Task:
Move nuts between bolts

Design:
Our design consist of one motor and a touch sensor, both of which are only attached to one side of the brick to allow space for the user to maneuver the tool with whatever hand they are using. The motor is connected to an axle that holds the clamp so that when the motor rotates the axle, the clamp rotates along with it. On the clamp itself, we added a rubber band to make sure that the clasp on the nut is secure enough so that it doesn’t fall through when we move it between bolts or use the tool upside down and on the wall.

Code:
We coded our program in a while loop that never ends. In the while loop, we have the touch sensor, the motor, and the brakes.

Loop
When the touch sensor is “bumped” it moves the the motor clockwise.
When the touch sensor is bumped again, it stops the motor.
When the touch sensor is bumped again, it moves the motor counterclockwise.
When the touch sensor is bumped again, it stop the motor.
End Loop

Design Decisions:

• We had to make sure that the hold on the nut is secure enough to move the nut between bolts and to hold the nut upside down and sideways. We achieved this by attaching a rubber band to the end of the clamp. The rubber band kept the clamp tight but also allowed for some flexibility to get the nut into the clamp.

• We also had to make sure that there was enough space for the astronaut to hold the tool, and adjust their grasp in any way they want. This is why we attached the touch sensor and the motor on the same side.

• We initially wanted to have 2 motors, one to clamp the nut and the other to rotate the clamp. However, we could not find a way to create this mechanism with the time given without the lego pieces attached to the two motors interfering with each other.