Automated Page Turner

Overview

The Automated Page Turner is a motorized assistive device designed to automatically turn book pages through controlled mechanical actuation. The project required combining embedded control, motors, and physical design into a repeatable system that could solve a practical accessibility challenge.

Objectives Demonstrated

Objective 1: Design and complete robotic and embedded systems solutions that apply to real-world situations and challenges.

This project meets the objective because it solves a real accessibility challenge with a complete embedded-mechanical solution. It was developed as a functioning assistive device rather than as a concept alone, demonstrating my ability to turn a real-world problem into a completed embedded system.

Objective 2: Implement a simple microprocessor using digital logic design.

This project meets the objective by using a microcontroller to execute the timing and sequence required to actuate the page-turning mechanism. The controller takes system logic and turns it into precise repeated motor behavior, which reflects practical implementation of microprocessor-driven control.

Objective 3: Demonstrate embedded system design skills, including, but not limited to, microcontroller selection, schematic design, printed circuit board layout, design for electromagnetic compatibility and design for manufacturing.

This project meets the objective by requiring embedded system design decisions around controller choice, motor-driving hardware, physical integration, and prototype manufacturability. The project involved designing a system that could realistically be built, assembled, and tested as a working embedded device.

Objective 4: Apply knowledge of transducers, actuators and simultaneous hardware and software development in the design of an embedded system.

This project meets the objective by combining actuator-driven movement, embedded control logic, and physical mechanism design in a single working system. The hardware and software had to be developed together so the mechanism could move consistently and reliably.

Objective 5: Design and analyze real-time embedded systems, including advanced digital logic design, signal processing and highspeed digital systems.

This project meets the objective because the page-turning process depends on real-time embedded timing and repeatable control behavior. The system had to activate and sequence movement correctly in order to achieve reliable page turning, which required analysis and refinement of timing-based embedded performance.

Evidence of Functionality

The project image provides visual evidence of the completed assistive device and supports the fact that the design progressed beyond concept and into implementation. Together with code and demonstration material, it helps verify that the system functioned as a working prototype.

Project Evidence

GitHub Repository: Add GitHub Link

Demo Video: Watch Page Turner Test

Demo Evidence: Testing demonstrated that the system could initiate page movement, but consistency issues prevented reliable operation. The video shows the mechanism attempting to turn a page, which helped identify key limitations such as grip consistency and page separation. These results guided further design improvements.

Key Contributions

• Designed motor-driven page turning mechanism
• Integrated ESP32-based control system
• Refined mechanical design through iteration
• Tested and validated real-world performance

Skills Demonstrated