Team Project | 01 Design For All

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We began the project with by identifying a lack of convenient testing for a patient's Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. From here we researched how the current technology and testing procedures involved when finding out a patient's hormone level. With this knowledge we decided to take the basic testing procedures and incorporate them on a smaller scale. Due to the amount of time we were given and to stay within our budget we did not use any actual chemical reactions, but instead focused on machining, electrical components, and coding. 

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The basis of our project is held within a box containing four pumps, a solution vessel, photo resistor, connected tubing, and wiring. Each pump has a different function that either adds or takes away solution, which is representative of the actual testing done for patients. In the shop I was able to work with several different machines, such as the drill press and the lathe. Additionally my skills were improved by having the chance to work with different materials, like acrylic, aluminum, and polyvinyl.  In order to run the pumps properly we coded an Arduino in C language. The software that runs our project was built in a few components. We used a function that runs a set of defined pumps for a given amount of time in order to increase efficiency and reduce redundant code. The code that measures the value of the photo resistor was found as an open source project on the Arduino website. The code effectively measures the node voltage of the photo resistor and calculates the resistance from it. The script runs the pumps in the correct order for a specific amount of time, so the solutions can be mixed in the proper ratio and order.  The four pumps used are 12 v peristaltic pumps.  The diodes within the circuit protect the Arduino from back emf produced by the pumps' motors. We also added a transistor to amplify the input signal to match the voltage. Once everything was integrated together we had successfully completed our project. 

 

The project was then presented at Rose-Hulman's Rose Show, where we had the chance to present our findings to a variety of people. With the completed project I was able to apply and improve my skills in three major areas that we our class was focused on: electrical systems, coding, and design.