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Food Safe Joystick Adapter Manifold

A project log for LipSync

An assistive tech which allows quadriplegics to use touchscreen mobile devices using a mouth-operated joystick with sip and puff controls

charles-gCharles G 09/24/2016 at 00:370 Comments

The next component added to the LipSync design is the joystick adapter manifold:

It serves two main functions:

1. It rigidly connects the joystick to the filter.

2. It creates an airway between two connections.

It was printed with food safe ABS filament and two stainless steel threaded inserts were sealed into place using medical grade epoxy. It is important to make sure that all components in the air stream are at least FDA food safe for health and safety concerns. Inserts were used because the 10-32 threads (seen on the white connector) are too fine to 3D print. The white lure lock connector fits a filter on the opposite end and the black 90 degree barbed fitting accepts a medical grade silicone tube, which connects to the pressure transducer.

This section view shows the internal cavity of the part. The beauty of additive manufacturing (ie 3D printing) is very intricate shapes can be created which would otherwise be impossible to form using subtractive methods (ie machining). The design required special attention for easy removal of the support material.

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