People's choice award-NZ Bright Sparks Comp

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Denzel

Senior Member
Hi everyone,
My names Liam Ellis, im an 18 year old student at Hutt Valley High School and Ive just got into the finals for the 2009 Bright Sparks competition with two of my projects.
Having come first in this competition two years running I am extatic to have reached the finals for a third time and can't wait to hear the results (when they come out in early novemeber).

The project I have the highest hopes for is 'Avert' (a combination of avert and vertibrae) which is essentially a chain like structure sewn into a skins compression top that moulds to the shape of the wearer's spine and tells them when their posture is bad. i.e. It beeps through headphones or out load and flashes until it is corrected. The device can also record the data coming off the 24 potentiometers in the spine and save it to an EEPROM so that it can be uploaded later and drawn on the screen as a vector diagram through visual basic software I wrote. The project uses a picaxe 28x (onboard processor) and a picaxe 18x (controller).
Please see a youtube video here for more info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2K34GrkSs0

My other project is a knitting machine created out of an old epson inkjet printer that knits scarves with 24 knitting machine needles, two servos, an optical sensor and a DC motor. The small machine is controlled with a Picaxe 14M and can be seen briefly at the you tube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T9dwy5jTFA

I wish to thank all the people on the forum who contributed to solutions for problems I encountered, I have recognised this in my competition entry.

I would also be extremely grateful If you could vote for me (or others if you prefer) for the Bright Sparks competition People's Choice Award for 2009.
My profile and a link to vote is found on the Bright Sparks awards website here:

http://www.brightsparksawards.org.nz/finalists/17-18-years/liam-ellis-avert/

Their is a video of my project on this profile also but it is more brief and not as well made.

Once again thanks for you help, and thank you for voting :)
 
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westaust55

Moderator
Hi Liam,

Those seem to be very good projects from a view point of creativity.

The Avert project may also has potential in the health field.

Thinking towards further development (next year?) it is good to bend over and touch ones toes to maintain flexibility but far from goodf to bend over to pick up a heavy weight. maybe mark II could also include load cells/sensors (strain gauges) to detect when someone is also using bad posture in extremely poor ways.

Congratulations with your efforts to date and wish you well in the 2009 Bright Sparks competion.
 
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Denzel

Senior Member
Thanks

Yes there are a few little scenarios where the device will tell you youve got poor posture when what your doing is either neccessary, benneficial or just not bad for you. It is not just the shape of your back but also the time period you have it in this position and, as you say, the extra weight you may be holding. Different positions will cause injury faster than others; I plan on developing the project to identify twisting of the back, strain on the spine (could be a bit difficult/ bulky) and the time periods where these positions are deemed damaging.

For now the device is purely to keep ones posture correct. When lifting something heavy you should lift it while the device says your posture is correct. If touching your toes, a decision to dismiss alerts from the system are neccessary.

Thanks for your input
 
Buzby

Buzby

Senior Member
An innovative solution to a real life problem. Well done !.

Can't wait to see the next version, ReVert, with 24 servos to automatically pull everything back into shape.

And, in 10 or 15 years time, will we be hailing Professor Ellis as the inventor of InVert, the embedded subcutaneous controller that corrects posture by direct muscle stimulation ?.

Good luck !
 
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elios

Senior Member
isnt that cheating Liam...? Maybe I should get people to vote for me then too? hehe

-Liam Beale
 
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elios

Senior Member
but then again, i managed to get on the local radio so not sure if that merits anything..

-Liam Beale
 
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manuka

Senior Member
I hadn't realised we'd two Liam Bright Spark PICAXE wranglers. It may well be that this name comes with the micro calling- I worked in a small engineering outfit once with SIX Peters - folklore said you had to be named Peter to get a job there.

Well done HVHS "3 in a row" Liam, & hope my modest input was of assistance. What have you in mind 2010 ??? Stan.
 
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Denzel

Senior Member
Nah

"isnt that cheating Liam...?"
I put the "or others if you prefer" in just in case there were any other brightsparks snooping around here haha. On the radio? well done!

I plan to go to Canterbury Uni next year - BE Mechatronics
and in my spare time get this project developed and on its way to the many crooked backs plowing the fields down south.

Cheers for the enthusiasm, it really means alot that people think my research is worth something.
 
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manuka

Senior Member
-the many crooked backs plowing the fields down south.
Click to expand...
Phew-you're joking- that was another era Liam! I'm an ex. farm based Southerner myself,& can vouch that most Kiwi men of the land now work their hi-tech. GPS guided plowing machinery in considerable comfort. It's the "head down & bum up" first year Canty BE students who may really need TLC back attention. Good luck with the studies! Stan.
 
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