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University of Waterloo

At the University of Waterloo, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Professor Micheal Barrnett-Cowan in the Kinesiology Department regarding aviation research. In this role, I was hired as a mechanical research lead. Where my main task was to design, build, and experiment with various master's and Ph.D. candidates!

PI-1000 Flight Simulator & MOOG 6DOF Motion Platform 

Phase 1; One of the main projects I worked on was the mating of a PI-1000 flight simulator and a MOOG motion platform. With the final goal of having the platform emulate the movements experienced while flying the simulator. When I came into the project the platform had not been turned on since 2016. As such the first hurdle was getting the equipment to properly run. This involved coordinating with the MOOG technical team to get the PC serviced as still ran on Windows XP. However, after getting the hardware fixed we then found issues with the actuators not properly activating. After cross-referencing the plethora of error codes we were able to determine issues with the batteries that had eroded the wiring within. After changing the batteries and cleaning away the corrosion, we finally were able to see the platform move for the first time in 4 years!    

Phase 2; The next step was to design and build a new base for the motion platform that would allow for the attachment of the flight simulator. I created three different designs each with its own advantages. With the first being a repurposed version of the frame that is seen in the first video, the second being a wooden outline of the base, and the third a completely new wooden base. I decided to go with the third design which is essentially a framed 2x4 rectangle sandwiched between two sheets of 3/4" plywood. It was chosen as the first platform was too small and the aluminum t-frame was needed for another project as well and the second one would have too much overhang for the simulator once mated. Wood was chosen due to the ease of access to the material. As well as the tools I had access to was a skill saw, a screw gun, and a hammer. We also oversized the platform as it needed to be adaptable for other equipment that we would want to mate with the MOOG in the future.

Phase 3; With the final design created it was time to build! this meant acquiring all of the materials (which was quite a battle, especially with the plywood and my Subaru) and then building it! I priced out the build as such that only 2 sheets of plywood would be needed and that three studs could be made out of one 2x4". Being able to build the design myself allowed me to see the flaws in the design and make changes as I went! When I was trying to determine how to attach the base to the platform I decided to use the pre-drilled holes that existed in the MOOG which allowed me to use 1/2" carriage bolts to fasten the pieces together. However the drill bit wasn't long enough, thus I created a cardboard cut out of the MOOG to overlay to make sure the holes lined up. Once I was happy with the placement I was able to drill up and from the bottom. Thereafter, I sanded and painted the platform black. Note the lab itself was my workshop as such I had to be creative in how I used the space!

Phase 4; This is the phase that I am currently in! We plan only to get full integration within the next few months. I will periodically update this portion as we progress!

Qualysis Motion Capture

When I was not working on the building of the platform I spent my time troubleshooting and working on the motion capture system the researchers would use in tandem with their aviation studies. 

Motion Capture Gloves

One of the ways the researchers wanted to quantify their hypothesis was by obtaining data based on the pilot's hands while they were using the simulator. To this end, I was tasked with creating a pair of motion-capture gloves that would not impede the pilot's performance while also capturing all the necessary data. To this extent, I designed marker mounts that would hold the 6M screw type of the motion capture bead. Using Ultimaker original I 3D printed the first test design. However, after realizing the cost and time to print out 120 of the markers It was found more cost-effective to buy a shipment of a similar mount. I then used a pair of HG golf gloves as these were the most preferred feeling gloves when asked by the pilots. After determining that each joint would need a marker to create the 3D map of the hands I then created the marker layout to use 26 beads. This captures each finger's movement as well as their wrists.

Force Plate Cage Build

Once the platform was completed, there were now other areas of research that could be done with it. One of them is the testing of balance while on the motion platform. However, since the setup did not allow for an overhead harness system. I was tasked with building a cage that would protect the participants in case they fell. To do this I utilized the leftover 2x4 from other projects and created a design using cross hatches to provide a sturdy yet cost-effective cage. To keep the number of holes in the platform to a minimum I reused the same holes that the flight simulator attaches to secure the base of the cage.

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