Introduction:

Over the past two weeks, Pablo and I have worked on an extendable table. The table may look fairly normal at first sight, but there are handles to be pulled out and extended. The main problem I've encountered when eating lunch is a place to put my food. I usually sit on the couch, along with 10+ other kids. It is very challenged to put all that food on two small tables. I often just eat on my lap. But, with an extendable table, the students and I will no longer encounter this problem. Our solutions with to created a yin yang design in between two top and bottom layers. The yin yang design has handles attached to them, where you can pull them out for extra space. There are three extensions in all, adding much more room for students lunches.

Iterations:

Our first iteration was made out of cardboard and was created to expand the table as much as possible. What did work was that it was actually an expandable table, which was what we wanted to create. Yet, there were many problems with this certain iteration. For example, the extensions would stick out way too far and would flop, even if it was made out of wood. We wanted to fix the stability and smoothness, along with creating nicer handles.

Our second, third, and fourth iteration consisted of the same top and bottom layers, but different handles. We created these iterations out of wood and used a yin yang yong design. Yin yang yong is basically like yin yang but we three sides instead of two. Using wood and just three layers added to our problems of stability and smoothness. Our second iteration basically had no handles at all, so we knew that we needed to somehow recreate the handle. Our third iteration slightly took care of this problem, yet we knew it wasn't perfect. The handle was just a square sticking out and was challenging to pull out. The fourth iteration also did not work. We did create a 3D printed clip but there were still other problems.We came up with the idea to have 2 layers on the yin yang yong, for even more extra space. But, our coaches did not really like this idea so we omitted it and continued on with our other problems. 

Our other problems were that there was no place to lock the extensions. We didn't want them to be moving all over the place, we wanted them to lock at a certain spot. Another problem was our 3D printed clip. The first clipped snapped almost immediately so we had to widen it. 

Our final iteration works perfectly. We attached all the layers together with a lock screw and added on the 3D printed clips (which worked perfectly). We also created the iteration out of thick wood. We sanded each piece and attached them together. Overall, Pablo and I are very satisfied with the outcome of our table.

Conclusion: Our final product is an extendable table which can attach to either two of the tables next to the couch. During lunch, many kids eat there and have no place to put their food. With our yin yang yong design, these 3 extensions allow extra space for students to put their lunch. It attaches to the table by three 3D printed clips, and locks at a certain point so the extensions don't extend too far. 

Introduction

Our design prompt was to design something that would make doing things easier at NuVu. We found that the laser cutter line here is long and disorganized. People do not know how long until they can cut, and by the end of the day people are cutting without having waited for their turn. Because of this we wanted to find a way to fix some of these problems. Our solution is a digital laser line that will stay organized and make it easier to see when it is time to cut.

Digital Aspect

The new laser queue started out with a vision: we would be able to read the estimate from the laser cutter of how long the cut would take, read the current cut's time, and also have the queue. After puzzling for hours over the laser cutter format, we got a piece of code that will read the estimate from the laser cutter software; the current cut time required a piece that we've ordered, and will implement soon. The queue itself was simple: we had a centralized server holding the data, and any computer can connect and add themselves to the queue, through a web page. 

Physical Aspect

Our new laser queue uses a TV mounted on the wall outside of the shop to display information. This method of displaying information is great because anyone can see what is going on. There is also a keyboard and touchpad for students to input their names so that they can be put on the list.  Because of this, people can put themselves on the list from outside the shop. Now nobody will need to go into the shop to write their name, only to get distracted. While many parts of the new laser line are great, there are still some problems. Since we put the display right outside of the shop, the hallway may get crowded with people easily. This could end up blocking people from moving between the two main parts of NuVu. Another problem is that we don't have a finished product yet. Because of this the keyboard, computer, and wires are messy and not in the wall yet. We hope that if there is more time for us to work on this project that we will be able to mount all of the remaining electronics in the wall instead of having them hanging out.

Conclusion

Our final product is accessible from anywhere at NuVu. One can see the line as well sign up from the TV near the shop, or from any internet capable device. Once one is on the list, they will even be able to cancel or move their job down one spot. Using any web browser, you can go to nuvulaser.local to access the line while you are in the space. Once on is looking at the list, they can add a name, cut length, material, and priority. Once they do that the cut will be on the list.

Introduction

Our design prompt was to design something that would make doing things easier at NuVu. We found that the laser cutter line here is long and disorganized. People do not know how long until they can cut, and by the end of the day people are cutting without having waited for their turn. Because of this we wanted to find a way to fix some of these problems. Our solution is a digital laser line that will stay organized and make it easier to see when it is time to cut.

Digital Aspect

The new laser queue started out with a vision: we would be able to read the estimate from the laser cutter of how long the cut would take, read the current cut's time, and also have the queue. After puzzling for hours over the laser cutter format, we got a piece of code that will read the estimate from the laser cutter software; the current cut time required a piece that we've ordered, and will implement soon. The queue itself was simple: we had a centralized server holding the data, and any computer can connect and add themselves to the queue, through a web page. 

Physical Aspect

Our new laser queue uses a TV mounted on the wall outside of the shop to display information. This method of displaying information is great because anyone can see what is going on. There is also a keyboard and touchpad for students to input their names so that they can be put on the list.  Because of this, people can put themselves on the list from outside the shop. Now nobody will need to go into the shop to write their name, only to get distracted. While many parts of the new laser line are great, there are still some problems. Since we put the display right outside of the shop, the hallway may get crowded with people easily. This could end up blocking people from moving between the two main parts of NuVu. Another problem is that we don't have a finished product yet. Because of this the keyboard, computer, and wires are messy and not in the wall yet. We hope that if there is more time for us to work on this project that we will be able to mount all of the remaining electronics in the wall instead of he=aving them hanging out.

Conclusion

Our final product is accessible from anywhere at NuVu. One can see the line as well sign up from the TV near the shop, or from any internet capable device. Once one is on the list, they will even be able to cancel or move their job down one spot. Using any web browser, you can go to nuvulaser.local to access the line while you are in the space. Once on is looking at the list, they can add a name, cut length, material, and priority. Once they do that the cut will be on the list.

Space-efficency, accessibility, and esthetics were at the forefront of our design process. We were tasked with solving the conspicuous storage issue. Nuvu students lack any personal storage space, and consequently this results in unorganized clusters around the studio. 

When observing the wall that we planned on transforming into a place for personal storage, we knew that it would be necessary to vertically build our storage spaces beyond what one could reach if we wanted to have enough units. When we first began exploring we stumbled upon what became our first precedent, a rotating bike rack on an oval track, and that could be mounted to the wall. We soon found many problems with this system; the most concerning issues were that crowds would form as they would have to wait for their individual cubby to come down, also safety became a large issue as the weight of our object would require substantial amounts of support. Another problem we encountered was mounting a ton of weight againt the wall, we did not make sure the floor below us was capable of sustaining 2.5x the weight of the project because that is what is considered the "safety margin".

We were inspired by a ferries wheel and a spinning bike rack. What ispired us was the efficiency of the design and how well it utilized short but tall spaces. Another thing we considered, which is a more accurate design of our final product was the spice cabinets pull down system in a kitchen.

Subsequently we thought of having two rectangular cubby sets, which would sit about a fixed cubby wall, that could lower down in front of the fixed cubbies. We used a spice cabinet which did a similar thing as our precedent. We began by designing the fixed cubby spaces a variety of sizes, allowing kids to use only the space they need and improve efficiency. Next we created two cubby sets that would reside above the fixed cubbies. Those cubbies would all be a single size that would be able to fit most daily articles or projects. We soon realized that we needed to raise the height of our fixed set and consequently the height at which the other two cubby sets were at. The reason for this was because at our original height all cubbies were accessible, making the lowering mechanism needless.After this we began to discuss how we would offset the weight of the lowering cubby sets at the weight would be too great for one to lift. We discussed two systems. A winch system, which had the potential of having a metal wire snap, creating a safety hazard. We also considered a pneumatic piston, which was very loud, making it unpleasant to use.

Over the past two weeks, Pablo and I have worked on an extendable table. The table may look fairly normal at first sight, but there are handles to be pulled out and extended. The main problem I've encountered when eating lunch is a place to put my food. I usually sit on the couch, along with 10+ other kids. It is very challenged to put all that food on two small tables. I often just eat on my lap. But, with an extendable table, the students and I will no longer encounter this problem. Our solutions with to created a yin yang design in between two top and bottom layers. The yin yang design has handles attached to them, where you can pull them out for extra space. There are three extensions in all, adding much more room for students lunches

    Our design is a chair that can connect with other chairs, using magnetic flaps on the side to form a separate working or socializing space. Each chair will be very large so, even if there are many people around, you will still feel some privacy. 

    The design problem we were working with is that. at Nuvu, there is very little private space for having a conversation or working by yourself/with a group without distraction. At Nuvu, most of the time the space is very loud, making it hard to focus. This open environment is helpful when you are collaborating with others, but sometimes it is best to have a quiet space to get work done. This is where our chairs are essential: no matter the size of the working group, any number of these chairs can be put together, creating a somewhat secluded area for concentration without complete isolation.     

    Our project is important and useful because it will hopefully make NuVu an increasingly efficient environment. From work to even private conversations, our chairs serve the purpose.

    Our project was to create a space at NuVu where people could have private conversations, or just hang out by themselves. We noticed that there is no privacy anywhere at Nuvu. Sometimes it can be very loud, which hampers productivity. A private work space for a small group could create a much more focused environment.

    In the first few days, we looked at different ideas for our privacy pod. Our goal was to create something that did not take up much space, and would also feel private.

    We initially made a box design for the corner of the room. It was a cube shape, with a removable, see­-through roof and a sliding door. Inside the box would be bean bags and a low floor table for working on projects or socializing. Unfortunately, this idea did not work because it took up too much room and was not very innovative/creative. We then discussed having something that felt more private than it actually was.

    Our next design was one that acted similarly to an accordion. It would fit on the wall, then be able to pull out, to create a dome with open sides. We tried making models of this, using a piece of wood to symbolize the wall, and a piece of folded cardboard as the dome. We made this iteration on a 10 percent scale model of what we worked on Rhino and cut all this out on the laser cutter. This design was ideal because it would not take up much space. Unfortunately, this idea wasn't very interesting, or good looking, and we weren't really excited about it, so we began to think about new ideas.

    Our next iteration was an elevated octagon that had tall walls but not so tall as to cause total isolation. This would fit with another octagon, creating something similar to two rooms. Each would have a pull down desk to use either for a computer or writing; it would also be elevated a couple of feet above the ground. It was a good design, but, unfortunately, it took up too much space at NuVu.

    In our final iteration, we took the idea of creating an area that was elevated off the ground to separate it from the normal area. From that, we decided to design a piece of furniture that you have to step up to, where sitting inside creates a feeling of privacy. We designed a chair that has a high platform, then was surrounded by high walls (above your head) to enclose you.

    The beauty of this design is that one person could work separately, or you could put many of these facing each other in a circle/star shape that would be enclosed for many people to work together without distraction. The chair would have magnetic flaps on the side to connect it with however many chairs are needed.