The 3D Plotter from EduTech Leah Finkel – CEO Julio Perez – CFO Anna Seung – CTO Iman Shahsavani – VPO April 9, 2008

Outline Introductions Motivation Existing solutions High-level system design Logic/hardware Software Structural User interface Finances Timeline Lessons learned Future work Q&A

Introductions NameTitleMajor contributions Leah FinkelCEOStructural design, hardware debugging, editing documentation Julio PerezCFOOverall system design, animation, software debugging Anna SeungCTOHardware assembly, crystal structure/equation models Iman Shahsavani VPOSoftware development, user interface

Motivation: why the 3D Plotter? Huge range of applications for 3D imaging systems: Entertainment Educational Modelling for parts fabrication Medical imaging Shortcomings of existing systems: Too expensive Only large-scale Not true 3D

Existing 3D imaging solutions

System overview

Major features True 3D – can be viewed from any angle 4 modes of operation: DRAW (create your own 3D images) MATH (display equations in up to 3 variables) MODEL (display crystal lattice structures) ANIMATION (play 3D animated sequences) Low cost – 512 multicolour LEDs individually controlled with one PIC

Logic design

Software design C compiler Refresh rate User interface and matrix controlled from same processor

Software (cont’d) State machine – matrix represented by 8x8 char array, each char 8 bits wide, which gives 8x8x8 memory locations. 0,0…0,7 …7,0…7,7 8 bits …… …

User interface Pushbutton set with LCD for visual feedback Simple, intuitive, low- cost DRAW mode navigational input inspired by Etch-a- Sketch toy (x and y knobs) Draw in xDraw in y

Structural design Challenge: to design LED matrix such that Structure does not obscure view of deep LEDs Structure does not fall apart R, G, B and ground leads do not touch Each LED and each colour can be controlled independently

Structural design (cont’d)

Finances ItemEstimated CostActual CostRevenues 600 R-G-B LEDs$200$365.55$ (ESSEF) $ (EduTech) PCB manufacturing$150-- PIC & Programmer$50$ User interface$10$24.00 Housing$20-- Miscellaneous$20$ Contingency$50$50.00 Total$500$661.65

Timeline: projected vs. actual

Lessons learned What helped us: Scaled-down model for overall design/software testing Research on similar projects Healthy group dynamics What we wish we’d done: Test every component prior to assembly (ie. bipolar LEDs) custom PCB for easier access to hardware for debugging, better connections Time management!

Future work Increase resolution and size Interface with 3D modelling software Develop libraries of hard-coded images for MATH, MODEL, ANIMATION modes

Sources of Information

Acknowledgements Dr. Patrick Leung Mr. Steve Whitmore Brad Oldham and Jason Lee, TAs Fred Heep, Lab Technician Microchip (free PICs) Chris Lomont and Gene Foulk, makers of Hypnocube

Questions?

Demo Step 1: MATH mode Z = X+Y

Demo Step 2: MODEL mode

Demo Step 3: ANIMATION mode

Demo Step 4: DRAW mode