Surround Strap Learn More
Identifying the Problem
Required Software & Electronics
Identifying the Problem
SET Products reached out to several deaf & low-hearing organizations at CU and other areas. After several weeks of interviews and researching, we concluded there is a large community of low-hearing gamers that struggle with interpreting in-game audio cues. Thus, we invented the Surround Strap device. Click below to see more about our research and survey questions.
Physical Design
Required Software & Electronics
Identifying the Problem
As a team, we wanted the product to fit on any individual without bending or breaking. We used six ROB-8449 haptic motors placed inside custom 3D printed casings to create vibrations at six locations around the nylon belt through pulse-width modulation. The front of the strap featured a larger case that housed both a motor and a microcontroller. Click below to see more photos of our physical design concepts.
Required Software & Electronics
Required Software & Electronics
Required Software & Electronics
SET Products used an ESP32 microcontroller capable of supporting TinyML to produce in-game sounds as haptic vibrations. By loading a game's audio files, the TinyML algorithm could run layers of probability functions to create an accurate model capable of reproducing noise amplitude and direction. However, it lacked the power to produce vibrations in a 3D space. SET Products used a reconstruction of the head-related transfer function to produce these 3D vibrations around the strap using TensorFlow Lite.
Testing Procedures
Surround Strap Poster
Required Software & Electronics
To ensure full functionality, SET Products performed several kinds of tests. These tests included calibration, wire connectivity, charge retainability, case durability, and waterproof tests. The team also managed to find several people who answered our survey that would be willing to test the device and provide feedback when we finished our first prototype.
Surround Strap Poster
Surround Strap Poster
Surround Strap Poster
To complete the project, SET Products compiled a presentation of the Surround Strap, its functions, and how the team will market it as a product onto a poster format. This involved showcasing our software/ testing procedures, design strategies, goals, and takeaways. We also prepared a marketing pitch and slide deck to summarize our product for the Boulder New Venture Challenge (NVC) competition. We then competed against other projects at the NVC and presented everything to the judges, who were real venture capitalists. Click below to see our poster enlarged, or our NVC slides.
ME Expo Presentation
Surround Strap Poster
Surround Strap Poster
As the final event for our project, SET Products presented again at the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Expo in April of 2022. Here, we demoed the Surround Strap prototype to more judges- who were accomplished engineering professionals, and to other CU students. Click below to see more about the ME Expo presentation.