Year 2: Feb 2013 - Feb 2014

24th - 28th February, 2014

Plan

• Insert magnets and screws into the components
• Conduct preliminary tests on the components
• Make necessary revisions to the design and submit

Accomplishments

• In Paderborn
  • Made necessary revisions to ray-disc design and submitted to Hamburg
  • Designed and submitted ray-disc container designs
  • Collected videos of ray-disc experiments (in different lighting conditions as well)
  • Collected videos of conformational switching experiments

Others

Todos

17th - 21st February, 2014

Plan

• Assembly of lines
  • Simple model - N components for length N

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Read DNA computing related literature
• Read chapter 4 of Navneet's thesis

3rd - 7th February, 2014

Plan

• Update design and submit to DMRC [done]
• Place other orders of screws to Knupfer / Jurgen [done]

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

27th - 31st January, 2014

Plan

• Create order and delivery table for 3D printing
  • Shapeways
  • DMRC
  • Hamburg
• Make list of what can be ordered and delivered to Paderborn and give it to Marco
  • Discuss with Navneet
• Conduct experiments on the components delivered by Shapeways (done)

Accomplishments

• Received magnets
• Received Knupfer screws
• Shapeway component results
  • Tube size too big
  • Indents for the paint drops too small

Others

Todos

• Upload Shapeway component results on the svn

20th - 24th January, 2014

Plan

• Prepare for 3D printer arrival
  • Purchase extra filament if required
  • Establish delays for filament delivery and restocking.
• Verify container designs with Navneet and submit
• Estimate annual private 3D printing services
• Experiments on the current L-Drop design (in progress)
  • List variable parameters
  • Vary parameters and test
• Random shaker
• Order micro screws from different vendor
• Updates for bud-petal design

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

13th - 17th January, 2014

Plan

• Verify container designs with Navneet and submit
• Estimate annual private 3D printing services
  • Send order to Shapeways by Thursday (done)
• Experiments on the current L-Drop design (in progress)
  • List variable parameters
  • Vary parameters and test
• Random shaker
• Order micro screws from different vendor
• Updates for bud-petal design

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

6th - 10th January, 2014

Plan

• Finalise procurement
  • Screws [waiting confirmation]
• Cut out acrylic
  • Established tolerances for 0.5mm plexiglass - 0,34mm cumulative for circular holes.
• Finalise test environments
• Follow up with Haitham about 3D printed parts [in progress]

Accomplishments

• Cut out covers
  • Two notches will work better for top cover
• Conducted preliminary experiments
  • The magnet should drop and move towards the face rather than dropping and staying in place
  • They key should move in it's slot more smoothly. Ensure screw head does not interfere with the key slot
  • The magnet should drop down more smoothly

Others

• Back up option for screws [1]
• Issues with the graphics card of solid designing machine.

Todos

• Camera, lights, lens
• Measure universal platform
• Laser cut bracket to check if dimensions are correct

16th - 20th December, 2013

Plan

• Finalise procurement
  • Screws [waiting confirmation]
• Cut out acrylic
• Finalise test environments
• Meet Thomas to refine experiment hypothesis [done]

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Camera, lights, lens
• Measure universal platform
• Laser cut bracket to check if dimensions are correct

9th - 13th December, 2013

Plan

• Finalise procurement
  • Acrylic [paid]
  • Screws [waiting confirmation]
• Cut out acrylic
• Design test environments
• Design lid options
• Refine experiment hypothesis

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Camera, lights, lens
• Measure universal platform
• Laser cut bracket to check if dimensions are correct

2nd - 6th December, 2013

Plan

• Submit first working design to DMRC
• Follow up orders for screws and acrylic [in progress]
• Submit receipts to Jutta
  • Print out previous trip spreadsheet for personal records
• Plan experiments

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Camera, lights, lens
• Digital weighing scale [2]
• Measure universal platform
• Laser cut bracket to check if dimensions are correct

25th - 29th November, 2013

Plan

• Tally accounts
  • Submit receipts to Jutta
  • Print out previous trip spreadsheet for personal records
• Measure universal platform
  • Laser cut bracket to check if dimensions are correct
  • Spacing of holes
  • Holes
  • Length, breadth and width
• Pick up components from DMRC [done]
• Experiments with other magnets (N52) and Bismut

* Follow up orders for screws and acrylic

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Camera, lights, lens
• Digital weighing scale

18th - 22nd November, 2013

Plan

• Submit designs for printing: [done]
  • L-drop component and key
  • Straight drop component and key
  • Test block to try different components
• Enquire about screws and acrylic sheet
• Update SVN
• Purchase
  • Screws
  • Acrylic
  • Bismut [done]

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

11th - 15th November, 2013

Plan

• Pick up new components from DMRC
• Test new components
  • Which magnets to use? --> 3mm side cube, 5mm side cube
  • What size of components? --> 50mm radius, 25mm height (earlier 35mm) (done)
  • What size of keys? --> Increase dimensions of shaft, change shaft shape (incline to L) (done), keep wall thickness 1.5 (reduce to 1?)
  • What gaps between magnet and ferromagnetic material?
    • --> For attraction the gap should ideally be a maximum 2mm. This means that since there is a 0.5mm air gap between the key and the magnet, the wall thickness should ideally be 1mm.
    • --> To ensure there is no attraction between the ferromagnetic material and the magnet (> 3mm side cube) the separation should be at least 15mm
  • Which ferromagnetic material? --> screw
• Redesign components based on test results [ref above]
  • Gaps magnet and ferromagnetic magnetic material
  • Hole sizes for screw (hole on face) [done]
  • Height of component [done]
• Redesign components to make them Radius 25 and Height 15
• Design tube for the magnet to slide in
• Design component such that the face ends with acrylic sheet
• Bismuth beads

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

21st October - 25th October, 2013

Plan

• Submit revised multi-target component design v2
• Conduct experiments with ferromagentic materials

Accomplishments

• Submitted lock-key based design for 3D printing
• Conducted experiments with ferromagnetic material and magnets.

Others

Todos

• Conduct further tests with ferromagnetic materials
  • Use different magnets
  • Tabulate distance of attraction and magnet strength (and shape?).
• Order magnets
• Make list of parameters that can be adjusted in revised multi-target component design
• Make a list of anticipated errors
• Design refinements to v2 design
  • Lip
  • Test blocks for angles

15th October - 18th October, 2013

Plan for Paderborn

• Design v2 of multi-target self-assembly system
• Design test blocks to test different parameters

Accomplishments

• Designed v2
• Designed test blocks for:
  • Different box sizes for the key
  • Different key shapes based on area of attraction

Others

Todos

• Conduct tests on magnets
• Design refinements
• Make list of anticipated errors

07th October - 11th October, 2013

Plan

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

30th September - 04th October, 2013

Plan

• Random shaker design
  • Coupling of saw and shaker
• Test on Laser Cutter
• New 3D printer research

Accomplishments

• Requested quote for random shaker
• Requested quote for basic 2D robot
• Submitted revised component design to DMRC

Others

Todos

22nd - 26th September, 2013

Plan

• Shaker choice
• Update expenditures

Accomplishments

• Revised component design
  • No unwanted features
• Read paper and highlight important design attributes
• Visted Chem and Physics lab

Others

Todos

16th - 20th September, 2013

Plan

• Submit revised design for 3D printing
• Literature review
  • Works citing Hosokawa (1996)

Accomplishments

Others

• 17th September - Received reply from Dr. Hosokawa along with his last work on the self-assembly of multiple structures (1996).

Todos

9th - 13th September, 2013

Plan

• Make corrections to the angle test block design based on feedback from Polyjet Printing services [ongoing]
• Search for shakers [Fisher Scientific, Eppendorf and New Brunswick]
  • Weight the shaker is able support atleast 500g of weight
  • 220V Euro plug
  • Metric holes

Accomplishments

• Compiled a list of shakers
• Marco sent Xeed an email requesting a status update.

Others

Todos

2nd - 6th September, 2013

Plan

• Send Kazuo Hosokawa email regarding paper [done]
• Shaker research [ongoing]

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Followup on 3D printer

26th - 30th August, 2013

Plan

• Design components for 3D printing

• • Laser sintering
    • Test component to test different sliding angles
    • Test component to test different magnet separation distances
    • Seed component
    • Switchable component

• • Polyjet
    • Test component to test different sliding angles
    • Test component to test different magnet separation distances

Accomplishments

• Designs submitted

Others

Todos

19th - 23rd August, 2013

Plan for Paderborn

• Conduct tests on:
• Induced error tests: N-N bond etc
• Complete incomplete experiments
• Buy M3 3cm length screws
• Bracket
• Further search for a random shaker
• Find state of the art for multiple structure assembly [in process]

Accomplishments

Others

• Placed order for magnets
  • Magnets are with ULB courier services

Todos

• Make a list of errors for circle shapes

12th - 16th August, 2013

Plan

• Find a shaker that shakes in a random fashion [found one possibility]
• Find state of the art for multiple structure assembly [in process]
• Read Hosokawa paper [done]
• Refinements to existing designs
  • Wall thickness [pending]
  • Depth of magnets [run tests in Paderborn]
  • Maximum and minimum structure sizes [cut 15mm and 25mm acrylic components]
• Update lab journal
• Prepare and pack for Paderborn trip 20130819-23

Accomplishments

Others

• Placed order for magnets
  • Magnets are with ULB courier services

Todos

• Make a list of errors for circle shapes

5th - 9th August, 2013

Plan

• Reorganise experiment data from Paderborn visit
• Plot compatibility curve [done]
• Read Hosokawa paper [PENDING]
• Refinements to existing designs [in progress]
  • Wall thickness
  • Depth of magnets
  • Maximum and minumum structure sizes
• Submit expenses for reimbursement [done]
  • Marco transferred 800Euro to my bank account on 9th August, 2013

Accomplishments

• Followed up with LaserScript - no response

Others

• Purchased external hard drive to store videos

Todos

• Find a shaker that shakes in a random fashion
• Find state of the art for multiple structure assembly
• Read Hosokawa paper [PENDING]

29th July - 2nd August, 2013

Plan

• Conduct single target experiments on laser cut and 3D printed components in ABS plastic IR94 container
• Conduct multiple target experiments on 3D printed and laser cut components
• Take measurements for new bracket

Accomplishments

• Conducted single target experiments with laser cut components in ABS plastic IR94 container
  • 45deg segments IR25OR35
  • 90deg segments OR35 circle
  • 90deg segments IR15OR25
  • 90deg segments IR25OR35
• Conducted single target experiments with laser cut components in acrylic IR75 container
  • 45deg segments IR25OR35
  • 90deg segments IR25OR35
  • 90deg segments OR35 circle
• Conducted single target experiments with 3D printed components in ABS plastic IR94 container
  • 45deg segments IR02OR35
  • 90deg segments IR25OR35
• Conducted single target experiments with 3D printed components in acrylic IR75 container

• Conducted multiple target experiments with laser cut components in ABS plastic IR94 container
  • 90deg segments IR25OR35 x2
  • 90deg segments IR15OR25 x2
  • 90deg segments IR15OR25 x3
• Conducted multiple target experiments with laser cut components in acrylic IR75 container
  • 90deg segments OR35 circle x2
  • 90deg segments IR15OR25 x3
• Conducted multiple target experiments with 3D printed components in ABS plastic IR94 container
  • 45deg segments IR02OR25 x2
  • 45deg segments IR02OR35 x2
  • 90deg segments IR25OR35 x2
• Conducted multiple target experiments with 3D printed components in acrylic IR75 container
  • 45deg segments IR02OR25 x4

Others

Todos

• Go through JICBackup_videos on kelvin workstation

22nd - 26th July, 2013

Plan

• Conduct tests on N-N error reduction designs
• Cut IR100mm container
• Bracket revision!
• Send LaserScript feedback email
• Prepare for Paderborn trip
  • Make a plan for experiments
  • Make a list and pack

Accomplishments

Others

Todos

• Update expenses spreadsheet [done]
• Submit expenses to Muriel [done]

15th - 19th July, 2013

Plan

• Send LaserScript email [done]
• Update SVN
• Cut IR 100mm container
• Bracket!
• Find ways to reduce N-N errors [in progress]

Accomplishments

• The laser cutter was previously not calibrated accurately and caused errors in cuts. The cutter is now better calibrated.
• Purchased 5mm plexi-glass sheet, 3 wood beams and Brico Discount Card [€195,47]
• Designed and cut three modifications to reduce N-N error
  • Curved edge
  • Flanged edge
  • Filleted edges

Others

Todos

8th - 12th July, 2013

Plan

• Send bracket sizes to Navneet [Done, €14,59]
• Update Experiments spreadsheet [done]
  • Include dimensions of Big and Small environments [done]
• Deeper cuts [done]
• Inclined holes [done]

Accomplishments

• Found suitable air-gap for components
• Found configurations for components with inclined holes to bond
  • v-shape
  • straight line (causes the pieces to be offset)

Others

• Meeting with Mauro:
  • Purchasing acrylic in bulk
  • Laser cutter calibration

To dos

• Send LaserScript email regarding errors in calibration
• Deal with bracket fit

1st - 5th July, 2013

Plan

• Paderborn visit (3rd - 5th July, 2013)
  • Pack
    • Cameras, chargers, cables, memory cards and tripod
    • Data storage
    • Design notebook, theses, papers
    • Magnets
    • Glue, tape
    • Bracket, environments, lids
    • Wing nuts, hex nuts, screws, bolts
    • Measuring instruments: vernier, rulers etc.
  • Tests
    • Assemble components
    • Run single ring, two ring, extra pieces tests
  • Shaker details

Accomplishments

• Hand held experiments at IRIDIA
  • Captured videos of single ring and multiple ring assembly experiments. Tabulated the results.
  • Conducted tests with extra pieces. The extra pieces used were were:
    • Quarter circle
    • Full circle
• Shaker experiments in Paderborn
  • Speed tests
    • Acrylic environment: acrylic components and ABS plastic components
    • ABS plastic environment: acrylic components and ABS plastic components
    • Tabulated results
  • Assembly tests
    • Big acrylic environment: 90deg ring segments, 45deg ring segments, 90deg circle segments
    • Small acrylic environment: 90deg ring segments, 45deg ring segments, 90deg circle segments
    • Tabulated results
  • Captured videos

To do

• Send bracket sizes to Navneet
• Update Experiments spreadsheet
  • Include dimensions of Big and Small environments
• Deeper cuts
• Inclined holes

Others

24th - 28th June, 2013

Plan

• Purchased [done]:
  • Washer/spacer for M7 and M8 screws - 1 each
  • 2m x 1m x 3mm Acrylic sheet - 1
  • 6mm Clips - 1
  • TOTAL : 111,97 Euro
• Fabricate rings with lesser width [done]
• Test to see if two rings can form simultaneously [done]
• Prepare files and equipment for transport to Paderborn

Accomplishments

• Self assembly of:
  • Circle: IR 2mm OR 35mm
  • 1 ring: 90deg segments IR 20mm OR 35mm
  • 1 ring: 45deg segments IR 20mm OR 35mm
  • 2 rings: 90deg segments IR 20mm OR 35mm
  • 3 rings: 90deg segments and 45deg segments

Others

17th - 21st June, 2013

Plan

• Purchase acrylic sheets, MDF boards, sand-paper, glue [done] €184,46
• Design and fabricate container for testing in July [done v2, shelved v1]
  • Design coupling that will allow any container to be easily mounted onto the shaker. [done v2, shelved v1]
• Update Design Journal and Technical Report.
• Design rings with lesser width
  • Observe lateral bonding

Accomplishments

• Developed first self-assembling structure.

• Estimated cutting errors for the Laser Cutter [done]
  • Included the design considerations needed to be taken into account because of the errors on the Laser cutter wiki [done]
  • Details of the error testing File:LaserCutter Tests.pdf
• Purchased I-section nd L-section channels which will be used as the coupling that will join the container and the shaker. €7,59
• Purchased nuts, bolts and washers. €8,77
• Fabricated and assembled container(s) and brackets
  • Containers: IR 75mm and IR 135mm
  • Bracket

Other

10th - 14th June, 2013

Plan

• Submit designs for fabrication [done]
  • Ensure pieces mate before submission [done]
• Update reports and address Navneet's comments
  • Reorganised files and directories [done]
  • Revised time lines to reflect 2 week turn around time for 3D printing [done]
  • Create entries for 20130607 [done]
  • Update Design journal
• Design and fabricate lid [done]
• Design revision
• Assembly simulations in SolidWorks [done]

Other

• Procured 2 suitable glues for acrylics
• Procured magnets
• Test finishing with the 2 glues
• Cut arcs with acrylic

3rd - 7th June, 2013

Plan

• RAR defense [done]
• Set up SVN [done]
• Create two docs: Lab report and detailed report and include them in SVN [done]
• Update Lab report based on meeting with Navneet [done]
• Understood basics of SolidWorks [done]

Other

• Semi ring designed in SolidWorks

1st March, 2013

Literature Review

Project Work

• Work on FRS-FNRS Fellowship application
• Work on Self-Reproduction Review Paper
• Talk in Dubai

Development

Laboratory Activities

• Assisting in big-arena robot storage setup

Ideas

Deliverable

• Synthetic Reproduction Review Paper due by May 2013
• Defense of Report of Advancement on 17th May 2013