited movement of his head, right arm and neck. After the accident, Dr. Loeb was no longer able to use his camera because of its size and weight and the dexterity required to manipulate the settings. Because photography was one of his life long hobbies, regaining the ability to use his camera would significantly improve his quality of life. Customer Needs ● Easily manipulate camera settings and take pictures through Graphical User Interface (GUI) using a mouse or similar device ● Reliable and durable system ● Rechargeable power supply ● Pictures saved to camera only ● One touch turn on for system ● Communication with camera accomplished using FireWire, the camera’s current communication protocol ● Save pre-configured settings ● Allow storage and recall of custom configurations ● Ability to use system in a variety of settings (indoor, outdoor) ● Ability to interface with standard personal computer for easy uploading and downloading of pictures ● Ability to use camera remote trigger ● Reference guide for system ● Auto sleep mode to save power when the system is idle ● Flexible cables that allow for ease movement of interface and camera Design Concepts Steps taken for developing design concepts: ● Brainstorming ● External research ● Identification of critical sub functions (software, interface navigation, system configuration and thermal balance of electronics) ● Identification of non-critical sub functions ● Group discussion regarding the pros and cons ● Pugh matrices for evaluation of alternate options ● Available camera settings prioritized by customer ● Final decision Final Concept System Specifications ● Size : x 8.25 x 4.5 inches ● Control Unit Weight : 4.95 lbs ● System Weight : 7.71 lbs ● Battery Life : 1.5 hr ● Cost : $1,128 Analysis and Testing All electronic components were tested for proper functionality. Drop Test To ensure the system will not break from a fall: ● Test case dropped from height of three feet ● Impact measured by accelerometer ● To calculate theoretical acceleration impulse analysis was used ● In all cases components were sufficiently protected by the enclosure Heat Test To ensure the system will not overheat: ● heat measurements were taken over time while the system was in use. ● Average temperature 26.81°C during 2.5 hours of heavy use ● Maximum temperature 30°C during 2.5 hours of heavy use ● Maximum allowable temperature for electronic components is 50°C ● Internal temperatures were well within allowable range Conclusions A system was developed that meets the customer’s basic requirements and provides some additional desired functionality. Because of time constrains and limitations, the team was not able to complete all software functionality. Some additional software that can be added in the future includes: Download and upload of pictures Picture Preview Function Expanded GUI design using tabs/menus Future Recommendations ● Refine continuous capture mode to allow intervals < 1 second between shots ● Immediate download of pictures changed to an optional task ● Camera battery indicator displayed on screen ● On wake up, software reconnects to camera ● Add system battery power indicator ● Select a plastic for the case that does not deform over time ● Refine bellows attachment method ● Attach system to a mobile platform Acknowledgements Sponsor: NSF, Par Technology, Decathlon Sales Guides: Dr DeBartolo, Dr Philips Customers: Alfred Loeb, Lynne Loeb, Jim Franzen, Paul Garsin Dave Hathaway, Steve Kosciol, Rob Kraynik, Tim Landschoot, Dr. Marca Lam, Dr. Robert Stevens Claudia Forero, Industrial and Systems Engineer Chris Nimon, Electrical Engineer Ruth Ayalon, Mechanical Engineer Jennifer Grant, Electrical Engineer Erin Gillespie, Mechanical Engineer Emmanuel Maceda, Electrical Engineer Edward Yiu, Electrical Engineer Exploded View of System Component Duration (m sec) Maximum Sustainable Acceleration (g) Theoretical Acceleration (g) LCD Hard Drive Duration (m sec) Experimental Acceleration (g) Theoretical Acceleration (g) Hard DriveLCD ~ Table 1 Theoretical calculations and hardware specifications Table 2 Analysis of drop test Control Unit Trackball Battery Bellows System Side View