Team E5: Shade.ai

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.