ENGINEERING Design

 Por+olio  
 

Ma4hew  Joseph  Cohen  

B.E.  Mechanical  Engineering  
Dartmouth  College  
ENGS  76:  
Machine  Engineering  
The  Challenge:  With  limited  materials,  design  
and  fabricate  a  remote  controlled  robot  to  
collect  hockey  pucks  and  ping  pong  balls,  and  
score  by  deposiIng  them  and  itself  over  a  
barrier.    Machines  competed  head  to  head  at  
the  conclusion  of  the  project.  
Early  Sketches  
APer  developing  our  scoring  strategy  
and  devising  design  specificaIons,  we  
brainstormed  the  mechanisms  we  
would  use  to  score  points.    Here  are  
just  a  few  of  the  ideas:  

Ball  collecIon  using  gathering  arms  

Combine  and  a  “hungry  hippo”  scoop   Ramp  deployment  

Mockups  
The  foam  core  mockup  of  the  ball  
hopper  gave  us  an  idea  of  our  
maximum  capacity  and  displayed  
the  packing  behavior  of  the  balls  

The  foam  core  and  Plexiglas  mockup  

of  the  ramp  allowed  us  to  pracIce  
deploying  and  driving  over  it  and  to  
refine  the  dimensions  and  shape  
CAD  
Throughout  the  design  process  we  
maintained  an  accurate  CAD  model  of  our  
machine  in  Pro/ENGINEER  to  streamline  
design  and  fabricaIon  processes  
FabricaIon  &  
CompeIIon    
Beginning  with  our  chassis  and  drivetrain  and  moving  
onto  our  scoring  mechanisms,  we  made  drawings  of  our  
parts  with  Pro/E  and  machined  them.    APer  assembly  
we  competed  against  our  classmates,  achieving  the  
highest  single  round  score.  
Independent  Project  in  CooperaIon  with  Dartmouth  Ski  Patrol    

In  an  alpine  seWng,  it  is  extremely  important  to  

immobilize  and  extract  injured  persons  as  quickly  as  
possible.  Currently  used  immobilizaIon  systems  are  slow,  
difficult  to  use,  and  Ill-­‐suited  to  an  alpine  environment.    
By  integraIng  retracIng  straps  into  the  backboard,  the  
immobilizaIon  process  was  simplified  and  accelerated.    
   
State  of  the  Art  
Spider  Straps,  a  Velcro  based  strap:    
•  Very  adjustable  but  slow  
•  Tend  to  get  tangled    
•  Get  stuck  under  the  board  
•  Velcro  gets  clogged  with  snow  
•  OPen  carried  separately  from  backboard  

Quick  Clip:  
•  Difficult  to  manipulate  with  gloves  
•  Having  all  the  matching  parts  to  the  
strap  system  on  hand  is  a  nuisance  
•  Requires  special  pins  on  the  backboard  
Early  Sketches  
To  streamline  immobilizaIon,  various  methods  to  
incorporate  straps  into  the  board  were  explored.  
Tension  springs  inside  the  backboard,  overlapping  
strap  configuraIons,  and  permanent  elasIc  
restraints  were  just  a  few  of  the  ideas.    
Design  
Finally,  a  design  that  incorporated  seatbelt-­‐
style  retractor  boots  and  straps  was  chosen.    
The  buckles  would  be  housed  under  or  
inside  the  board,  to  be  pulled  out  and  
Ightened  when  necessary.  

Working  with  a  senior  engineer  at  Amsafe,  the  

proper  restraint  was  found:  
•  Locks  once  it  is  extended,  allowing  for  fast  
strap  adjustment  and  immobilizaIon  of  the  
paIent  
•  Buckle  designed  for  outdoor  use  with  gloved  
hands  
TesIng  the  
Retractor  
Validated  alpine  performance  of  the  mechanism  
by  subjecIng  it  to  ice,  snow,  and  water  and  
confirming  proper  funcIon  
 First  Prototype  and  Feedback  
 
From  ski  patroller  testers:  
 

“This  is  a  great  tool  for…  when  you’re  shorthanded.”  

 

“You  don’t  have  to  move  back  and  forth  to  your  pack.    
Everything’s  here.”  
 

“In  addiIon  to  any  medical  benefits,  this  keeps  

everything  way  neater.    People  usually  just  ball  things  
up  and  throw  them  back  in  the  bag.”  

 
 
“The  straps  sIll  get  caught  under  the  board  
someImes.”  
 

“The  buckle  broke.    It  needs  to  be  really  strong.”  

 

“One  more  strap  might  be  good.”  

 

“There  should  be  nothing  under  the  board.”  

 

“You  could  add  colors  where  the  straps  Ighten.”  

Second  Prototype  
•  Upgraded,  more  robust  hardware    
•  Extra  strap  added  for  versaIlity  
•  Colored  strap  ends  for  visibility  
•  Improved  ergonomics  
•  CaviIes  cut  for  retractors  to  lay  flush  
•  Buckle  a4ached  directly  to  the  board  
 
Second  Prototype:  
TesIng  
Results:  
•  Cut  >me  to  immobilize  pa>ent  in  half  
•  Very  posiIve  responses  from  patrollers  

 
Next  steps:  
•  Redesign  male  and  female  buckles  to  fit  more  
seamlessly  into  board  
•  Test  board  in  a  winter  environment  with  
professional  patrollers  
•  Improve  paIent  comfort  
•  Gauge  interest  from  other  non-­‐alpine  
emergency  responders  
ENGS  21:    
Introduc>on  to  Product  Design  
Children  learning  to  skateboard  are  at  risk  of  
serious  injury  due  to  the  inadequacy  of  exisIng  
products  to  teach  balance  without  compromising  
safety  or  usability.    We  a4empted  to  develop  a  
soluIon  that  could  authenIcally  teach  beginners  
while  increasing  safety  of  the  learning  process.    
Proposed  SoluIon  
“Speed  Regulated  Resistance”    
We  believed  if  a  skateboard  had  a  large  braking  
force  when  at  rest  that  slowly  dissipated  as  the  
rider  accelerated,  riders  would  learn  in  a  safer  
and  more  effecIve  manner.  

Mockups  
Foam  pads  to  mimic  braking  force:    
•  Is  the  skateboard  easier  to  mount?  
Variable  braking  force:  
•  How  much  resistance  is  helpful?  
Developing  the  
Mechanism  
Weighted  braking  pads  are  
pushed  against  the  axle  with  a  
spring.  As  velocity  increases,  
the  arms  liP  away  from  the  
axle,  achieving  “speed  
regulated  resistance.”  
 
Final  Prototype   In  addiIon  to  beginners  feeling  more  comfortable  and  
falling  less,  we  found  that  more  advanced  skaters  loved  

and  TesIng   the  prototype  for  pracIcing  freestyle  maneuvers.    

“You’ve got to try

“Can I get one of
this. It’s so cool” these?”- Milo, 9
- Birdie, 13
 AddiIonal  Projects   Technical  Skills  
OrthoSensor  Interface  Integrity  Monitor   •  SolidWorks  and  Pro/ENGINEER  
parts  and  assemblies  
Worked  with  OrthoSensor,  Inc.  to  
develop  an  implantable  sensor  array  for   •  Prototyping:  mill,  lathe,  rapid  
in  vivo  detecIon  of  failing  and   prototyping,  hand  tools    
malfuncIoning  knee  replacements.    
•  MATLAB  for  system  modeling  and  
Focus  areas  include  accelerometry,  
numerical  analysis  
orthopedic  biomaterials,  and  ultrasound.    
 

“Breezepack”  Backpack  
Approached  problems  with  how  students  
carry  their  belongings  around  campus.  
Performed  ethnographic  research,  
isolated  specific  “tribes”  based  on  
behavioral  pa4erns,  and  developed  an  
innovaIve  bag  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  
group  most  in  crisis.    
AcIviIes  and  Interests  
Sailing  

Photography  

Travel   Mural  PainIng