Claw (Mario Platform)

 The construction of our machine's claw required careful design. We realized that there was a limit to how much weight the frame could handle. The K'Nex pieces allowed to create a sturdy construct, but the motors added significant weight to the design. Therefore, we wanted to build a claw that was relatively light in weight. We experimented with various materials, such as sheet metal and balsa wood. In the end, we decided that Styrofoam poster board would be optimal when considering both sturdiness and weight. 

Servos were used to open and close the claws, and the main claws were attached using hot glue and nails. During initial testing of the design, we found that it was difficult to pick up objects. In response, the following modifications were made to the design: (1) nails at tips and (2) rubber bands attached for better gripping.

Note to future EECS 373 students: double-sided is a poor substitute to glue when your goal is to try to lift relatively heavy objects.

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