KickPro - Automated Soccer Trainer

Launch your skills to higher levels!

Summary

  • Collaborated with a team of cross-functional engineers to develop a soccer ball launcher with autonomous passing and performance feedback.
  • Designed the mechanical attributes of KickPro's prototype and final product using Fusion 360, encompassing the design of the swivel mechanism, ball feeder, and overall body.
  • Assembled the mechanical structure of KickPro utilizing T-slotted extrusions (4040 and 2020), ensuring structural stability through joint connections.
  • Assisted in PCB design and layout using Altium Designer, gaining hands-on experience with schematic capture and PCB routing.
  • Executed THT/SMD component soldering on PCB prototypes, confirming proper connections through debugging with an oscilloscope.

    • Skills:

    Project Background

    Automatic ball launchers in sports, like soccer, often lack efficiency due to manual adjustments, inability to target moving players, and imprecise measurements. To address these issues, our team of 6 engineers developed KickPro, featuring a camera-based human tracking system for real-time player tracking and automatic launcher adjustment.

    Contributions

    In 8 months, our team underwent a full development cycle, from brainstorming to market-ready product. As Chief Branding Officer, my role encompassed market research, mechanical design, and electronics design.

    Mechanical Design and Assembly

    As a mechanical engineer, I designed, developed, and assembled the mechanical structure of both the prototype and the final product. Utilizing Fusion 360, I designed the initial prototype with a swivel mechanism, flywheel for launching, and basic castor wheels for mobility. However, structural instability due to the high inertia of DC flywheel motors led to a complete redesign. The final product incorporated a sturdy frame using aluminum extrusions, resolving vibration issues caused by motors. Pneumatic wheels replaced castor wheels, ensuring stability even at high flywheel speeds and enabling mobility on various surfaces.

    Old Prototype (Left) vs. Final Product (Right) - CAD Models

    Old Prototype (Left) vs. Final Product (Right)

    Electronics

    As a member of the electronics team, I played a key role in crafting the project's electrical foundation. I contributed to circuit design, breadboarding, and PCB development. My responsibilities included researching and selecting appropriate electrical components, creating a prototype circuit on a breadboard, and developing a schematic library and circuit schematic in Altium Designer. The finalized PCB, derived from our schematics, was ordered through a manufacturing company and subsequently assembled by myself and fellow team members.

    Altium PCB CAD Model

    Pre-Soldered PCBs

    Complete Electronics Assembly

    Video Demo

    The device shown is the first prototype created within the first 4 months of the development process, demonstrating the human tracking ability of KickPro.

    Here is a clip of the final product dispensing and launching the ball at the player during the testing of the ball feeding mechanism.