StarWoman’s StarShield is a deployable and collapsible protective shield prototype imagined by the coolest up and coming superhero: StarWoman.
StarShield can be worn as a wristwatch which detects proximity & smoke.
As an enemy or criminal approaches, the shield expands inversely proportional to the proximity. Less Distance = More Shield Expansion.
In the case an enemy has a Gas Bomb and uses it on StarWoman, StarShield can detect the smoke spike in the air composition and deploys the shield immediately.
Watch out for StarWoman, the new kid in town!
Concept
Bill of Materials
Schematic
Prototype Reference
NASA Starshade Collapsing and Deploying Mechanism
The Initial Prototype takes inspiration from NASA’s Starshade system for a folding mechanism that collapses significantly compared to the larger surface area it has when it is deployed.
StarWoman’s first StarShield Prototype combines this with an expandable pulley mechanism in order to pull the Shield open.
Prototype Assembly
Expanding motion achieved by the Stepper Motor which is activated by sensor information and code to twist the base module, thus expanding the pulley arms outward, pulling the tied creases out with them and deploying the Shield.
The Creases are tensioned into the pulley’s expanding arms via string so that when the stepper motor turns the base and the arms expand out, they twist the StarShield, pulling it open, thus deploying it.
Code Logic
Code
Prototype(s)
Fabrication & Tests
Other Adaptations
The code and prototype could also be scaled up and considered as a dynamic partition-wall system or installation for an outdoor courtyard, which, upon sensing incoming users playfully dances around and upon sensing harmful gases in the air, blooms to minimize the flow of harmful air into the courtyard.
Next Steps
It goes without saying that the origami Shield needs to be much larger in the final StarShield, unlike the Prototype.
The Expanding Pulley System for deploying the Starshield proves to be large and bulky. For a facade system this might be okay, but for a wearable StarShield, StarWoman thinks next time she will find a different expansion mechanism so that when the StarShield is collapsed, its radius is the maximum size of the wearable Prototype and the mechanism is not visible.
The Location of the motor on the side where StarWoman would attach the StarShield to her wrist is also not favourable nor comfortable, so more thinking needs to be done to make StarShield more wearable and superhero-friendly.
StarWoman thinks adding a loudness sensor could also be useful for predicting potential threat and danger as from her experience enemies and criminals are always loud. Sometimes they yell out catchphrases before they attack, so a loudness sensor for deploying the shield might come in handy.
Finally, StarWoman wants to test out tessellating sturdier material, perhaps even metal, for the deployable component.
