GROUP ASSIGNMENT

This week Diana was sick and we were not able to do a formal group assignment. Yet, many of us met at the fablab and shared ideas and insight about our input devices. Hope you get better soon Diana!

PCB REDESIGN
& MILLING

Step 00:
Update PCB Design.

My previous microcontroller got fried, potentialy, because I did not place tape, or any other insulation, between the board and the back of the Xiao. For this week, I decided to improve the design by

Step 01:
1/64" Mill Pass.

For the first milling pass, I used a 1/64" end mill to cut the surface traces. I carefully set the material flat on the bed using double-sided tape and calibrated the Z height to cut 0.004" into the copper layer. This ensured the fine connections were clean and precise./p>

Step 02:
1/32" Mill Pass.

In the second pass, I installed a 1/32" end mill to cut out the board outline. I adjusted the toolpath to cut deeper through the substrate, fully separating the board. After milling, I cleaned the bed and removed debris.

Cleaning up the board.

This is necessarry to ensure proper flow of the solder in the board and facilitate the creation of proper connections

Setup.

Before Soldering, I looked for all the components I neded and placing them on a cardboard with double-sided tape. Then, I set up a magnifying glass, a fume extractor, some solder, and the soldering iron

Step 00:
Starting State

With everything in order and the pcb clean and ready to go, I heated up the soldering iron to 370 degree celcius for my lead-based solder.

Step 01:
Point Connections

Following our TA's recommendations, I started by meltng drop of solder into 1 connection per component.

Step 02:
Component Placement

Next, I used the soldering iron in one hand to heat ad liquify those points, while I placed each component in place with the tweezers.

Step 03:
Complete Soldering

With each component in place, I proceeded to add solder to all of their other connections, ensuring solder linked the piece and the board's connection point.

Step 04:
Review Connections

Finally, using the microscopes in the architecture shop, I double-checked that all connections

Testing D7 LED

Testing D0-D5 & D08-D10
with external LED

D3 was not working properly. Perhaps, because of a bad sodering connection.

Testing D6 & D7
Switch Controlling D7 LED

I used a HC-SR501 PIR Motion Sensor to read the movement of my hand. A PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor is an electronic device that detects motion by measuring infrared (IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view. My wiring was as follows: PIR VCC - Xiao 3c3.V, PIR GND - Xiao GND, PIR OUT - Xiao D10