This project combined my passions for art, physics, and electronics. I set out with the goal of taking an old, used Nerf® rifle and bringing it into the future. First, the entire device was spray painted to give it a more authentic, interesting look. Finishing touches were added to give the appearance of battle wear and tear. The electronics housing was custom designed, laser cut, then assembled while the rail attachments were custom designed and 3D printed. The upper housing stores a distance sensor, an accelerometer, a graphics screen, a microcontroller, two push buttons, and a 9V battery. The lower housing, on the other hand, stores a laser pointer, a switch, and a lithium polymer battery.
Using the bush button, the graphics screen can alternate between multiple pages. On the first page, the distance to your target is printed along with a visual representation of that distance (larger circles for a closer target). The second page prints the current angle of the device using the outputs of the accelerometer. A visual aid is added to better illustrate this angle. The third page allows the user to set a target. Given the distance to the set target and the exit velocity of the dart, the trajectory can be calculated, and the appropriate firing angle will be printed to the screen. Each page also tracks the number of darts still available to the user. Each time the trigger is pulled, the ammo count will decrease by one.
By combining multiple disciplines in this project, I was able to enhance the overall look and performance of the final product. The ideation and construction of this device taught me the importance of art and engineering working cohesively.
Note: Parts for this build were provided by SparkFun Electronics.
