Hand powered lamp post climbing contraption for wireless network deployment
We are setting this challenge to mechanical engineering applicants to our vacancies call. Anyone is however welcome to send in their suggestions and we will make prototypes of the best systems.
Hand powered lamp post climbing contraption is to be used for deploying payloads like WiFi routers of up to 1kg on these common structures in urban environments. In emergency settings or temporary deployments we need a contraption that is sufficiently low-cost multiple of them can be at hand at any given time and they are of sufficiently low value not to go missing. See a post climbing bike lock as inspiration and http://students.asl.ethz.ch/upl_pdf/59-report.pd on the topic.
A number of design constraints have been established and are presented in a priority ordered list, top down.
- Low-cost and released open source
- Hand powered operation using a common household string
- Fits various standard pole sizes
- Manufactured from standard elements and laser cut/milled plywood
- Minimal number of 3D printed elements and standard screws
The following use-cases must be feasible with the device:
- User attaches the device to a lamp post, threads a string through it and pulls the string such that the device climbs up the post
- Device is on top and user ties the drive string to the pole base, securing the device to stay on top
- Lamp post changes diameter several times, the device operates in an unchanged manner
- User detaches the string from the base of the tower and lowers the device in a controlled manner.
