Individual Designs
Design 1:
Designed by Gillian Cairo.
The goal of this design was to create a simple vehicle. The battery and arduino board were placed side by side to create a narrower and more aerodynamic base. In addition, the propellers were placed diagonally across from each other in order to try to improve efficiency and speed.
Pros: appearance was improved from reference vehicle, balance was improved by rearranging the placement of the battery and arduino board on the base, cost efficiency improved because parts can be 3D printed or laser-cut.
Cons: weight distribution was not improved/very similar to the reference vehicle, heavier than reference vehicle.
Design 2:
Designed by Rob Gerdes.
This design is meant to be lightweight, aerodynamic, and have a slim profile. The slanted wings on the side give the design more sleek and streamlined figure. The arduino was put in the front to make there be more weight in the front to improve the acceleration of the AEV on the track.
Pros: Improved weight distribution with battery in front of AEV, balance improved by making symmetrical design, cost lowered by 3D or laser-cut parts.
Cons: Appearance was the same as the reference design.
Design 3:
Designed by Sydney Hudacek.
This design was inspired by the need to create a balanced, lightweight AEV. Throughout the research and development, our team faced challenges with the prototype being unbalanced and leaning off of the track, as well as being too heavy and not moving forward. This design decreases the weight of materials and is symmetrical.
Pros: Front appearance was more appealing, balance was improved with symmetry, and cost was reduced by 3D printed or laser-cut parts.
Cons: Weight distribution was not improved from the reference.
Design 4:
Designed by Jess Krebs.
This design was created to improve the weight distribution of the AEV. The battery and the arduino were placed strategically with this goal in mind, and the appearance was kept similar to the reference vehicle.
Pros: Weight distribution was improved, cost was lowered by 3D printing or laser-cut parts.
Cons: Balance was not improved from the poorly designed reference vehicle, appearance was kept similar to reference vehicle as well.