Tech+Review+Aftermath

November 27, 2006

Task Forces Update:

Shifer: Still need a good way to shift, audible click. One shifter as opposed to two Brake: Don’t fully know if it works, adjustability Rim: Too bulky and heavy. Axial slop, Pinch points Hubs: Backlash… 10 degree backlash built into low gears, not really sure how to solve Hub Chair Interface: axle will have to handle a lot of weight Wheel: Pinch points, hand getting stuck… get a thermoformed molding to cover

Brakes are in a different place in different gears.

Rough Schedule: Monday Dec 4: end of business day, finish redesign and fab Tues-Thurs: test and customer feedback Thurs-Fri: working on presentation

Discussion:

Dave: Problem with hub is backlash. We’d need to remake internal pieces or attach spring mechanisms to solve this problem.

Adam: Ideas of solving backlash: weld on tabs and grind, or loading it. Or look into a different hub

Myoung: previous hub would have only have 2 gears

Moneer: seems slop is inherent in these hubs, otherwise they don’t change gears well. Bicycle hubs do not necessarily seem useful to our task. Don’t think it’s possible to incorporate the hub at this time

Aaron: we do need to get rid of the backlash. One of the old hubs $400 (looked at for the mock up) can go both forwards and backwards, want to see if they have backlash.

Phil: given all the time and money, don’t think we can completely eliminate lash. Dropping geared hub is only option to give us a finished product

Brentan: bike hub is not a viable solution, won’t be able to pull it out by Monday

Harmeet: we need to decide where to focus… even if we can do this, we have to make sure people do come in lab to do this.

Taylor: We have other compelling things to focus on? Uphill, braking mechanism.

Zack: unobtrusive hub design: hubs add 3 lbs each and more width to the chair.

Adam: We’ve been focusing on other things. We didn’t even know the real troubles until the day of the review. If we don’t come in there with a geared wheelchair… it’ll be silly

Moneer: We should think about what’s necessary. It’s ok if we solve something if we do it better.

Harmeet: Step back and look at what costumer needs. We only have one week to do this all.

Brentan: Agree with the trouble shooting, even if we work 9-5 don’t think we can get it done. The uniqueness argument isn’t necessarily valid because there’s magicwheels.

Erik: In the grand scheme of things Samir thinks the most compelling feature is the uphill feature. If we try to make bike hubs and fail we’ll go against what he says. If we drop it, we can cut our losses.

Dave: why did we not go with the fixed gear hubs: only few available on ebay.

Moneer: Warren said drop if necessary we ought to have something that works

Aaron: 2 speeds possible fixed and low gear

Adam: We are not listening to the expert in the task force. Why is uphill more compelling? We need to set up a test group to screw around with this as much as possible.

Dave: we can definitely get it to work, but not sure how well it’ll work. Building a brand new design may or may not work as well.

Taylor: we need to have something at least that works.

Brentan: We have to re-design regardless… we’ll be starting from scratch

Aaron: CVT reverse the driving direction

Vote

8 for dropping geared hub 4 for keeping geared hub 1 absent (Mario) 1 abstain (Taylor)

Decision: Our major components are uphill feature and brake. We go back to the drawing board.

Split up into task forces

Brake: Jin, Logan, Adam, Zack (buy sturmey archer wheelchair hubs)

Uphill Feature: Taylor, Moneer, Dave, Aaron

Engagement / Shifter: Brentan, Phil, Mario, Myoung

Market / Presentation Customer Feedback: Harmeet, Erik

What we want by Wednesday: 1st iteration design solid models of something you can build and order parts as much as you need.