Guitar Strummer

Abstract

As part of the mechanical engineering senior design project at the University of New Brunswick, a guitar strummer device has been designed to aid a hemiparesis patient in playing the guitar. The idea for this device was first conceived when an engineer at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Research decided to build his own strumming device for the same hemiparesis patient. The device was functional, however, it created excessive amounts of undesired noise, and it needed modification to improve functionality. In trying to reduce noise as much as possible, this group designed an efficient, portable, and practical device that employed the use of a sliding block, an extending arm, and cyclical motion. Force, torque, and stress analysis were completed in the initial stages in the project and a plan was put in place for building and assembling the device components. The second semester was used by group members to construct and assemble the device. The mechanism was built using a rapid prototyping machine, electrical components were ordered and connected and the mounting system was constructed. At this point in the project the device has been constructed, however, sufficient noise reduction has not been achieved. Additional tests need to be completed in order to identify unwanted noise and modifications completed to confirm if any further noise reduction is possible. The group will be meeting with the client at the Stan Cassidy Research Centre to discuss the device and to turn over the device.