Project Brief: Orbit is the next generational Yo-Yo! The purpose of this project was to find something something from the thrift store and turn it into the next iteration of what it could be. In this case, I chose a yo-yo. Orbit has a self winding rope to have a more engaging experience and promote a higher replay value.
Wind up, Play more
Nasari
Problem
Yoyo enthusiasts often struggle with maintaining uninterrupted play due to frequent mistakes that cause the string to tangle or unwind. This results in time-consuming manual windups, disrupting the flow of practice or performance and leading to frustration, especially for beginners and those mastering complex tricks. A solution is needed to minimize interruptions and enhance the overall yoyoing experience.
What’s the solution?
It lies in the string!
If the yoyo string can automatically wind itself after mistakes, it will significantly enhance the user experience by reducing interruptions and frustration. This innovation could make yoyoing more accessible and enjoyable, encouraging more people to pick it up and give it a try.
Moodboard
Brainstorming
While searching for a toys at the thrift store, I stumbled upon an old wind up toy car, a plastic gun, and a yo-yo.
After brainstorming through my choices, I decided to take apart the toy car and see what made it wind up. I found the mechanism that was responsible for it and sparked my interest to explore what I could integrate it into. This led me to sketching how it could possibly work if a yo-yo had the same concept.
I made a small rough model out of foam to replicate it’s shape.
hold
Twist
Let go!
Since the original wind up part I took out was too large for a small model, I found a tiny wind up toy and utilized it’s part for a rough model test.
Final Models
Model 1
Used a tennis ball as my first model.
stacked two motors on each other to account for balance.
Used the small motors for this model, but it was ineffective because it wasn’t strong enough to spin it fully.
Model 2
Used a tennis ball for this model.
Since the small motors were not strong enough to spin this material, I found a bigger motor that was able to support it.
Improvised other materials to account for balance.
The ball spun a good amount, but there were large gaps in between the parts which was inefficient for a yo-yo.
Model 3
Found a ball with a lighter material.
Used the small motors to save space.
Wrote indicators to show which direction to spin.
This model was ideal for how it fit in the hand and it wasn’t heavy. Although since I used the small motors, it worked not as well as I expected.
Model 4
Used the same material as model 3.
With the motor being a problem, I used a stronger motor for maximum efficiency and speed.
This model wasn’t as compact as model 3 since I used a bigger motor, but it spun very well while still remaining comfortable to hold.
Wind up, play more