To fix our final prototype to the wheelchair, we have to design a good fixation system. Till now, we used simple zip-ties (see prototype 44) to fasten it to the chair.
We made a sketch with the relevant dimensions of the chair in order to design the right fixation system.
There's enough space at the end of the left arm to place the final prototype.
searching the ball and throwing him in the box without clicker)
'knee-command' => ball out of box
dog can dettach himself without help
the ball jumps out of the box
EVALUATION //
extra: Caroline told us that maybe the prototype will work only one time if the dog has made a kind of knot by dropping the ball in the wrong way, untill someone untangles the two ropes again. But if it can work once, then that would be already a great help for some people. And the owner of the dog can guide his dog more, and train him to make less mistakes. If the dog does everything in the right way, the prototype can be used several times.
sequence of operations the dog has to do:
((1) ready to go: putting head through loop - (2) jump up - (3) walking to store etc - (4) home again: take ball - (5) drop it in box - get head out of the loop - free to walk alone)
if the dog made a mistake in step 4 or 5 , he will nog be able put the collar on for another trip.
Improvement of prototype 34 after testing it at visit of 17/04.
We made a cylindrical 'box' with a slot. We cut it diagonally, so no matter where the dog
throws the ball in, it will always end up in the slot.
We also fixed the end of the leash, not on the box, but elsewhere on the wheelchair.
(Note: this end has to be higher then the slot, because otherwise the ball will maybe jump
out of the box). We also reinforced the red rope that leads to the golf ball, so that it would twist less around the leash. The box is temporary fixed to the wheelchair with cable ties.
Improving prototype 35.
We bought stronger magnets and attached several magnets on the leash.
They are fixed on a wooden piece and stick out.
The other part, attached to the wooden arm on the wheelchair, contains a magnet too.
But this one is fixed at a distance in a whole in the wood.
In this way it is more difficult to perform shear force on the magnet connection.
