First steps

Many projects of mine fail due to not breaking things down or confirming assumptions.

There are other reasons as well

Here is a list of things I should do first:

• Start documenting ideas and resources
• Simplify the MK1 design and scope, move some ideas to MK2
• Make a weighted mockup
• Harness mockup
• Rail mockup
• Prototype the movement and desired actuation
• Learn ROS and simulation with ROS compatible gyms
• Iterate
• Learn Numpy
• Learn Numba

Things that I'll probably waste time on:

• Designing my own actuators

Documentation

Yes

Prototype movement

Don't even use motors, maybe belts or pulleys. Should be very basic. Should be to see how it feels for a weighted backpack to move around in the desired ways.

• How does it feel when there is a large amount of overhang?
• How much movement is needed to position the backpack in useful locations?
• Is it easy to grab and detach?
• If sensors and cameras are placed in different positions, do they have good views over the shoulder and and around the user's arms?
• Does having a curved rail help prevent collisions with the user's back?
• Does a straight rail work as well?
• Do motions that keep the CG closer to the rotational axis help?
• When walking are there any motions that aid in walking?
• Can rotating the backpack make the user fall over? At what rates and overhangs?