Unravl Device

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Role:
NX Logo Mechanical Engineer
Team:
NX Logo Sasi Nandakumar
NX Logo Rishab Verma
NX Logo Rohan Thandu
Team:
NX Logo Ryan Kil
NX Logo Steven Zhao
NX Logo Callie Rigsbee

Design Process

  • Background

    Box Braids are a protective hairstyle in which sections of hair are braided with or without synthetic extensions. They are popular for their versatility, longevity, and ability to protect natural hair from daily wear and tear. However, they can take hours to install and remove, with the removal process often being tedious and time-consuming.

  • Problem Statement

    Removing box braids is a time-consuming, labor-intensive process that can take hours and often leads to hair breakage and discomfort. Manual methods require repetitive motions, causing strain on the hands and making the process difficult for individuals with limited dexterity.

  • Solution

    Create a hand-held electro-mechanical device that reduces the time to unbraid, acting as a tool that can be comfortably and safely used to avoid manually unbraiding.

Responsibilities:

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Tea
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Utilized
NX Logo SolidWorks
and
NX Logo Fusion 360
to design and iterate on the housing, optimizing for manufacturability and ergonomics.
Tea
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Printed housing + structural components using
NX Logo Cura Software
and printed using
NX Logo Cura Ultimaker
3D Printer.
Tea
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Conducted force and impulse testing to optimize the mechanical design, ensuring compliance with Georgia Cosmetology Department requirements.
Tea
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Utilized
NX Logo MATLAB
to determine minimum speed and torque requirements from goals to dictate motor/servo specifications.
Tea
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Conducted FBD analysis to analyze structural integrity of assembly during unbraiding process.
Tea
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Conducted FEA on
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under fatigue conditions to analyze effects of device use over time.
Tea
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Contributed to selection and integration of electro-mechanical components, including motors and sensors, to enhance precision and reliability.
Tea
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Assisted integration of control logic using
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on a
NX Logo Teensy microcontroller
enabling real-time signal processing and automation.
Tea
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Created an informational video using
NX Logo Premiere Pro
to showcase the device's functionality, user benefits, and engineering process.

Understanding Problem

Ideation + Validation

Prototyping

Testing

Evaluation + Expo

Colored Badges

Awards

  • Item description

Media

Big Hero 6

A huge shoutout to the team!