Author: oabolade

The most significant risks to the project are delays in physical assembly and potential hardware reliability issues, particularly with motor functionality and wiring. These risks are being managed through continued subsystem testing, early integration validation, and debugging as issues arise. A contingency plan is to isolate and test each subsystem independently if full system integration fails, and to fall back on simplified operation modes (e.g., manual control) to demonstrate core functionality if needed.

No changes were made to the existing system design (requirements, block diagram, or system specifications).

Unit tests carried out include:

• Sensor validation (IMU and sun sensor readings accuracy and consistency)
• Motor control tests (stepper motor direction, step accuracy, and response to GPIO signals)
• Communication tests between Raspberry Pi and individual components

System-level tests carried out include:

• End-to-end motor–sensor integration (sensor input → control logic → motor actuation)
• Alignment testing (verifying system response to changes in orientation or light direction)
• Subsystem interaction testing to ensure all components function together without conflicts (outside actually panning/tilting the umbrella)

Testing helped confirm that the integration pipeline is functioning correctly, and no major design flaws were identified, so no design changes were necessary.

The main risks at this stage remain mechanical integration and timing. While most subsystems—including user detection, Bluetooth control, and sensor integration—are functioning well, the primary challenge is completing the physical mounting of all components onto the umbrella. Delays in mounting have pushed back some integration testing. To manage this, the team is prioritizing final assembly tasks and distributing the workload to accelerate completion. If delays continue, we will rely on our existing testbench to continue validating motor control and subsystem interactions and perform incremental integration as each component is mounted.

There have been no major changes to the overall system architecture or design requirements. Any additional cost or time impacts are being mitigated by leveraging existing materials and optimizing assembly processes.

The project schedule is largely still on track, with some delays in physical assembly. However, progress in sensor integration and motor control testing has continued in parallel, allowing us to maintain momentum. As assembly is finalized, we expect to quickly transition into full system testing and validation without significant impact to final deadlines.

The main risks at this stage are mechanical stability and system integration. As more components are added, the arm must support increased weight and handle external forces like wind. We are managing this by testing the structure under load and evaluating reinforcement options. If needed, we will strengthen the arm or adjust the design, even if it slightly increases weight. Integration is another risk, so we are beginning full system testing early to catch issues.

The project is on schedule with a revised version; the physical design and assembly were the main things keeping a lot of things behind, but with almost all of the major subsystems now functional, we’re more effective in parallelizing testing and validation. We are moving into integration.

We have several working components, including BLE-based motor control, a functioning user detection system on the Raspberry Pi, and a semi-completed physical assembly.

For validation, we are running end-to-end tests from user detection to motor movement and will measure tracking accuracy, response time, and system reliability against our design requirements.

One of the most significant risks to the project at this stage is the mechanical integrity of the system, particularly the weight constraints and the strength of the arm supporting the umbrella. As we continue assembling the physical structure, we are evaluating whether the current materials and design can reliably support the motors and canopy under expected loads, including environmental factors. To manage this risk, we are testing the structure incrementally and assessing whether reinforcement or material changes are needed. If the current design proves insufficient, our contingency plan is to adjust the arm design by using stronger materials or modifying the geometry to better distribute load, even if this slightly increases weight.

Another potential risk is ensuring smooth integration between the hardware and software subsystems. While major components such as user detection and BLE-based motor control are now functional independently, integrating them into a cohesive system introduces complexity. To mitigate this, we are prioritizing early integration testing as soon as physical assembly allows, so that issues can be identified and resolved well before final demonstrations.

There have not been major changes to the overall system architecture or high-level design requirements, but minor adjustments are being made to the mechanical design as we better understand real-world constraints. These changes are necessary to ensure the stability and durability of the system in a beach environment.

The project schedule remains largely on track. While some time was spent resolving hardware setup and debugging issues, progress in parallel across mechanical assembly, vision, and communication subsystems has kept the team aligned with key milestones. As integration begins, we will continue to monitor progress closely and adjust task distribution as needed.

The primary risks to the success of the projects remains mechanical hardware and assembly delays often regarding the 3D printing or just general assembly time. Delays in CAD refinement and hardware selection have pushed back the physical testing phase a bit which is more than we would have liked. As mentioned last week we continue to adopt an all-hands approach to the hardware integration.To mitigate any backlog in assembly and 3D printing, team members primarily focused on software will shift their attention to assist with the physical build as needed so that it can be up and running for our testing processes. This will ensure that the mechanical components don’t become a permanent bottleneck for our progress. As of right now there are no significant design changes.