Objective

Design and assemble a tendon-driven robotic joint prototype using Polycarbonate to validate mechanical compliance and real-time kinematic tracking.

Process

• Iterated mechanical joint designs in Onshape targeting a robust two-link testing rig within a strict three-day deadline
• Manufactured the physical prototype using Polycarbonate and integrated brass heat-set inserts for rigid fixturing
• Developed a custom Python tracking script utilizing OpenCV to isolate high-contrast fiducial markers via HSV color masking
• Implemented trigonometric modeling using arctangent functions to calculate precise internal joint angles
• Created a dynamic video overlay to output live flexion telemetry and automated quality control status

Skills used

• Onshape (CAD)
• Polycarbonate 3D printing
• Hardware integration
• Python for data tracking
• OpenCV for computer vision

Results

Delivered a compliant tendon-driven test platform capable of real-time kinematic evaluation and automated range of motion validation, with integrated visual telemetry for mechanical analysis.