Development of the One Handed Bagpipe
Brainstorming
First, we brainstormed different ways to play the bagpipe with one hand  We moved the note that the thumb played to the pinky finger, and then gave the five right-handed notes to the thumb. This was important because the thumb has so many more muscles controlling it, allowing it to move between five notes more seamlessly than the pinky.
Fabrication and Prototyping Action Shots
We first worked with play dough to quickly iterate our different designs in Nolop at Tufts University. We used the laser cutter to to develop a holder for 1/8" rods and tried different materials. Then we moved to Delrin for the note flaps and the brackets. We also began with the electric chanter to begin our initial placements for the thumb switches.
Final Design and Prototype
Below are the images of our final design and prototype.
We went through multiple iterations laser cutting the brackets and flaps out of acrylic and wood. We also created these parts from 3D printed material and a milled delrin version. We cut down steel rod to size, bent it, and drilled out holes into the bracket and flaps. We used set screws to tighten the brackets onto the rod in the right orientation.
We ran into challenges at getting the proper dimensions for the bracket and flaps. It is also very precise, and we had challenges having everything line up exactly as it should. We also had trouble choosing the right material and manufacturing method while our design was rapidly evolving.
We are proud of the design choice of swapping the thumb and pinky, and the sleek, small design of the device. We are also proud that it can play notes and provides opportunity for Julie to play the bagpipes again. We have iterated through many designs and are proud to see how far we have come from the first design.
We learned about the importance of the quick iterations and very precise measurements. We also learned how to communicate designs with the (very helpful) machinists.
We hope to continue the iterative process and to create a next version of our bagpipes -- 3D printing our pieces with our official shapes and dimensions. Also, now that the mechanics work smoothly, we hope to add in more user friendly opportunities to the bagpipe -- adding comfortable pieces for the thumb and pinky levels, and a spot for the right hand to rest.
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