BALLOON FEST 2013 POWER RANGERS JULIA, BRETT, TOBI, JOSEPH

PURPOSE To create a stable, adaptive platform for video/audio recording. Specifically, we wish to record without major shock to the cameras, and without much image deviation outside of a slow-moving pan or shift in angle. This is accomplished through our unique gondola design.

EXPERIMENT We examined sudden shocks and image instability (jitters), counting them over time. We took a section of the video (about 40 seconds) and measured the jitters in 10 second segments at maximum height (about 400 ft.)

DESIGN Our gondola features a large-sized hamster ball, with the primary tether running straight through it, and four smaller lines that offer additional stabilization. It is in fact loosely based off an unused Jim Newell toy design, that showed a similar sphere with the four tethered lines connected together towards the top.

GONDOLA (CONT.) AND EQUIPMENT Two relatively small cameras were mounted within the ball, secured by rubber bands to facilitate easy mounting/release. The ball was then be screwed together, slid along the tether, and then held together with our extra lines.

VIDEO RESULTS

“JITTERS” 10 seconds1 20 seconds3 30 seconds2 40 seconds2 Average2

GRAPH

ERROR ANALYSIS We were unable to restrict all movement, and there was still an average of 2 jitters for every 10 seconds of video at maximum height. Wind was a major contributing factor. During our flight we were forced to move constantly to avoid power-lines and other balloons, which could have caused our gondola to jerk or move suddenly when we tugged on the rope.

CONCLUSION Over all the image was clear and had a small amount of “jitters”, it didn’t twist around at all, and over all proving that our design was effective in creating a stable video/audio recording platform. In the future a wind-resistant design would reduce the movement, and help keep the video more stable and clear.

THANK YOU WE’D LIKE TO THANK TOBIN JAMES CELLARS AND OUR MENTORS, PROFESSOR SADROZINSKI AND TANMAYI SAI, FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROJECT.