Author: Andrew Files | Major: Mechanical Engineering-Aerospace | Semester: Spring 2025

Files at the AAME 2025 Banquet

My name is Andrew Files, and I am a Senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Physics.

This project is a team project involving two other students and I, who are all part of a group called RIOT, which stands for Robotics Interdisciplinary Organization of Teams. I joined the group as a freshman to learn more about robotics as a potential career path. We are conducting research under Dr. Dix in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Dix has been a faculty sponsor of RIOT for several years and was the obvious choice for our research mentor for this project. This project is a collaborative effort between the Honors College and RIOT. The Honors College was approached about a student at a local middle school who has a physical disability who wanted to play the trombone. They then approached RIOT Honors students about the project since it would likely involve robotics.

One of the main goals for the organization is to further students’ understanding and exposure to robotics in ways that make it fun and interesting, such as hands-on experience building small plastic combat robots or for more structured projects like this one. We were happy to take on the project and began working this fall. Besides myself, there are two other students on the project, Grace Harding, a Senior Computer Engineering major, is our team lead and electronics designer, and Aidan Donoho, a Senior Electrical Engineering major, is our electronics optimization and longevity researcher. I am responsible for the mechanical design and device accessibility and comfort.

Our goal was to create a device that allows the student to learn how to play the instrument despite his disability. This project was a complicated mix of mechanical function, electronics sensitivity, and ergonomic concerns. We eventually settled on a frame that mounts to the student’s wheelchair using the existing t-slots that would be easily removable with the help of an adult. This allows him the mobility of his wheelchair while the device is attached, but is also easily removable if necessary. The motion for the trombone is actuated similarly to a 3D printer gantry with a tensioned belt driven by a powerful motor. However, instead of a stepper motor like those typical of a 3D printer, we specified a larger, brushless motor. This was to allow for a greater speed between each note. To make up for the lost precision afforded by a stepper motor, we decided to use a PID (position, integral, derivative) loop. This process is a mathematical function inside of the motor control software that allows for more precise positioning with a motor that doesn’t sacrifice too much speed.

This project was a great learning experience on the considerations that multidisciplinary projects must go through before a final product is produced. Especially with the application to an arts field like music, typical engineering principles must be adapted to fit the use of the end design in a way that I have not experienced before. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we were not able to finish the project this semester, but I believe we have laid a solid groundwork for the continuation of this project in the future.