360 Photo Booth Final Process

Design Problem and Solution:

Problem: People need to record or capture pictures with 360 degree perspective of an object without using several different cameras. Photographers seek interesting and unique perspectives to capture or record objects and there are very few ways for iPhones to capture 360 degree perspectives. 

Solution: The 360 Photo Booth is our solution that will hold one camera that can capture every angle of the object.

Detailed Solution: The iPhone will move across the X, Y, and Z axes to show many different perspectives and provide new views on common objects without wasting hours on unnecessary complicated machinery. 

Further Elaboration: 

Main Theme: 

While creating our 360 Photo Booth, Kade and I had to figure out how to design it in a way that would be effective but not to the point where it would be too challenging to program or build. We had to find a balance between challenging and not possible with the time constraints, which we were actively trying to find in the first few iterations. 

Mechanics: 

To make this 360 Photo Booth, Kade and I were faced with several different challenges. First, we had to figure out a way to make both the turntable - which holds the object - and the pulley - which holds the camera - to move simultaneously. We used thin wood to make the body of the pulley system, turntable, and miscellaneous pieces. The thick wood was used to make the base that holds all the parts up. In the turntable, each 4mm screw has five washers beneath it to ensure that the bottom of the screws won’t hit the metal turntable. The smaller screws attach to another turntable underneath. There are two stepper motors that control the movement of the turntable and the pulley belt. The Arduino, stepper motor, and wires for the turntable are hidden beneath two blocks of wood. The pulley is made of a toothed belt that attaches to a toothed wheel and axis which is mounted on a stepper motor. A larger screw lives at the top of the pulley system to hold another wheel and axis. 3D printed flanges are mounted on three to four wooden pieces which hold on to screws that are in the top and bottom of the pulley body. The steal dowels have two linear bearings with a 3D printed carrier that attaches to the toothed belt and holds a phone case for an iPhone 6. When the Arduino is connected to the computer, the stepper moves a specific amount of steps to pull the linear bearings up the dowel. Another set of wires connects to the turntable which will spin at the same time that the stepper motor moves the belt. 

Development:

The 360 Photo Booth started out as a simple machine with cardboard as support. It grew into thin wood with minimal problems. By the third iteration, the stepper motor was attached, not securely, with the wires and some of the program needed to continue. The next iteration took a step sideways with a new design and several problems with the scaling. Next, thick wood was able to be incorporated into the design with many problems with sizing and the holes needed for screws. The final prototype is working with steal dowels and minimal working issues. 

Challenges:

Throughout the process, Kade and I used mainly thin wood and gradually started to use screws, glue, and anything that isn’t tape. We faced several issues while creating this, many of which had to do with the scaling of the pulley support system. In many of the iterations, there was at least one measurement that was off by a few millimeters. It usually took two or more times of laser cutting until we got the measurements correct. We also faced several challenges with programming on Arduino. 

We had trouble with the wire hookup and had to use a solder iron several times to ensure that everything would be able to move correctly. When programming the mechanics, we had trouble with adjusting the speed of the stepper motor and programing it to move up and down when we want it to. An ongoing issue is the fact that the table is a bit jumpy and needs a bit of a push to get going. 

Iterations:

In our very first iteration, we met with Andrew to discuss possible design ideas and came up with a design that might work. We used a wooden dowel and cardboard with tape and string to try to prove our concept. This iteration worked fairly well and demonstrated how our future iterations had the possibility to look. We were able to get feedback quickly so we could start drafting our second iteration. Andrew asked questions about how the camera would be connected and we came up with a design made out of cardboard that was connected to the string. 

In our second iteration, we started designing in thin wood. We placed a linear bearing on the dowel and equipped it with a 3D printed contraption that would snuggly fit around the exterior and have a hole for wire or yarn to be strung through. Our feedback for our next iteration was to add the string and to start programming on Arduino. Kade started to work with Robin and David to figure out how to program the Arduino to make the string move up and down. I continued to work with Andrew to properly scale the body of the pulley system and to redesign it to take into consideration the size of the wood. 

The third iteration was when we officially made our proof of concept solid. We connected the stepper that Kade had programmed to one axis and bolted a screw on the other. Kade and I worked separately for the most part of this iteration and then worked together to assemble it. I was designing the main body with Andrew and Tschol while Kade worked on the programming with Robin and David. We were able to actually make the string move with the programing which was a big step from our previous iteration which did not have a string or stepper motor. 

In our fourth iteration, Tschol helped me redesign the body and pulley so it would be held up by 2x4 blocks of wood underneath the turntable. The measurements were wrong so we had trouble attaching the right side of the pulley body. This iteration felt like we had taken a step back from our third iteration because we were not able to add our stepper motor, dowel, or string. 

The fifth prototype felt like a bigger step forward because we were able to design and print the main base for the whole structure, the turntable, the pulley body, and attach the motors. Kade worked really hard to make sure the motors could work simultaneously. I worked mainly on building the structure so that we could have the internal holes sized correctly. The box that holds the pulley was cut with the wrong measurements so we had a minor setback in this process. 

The final sixth prototype has a turntable with five washers and eight screws holding it in place. It is fully equipped with steal dowels and 3D printed flanges that have three wooden spacers to add height to them. The 360 Photo Booth sits on 2x4 wooden blocks that discreetly hide the carefully placed stepper motor and wires that operate it. The Arduino is placed next to the stepper motor and wires. In the pulley support system, we used small pieces that would hold up the flanges since there were a lot of confusing measurements. 

Problem:

In film it is difficult to steadily and realistically capture shots that illustrate a wide range of perspectives while in motion. This problem especially exists for those without access to professional film equipment. 

Solution:

A user friendly robot that follows a predetermined path has remote controlled camera atop its base. The remote controlled feature of the camera allows the videographer to control camera angles without intervening the shot. 

Detailed Solution:

The small robot follows a a strip of black tape that allows you to stand back while the robot takes the shot. While the robot is moving you can adjust the position of the camera from a distance using the remote control. This provides a clean shot without having the inconsistency of human movement. 

Main Theme:

Our main theme was to show perspective by using height in a steady way. It follows a predetermined line and has a remote controlled head. Our project started out by focusing on the different perspective idea, but then the focus shifted to the remote control focus to distance humans from the wooden box. Our biggest challenge was the programing part, the following line coding.

Ellaboration

Main Story- We designed this machine to give everyday photographers the ability to create high quality videos. Our design is simple to use, and can mount on many things to make it easier for the user. 

Mechanics- On the bottom of the box there are tracks which hold the wheels and axle which is attached to the phone holder in place. A string is stuck between two bolts on the axle, and the string is attached to 3D printed spools, one on each end. One of the spools is attached to a stepper motor, which will be programmed to turn at a steady speed, moving the wheels and axle like a pulley system. 

Development- The project started as a machine that would allow a camera to travel up a very tall track, and take a video from a higher angle. Our main selling points were and are: portability, efficiency, and stability, which the original plan didn't include much of. The idea has evolved into something more functional as well as far more portable. 

Challenges- One of our greatest challenges is making everything precise and in harmony with each other. The tracks on the top and bottom of the machine have to line up prefectly with each other and the wheel and axle. Notching the sides and making sure they fit together perfectly is a skill that got more efficient along the prototypes, but the level of precision is  absolutely vital to the success of the machine.

Iterations

Our first iteration was designed out of cardboard and was modeled to be approximately half the size of our final product. The cardboard was a nice place to start because it helped us with the sizing. In this first model, Gaby and I created notches in the sides so the pieces would fit together. This idea was carried on throught all of the drafts. A major flaw in this draft turned out to be the pulley wheels because the shape was negatively affecting the spinning capability. In this iteration, the slot for the camera holder was on the top becuase the pulley string was in alignment with the slot. 

For the second iteration, our design rotated. Having the iphone track rest on the top would weigh down the string making it impossible for it to move. So, we rotated the slot to the side and made a rolling slider to hold the iphone so it would glide smoothly. In this iteration, we also found it very important to put tracks inside the box becuase otherwise the slider camera wheels wouldn't stay straight. The motor would have to be added at some point, so we decided to create a spot for the motor to sit. This required mesuring the holes in the motor, and spacing them so the screws would fit. 

For the third iteration, we made all the walls lie flush against each so the structure would become less wobly, and we also trimmed the bottom so it could lie flat. The tracks on the last track didn't fit the wheels perfectly so we also had to adjust for that too. Finding the right size tracks was difficult because the wood caused a lot of friction between the wheels, and this caused them to not go in a straight line. To solve this problem, we decided to make a track along the side of the wall keeping it in place. Another part of this iteration was the pulley wheels. We had 3D printed them, but they didn't fit perfectly, so we decided to make them bigger by drilling into them. This idea worked, and resulted in a fully functional un-motorized iphone pully. Steps to come include programming the motor. 

The project will have an x, y, and z plane, kind of like a 3d printer. The camera will be able to travel up, down, and left to right to create a 3d video or picture. The camera's position will be able to be controlled outside the booth with a joystick kind of like a claw machine. The glass will be see through so it is easy to see exactly where the camera is, and get the right angle for the photo or video. We will probally end up using Arduino alot for this project, especially controlling the motors.