IMRSVRay Ltd.

Theo and I took the IMRSVRay technology product through the full design engineering process, employing most course skills. A concept was presented to us at the beginning of the 6 months in the early stages of market research. Building on the preprepared research, we conducted our own, which involved immersing ourselves in the product area. We set up a meeting with a senior lecturer at Surrey University to discuss the technical feasibility of the product. We then started the first diamond, ideating the facets of the product in tandem, using techniques such as user journey maps, current technology research and physical computing knowledge.

We started organising the construction of a prototype in the fourth month, with two main prototyping questions (details protected by NDA) - firstly, does the mechanical aspect of the product work in a way that benefits the user? Secondly, does the technology in the product benefit from the physical embodiment? A procurement list was started and completed with the final CAD iteration - the detail of the model ensured that we had covered all parts. Everything was acquired and tested and we spent the last week constructing the prototype in the work shop to a high engineering standard, gaining positive answers to the prototyping questions.

We researched the most efficient way to implement a height adjustment mechanism for the IMRSVRay product, using counterbalancing, linear actuators and servo motors to lower/raise a moving part of the product whilst simultaneously changing the pitch. We iteratively developed this mechanism in CAD, cutting unnecessary parts and refining to make it as space efficient as possible. With Theo, I used physical computing skills to design the high-fidelity works-like prototype of the IMRSVRay product. The prototype was designed to be modular and easily assembled and disassembled. The electronics system for the prototype was designed from scratch, using the signal processing and circuitboard design knowledge gained in modules such as Electronics 2. Circuits were designed to provide power and data to an array of audio and motorised components, using relays and voltage dividers. A full SOLIDWORKS CAD model was built prior to procuring the parts, and FEA done to determine whether the components would meet the specifications.

The 6 months at IMRSVRay have been rewarding, educational and productive. Our supervisor has allowed me to build technical and professional skills unique to a start-up environment, and has also helped me to identify areas in which there are opportunities for my future development. I have learnt lessons and gained experience that I am excited to apply in my professional career, and I hope that I have furthered the progress of IMRSVRay whilst doing so.