Posts

Introduction

This week was about thinking about how my final project could be shared, protected, improved, and possibly developed after Fab Academy.

At this point, DESKO was already close to the final presentation stage. The main systems were defined, and I was mostly working on coding and integration. I was trying to make the e-paper display, NeoPixels, buttons, buzzer, alarm, countdown, stopwatch, and web interface work together in the same program.

Introduction

This week was about planning DESKO as a complete final project. At this stage, I was mainly working on the coding and integration side. I was trying to make the clock, e-paper display, NeoPixels, buzzer, buttons, alarm, countdown, stopwatch, and web interface work together in one program.

Introduction

This week was Wildcard Week, which meant that I had to use a digital fabrication process that I had not used in the previous assignments.

For this week, I tried digital embroidery. I embroidered a custom design onto a cloth bag using an embroidery machine. The design said:

POY Fab26

POY is the first three letters of my name, so I wanted the design to feel personal but still connected to Fab Academy. Under it, I added Fab26 to represent Fab Academy 2026.

Introduction

This week was about combining the separate parts of DESKO into one complete system. Before this stage, I had already tested the main parts separately, but the final project needed everything to work together inside one object.

The main focus was the physical and electronic integration of the clock: display, buttons, NeoPixels, buzzer, wiring, power, enclosure, and code.

Introduction

This week I worked on the interface for my final project, DESKO.

For this assignment, I created a web interface that allows DESKO to be controlled from a computer, phone, or tablet. Instead of only using the physical buttons on the device, the user can connect to DESKO’s own Wi-Fi network and open a local control panel in a browser.

Introduction

This week was about moulding and casting. The goal was to design a mold, produce it using a digital fabrication process, and then use it to cast a final object.

For my individual assignment, I made a small smiley face cast. I designed the smiley face digitally, prepared it for milling, milled the shape into machinable wax, created a silicone mold from the wax, and finally used that silicone mold to cast the final smiley face part.

Introduction

This week was different from the previous individual assignments because the main work was completed as a group machine-building project. Our team worked on a pen plotter machine, which is a drawing machine that moves a pen across a sheet of paper using controlled motion.

For my individual contribution, I focused on testing the machine and reporting problems back to my group. I was not the main person designing the mechanical parts or writing the main control software. Instead, my role was closer to quality control. I tested the plotter as a user, observed weak points, and wrote down problems that affected reliability, safety, and usability.

Introduction

This week focused on networking and communications. Instead of treating the OLED only as an output device like I did in Week 10, I wanted to understand the communication behind it more clearly.

For this assignment, I reused my modular Seeed XIAO ESP32-C3 board from Week 09 and the I2C OLED display that I tested in Week 10. The main goal was to explore I2C as a bus communication protocol, scan the bus, identify the OLED address, and then use that address in my code to control the display.

Introduction

This week focused on output devices and how to control them with a microcontroller.

For this assignment, I reused the same modular Seeed XIAO ESP32-C3 board that I documented in Week 09, so I did not design a new board for this week. Instead, I focused on interfacing and controlling different kinds of outputs using the same platform.

Introduction

This week focused on input devices and how to interface sensors with a microcontroller board.

For this assignment, I used a new modular board based on the Seeed XIAO ESP32 that I designed. Instead of preparing a separate board for every sensor, I designed one reusable board that could support different input devices through jumper-wire connections.