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  • Personal Project Update

    So after my first idea of the “Goal Dock,” I kind of did more thinking. I know that I would want to create something meaningful and that I could hopefully work on later, so I went deeper into thinking about the idea, and the more I think about it, the more I feel like this idea would not be that great.

    The reason why I have tried to create a physical product is that I don’t have much experience in coding and app development, and I was worried that I would not be able to code a fully functional app.

    After I had a conversation with Mr. Crompton, I found out that I am able to use the help of AI in creating my app as long as I am still the one with the ideas and the execution plans. The AI is simply going to be a tool that can help me show my ideas in a visual form.

    With that in mind, I started to look at different digital options. I then settled on the idea of making an app that can help users, especially students, to create meaningful and structured goals and help them keep track of their progress interactively and interestingly.

    The Problem:

    Students have meaningful goals, but they often struggle to turn them into manageable steps and daily actions that they can take.

    My main audience is students, since they have lots of things to do each day and often struggle with keeping up with their goals.

    I personally experience this problem. Sometimes I am just overwhelmed with assignments that I overlook the importance of simple daily actions that could help me work towards my goal.

    Research

    For the framework to be effective, I looked at a few research studies to justify why I have chosen to do my system (which will be explained later) the way that I am doing it.

    1. Goal Setting Theory – Edwin Locke and Gary Latham
    2. Self-efficacy – Bandura
      • People are more likely to act, persist, and recover from setbacks when they believe they are capable of succeeding. Small wins could help people overcome setbacks and gain the confidence to continue
      • Link for more info: https://www.simplypsychology.org/self-efficacy.html
    3. Implementation Intentions – Gollwitzer
    4. Progress Monitoring – Harkin et al.
    5. Habit Formation – Lally et al.
    6. Atomic Habits – James Clear
      • Instead of focusing on bug goals, we could focus on small habits that can be repeated every day. Thu, we need to focus on the system of achieving the goal.
      • Link for more info: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits-summary

    Introducing Pebble

    Pebble is a student-focused personal development tool that could help students turn their goals into actionable plans while keeping the student on track with their progress.

    Although the personal development app market is saturated, Pebble is able to distinguish itself from the pack by offering users a simple, interactive, and gamified experience, similar to that of Duolingo.

    Pebble uses AI integration and a structured flow to help the student stay on track with their goals.

    This is the goal-setting process for Pebble:

    Goal – The app asks the user for their goal

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    Why it matters – The app forces the user to explain why this goal is important to them

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    Make it more specific – The app helps the user to further explain their goal by using AI suggestions that the user can modify

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    Break it into steps – The app then asks the user to break their goals into actionable steps

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    Choose one active step – The app then tells the user to focus on one step, and the user calculates in advance the amount of time they might need to complete the step

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    Plan actions – Then the app will use AI suggestions to help the user break the step into possible actions. These actions could be repeated actions for everyday such as drinking 2 bottles of water every day, or they could be day-specific actions like completing a mock test. The time at which the user inputs the action is also flexible; the user could add an action or remove one anytime they want, based on their personal needs (some users might like to plan ahead of time, while some users like to go day by day)

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    Record progress – Pebble has an interesting way of recording progress and motivating the users, which will be explained later in the blog.

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    After all the steps of the goal are complete, the user has completed their goal, and if this is not the case, the user can simply add another step and keep on working.

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    Earn rewards: the user is able to earn rewards when they complete different stages of the goals, which will be explained later.

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    See the full journey – The user will also have a way to view their entire journey with the app and the progression of their goals over time.

    Recording Progress:

    The progress recording of Pebble is quite interesting.

    The user sets up actions that they will take in advance in the app, and then when he/she completes the action, they can mark it as finished on the app, and the app takes the action and stores it in the action catalog that can then be used to monitor progress and allow the user to reflect when they need it.

    The user also has the option to input how much time they have devoted to the goal on that day. This will allow the user to see their own efforts on a chart regarding how much time they have spent on the goal.

    After each day, the user can rate themselves on a scale of 5 of their own effort, which adds a level of self-assessment into the equation and encourages reflection.

    To track the process of the entire goal, I settled on a timeline method. Instead of the conventional calendar view, I used a timeline. The timeline allows the user to have an idea of the journye of the goal. This timeline includes events like when the goal was created and when one step was achieved.

    Now lets look at how exactly the actions, steps, and goals work.

    After the user has chosen a step and planned out actions, they are now ready to work towards them. After many actions and days working towards the step, the user completes the step and moves on to the next step.

    The time in between the start of the step and the end of the step could sometimes be long, and the user would need some type of encouragement. This is where our mascot, Pebble, comes into play.

    Pebble is a penguin that is similar to the owl in Duolingo. I can pop up on the user’s screen and give them doses of encouragement from time to time.

    After the completion of a step, the user earns a flame. The flames are cartoon-like and have different colors for different goals, since the user might be working towards multiple goals at a time. The flame will also be labeled with the name of the step.

    After the completion of each step, the app will provide the user with a celebration moment where the user can feel good about their accomplishment, and they are also able to view all actions and time and all other associated information about this step in an achievement page where all the falmes are stored in little jars.

    After all the steps are completed in a goal, all the flames will merge into a gem that has the corresponding color of the flame and will also have the name of the goal on it.

    The gem will then have all the information for all of the steps and thus all actions involved in achieving the goal. It will also contain the amount of time and days that you have worked on the goal.

    The user is always able to go to the achievement section and look at all their goals and reflect on them.

    Current Progress:

    Currently, I think I have pretty much finished with the design of the idea. Maybe a few fine-tuning is needed, but the general direction is basically laid down.

    One thing that I am kind of worried about is the fact that while it sounds like a pretty interesting idea, I am not sure if this idea will be able to find success if I develop it further and maybe launch it into the market, perhaps.

    I would like this project to be able to be something that I am able to develop further outside of Fusion, since I am considering pursuing some entrepreneurship opportunities. Thus, I really have to have a well-grounded idea in order for my time not to go to waste.

    Possible Challenges:

    Since I am competing in a pretty saturated market, I do have to have something that can really attract people to use my app over the others. I do believe that I do have some interesting perspectives to offer, and I may just need some more time to fine-tune the idea and really figure out my differentiating strategy.

    Another challenge could be the fact that I haven’t used any AI to help me code before, so I might be stuck on a few concepts. I am planning to combat that by spending some time during the break to learn more about tools like Claude that can aid me in my creation process.

    What Now?

    I think I would still stick with this idea for now, but if I have any better ideas, I might do another pivot. However, since I already had some good thinking with this product, I might be able to use some of the thinking to apply to the next idea, so that the thinking I did now will not go to waste.

    The Use of AI

    I did use AI to help me brainstorm ideas and rate my ideas. I will also use AI later to help me create a visual representation of my app, since I lack the knowledge of creating apps.

    Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Inko9AxDcn6xnCmx3SGC4OTkxNQfUTs–ljifJ5ECVw/edit?usp=sharing

  • Personal Project 1

    Definition Statement:

    People set personal goals but often struggle to stay consistent because they lack a visible, interactive, and physical system to track their progress throughout the day.

    My targeted Audience is busy students and individuals who set goals but struggle to consistently follow through due to the lack of visible, portable, and interactive systems

    Ideas:

    1. A physical daily habit board that resets each day
      • I feel like this system would not really be specific enough and would not have enough features to actually make it engaging for the consumers
    2. An app that tracks habits and shows different statistics
      • I felt like the idea of different statistics and habits doesn’t really align. Habits are just habits, and there aren’t many statistics to talk about.
    3. A mini gadget attached to the phone that tracks your habits
      • This was one of my best ideas, but after I realized that if it were mounted onto the back of your phone, it would be uncomfortable for the user because it would make your phone bulky and possibly hard to hold.
    4. An app that tracks the progress towards your goal
      • I kind of pivoted from focusing solely on habits to a more general sense of goals. There is one problem I noticed: many productivity and goal apps have notifications, but people often ignore them or get distracted and switch to other apps on their phones.
    5. Weekly goal system: 1-3 goals each week, and tracks whether you have worked towards them by the end of each day
      • This is the idea I ultimately settled on because it is interactive, portable, and serves my purpose of reminding people of their goals.

    First Generation:

    • AI representation of the first-generation weekly goal tracker

    After deciding on a weekly goal tracker, I came up with the idea shown above. It is a goal tracker that can be placed on your desk and has 3 goal columns, where you can toggle the knobs in the slots to record the days you have completed the goal.

    I chatted with Mr. Crompton and realized this is a passive, not an active, way of tracking. It is not that interesting, and there is no incentive to perform the goal each day.

    Afterall, this might just be a product that will be forgotten on your desk and never to be touched again.

    Some Research:

    I felt like some research that would support my incentive of creating this system would help me understand the logic better and have a clearer vision:

    According to Psychology Today: 

    Research on habit tracking suggests that physically interacting with a goal tracker (e.g., writing things down, checking off boxes) helps create stronger feedback loops in the brain and lowers cognitive load compared to purely digital tracking. Studies of habit tracking show that making a behaviour visible — especially in a tactile, physical way — can help reinforce routines because the act of interacting with the tool itself becomes a cue or reminder.

    According to the New York Post: 

    Surveys and lifestyle research show that people often forget digital reminders on phones and apps, while physical tools placed in visible locations are more likely to be noticed and acted upon. In a recent consumer study, many participants reported that physical goal reminders (such as sticky notes, printed trackers, or tangible cues) helped them stick to their goals more than digital reminders, because digital alerts are easy to dismiss or forget.

    According to Habit Coach:

    Research on habit tracking shows that regular self-monitoring and visible progress markers significantly increase the likelihood of achieving goals, regardless of the tracking method. Studies suggest that physically interacting with a tracking tool — such as marking a checkbox or moving a physical slider — strengthens habit feedback loops and reduces cognitive load compared to passive digital tools. Additionally, surveys indicate that physical reminders are more likely to be noticed and remembered than digital notifications, which are often ignored or forgotten.

    Introducing GoalDock:

    A modular, portable goal-tracking system that combines detachable daily reminder modules with a home docking station to help users build consistent habits and work towards their goal through visible, interactive feedback.

    • AI representation of what the product would look like

    2 parts to the System:

    1. 3 Detachable Goal Slots
    2. A docking stand/station

    The Detachable Goal Slots:

    • Each detachable goal slot consists of a few features:
    1. A 3D icon: the icon is a visual representation of the goal. For example, if the goal is to eat healthy, the icon would be a broccoli or an apple, symbolizing health.
    2. A name slotfor the goal: Obviously, an icon would not be specific enough. That’s why there will be a slot for the user to write the specific goal they want to achieve.
    3. A slider: The slider has 2 positions: “Done” or “Not Done”. When the task is completed, the user can simply toggle the slider to the “Done” position and keep it there.
    4. A Monday – Sunday mini column: This mini column appears underneath the slider and shows the consistency of working towards the goal from Monday to Sunday.
    5. A hook/ small ring: A hook or a small ring would be attached to the slots. This allows the user to place the slot anywhere they like, from backpacks to pencil cases to phones. This helps the user remember what they aim to achieve by the end of the day.

    The Docking Station:

    The docking station would be returned home, where it can sit on the user’s desk or workspace. It serves not only as a holder for the 3 detachable goals but also as a tracker of the overall consistency of the goals this week. For example, the user can record the number of days they ate healthily, read a book, or work out. This helps the user reflect on the week’s progress with a visual cue.

    Materials needed:

    The bulk of the materials needed for the project would be 3D printed (especially with the 3D icons). The knob for the slider could be made from materials that feel smooth and pleasant to the touch, such as aluminum, to encourage the user to complete the task for the day.

    The docking stand could also be made of metal to create a clean, minimalist vibe that will be satisfying to look at.

    Magnets might be needed if the slots are magnetically attached to the docking station.

    Plan for Creation:

    1. Finalize the Design
      • Although the design is kind of finished, I might need a bit more time to refine a few concepts
    2. Create the CAD designs
      • Figuring out which parts to create by myself and which parts to buy online would be a major part of this step
    3. Research materials needed for the 3D printing
      • Different materials might be needed for different parts of the product
      • I will need to know how to send the CAD designs to the 3D printer as well
    4. Print the parts that I will make myself, and buy the other parts
    5. Construct a first prototype and test it
    6. Reflect on the mistakes and make any adjustments needed
    7. Construct a second prototype and perform a test
    8. Make any adjustments necessary
    9. Create the final product

    Conclusion:

    Overall, I believe this product will address the problem of inconsistent goal achievement because it is visual, interactive, and portable.

  • “The Viper”

    Vehicle designed for Trappist 1-e

    Definition Statement:

    Our mission is to build a vehicle that can:

    • withstand Trappist-1e’s extreme contrasting temperatures
    • traverse the uneven and rocky terrain
    • and endure the immense radiation emitted by Trappist-1e’s star

    Additionally, the vehicle must be large enough to hold at least four individuals and have sufficient energy to travel 10km.

    The Problem:

    We need a vehicle that can travel on the planet Trappist 1-e

    Trappist 1-e had a rocky and dusty surface, similar to that of Earth

    Brainstorming:

    We brainstormed a few versions to arrive at our final design:

    1. The Hover Board System: We thought of an idea to attach a hover board underneath the vehicle so it can float on top of the rocks and uneven terrain
      • We figured this concept would be hard to create and, at the same time, energy-inefficient.

    2. The Motorcycle: The second idea we had was a motorcycle with a solid outer shell. It would be easy to turn and would be fast.

    • We realized the design was flawed because the vehicle’s 2 wheels could be imbalanced and unable to support the weight of our entire crew and equipment.

    3. The Rocker-Bogie System (what we settled on): The third idea was the rocker-bogie system, similar to those used in Mars vehicles. It consists of two arms that work together to climb uneven surfaces.

    • Visual Representation of the vehicle (created by AI)

    Role of the Test:

    The test we performed was crucial for evaluating whether our vehicle can operate under conditions similar to those on Trappist-1e. We were able to see the vehicle in operation rather than viewing it virtually in platforms like Tinkercad.

    The primary goal of the test is to measure the energy efficiency and mobility. By testing the vehicle on both a dust-and-gravel surface and a smooth surface, we compared how terrain roughness affects current draw, energy consumption, and overall efficiency. The smooth surface served as the control condition, while the gravel tests simulated the rocky terrain present on Trappist-1e.

    Through testing, we aim to understand how the rocker bogie system improves our stability and traction on the ground. We also hope to understand the difference in the energy required for the vehicle to travel on rough and smooth surfaces.

    The Method and the Procedure: The Rocker-Bogie System

    We finally settled on the rocker-bogie suspension system, a suspension system used on Mars rovers. It includes 3 main parts on each side of the vehicle:

    1. A rocker arm ( the long arm)
    2. A bogie arm ( the short arm)
    3. 3 wheels per side (2 connected to the short arm and 1 connected to the long arm)
    • Above is a simple diagram of a rocker-bogie system

    The Benefits of the Rocker Bogie System:

    1. Improves traction
    2. Reduces wheel slip
    3. Makes energy use more efficient on uneven terrain

    The Rocker Arm (the long arm)

    • The rocker arm is the main structural component of the rocker-bogie system.
    • It connects the front wheel to the chassis (the body) and allows the wheel to rotate upward when encountering obstacles.
    • This movement helps keep the rover stable and ensures continuous contact between the wheels and the ground.

    The Bogie Arm (the short arm)

    • The bogie arm is the shorter component of the rocker-bogie suspension system and connects the middle and rear wheels on each side of the rover.
    • It is hinged to the rocker arm, allowing the two rear wheels to move independently when travelling over uneven terrain.
    • This design helps distribute the rover’s weight more evenly and reduces the chance of wheel lift or loss of traction.

    The Chassis (the body)

    • This is the body of the rover
    • Includes mounting points for the rocker arm
    • The cutout in the middle of the body is designed so that the wires from the TT motors can connect to the breadboard.

    Screw Head

    • This screw head attaches to the screw base and serves as a pivot point for the connection points between the chassis and the rocker arm, and between the rocker arm and the bogie arm.

    Screw Base

    Screw Assembly

    • This demonstrates how the screw head and screw base can connect components.

    Connecting the Chassis to the Rocker

    • We use the screw in order to attach the rocker arm to the chassis, and in order to attach the rocker arm to the bogie arm

    Mechanical Drawing

    • This is the mechanical drawing of all vehicle components.
    • The screw head and screw base each have 3 drawings from different angles.
    • The chassis has 3 different drawings showing it from different angles.
    • All measurements are in millimetres (mm)

    TinkerCAD:

    Video of design in motion:

    • We used TinkerCAD to simulate the network and circuit of the vehicle
      • We used 6 TT motors (3 on each side of the vehicle)
      • 1 breadboard
      • 4 AA batteries
      • A push button
    • Above is the circuit diagram for our vehicle

    Prototype Photos:

    • The black box holds 4 AA batteries and contains a button to turn the vehicle on and off
    • TT motors are attached to the wheel, the rocker, and the bogie arms.
    • We used a combination of Gorilla Glue, Super Glue, and tape to strengthen the connection between the motors and the arms.
    • Cutout on the bottom of the vehicle for the wires from the motors to connect to the breadboard.
    • Screws are used to connect the rocker arms to the chassis.

    Vehicle Tests:

    Gravel test
    Smooth Surface Test

    The tests actually went pretty smoothly:

    Test 1: Gravel surface

    • Temperature: 3 °C
    • Distance travelled: 106 inches = 2.692 m
    • Time: 11.5 s
    • Mass of rover: 1184.2 g = 1.184 kg

    Electrical Measurements:

    • Because the vehicle did not maintain a steady voltage during the test, we calculated an average voltage from the pre- and post-test readings.

    Current Measurements:

    • During the test, the electrical current drawn by the rover’s motors was not constant.
    • As the rover moved through the uneven terrains, the motors drew varying amounts of current at different times.
    • To account for this variation, we measured current at 2-second intervals while the rover was in motion.

    Energy Input:

    Efficiency Calculation:

    • In this project, efficiency is defined as distance travelled per unit of energy input (m/J), rather than thermodynamic efficiency.
    • This value describes how effectively the rover converts electrical energy into forward motion.

    Test 2: Smooth Surface

    • Temperature: 3 °C
    • Distance travelled: 106 inches = 2.692 m
    • Time: 8.77 seconds
    • Mass of rover: 1184.2 g = 1.184 kg

    Electrical Measurements:

    Current Measurements:

    Energy Input:

    Efficiency Calculation:

    Comparative Efficiency (Test 1 and 2):

    • This means that the rover operates at approximately 72% efficiency on gravel compared to a smooth surface.
    • This decrease in efficiency is expected due to increased rolling resistance, wheel slip, and energy loss when traversing uneven terrain.
    • Despite this reduction, the rover maintained stable motion and consistent traction, demonstrating that the rocker-bogie suspension system effectively supports traversal on rocky surfaces similar to those expected on TRAPPIST-1e.

    Why we used this approach:

    • By comparing the rover’s efficiency on gravel to its efficiency on a smooth surface, we isolated the effect of terrain roughness while keeping all other variables constant, including vehicle mass, motor configuration, battery type, and test distance.
    • The smooth surface test acts as a baseline representing near-ideal operating conditions, while the gravel test simulates the rocky terrain expected on TRAPPIST-1e.
      • This comparison enables us to evaluate how well the rocker-bogie suspension system maintains performance in realistic terrain.

    Implication for Trappist 1-e

    • The results of our tests provided insights into the vehicle’s performance on Trappist-1e.
    • Our vehicle operates at approximately 72% efficiency on gravel compared to a smooth surface, which closely simulates the rocky terrain expected on TRAPPIST-1e.
    • The decrease in vehicle efficiency on rocky surfaces suggests that rough terrain significantly increases energy consumption due to higher resistance, wheel slip, and energy losses during climbing.
    • Despite reduced efficiency, our rover maintained stable motion and continuous traction during the gravel test, suggesting that the rocker-bogie system is well-suited to the conditions of Trappist-1e.
    • Our tests showed the rover is about 72% as efficient on gravel as on smooth ground. If TRAPPIST-1e’s surface is closer to “gravel-like,” the real rover should assume it needs about:
    • So the real vehicle should be designed to deliver ~40% more energy than you’d estimate under ideal conditions.
    • In terms of the battery:
      • A sealed, dust-proof battery pack mounted low under the floor, offering stability and balance
      • It should be thermally insulated and heated/cooled as needed, since battery performance degrades in cold conditions.
    • In terms of charging and the use of nuclear energy:
      • A small fission reactor at the base provides a constant power supply for charging.
      • The rover runs on battery power for the 10 km round trip.
      • This guarantees reliable energy even if sunlight is weak or conditions are harsh.
    • In terms of materials
      • We would prioritize strength, temperature durability, dust resistance, and radiation protection.
      • We would use materials such as aluminum alloy for the frame and structure, and Titanium for the pivots and joints, to ensure strength and durability.
      • We would use carbon fibre and Insulation layers that are lightweight and can withstand temperature changes.
      • We would reduce the radiation by placing Polethylene – based shielfding on the vehicle
      • Overall, these material choices balance the vehicle’s durability and safety with mass efficiency, increasing the vehicle’s weight slightly while ensuring efficiency on Trappist-1e
    • Impact of the Vehicle Mass:
      • The mass of the vehicle will affect the energy consumption of the vehicle.
        • A heavier vehicle would need more energy to counter rsistance to climb obstacles
      • Although the gravity of TRAPPIST-1e is similar to Earth’s, the vehicle mass still directly affects energy consumption.
        • Rolling resistance and obstacle climbing forces are proportional to mass, meaning that a heavier rover would require more energy per kilometre even under similar gravitational conditions.
        • Therefore, minimizing the mass will be critical for us to traverse on Trappist 1-e.

    Energy capacity for the real vehicle:

    Relative Efficiency: 72% = 0.72

    • This means gravel is approximately 72% as efficient as a smooth surface.

    This means that:

    To calculate the total energy needed for the 10km trip:

    Assuming that the vehicle will be travelling at 1 kWh/km:

    • This is the best-case scenario

    Assuming the vehicle will travel at 3 kWh/km:

    • This represents the worst-case scenario

    Thus, without a safety margin, we get:

    To account for potential malfunctions and unexpected performance degradation, we add a reserve/safety margin to ensure the rover reaches the destination safely.

    • A common amount for the reserve is 30%-50%

    Let the reserve factor be:

    Battery capacity becomes:

    Low end with reserve:

    High-end with reserve:

    Thus, the justified capacity range is:

    We find the midpoint of the range to average the lower and upper energy estimates:

    Thus, the representative/nominal design value is:

    • If we use the 18 kWh value, it would be the minimum value for the vehicle to function
      • There is too much risk involved
      • The vehicle may encounter detours or issues that prevent it from completing the trip.
    • If we were to use the 63 kWh value, it would be very safe
      • But the drawback is extra weight and the need for less energy to cover just 10km.
    • Thus, the 40 kWh value balances:
      • efficiency
      • safety margin
      • mass constraints

    To select a realistic design value, we averaged the lower and upper energy estimates (18–63 kWh), resulting in a representative battery capacity of approximately 40 kWh for the full-scale vehicle.

    Summary:

    • We estimated full-scale battery capacity by assuming a plausible smooth-terrain energy use (1–3 kWh/km), applying our measured rough-terrain penalty (×1.4), then adding a 30–50% safety reserve, which gives an approximate mission-safe capacity of 30–60 kWh for a 10 km round trip.

    Conclusion:

    Based on our tests, the vehicle can traverse both smooth and rocky surfaces without issues such as stutters or incidents where it can’t push over rocks.

    • Our vehicle did not encounter any issues regarding the direction it was travelling and maintained a good and steady pace throughout the test

    This shows that the rocker bogie system improved the vehicle’s stability and its ability to climb rocky surfaces.

    Possible Improvements:

    After reviewing our vehicle’s performance in the tests, we could definitely see room for improvement.

    1. Improving Wheel Traction: A grippier wheel surface would reduce slipping on loose gravel and improve overall vehicle stability.

    2. Distance between the wheels on the rocker arms and the bogie arms: We see that the distance between the wheels attached to the rocker arms and the bogie arms is not as far apart as we wanted.

    • If we were to increase the gap between the wheels, the vehicle would be able to climb uneven surfaces more effectively, since it would be able to utilize the full benefits of the rocker bogie system

    3. Better Weight Distribution:

    • As shown in this image, the battery and breadboard don’t have a fixed slot to slide into and fit properly.
    • This caused the vehicle’s contents (battery and motherboard) to shift within the vehicle on uneven terrain.
    • Creating fixed slots would definitely help the vehicle achieve a more balanced state and better weight distribution.

    Use of AI

    • ChatGPT was used to plan and support the vehicle design, prototyping, and testing stages of this project.
    AI Transcript

  • Trappist-1 e

    Why Trappist-1e?

    • The planet is likely rocky and dense, with a thin/moderate atomsphere (possibly containning carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or water vapor).
      • This is similar to the structure on Earth and would be great to build bases and other structures.
    • The JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) suggests that Trappist 1 e is warm enough for liquid water.
      • This is great since it is possible to have water on the planet and it will not just evaporate.
    • The JWST also did not detect a thick hydrogen-dominated atomsphere, which helps rule out a Neptune-like gas layer.
      • This is great because we can eliminate the possibilty of this planet to be a gas giant and that it will have solid ground.

    Opportunity 1: Liquid-water stability


    Although we are unsure if there is water on the planet, the planet orbits inside the star’s habitable zone, where temperatures could theoretically allow liquid water to exist.

    JWST also confirmed that TRAPPIST-1e does not have a thick hydrogen atmosphere, meaning it is more likely to resemble an Earth-like rocky planet rather than a gas-dominated mini-Neptune. This creates an opportunity because liquid water is one of the most important requirements for human survival.

    Opportunity 2: Rocky Surface


    Research shows that it has a rocky surface similar to Earth. This means it has a solid surface suitable for our rover to easily travel across. Our rover will be able to use wheels instead of needing wings or other ways to transport.

    Opportunity 3: Possible Atomsphere


    JWST’s infrared observations ruled out the possibility of a thick atmosphere, but they did not confirm whether TRAPPIST-1e currently has a thinner, Earth-like atmosphere or none at all.

    This presents itself with an opportunity for a manmade atmosphere perhaps.

    Challenges:

    • Radiation and stellar: the planet orbits a red-dwarf star which can release flares that are radioactive and can strip away the atmosphere and destroy surface life
    • Possible Thin Atmosphere (Not Confirmed):Current JWST observations show that TRAPPIST-1e does not have a thick hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. However, scientists still do not know whether it has a thinner secondary atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, or no atmosphere at all. If TRAPPIST-1e does have a thin atmosphere, it would provide very little protection from stellar radiation and would struggle to maintain stable temperatures. Our rover need to take into consideration the uncertainty in order to gaurantee the safety of our astronauts.
    • Dim sunlight from Red Dwarf: Trappist-1e mainly receives infrared light (M-type star), which is weaker compared to sunlight (G-type star) we receive on Earth.

    Implications for vehicle design:

    • Landing:
      • There is no thick atmosphere.
      • meaning that there isn’t enough air to slow down the aircraft/vehicle as it lands.
      • We need to use rockets in order to land safely.
    • Surface Rovers:
      • The planet is rocky -> so we have to use tires/wheels and can climb rocky surfaces.
      • The planet is possibly tidally locked, with one side that’s hot and one side that’s cold -> meaning we would have to have a sophisticated heating and cooling system, an outside layer that could stand both high and low temperatures, and tires that can endure the temperatures and changes.
    • Radiation shielding:
      • The planet is exposed to radiation by harmful flares -> meaning we have to create a thick shielding on the outside of our vehicle to stop the radiation from getting in.
    • Power systems:
      • Because the light on the planet peaks at infra red, we are not able to get the same amount of light as when exposed to our sun -> this means that solar panels will not recieve enough energy and instead, we have to develope solar panels that is specific for infrared light.

    How do we know what we know:

    • Teappist 1-e was first found in 2017 using the Trappist telescope in Chile and was confirmed later with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
      • They used the Transit Method: watching tiny dips in the star’s brightness everytime a planet crossed in front of it.
    • NASA also used the James Webb Telescope and recorded infrared spectra, which are patterns of light thta change depending on which gases are in the atom’s atmosphere.
      • When TRAPPIST-1 e passed in front of its star, some starlight filtered through the planet’s air (if it has one).
      • Using the process of transmission spectroscopy
        (studying which wavelengths of light were absorbed) we are able to identify the chemical makeup of the atmosphere.

    Sources Used (APA Format)


    Gillon, M. et al. (2017). Seven temperate terrestrial planets around the nearby ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. Nature, 542(7642), 456–460. 


    NASA. (2024, September 8). NASA Webb Looks at Earth-Sized, Habitable-Zone Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e. NASA Science.


    NASA Exoplanet Catalog. (2025). TRAPPIST-1 e. NASA Science.


    NASA. (2018). 10 Things: All About TRAPPIST-1. NASA Science.

    AI Use Statement

    I used ChatGPT to help me research and organize information about TRAPPIST-1 e, and all facts in my blog post is sourced directly from NASA’s official science pages and publications.

    AI Transcript

  • Simple Fan

    I am brand new to Tinker CAD and Robotics, just like I am in the previous 2 projects. I had to figure out something that is easy to do and at the same time help me develop my knowledge in Tinker CAD and Robotics.

    The Failed Attempt:

    My first idea was to create a mini bumper bot that has 2 buttons on the sides and will turn to the opposite direction when 1 is pressed.

    I worked on it for a long time but ran into too many problems that can’t be understood with my current skill level (basically 0 knowledge).

    The New Project:

    After the failed attempt to make a bumper bot, I though about a new project idea, something that is not as easy but also doable.

    I asked ChatGPT for some inspiration and decided to make a small fan.

    The Intended Device

    It is basically a small fan that is powered by a small DC motor that spins when the pushbutton is pressed, and when the button is released, the fan stops.

    How doe sthe circuit work:

    • The Arduino Uno sends control signals to the L293D chip, which makes the motor spin.
    • L293D
      • Pin 16 connects to 5V on the Arduino Uno to power the. chip logic
      • Pin 8 connects to the 3V battery to power the motor.
    • The motor is connected to pins 3 and 6 of the L293D, which helps the motor spin in different directions.
    • Pin 1 of L293D is connected to 5V on the Arduino Uno so that side of the chip is enabled.
    • I made a shared ground for the GND at the second last row of the breadboard so that all GNDs are connected and is prevented from explosions or shorts.
    • A pushbutton is placed across the center gap of the breadboard and connected between pin 7 on the Arduino Uno and the ground.
      • When the button is pressed, it sends a signal to the chip to spin the motor, and when it is released, it stops the motor.

    Bill of Materials (BOM):

    ComponentQuantityPurpose
    Arduino Uno1Main microcontroller
    Breadboard1For wiring connections
    L293D Motor Driver IC1Controls motor direction and power
    DC Motor1Acts as the fan motor
    3 V Battery1Motor power supply
    Pushbutton1Manual motor control
    Jumper wires~10Electrical connections

    Circuit Diagram

    Code:

    This is my code for the small fan

    const int IN1 = 9;    
const int IN2 = 8;    
const int BUTTON = 7; 

void setup() {
  pinMode(IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(IN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP); 
}

void loop() {
  int buttonState = digitalRead(BUTTON);

  if (buttonState == LOW) {
    
    digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  } else {
    
    digitalWrite(IN1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  }
}

    The first 3 lines tells the Arduino which pins are connected:

    const int IN1 = 9;  
const int IN2 = 8;    
const int BUTTON = 7
    • Pin 8 and 9 controls the motor
    • Pin 7 is connected to the pushbutton

    In the setup part, the Arduino prepares the pins so that:

    void setup() {
  pinMode(IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(IN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT_PULLUP); // uses internal resistor
}
    • The motor pins (9 and 8) are set as outputs so the Arduino is able to send power signals.
    • The button pin (7) is set as an input with a built-in resistor (INPUT_PULLUP), which keeps it not moving when not pressed.

    The loop will run over and over:

    void loop() {
  int buttonState = digitalRead(BUTTON);

  if (buttonState == LOW) {
    // button pressed → spin fan
    digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  } else {
    // button released → stop fan
    digitalWrite(IN1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
  }
    • The Arduino checks if the button is pressed (digitalRead(BUTTON)).
    • If the button is pressed, then the Arduino sends power to the motor and it spins.
    • If the button is not pressed, it cuts power and the motor stops.

    Demonstration Video:

    • After pressing the button, the motor (fan) spins and when I release it, the motor stops spinning.

    Reflection on the Use of AI:

    I used Chat GPT as my AI to help me

    Process:

    • At first, I wanted to build a bumper bot, but it kept failing and shorting out. After I talked to AI about it and considering many suggestions, I switched to a fan which is simpler and easier for me.
    • The Ai helped me understand the logic of the circuits and explained how each component played a role in my design.

    How it worked for me:

    • The way that I asked the Ai to help me really worked for me because I am not just getting answers but rather getting suggestions and a deeper understanding for each component.
    AI Transcript

  • CAD Assignment

    For this project, I decided to go with something that is beginner friendly and something that I may be able to use. I asked AI for several ideas and I decided on creating a desk organizer that includes a stand for my phone since it is always laying around the desk not doing much.

    I started with thinking about the things that i would like to put in the organizer (since I might print it out and use it)

    A phone stand, a container for pens, a pocket for my AirPods, and a few more extra spaces for other things.

    Left tall container -> for my pens

    Center block: my phone stand (with my initials on it)

    The rectangle at the right to the middle: space for my Airpods

    Other spaces scattered around: for different little objects that I might need

    Now that you have seen the entire organizer, lets break it down part by part:

    The Blueprint:

    This shows all the parts that were used to make the organizer. The main body is shown in 4 drawings, from the front, from the top, from the bottom, and an isometric drawing.

    The Skeleton:

    This is the skeleton of the dinasor, the bones of the organizer.

    I created this by first drawing a sketch:

    You can see here I have a lot of measurements.

    • I have an Iphone 15 Pro Max and I wanted it to stand: thats why I created the slot at the top of the drwaing with a 90mm length, so that the phone can fit in and still have a bit of space on the sides.
    • I have a pair of Airpods: so I gave him a big roon, with 65mm of length and 50mm of width.
    • I dont have a lot of pens: so I just created a container with a 58mm diameter so that I can fit 3-4 pens that I use daily.

    Adding on the meat…

    From the sketch comes the extrusion of the base of the organizer, with a depth of 10mm.

    Then I extruded these 2 highlighted parts since I wanted them to come out of the organizer rather than sinking in.

    Then I exturded this highlighted part. This will be te stand for my phone and I also extruded my initials (2mm dent)to add a bit more of customization.

    I transformed the phonestand so it slants backwards and so that I am able to leave a room to put my phone in and having the stand as my back.

    Fine tunning the edges…

    These highlighted parts have been “fillet”/smoothed out. This makes the organizer safer (preventing cuts) and also makig it look a lot better than with sharp edges.

    This is a close in picture of a fillet…

    Adding on the scales…

    What I mean by scales are the plates that I add under the skeleton and the meat. This is for filling the holes so that I could actually use the oragizer.

    Without the scales:

    With the scales:

    I added the scales seperately because it looks pretty good from the bottom, instead of having just a flat base, I am able to have the plates sticking out a bit, kind of like little legs:

    Assembly:

    Assembly is where I put all of my parts together. I have 10 parts and in assembly I put them all together to create the final organizer.

    As you can see here, I used sliders to connect the base covers to the base plate.

    This is an example of a base cover that I use slider to mount onto the base plate.

    Bill of Materials (BOM):

    So as you can see here, I decided to make the organizer out of mostly PLA since it is an organizer and would need to be stable and long lasting.

    I was wondering whether making the organizer entirely out of PLA would not look that great and not really unique from the other desk organizers I can find in IKEA or Walmart.

    Then the idea of making the base plate (the Skeleton) out carbon fibber might be a good idea since I really like the sporty look of carbon fibber and it will look high end and modern.

    I also wanted the PLA to be white so that I can have some contrast to the carbon fibber and it would look good since white goes well with black always.

    Below is a picture of BOM with the mechanical drawings:

    The Final Product:

    This is an illustration of the final product in the materials that I would like it to be in.

    I feel like it is pretty modern looking and it kind of reminds me of Channel.

    I would definitely want to print it out and show it off to my friends.

    Be Sure to Check Out the New Channel Desk Organizer!

    Link to Onshape:

    ONSHAPe

  • Fishing -Frenzy

    When the coding project is announced, my mind went blank. After sometime, figured that I would make something related to my interests.

    I thought about making a sports game that would allow the player to make a team and earn money fighting against other layers, but I soon realized that it will be difficult to complete with Python and my existing knowledge base.

    Shifting the gears, I decided to focus on another of my hobbies, fishing. A game that will combine mysteriousness, surprises, and most importantly money$$$!

    And here is my masterpiece:

    Code:

    https://colab.research.google.com/drive/15x2X9p3_MtEyr3D5FrMhJc9bTKJeLkzr

    Flowchart:

    1. The Game Setup: 

    import random

fish_values = {
    "Tuna": 20,
    "Salmon": 15,
    "Sardine": 5,
    "Pufferfish": -5,
    "Shark": -10,
    "an soggy boot": 0
}

    This is all the kinds of fish you will be able to fish from the ocean, some of them more desirable than others.

    If you caught a pufferfish, unfortunately, you are not able to eat it and it is a waste of time, making you lose $5.

    If you fished a shark, well good luck! He is going to take your fishing rod with him and maybe some of your bait as well. A shark will make you lose $10.

    If you fished out a boot… well I dont know what to say about that, improve our fishing skills dude. You will not get anything form it.

    Other than the 3 mentioned above, all others have positive values, meaning you can sell them and earn money (Sardine: $5, Salmon: $15, and Tuna: $20.)

    2. Initial Conditions:

    player_score = 0
total_tries = 6

available_fish = list(fish_values.keys())

    This part of the code sets up the game.

    It is saying that the player will start with $0, since he did not cast his line yet.

    It is also saying that the player has 6 tries to fish out as much value as possible and the available fish = the list of all possible catches.

    3. Game Intro:

    print("What a nice day! I think I will go fishing beside the ocean...")
print("-" * 50)

    This will display a short message to the player at the start of the game.

    4. The Fishing Loop

    for try_number in range(1, total_tries + 1):
    input(f"\nPress Enter to cast the line... (Try {try_number} of {total_tries})")

    caught_fish = random.choice(available_fish)

    fish_worth = fish_values[caught_fish]

    The player presses “Enter” to cast the line.

    A random fish is chosen from the list of available fish.

    The worth of the fish is looked up from the code before.

    5. The Value of The Catch

    if fish_worth > 0:
        print(f"Casting the line... AYYY! What a dime! I caught a {caught_fish}! It's worth ${fish_worth}.")
    elif fish_worth < 0:
        print(f"Oh shoot! A freaking {caught_fish}. Man, what a bad cast! I lost freaking ${abs(fish_worth)}!")
    else:
        print(f"Damn, {caught_fish}... To the garbage it goes.")

    If the value of the fish caught is positive, its a good catch (Earns money).

    If the fish has a negative value, its a bad catch (money lost).

    If the value is 0, its worthless (no money earned or lost).

    6. Total Up the Score

    player_score += fish_worth

print(f"${player_score} in the bank!")

    Adds/subtracts fish value from the total score.

    Prints the updated balance after each cast.

    7. The Game Ends

    print("\n" + "=" * 50)
print("Well, I better get back before lunch!")
print(f"Today's catch is worth a whooping: ${player_score}")
print("=" * 50)

    After the player casted 6 times, the game ends.

    Then the total value of the cast will be displayed.

    8. Calling the Function

    def go_fishing():
...

go_fishing()

    These 2 lines of codes allow me to name and call the function, which is the whole process form casting to getting the fish.

    Reflection:

    In summary I think I did a great job on the project.

    Although it is a simple game, I think I came up with a pretty interesting idea.

    I think instead of making something to do with math or things that require great mental power, a game that is interesting and simple to play is a great way for you to relax after a long day of hard work.

    Gemini Chat

  • Hello world!

    About Me