This is the last week before going into our final presentations. Currently I am working on the hardware of my final project (circuit boards, physical parts of the machine, etc). Basically, I am still in my premature developmental stages for this assignment and need to work harder on my time management and not making things more complex than what they need to be. I have a specified idea of what I want it to look like, how things will connect and how everything will flow.
I am less than two weeks away from my final presentation date. As with anything within the fabrication process that involves me, the design aspect of this project has taken up majority of the time that I have left. Designs for the machine and the schematics of the circuit boards have been completed; I just need to mill out my board(s), put the code together, and cut out the parts that need to go together.
Knowing that time isn;t on anybody's side, working from the backend of projects seems to work best. I would probably be more stressed out in thinking about the things that need to be completed versusgoing through this documentation process, being able to visually see what needs to get done, the time that I have and (most importantly) the confidence knowing I have grasped concepts with modules and know and understand the process in how to get it done. Trying to add detail can look great but also takes a lot of time. These are good and bad things; on the one hand it contributes to creativity, but it only works best if you've started early giving yourself enough time to complete. Communicating on an ongoing basis with my instructor and guru has helped tremendously when I have so many ideas in my head but not know how to put them into action.
Imperative questions that I am working through towards finishing my assignment are:
At this point, in the next few days, I will be milling and building my board(s), organizing the code, "lasering" out parts of my machine, 3d printing pieces and organizing everything to see how they will eventually cohabitate.
Overall, I think my need for perfection and unique design application hendered the progress of my project; small, quick, and simple is way better and more efficient than small, asthetically pleasing, and somewhat complex. But you have to know the difference and be able to let go of an idea, no matter how great it may be, in order to get to the finish line. I know that this is not the end of this project in its entirety, only the phase, and I welcome any and all who see the potential in this project and ways to improve and add what has been done already.