Final Images

Wiring design

Before finishing the blog i decided to upload my design of wiring in the Measuring sock, so i came up with design that would make wires flexible and thin enough to go between the fabric of the socks.

To make wire expand and contract I decided to make them zig zag and to be elastic I thought if I can insert them within rubber material it would be elastic and act as a conductor at the same time.

Still couldn't come up with how software would work to convert electrical signals into digital measurements and send them to the desirable app. 

Project update 2

Yesterday after talking to professor about the project I feel much better, there are times I felt like choose wrong project to do and it's completely out of my capabilities. When I first thought of this project my first idea that came to my is this Measuring socks project but while working on this project I got many different idea and concepts along with multitude of problems that I didn't think though at first.

Back to present project, I am thinking of a way to put wires without making Socks looking like a Frankenstein crazy invention that will make people scared for their lives. So I am going back to drawing board to draw wiring in the sock and not make it look crazy, I was think if making wire like a spring so that they will be flexible. So right now i am searching for if it is possible for wires to be flexible and slim enough to fit in between fabric of socks.

I am still look for people who are good at electronics to help me find a way to make the measuring system work, I couldn't understand well to make it happen by only reading online. I search You Tube for videos to help me to understand how to make measuring system right but all those methods wouldn't work how I want it to work. So i am still stuck with how I should make the measuring system and wiring work and not to mention the battery power should also increase for measuring. First I will finish the design of Socks with wires and look if it is possible to make Wires flexible and how can I make it work.     

Project Update

After thorough search on how to implement measuring system, I thought the only way for this to work is Electronic measurement system for sock to measure the feet and send the details to the transmitter. Not being electronic engineer I am having hard time to process how I should wire the sensors and differentiate them from different sensors. while reading Colorado education pdf post https://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys3330/phys3330_sp16/Labs/PHYS3330_lab1_sp16.pdf
online, my thoughts on building this Measurement are doubtful because I need to learn completely new degree or at least take a course in electronics to make this happen. Nevertheless I started reading and looking further into the AC (alternate current) and DC (direct current) and the explanation goes on backward into basics of electronics. The more I read into this measuring system the complex and hard it is getting for me to actually picture the device, I am leaning towards getting help from someone who is good at electronics.

Genius hour Proposal

Measuring Socks Proposal

           

Problem: - The problem with buying shoes in present days are their sizes are only measured in one dimension. But the size of the feet is different from person to person and width and height of the feet are also plays equal importance in getting a perfect fit shoe. Without good fitting shoe there will be some side effects by wearing them like getting pain from walking even small distance or fingers getting sour from wearing unfit shoe for full day.

Proposed Solution: - I come up with an Idea to make a device that can measure the size and shape of the feet in three dimensions and send the information to the personal account. This devise looks like a sock and flexible as socks which will fit for wide range of feet, I call it Measuring socks. These Measuring socks can be used for ordering the shoe that fit perfectly, comfortable and design can be customizable without compromising the size.   

            As 3-D printing technology becoming more popular and advance it will be easy and fast to make daily products while keeping cost at low. With Measuring sock anyone can get their feet measurements in three dimensions and send the details to Shoe company and get the shoes that fit for them any time they want.

Justification: - In present day society most people get their shoes from online shopping where one cannot get to try them before buying or couldn’t get good look at the shoe and end up changing their mind after they received them. There are cases where wearing shoes that doesn’t fit good will make feet distorted or have blood circulation issues, people need to wear shoes that fit for their feet and shape getting narrow shoe for looks will end up hurting their own body. According to Dr. James loli, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School wrong shoes may impair your mobility and independence. So, have a device to measure your feet and selecting shoe with good measurement will provide a good fitting shoe and doesn’t have to worry about whether they would fit for your feet or not and save time while ordering shoes online.

Work cited

Harvard health Letter, April 2016, https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/foot-problems-try-these-tips-to-find-comfortable-shoes

Design2

In yesterdays designs I made a error in Bottom view of the Measuring Socks when drawing pressure sensitive sensors, I realized it after uploading the post and thought about improving. At first i drawn them in circles and those would limit them from different feet sizes and different type of feet so I have to change them into more flat and wide so that they can measure wide range of feet and fingers types.

Early version (flawed)

Fixed version

 So I drawn the side view of the socks and fixed Bottom view as soon as I woke up, here are my design of the Measuring socks from side view.

I divided the sensors because it has to be flexible for different size feet and capable of measuring there pressure so the gap between the sensors are flexible like a normal socks so that they can be worn by different size people.

In the side view of the Socks I drawn the same sensors that i placed on Top view but i also added the Data Transmitter. This Transmitter will collect the measurements and send them to the personal account and can receive commands to take measurements again without taking socks off if needed.

Transmitter is powered by internal battery and can be rechargeable and not powerful enough to harm anyone, the wiring are placed between the fabric and hidden from site.

My next step is to find the solution for how to measure length and height 3-dimensional without having to compromise flexibility and size.   

Design

As I am working on how to solve my previous measurement issue, I thought of finishing on my Measuring Socks design. So here are my View of how the finished product should look like, If they can be created with present technology.

I am still working on side view of the Measuring socks, as you can see I have the placement of sensors but not processing and working of sensors. Tomorrow I will upload side view design of the Measuring socks and sensors position from side view, since i have to draw by hand and being slow at drawing it is taking sometime.

P.S. - I hope all of you are enjoying spring break, I know I am😎.

A wall to overcome

As I learning how to create this Foot measuring socks i come across a problem, I was intended the socks to be flexible like normal socks to be able to put on by any size foot but I don't know how to make them measure the length, width and height of the foot while socks being flexible. While looking for any method for measuring three dimensional I didn't come across devices that are flexible and small enough to put in a sock, unless I find a way to incorporate measuring system without increasing size of the socks it would end up being heavy and inflexible which in turn will not fit for all foot size to measure. I am looking into this but the technology is not good enough or end up being more expensive to buy.

Ideal Shoes

Most people thought about having a perfect fit shoes for them or shoes that feels like they was made for them, so did I when I ordered my shoes. When they arrived I got the wrong size so I returned and ordered right size pair but this time the size was right and still doesn't fit for my feet, the problem is width i couldn't fit my foot in those shoes and have to redo the order again. I thought about the idea if there is a device or method which can measure ones foot in three dimensional and take the pressure on the foot when walk or stand we could get shoes that are maid for us and feels comfortable as barefoot with protection.

So when we talked about the genius hour project in the class, I decided to present the idea for how to get perfect fit shoes. I thought if we have a sock that can measure the foot in three dimensional, get the measurement and send them to an personal account which can be used for ordering the shoes in the future where 3d printers are advance enough to print shoes for large scale.

  

My first thoughts

My name is Vishnu Govardhan Reddy Guda, for short Vishnu and I am an international student at MACC. In LAL 102 class we talked about the Genius Project or 20 time project or Passion project etc, but we decided to go with Genius project as our title. This  project is new for me, never in my mid and high school education we talked about it or even heard about this project, so when I heard about this project in LAL 102 class I thought it was exiting and fun, to create or work on something you always wanted made me think of all the stuff I thought during free time.

I got few idea that I have but the first thing I got in mind is to present the idea how we can get perfect fit shoes for anyone without having to feel discomfort or unsuitable for your feet when worn.