POTATO Outer Cover
For housing the electromechanical components and the TATERs' user interface, we used 1/4" thick duron sheets and cut them into custom panels using a laser cutter. Slots were laser cut into a false bottom to secure the the Veggie Raising Mechanism, TOT Sensing and Return Mechanism, and allow for wiring in the "circuit drawer" below to store the breadboards and Tiva Powerborad. The panels were then assembled by matching the cutouts on the sides to interlock the panels in place and secured with glue.
TOT Sensing & Return
We used a coin sensor to detect whether the TOT had been inserted into a coin slot, signaling the start of a new game. The TOT falls into a cavity within the POTATO and remains idle until the end of a game. At the end of a game, a servo motor attached to a 1/8" duron sheet (also laser cut) rotates to reveal the TOT to the user to pick up.
Veggie Raising Mechanism
We used a rack and pinion mechanism to convert servo rotation to vertical translation of the vegetables. The vegetables were attached to a 3D printed holder containing a neodymium magnet. These holders were cut to force users to properly align the magnet to activate a reed switch which in turn activated the vegetable growth cycle.
Water Release Lever & Crank
To keep our vegetables alive, TATERs water the vegetables by creating their own water (to be used when watering with the hose from before) by using the water supply crank on the right side of the POTATO. TATERs also have the option to alter the difficulty level of their game by changing the water release rate using the duron lever on the left side of the POTATO.
Food & Water Supply Dials
These dials are connected to servo motors embedded within the POTATO Cover. They are a visual representation of how well the TATER is surviving on Mars. If the Water Supply dial is not at "E", then you have water to use for keeping the vegetables alive. If the Food Supply dial drops to the bottom before the rescue ship reaches you, you lose.