Yesterday we changed our design. We decided that instead if having basically a treadmill on a dolly we would make it more like a jogging carriage or the thing you attach to the back of a bike for kids. We made it a tricycle and got rid of the boxy and excess space. We also got rid of the excess space we had and made it much less boxy, making the majority of the cart the treadmill. 

Today we contructed our treadmill and glued on all the parts. We added rings on the end of the dowels to hold the wheels in place so they didnt fall off the dowell. We also had trouble flatening the pvc pipe so the knobs would not go in at first. Keziah had to bang them into the pvc really hard and then she got yelled at for making to much noise. I guess all of nuvu is not a shop like we were told. smh lmaoooo. 

Today we constructed our new design! We discovered while construction that we put the rollers a bit too low to have the same friction we had with our first treadmill prototype, so with our next model we will have to raise the hole for the dowel. Another problem we came upon is that there was a limited number of dowels that are the size of our holes so I think in the future we will have to make them bigger unless we find more of the dowel we were using. 

Today we worked on making another model, this time instead of just box cutting we used rhino. After making the cart we worked on the model treadmill. We figured out the different components it would take and began the process. We decided that for rollers we would use pvc pipe and ball bearings. We came to the problem of the ball bearings being too small to take up the space needed in the pipes. To solve this we 3D printed knobs that would tightly hold the ball bearing and take up the room needed to spin the pipe. On our first try the hole for the dowel was too small and the whole thing wasn't quite big enough to stay tightly in the pipe. After fixing these flaws and reprinting we made successful rollers. We hope to fully construct the treadmill tomorrow.

Our big idea is basically a doggy treadmill on wheels for slow and/or out of shape dogs that are a hassle to walk because they cant keep up with their owners. The dogs would control the speed of the treadmill and walk at their own pace while the rest of it moved at the owner's pace. We originally planned to have it electric and remote controlled but we realized we wouldn't have time to do that within the two weeks. Today we worked on a small model of the treadmill. We printed all the small knobs I described yesterday and made the rollers usable. Then, we worked on the frame. Unfortunately, both times we tried to cut it it was too small for the rollers, even when we tried to make it bigger. Today we decided that the treadmill would go in the cart and not on top of it because that way it looks better and more sleek. 

Today we finalized our sketches and built our first iteration. We made it out of cardboard, duck tape, pencils and hot glue. We used cardboard to make the treadmill and the wagon and the wheels the treadmills sits on. Then, we used duct tape as a carpet mill and attachted it to the treadmill base. We then looked up diagrams of treadmills and learned how they work and proposed a plan using pvc pipes for the rollers. 

Yesterday we were between several ideas before settling on a walkable dog treadmill. We started with a solid idea so it hasn't changed much since then. Although, we received feedback that  making a remote controlled one of these would be too difficult and time consuming to do within the two weeks we have so we're just making it so one can pull it. We decided to make that decision because of the time and skill constraints. After figuring all this out we started on a rough cardboard prototype of our project with a semi working treadmill on top of it eith a duct tape belt. 

What- A manual treadmill on wheels for a dog. The dog controls his speed, while you control the speed of the wagon the treadmill is attached to with a clip on wireless remote. The treadmill piece is also removable from the rolling platform so you can put the treadmill inside and have them run indoors if it is raining or do not have time to take your dog for a walk. 

Why- Old and/or lazy, fat dogs are a pain to walk because of their frequent stops and slow pace whether they are sniffing or resting. A short walk to the end of the block and back can turn into an hour long ordeal if you have a slow dog. With this treadmill, you can walk or run at your own desired pace while the dog, or other walk able pet, can walk at his or hers. This treadmill gets your dog in shape without having to go long distances because it is not tempted to stop and sniff everything. You do not have time to have the dog stop and sniff everything so it allows the dog to get just as much or more excersize in a shorter amount of time. 

How- We build a carpet mill type of model out of wood with a leash attached it to keep the dog contained. Then we would build a wood platform with a motor that has 4 mountain durable wheels on it. We would then code a wireless remote to be able to control the speed of the platform.