Ava Landry
M.I.M.I.R. System
Senior Design Animatronics Project
Role: Team Member, Point of Contact
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Duration: August 2021-Present
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Programs Used: SolidWorks, Excel, Word
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Skills Developed:​ Concept Design & Generation, Time Management, Code Compliance, Engineering Analysis, Technical Writing, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, SolidWorks Modeling, Engineering Drawing Creation
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Team Members: Blake Byrne (EE), Preston Dantin (EE), Collin DeVillier (EE), Ava Landry (ME), Cantan Varnado (ME)
My Experience
I am so excited to be working on a senior design project that is relevant to the themed entertainment industry. As a lifelong fan of animatronics, this project has truly been a dream! Our team is building M.I.M.I.R., an interactive animatronic system that utilizes computer vision & speech recognition to interact with users. The project is a year-long endeavor and involves two semesters of collaboration to complete the final project.
Concept Design & Generation
Our team completed a concept generation process for each aspect of our design. I learned how to generate concepts, select the most relevant solution, and justify concepts selected. I also participated in research on current animatronics technology and industry innovations.
Time Management
The senior design semester is a semester that involves very quick deadlines and a large workload. Time management is incredibly important in making sure the project runs smoothly and all criteria are met.
Code Compliance
For the project, I was our team's go-to person for all codes and specifications. We utilized ASTM F2291 and ADA standards for the project because they are standard for the themed entertainment industry. I was responsible for reading all applicable codes and informing our team when there were relevant code restrictions.
Engineering Analysis
Our team performed an engineering analysis for all aspects of the system. I completed our parametric design and statics analysis, as well as assisted with our torque calculations. I also performed an impact analysis for our detection object. This was a great opportunity to apply principles I learned in the classroom!
Technical Writing
Our team had to collaborate on several reports that detailed our engineering decisions as well as justifications for why we chose them. I had to practice how to carefully utilize my language to clearly convey how our system works and the analysis performed.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Our team consists of 2 mechanical engineering students and 3 electrical engineering students as well as a large amount of artistic influence. Collaboration between disciplines has been vital to this project and has allowed me to learn more about other fields as well as how to explain mechanical engineering concepts in ways that are easily understood.
SolidWorks Modeling
I was in charge of modeling our entire system in SolidWorks. The final system consisted of over 30 parts that were designed for 3D printing. In order to complete the model, I had to teach myself Surfacing techniques and many other SolidWorks tools.
Engineering Drawing Creation
I was responsible for all engineering drawings for the report. I had to utilize SolidWorks to create all assemblies, drawings, and bills of materials. I got a ton of practice working on drawings!