Bandbeesten: The Legacy Continues

The legacy of the Band-Beesten lives on at the University of Idaho through the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Vandal Marching Band. The former platform for a a moving drum set that was capable of moving across many different surfaces, will soon resemble a grand piano, pianist and all. This piano will be capable of much more than just playing music, and will be much easier to move.

Background
The Band-Beesten project was started in 2011 by Dr. Edwin Odom, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Daniel Bukvich, Professor of Percussion and Music Theory. The goal of their collaboration was to create a full drum set that could easily be played and moved by a single person during marching band performances. The 2016-2017 acedemic year will be the 6th consecutive year of the project.

Work in the fall of 2011 consisted of researching ideas for a powered platform to assist in parade and marching band performances. The team worked solely on research for a proof of concept and did not build a physical prototype. For more in depth design details refer to the Team Drum Roll webpage.

The design team of 2012-2013 made progress with the BandBeesten's design. Dan Mathewson, a UI graduate student, designed a robotic power driven front ball wheel to enable the machine to receive commands through the operator's body movements. More information on this design can be found in. The 2012 design team made significant progress in designing a human interface and powered movement for the BandBeesten.

In the 2013-2014 academic year, a new team started designing a BandBeesten design that would be light weight and have low friction wheels. This design relied only on man-power and did not have any assisting motors. The team also produced a marketing video for the UI Marching Band using 3D printed models and a stop-motion video design. More information about this design can be found at their page.

In the 2015-2016 academic year, a team made great progress updating the BandBeesten's platform. The base was redesigned and now included three motors in which each of them spun an 'omni wheel assembly. A wireless remote control now commands the three different motors. A micro controller inputs the direction of the joysticks and outputs signal to the motors. More information about the design and project can be found on the Bandbeesten Legacy page.

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Problem Statement
Continue the Legacy of the BandBeesten by using the three Omni-wheeled remote controlled platform designed and built by previous senior design teams as a base for a lightweight structure that will house a keyboard, lights, fog machine, and pianist. The structure to be built will resemble a grand piano, so that an audience to the BandBeesten will not suspect the movement and showmanship until the peak of its performance.

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Project Goals

 * Maintain Band-Beesten from previous projects.
 * Ensure that the platform from the previous team is reliable, functioning properly, and safe.
 * Design a new Mobile Instrument Component called "Project Ivory".

Design Specifications (Project Ivory)
 * Make a mobile piano frame with an 88-key keyboard
 * Resembels a grand piano
 * Led lights hidden from view until turned on
 * CO2 fog machine included in base
 * Mechanically operated lid
 * Lightweight and easy to carry
 * Detachable keyboard box for safe storage and transportation

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Wheels
The BandBeesten must be able to be moved in any direction on a moment’s notice to keep up with the marching band’s routine. Its wheels must allow maneuvers such as crab walking and rotation as well as straight motion. Designs considered are Omni-ball wheels, conventional casters, and Omni-wheels.

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Motor Controls
To control the power given to each motor, an arduino is used. The arduino sends a signal to separate motor controllers which in turn sends power to each motor. breakers, fuses, and an emergancy stop button have been installed for safety.

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Summer/Fall 2016 Design
When this group inherited Project Ivory the base, motor, and remote control was already completed and is relatively lightweight. The duty of this design team is to finish up where the previous groups left off. This means completing a extremely light weight structure and the shape of the piano as well as making sure that the showmanship is up to par for the performance in the Kibbie Dome.

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Project Learning
To be filled in as semester continues

Team Members
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Document Archive


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