SwivelShot
2014 || 3D-printed plastic, DC motor, Arduino, magnetic encoder
The SwivelShot is an auto-rotating video mount prototype I developed for Ford Motor Company while working with three other mechanical engineering students. The mount acts as a hardware platform that dynamically captures the driving experience. This hardware integrates into Ford’s existing open source project, OpenXC, and can rotate 360 degrees automatically using preset tracking patterns or custom tracking patterns based on car data. The design also allows for a software or hardware based controller via bluetooth. Additionally, the mount accommodates multiple attachment mechanisms, including suction cups and clamps, as well as multiple recording devices, including smartphones and GoPros. The final design demonstrates functional mechanical, electrical, and control systems, whose critical elements are an Arduino, a magnetic encoder, and a DC motor with a gearbox and one-stage transmission. The project was handed off to Ford for further development.
