Posted on

Nicole’s Status Report for 2/8

What did you personally accomplish this week on the project? Give files or photos that demonstrate your progress. Prove to the reader that you put sufficient effort into the project over the course of the week (12+ hours).

  • This week I made a Figma board for our web app that shows all the different pages and the different flows that the user may go through.

  • I finalized the resources and APIs we will need for the web app after doing some research about different databases and web app backends. Ultimately after taking a look at the functions and load of the web app, I decided on Merriam Webster Dictionary API, Flask for backend, React for frontend, and CSV file or SQLite for database.
  • I also started coding up the frontend for our web app in React and Typescript, creating the reusable components that we will be using for the different pages and finishing most of the pages’ front end.

Is your progress on schedule or behind? If you are behind, what actions will be taken to catch up to the project schedule?

  • My progress is on schedule.

What deliverables do you hope to complete in the next week?

  • Next week, I hope to have a cleaned NYT Connections Dataset for our MVP in the form of a CSV file.
  • I also want to make more progress on the web app frontend as well as setting up the Flask backend.
  • I also hope to have the basic game logic planned out (pseudocode + flowchart).

 

Posted on

Alexis’ Status Report for 2/8

This week, I helped finalize several key aspects of our project. After researching LCD options, I identified models with integrated ESP32 (IC) that perfectly suit our needs and offer enhanced functionality. I contributed to developing the narrative for our project proposals and conducted comprehensive research on required components. We have decided to order the LCDs before the actual blocks and prototype with cardboard or similar so that we can determine the final dimensions after everything is put together. I made a trip to techspark to ask about the possibility of laser cutting slots in our pre-made acrylic blocks. I asked about the possibility of drilling too for more complex areas. We devised a plan to be able to do this without too much drilling. I also submitted a borrow request for the Raspberry Pi 5 and picked it up from the receiving office.

Additionally, I explored the possibility of implementing a rechargeable circuit system. The concept involved using a power path IC with a LiPo battery for power management, where the blocks would charge when connected to the grid and switch to battery power when disconnected, ensuring uninterrupted power supply. However, I ultimately decided against this approach as of right now due to the complexity of the circuitry and the time it would take to prototyping and testing. Given our timeline constraints and the need for reliable power delivery, I believe that sticking with a known, absolute power supply solution with the 9V batteries would be best and so I found all the necessary components to make this happen.

Diagram of Power on block

I am on schedule with all of my tasks. Next week I hope to finish selecting the LCD, order all of our preliminary parts, start a PCB (if we decide this is still necessary as this will depend on what LCD + MCU on the block we are getting), and finish the CAD of the blocks and grid maybe even create a mock model out of cardboard for our blocks and use an LCD I already have to get the rows working.

Posted on

Wen Hui’s Status Report for 2/8

I conducted research on the different LCD and compared their specifications. I also researched about the libraries to use for the RPi and ESP32 / Pico in terms of UART, I2C and SPI communication. I also wrote the implementation flow for how the embedded devices would communicate with one another.

I am currently on schedule.

In the next week, I hope to get started on writing the code for the Rpi after finalizing the parts list and procuring the microcontroller + LCD for the blocks.