Category: Kira’s Status Reports

This week I focused on final preparation and controller fabrication. Ella delivered our final presentation, and beforehand we did a full dry run to make sure everything we needed to cover was included and flowed well. I worked on the controller by laser cutting the enclosure and soldering the components, although it still needs to be fully wired up. I also cleaned up parts of our motor integration code to make it more organized and reliable moving forward.

Based on the testing we have done so far, the individual subsystems are working well on their own. The focus mechanism functions properly in isolation, the controller accurately reads both analog and digital inputs, and those inputs are successfully sent to the main system to control brightness and color. We also tested the pan mechanism separately and it performed as expected. However, full system integration is still in progress, especially the tilt mechanism, which still needs to be connected and tested with the rest of the system. We also have not completed a full end to end system test yet. So far, no major design changes have been needed, just small improvements like refining the code. The next step is to fully integrate all components and verify that the entire system works together as intended.

This week, I focused on finalizing the controller code and continuing fabrication of the system. I soldered several controller components, laser cut an initial version of the controller box, and revised the CAD model for an updated version that I plan to cut soon. I also worked with Chloe to hook up the LEDs and verify they functioned correctly by sending controller inputs over DMX and confirming proper color mixing.

As I designed, implemented, and debugged these systems, I had to deepen my understanding of DMX communication and how the controller input actually translates to output on the LEDs. I also got more comfortable with hardware debugging and improved my skills in soldering, laser cutting, and CAD. Most of this came from just working through issues as they came up, testing things piece by piece, and adjusting based on what was or wasn’t working. Working with others also helped a lot in figuring things out faster.

Additionally, I continued preparing the system for full integration. Next week, I plan to work with Ella to connect and test the motor in a similar way, and to finalize the main body code so everything can run together. According to our timeline, I’m currently on track.

This week, my team and I presented our interim demo, which we prepared as an interactive way to show our progress. I wrote code to demonstrate the DMX transmitter and controller input by using faders (potentiometers) to send signals from the Arduino to an existing light, showing control of color and brightness. For verification, I confirmed the DMX receiver works by scoping both the input and output signals to check for correct transmission and timing.

As I worked on this, I focused on verifying my subsystem by making sure controller inputs map correctly to DMX values and produce the expected lighting outputs. I also used the oscilloscope to check signal consistency. Going forward, I plan to expand this testing to additional controls like pan, tilt, and focus, and check for accuracy and any noticeable delay.

For validation, we plan to test the full system by checking that the light responds correctly to all controller inputs for color and movement. We will compare expected vs. actual behavior, verify motion ranges, and observe responsiveness to ensure the system meets our design goals and works as intended for a user.

Additionally, our group continued fabrication by laser cutting the first rendition of our controller housing and soldering any components we can at this point. I plan to add more inputs and integrate the motor code with the DMX receiver soon. According to our Gantt chart, I am currently on schedule.

This week I made good progress on the DMX system. I got both the transmitter and receiver working and tested them using an oscilloscope to make sure the signal coming out of the receiver matched what was being sent from the transmitter. I haven’t hooked the receiver up to the rest of the fixture yet, but the core communication is working reliably. I also spent time soldering the controller components so that everything is ready for our demo. On the software side, I went through our code files to make sure they’re clean and modular, which should make it much easier to add the motor and other input/output controls later. Overall, the system is coming together and I am excited to demo our project!

This week I made solid progress testing the DMX transmitter and basic controller functionality. I set up the DMX shield in transmit mode with the Arduino and used potentiometers as analog inputs to act as “faders” for our controller. I was able to successfully send signals to a theatrical RGBW light and verify that changing different DMX addresses and parameters worked as expected, specifically testing control over color and intensity. I had also planned to test DMX receiving, but since we only had one shield at the time, I couldn’t complete that portion. Now that we’ve received a second DMX shield, I will move forward with testing the receiver next week.

This week my components arrived, so I spent time getting the hardware and perliminary code set up. I worked on assembling the basic system and confirming that the components power on and can be interfaced with so development can move forward. I am a little behind the original schedule due to waiting on parts and the initial hardware setup. Now that everything has arrived, I expect progress to move faster. I plan to meet with my teammate Ella tomorrow to start working on the DMX communication and motor control so we can begin testing basic functionality.

This week I focused on contributing to the design report and preparing for the implementation of the microcontroller and DMX communication portions of the project. I completed significant portions of the Architecture/Principle of Operation and System Implementation sections of the design report, which describe the overall system structure, subsystem interactions, and the intended hardware and firmware approach for the device. In addition to documentation work, I finalized my research into how I plan to approach the microcontroller control system, including how the controller will interface with the DMX communication system and coordinate the device subsystems. I also ordered the microcontrollers and the other parts we’ll need to start working on the DMX I/O. The goal was to make sure we have everything ready so we can start building and testing as soon as the parts come in. Overall I’m still on schedule, next week I’m hoping to start setting up the microcontroller environment, organize the parts once they arrive, and begin working on the basic DMX code so we can start testing communication between the controller and main body system.

This week I spent time rehearsing the design presentation with my teammates to make sure our slides flowed well and that we were clearly communicating our design decisions. On Wednesday, I delivered our design presentation and answered questions from classmates and instructors. In addition, I ordered the necessary components for the DMX I/O subsystem and finalized which Arduino I will be using for development. I also completed all remaining setup and preparation work so that I can begin implementation immediately once the components arrive.

This week I researched and selected the microcontrollers and DMX shield, adding them to our team’s shared purchasing sheet. I referenced an online technical blog for the basic DMX hardware setup, which helped guide my component choices and clarified how the transceiver and shield should interface with our Arduino. I also plan to use the DMX control library from that blog as a foundation for our software implementation. I combined my research with Ella and Chloe’s findings to develop a clear integration plan and create a full system block diagram for the design slides showing power distribution, control flow, and communication paths. I also developed the implementation slides by organizing a concise purchase sheet, citing key references such as the blog and open-source code, and outlining the modular assembly plan. Finally, I prepared my presentation script and rehearsed it with my group mates, as I will be the one presenting our team’s design slides next week.

This week our team presented our Proposal Presentation and continued refining the scope and technical direction of our MVP. I researched digital multiplex (DMX) converters to confirm that using the DMX protocol for our mini moving light would be feasible. After verifying compatibility and implementation requirements, we decided to incorporate DMX so our light can be controlled using the same protocol as professional moving lights. In preparation for the presentation, I developed the solution approach section and created a detailed block diagram of the system architecture. I also sat down with our presenter, Chloe, to run through a practice presentation and make final adjustments. I then continued refining the solution approach and block diagram to clearly outline how each part of the system will come together and to solidify our implementation plan moving forward.