Proxima Command is a sci-fi themed esape room in Toronto, Ontario. It was looking to build a new escape room experience with sci-fi inspired electro-mechanical puzzles. The project was given the name "Space Station X". The task was assigned to the PDX team at George Brown College, of which I was a member.

This project was completed as a team effort. I was tasked with the bulk of mechanical design and the corresponding hardware design. My designs began at the conceptual stage, where I determined the look and overall function of the devices. Then I went into detailed design, placing the selected electrical and mechanical components into a Solidworks model. An assortment of electro-mechanical components were incorporated into the design including potentiometers, limit switches, springs, LCD screens, solenoids, and speakers. Each module of Space Station X is powered by an ESP32 microcontroller, and is build with a waterjet-cut front panel attached to a sheet metal enclosure to hide the internal components. 

The college had a water jet and an industrial FDM printer at its disposal, both of which proved valuable for the construction of the modules. The water jet was used to cut out the sheet metal enclosures and the 1/8" thick aluminium plates for the front panels. The 3D printer was responsible for most of the internal structure that allows physical movements of parts such as the opening and closing of access panels. The electronics and sensors were also mounted and each module was tested for function. Some small modifications were made to make the solenoids function properly. They were having difficulties overcoming the force of friction.

I was tasked with the programming of several modules in the Arduino IDE environment. The integration of hardware and software on each module did not pose a significant challenge due to the simple components involved. Another team member handeled the communication between modules using MODBUS protocol.

Space Station X opened for business in the summer of 2021. It was beloved by sci-fi fans and escape room enthusiasts alike.