Progress | Week 1 (Design)
- Aug 27, 2025
- 1 min read
This week, I worked on the functional prototype to be used in the team's internal navigational testing, to demonstrate a proof of concept of feasibility for haptic-based navigation.
I started by soldering three of the pin connectors to their respective motor drivers and motors (motor driver referenced is the personal driver for an individual motor, not the multiplexer driver):
Next, I assembled the functional hardware for the prototype system, constisting of basic connections to pico 2 GPIO pins 14, 15, and 16 for haptic motor VINs, as well as VBUS for 5v constant to VCC, and finally a common ground:
I tested the functional hardware against a basic serial input script, which awaited either the values 1, 2, or 3 to be input by a keyboard (or some form of input), and actuate a respective motor:
I also tested it against a basic HTML page which will eventually remotely communicate the input value to the prototype for obstacle navigation testing:
Then, I jerry-rigged the functional hardware to a detached Pyramex hardhat ratchet headband, as shown below:
This will allow for the prototype to be worn in a similar fashion to that which is expected for the NAVI intended design. The prototype being worn by myself is included for scale and reference:
Below are three testing benchmarks I used to demonstrate the current state of the prototype, complete with terminal response in addition to webcam capture:
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