the book that was made for this project can be found here

• Hans-Martin Schlesier
• Kim-Sarah Nowak
• N. Ege Acikgöz
• Pongpanoch Chongpatiyutt

• Sasha Pas (Playtronica)

Our project, "Orbits on a Budget" (also known as OBI Orbitar), aims to create a manual and design for the Orbitar that can be built with a minimal budget and conventional tools. We plan to incorporate services like Zuschnittservice at Baumarkt and recycled wood into our design process. This concept prioritizes cost-efficiency over convenience or advanced functions, providing ample opportunities for quality improvement or specific function focus during the construction process.

Our design emphasizes the easy manufacturing and assembly of a working Orbita design. We plan to utilize off-the-shelf hardware where possible. Other parts should be easy to manufacture with common household tools like a power drill or box cutter. The design follows the existing design principles of the Orbita.

Our goal is to implement an open-source hardware approach for the Playtronica Orbita. The primary aim is to develop a comprehensive manual/documentation explaining how to integrate the electronic components provided by Playtronica into a music interface designed by us. We are committed to making this process accessible for educational purposes and budget-friendly, enabling anyone to reconstruct it with a limited number of components.

Components provided by Playtronica for this project include sensors, a Raspberry Pi, a motor, a motor belt, magnets, USB-media, and USB-power components.

The project will follow several steps, ranging from concept creation to final presentation:

1. Introduction to the Project and Needs: Understanding project requirements and identifying problems.
2. Concept Design: Theoretical concept development and translating concepts into designs.
3. Production Planning: Planning for "ObiOrbitar" production and decision-making for the second concept "Orbitime".
4. Prototyping: This includes the creation of a Bill of Materials (BOM), determining necessary tools for production, procuring the BOM and Orbita Kit, assembling, and making necessary adjustments during the prototyping phase.
5. Technical Documentation: Designing the format and templates for documentation, creating an index of product documentation, drafting manuals and assembly guidelines, and developing drawings and templates for both "ObiOrbitar" and "Orbitime".
6. Video Production: Creating instructional videos to supplement written documentation.
7. Final Presentation: Implementing final changes and releasing documentation.

• Open Source Hardware Approach Outcome: ObiOrbita: A working prototype of an open-source, affordable, and user-friendly version of the Orbita.
• Detailed Documentation: Including an index of product documentation, architecture, assembly instructions, Bill of Materials (BOM), Tools, design files (CAD), and video.
• GitHub Collaboration: Our GitHub repository will serve as a collaborative workspace where we share our design files and documentation, allowing community contributions.