The community partner is looking for a device that provides mental stimulation and physical exercise within Elephants. The proposed solution is a motion sensor simon game. This design will use a steel frame with a motion sensor inside. A light and sound will be used as a trigger to signal to the elephant which frame is active. To win the game the elephant will need to trigger the active motion sensor by putting their trunks through the frame. The keepers will have the capability to set the time interval between active frames and the number of wins the elephant must successfully complete. After a set amount of wins, the game will end and a treat will be dispensed. This semester the goal is to have two constructed frames for testing. Each frame should be strong enough to go on the training gates that the elephant in the barn and back area are in, in order to safely test the software of the system as well as the viability of the project.

Team Members: 

  • Taylor Benning, Junior, Mechanical Engineering
  • Ruben Gameros, Graduate Student, Systems Engineering
  • Kaleb Hagerman, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
  • Kyle Johnson, Junior, Civil Engineering
  • Noah King, Freshman, Electrical Engineering
  • Ryan Sisk, Junior, Electrical Engineering

Community Partner:  Rich Sartor, Diretor of Living Collections at Phoenix Zoo