Mad Hatter
My sophomore year I came back to the Toy Product Design class as a mentor, where I followed the exact same process with a different position, final project, and team! As a mentor, I guided the team through the design process helping them come up with and manufacture the mechanisms that would fabricate their idea. They decided to create a game called Mad Hatter – a game of catch using a hat to launch and catch a small foam ball.
Figure 1: CAD of launching mechanism and angled shaft.
Figure 2: Launching mechanism and angled shaft.
Figure 3: Launching mechanism and angled shaft (top view).
The launching mechanism (Figure 1-3) inside the hat is a system connected to rubber cords.The rubber cords are used to exert force on the ball holder held in place by magnets. When the magnetic force is overcome by the force from pulling the cords, the ball is released. This also allows control over the distance the ball is launched based on force exerted on the cords. The ball then shoots out of an angled shaft to launch far enough vertically and horizontally for another player to catch the ball in their own hat from about ten feet away.
Figure 4: Laser cut acrylic frame with black rings at the top and bottom, fastened to the top of a bike helmet and surrounding the launching mechanism.
The top of the hat was left open to give the players a large area to catch the ball. Once the ball enters the top of the hat, it is funneled onto the launching platform to be shot again. We tested this to ensure multiple balls in the hat would not hinder the launch of one ball. After modifications to the size of the funnel’s exit, multiple balls were able to rest in the hat while only one entered the launching platform at a time.
This design was fabricated out of laser cut acrylic and Delrin pieces fastened to each other and two black rings (one at the top and one larger one at the base) with small nuts and bolts to minimize material in the hat keeping it lightweight (Figure 4). For this prototype, this assembly was fastened onto a bike helmet to ensure it fit well on a child’s head, and then covered with soft, colorful fabric to keep the design fun and appealing! (Figure 5)
The electronic components were placed inside the hat. An ultrasonic distance sensor connected to an Arduino determines when the ball enters the top of the hat and triggers a celebratory sound to indicate the ball has been caught (Figure 6).
Figure 5: The entire mechanism and frame were covered with the soft and colorful blanket to conceal the components and give the toy an exciting appearance.
Figure 6: Electronic components including an arduino, ultrasonic distance sensor, and buzzer to indicate when a ball has been caught.
After testing the final design with children, we found they loved the aesthetics of the toy as well as the challenge of this twist on catch! We also spoke with some parents, and they appreciated how easy it was for their kids to use since they were lightweight and securely fit and how safe the game was compared to playing catch with heavier balls that could hurt someone.
Figure 7: Two prototypes of Mad Hatter perfect for a game of catch between two people.
Figure 8: Launching mechanism at work while testing during prototype.