V-Aid Climbing Tactile Pin Array
Assistive climbing-wall interface that converts route-image information into a physical tactile pin array.
Physical functional testing
Reduced roughly 60% early pin-rise failure to smooth locking across 14 route patterns by iterating pin mass, guide geometry, and clamp behavior through four prototypes.
results and contributions
| Array size | 12 x 12 |
|---|---|
| Prototype generations | 4 |
| Route patterns tested | 14 |
| Pins per route | ~20-40 |
| Early pin-rise failure | ~60% |
| Final result | Smooth locking |
Testing was functional: 14 climbing-route images, each actuating roughly 20 to 40 pins, run on each prototype generation. Early designs failed on about 60% of pin rises from binding and pin geometry.
After revising pin mass, guide behavior, holder geometry, and base contact, the final generation locked smoothly on every tested route. The work was supported by a $2,000 NYU Prototyping Fund award.
figures and hardware
Open any image at full size. Source links identify the retained revision.
design evolution
Earlier iterations and the changes they motivated.
| Work | Engineering question | Approach | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin geometry | Tall, solid pins bound in the guide holes and exceeded the servo's lift force. | Shortened the pin and hollowed the PLA body. | Lower actuation effort with the return behavior preserved. |
| Guide and clamp | Pins tilted or failed to lock in the raised position. | Iterated the guide features and side-holder geometry together. | Stable raised position across the array. |
| Integrated demonstrator | Pin tops read poorly and the subassemblies were not yet one unit. | Rounded the tactile tops and combined the laser-cut housing, pin grid, actuator path, and electronics. | Smooth locking across 14 tested route patterns. |
design problem
The mechanical challenge was repeatable pin motion. Each pin had to rise without binding, lock in the raised position and stay readable by touch in a compact tabletop unit driven by one SG90 servo.
My contribution. Pin CAD, guide-feature and clamp-interface iteration, FDM prototype fabrication, laser-cut housing integration, and functional route testing.
methods and scope
This was functional prototype testing, not a fixed-cycle durability qualification.
project record
| Evidence | Physical functional testing |
|---|---|
| Status | Functional Prototype / Showcased Prototype |
| Timeline | Jan. 2025 - Apr. 2025 |
| Role | Mechanical design, pin geometry iteration, guide-feature design, clamp-interface design, FDM prototype fabrication, laser-cut housing fabrication, mechanical integration, and prototype testing |
| Tools | SolidWorks, Bambu Studio, Ultimaker Cura, Epilog Laser Cutter, Arduino |