Braxton Kyle Bensel

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For my Decision Matrix, I used five different qualities to rank the three strategies I discussed in Assignment 2. I looked at the cost, ease of use, ease of assembly, coolness, and manufacturing required.

Cost

The cost evaluates how much each strategy will cost. Strategies 1 and 2 were fairly inexpensive, only requiring a pump which doesn't really break the bank. Strategy 3 utilizes two other forms of motion (locomotion and linear motion) that will both be costly no matter how it's implemented.

Ease of Use

Ease of Use evaluates how simple it is for the user to use the design. Strategy #1 only requires the user to place their hand under the sensor, which is very intuitive. The second strategy requires verbal input which may confuse some, while Strategy #3 will require a range of inputs (verbal and physical).

Ease of Assembly

Ease of Assembly looks at how difficult the design will be to create. Strategy #1 and #2 are complex (as they'll require some considerable electro-mechanical setup that I'm not quite familiar with. Strategy #3 is the same, but is physically even more demanding.

Coolness

Coolness looks at how much I like the design and how cool I think it is. Because this project doesn't require the physical creation of the product and only requires the plans and models, this is the most important factor to me. Strategy 3 is the super cool and complex design, which is why it ranks the highest.

Manufacturing Required

Manufacturing Required looks at how much manufacturing the parts themselves require to make. This is different from Ease of Assembly as this dictates how hard it will be to create and aquire the parts that will then be assembled. None of the strategies should be too incredibly difficult, but Strategy 3 will definitely be a bit more difficult than the other two.

A robot with wheels that will move to the user to deliver hand sanitizer.

Functional Requirements	Design Parameters	Analysis	References	Risks	Countermeasures
Locomotion System	Four-Wheel Drivetrain	Distance travelled: D = (Pi*2*r)*RPM/60*t (t in seconds, r in ft, D in ft).	Prior knowledge.	Fairly limited turning abilities compared to other options. Exposed belt/chain system can cause safety concerns.	Design code with understanding of limited turns. Shield the belt/chain system.
	Swerve Drive	For distance travelled: D = (Pi*2*r)*RPM/60*t (t in seconds, r in ft, D in ft). For wheel angles, trigonometric math is required.	Me :) I like swerve and know some swerve stuff.	Incredibly complicated code may cause failure. Dozens of points of failure.	Design failsafes and redundant systems to account for failure.
	Mecanum Drive	Distance travelled: D = (Pi*2*r)*RPM/60*t (t in seconds, r in ft, D in ft). For sideways movement, wheel voltage will need to be modified.	Prior knowledge.	Limited fine movement compared to other options. May struggle on any altered terrain.	Design code and performance understanding limited movement overall.
Sanitizer Delivery	Peristaltic Pump	P=Pressure*Flow Rate	MEGR 2156	Delivery is non-continuous (Choppy flow)	Is simply part of design, can be accounted for in Delivery Timing.
	Gear Pump	P=Pressure*Flow Rate	MEGR 2156	Will require custom seating inside of sanitizer tank.	Design custom sanitizer tank with Gear Pump.
	Piston Pump	P=Pressure*Flow Rate	MEGR 2156	Advanced transfer of motion may result in failure (Need vertical motion from horizontal motor)	Careful design of gearbox with proper tolerances.
Tracking methods (Red part in figure)	Ultrasonic Sensor	P=VI	sparkfun.com	Slow response rate.	Account for slow response rate in programming.
	VCSEL	P=VI	sparkfun.com	Very low maximum range.	Make sure design accounts for limited range.
	LIDAR	P=VI	sparkfun.com	Very high current draw and incredibly expensive.	Maybe pick one of the more reasonable options.
Linear Motion	Linear Slide	Torque of the motor = F*R and must be greater than the gravitational force present due to the weight of the system. (F = force of motor, R = spool radius.	Previous knowledge :)	Weak design that may be unstable at heights.	Add extra supports and make sure assembly is rigid.
	Linear Elevator	Same formulas as Linear Slide (above). Forces are distributed over a wider base and Torque is halved (forces on the system are split on two actors).	Previous knowledge :)	Bulky and heavy design may result in needing more torque despite having multiple actors in the lifting process.	Cut down on weight when manufacturing.
	Scissor Lift	Change in height = L*(cos(θf)-cos(θi))*X L = Segment length, X = Number of segments, θi = Initial internal angle, θf = Final internal angle.	Previous knowledge :)	VERY unstable due to nature of design.	Use a double scissor lift (such that both scissor lifts stablizie one another).