ECE 002 Final Project
Sensors
(By Daniel Sawyer)
A sensor is a something that reads a certain stimulus and responds to that.
Sensors can trigger many different things but they have a stimulus or something
that they record. Sensors generally record raw data and then that data is interpreted
by something else. Sensors have linearity so that they are consistent. Sensors must
be consistent so a value can be determined for each input read by the sensor.
Linearity helps to make sensors predictable and makes them far more predictable.
There are many real world applications for sensors. The human body is full
of sensors for example our ears are sensors. Our ears take vibrations in the air
which is then interpreted by our brain. If humans were without sensors then it
would be almost impossible to do anything. Our brains are useless if they have
nothing to interpret. Sensors are very common in the real world. For example a
thermostat is a sensor that allows humans to adjust the temperature.
Sensors are very useful in the field of biology. For example with medicine it is
important to measure many things on the person being treated. For example we
have sensors that measure people heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
These sensors are required for many aspects of medicine. Also as stated before the
human body is full of biological sensors.
The three main analog sensors that were tested were the optical range
finder, the ultrasonic range finder, and the light sensor.
Elevator
(By Daniel Sawyer)
Creating a functional elevator was a project during this ECE semester.
Although the elevator was only two floors it was logical to make the elevator
expandable. There were two main things that went into the elevator, the physical
construction of the elevator and programming of the elevator. Both of these two
factors had a great deal of affect on each other. The elevator project forced the
programmers to consider the physical aspects of the elevator and the constructors
had to consider the use of sensors and the limits of the sensors and motors.
The construction of the elevator was very important. The elevator was made
of legos which tend not to slide over one another so easily. Therefore the shaft
which the elevator was to ascend and descend had to allow the elevator to pass
freely. Also the placement of the motor was an important factor in constructing the
elevator. The motor had to pull the elevator on a certain path so that the elevator
would not rub against the shaft. Also in constructing the elevator the power of this
motor was very important. Even though the power of the motor could be
manipulated by the program, its power was still very limited. This led to the idea
that the ideal elevator had to navigate the shaft very smoothly and not be too heavy.
Once the elevator reached the necessary floor the elevator was to remain at that
floor until called to a different floor. This was difficult to design both from the
programming and construction aspects.
The programming of the elevator was very important. Not only did the
elevator have to respond to sensors logically the power of the motor had to be
adjusted according to the physical structure. The program was also a very important
aspect of holding the elevator at the desired floor, until it was demanded otherwise.
Although this may sound simple this all had to be done with simple sensors and a
small motor. Below is the program:
void main()
{
while (start_button()==0){}
while (stop_button()==0)
{
printf("The Elevator Test 1\n");
if (digital(7) ==1)
{
while(digital(14)==0)
{
motor(1,6);
}
motor(1,3);
}
if (digital(10) ==1)
{
while(digital(15)==0)
{
motor(1,38);
}
motor(1,20);
}
}
}
The program allows for the elevator to be expanded to almost any floor Using
a sensor to detect when the elevator is at the desired floor the motor power was
adjusted to hold the elevator steady. In real life the motor would not be used to lock
an elevator in place, however given the available construction of this elevator and
the low energy required by the motor it was logical. Overall this project was a good
exercise in relating programming to physical factors using sensors.
Circuits Lab
(By Johnathan Ross)
For the circuits lab we built and tested circuits using the breadboard and digital
multi meters. We found voltages across the resistors and we even tested diodes. We
learned how to analyze and evaluate circuits. We not only learned how to read
series circuits, but parallel ones as well. We only worked with three elements,
voltage source, resistors, and diodes. We learned about Ohms Law (V = IR).
PSPICE
(By Johnathan Ross)
We designed circuits using the SPICE software. We were able to see the theoretical
(or nominal) values of our circuits. We were able to see the drops across resistors at
each point. Some of the difficulty in this portion had to do with the actual designing
of the circuit. For instance, an open node might cause the circuit to read voltages
wrong, or a short could cause the circuit to read wrong.
Instrumentation Lab
(By Jiaxuan Shang)
The objectives of the project are reviewing electrical signals (AC and DC),
getting to know the common lab equipment, the oscilloscope and the function
generator, and learning how to do oscilloscope triggering. The oscilloscope is used
to observe the change of the voltage, and to measure the voltage and frequency.
Resources needed to create the project are oscilloscope, function generator, and the
cables. The function generator is for generating voltage from -25V to 25V. And
cables are used to connect the oscilloscope and the generator.
If the student wants to observe the voltage generated by the DC Power
Supply, the function generator. The first step in the procedure to implement the
project is to make the connection between the cables and the oscilloscope, and then
set the time/div, adjusting the horizontal position. Then the student can adjust the
display using Intensity and Focus dials. The next step is to set the Volts/div and
switch the AC-ND-DC for proper channel. Then set up DC Power Supply and
observing and measuring the DC output. Do remember to turn off the DC Power
Supply and disconnect the mini-grabber.
AM Radio
(By Nate Serafino)
While this project seemed as though it would be quite complex and difficult to
comprehend, it turned out to be quite interesting and intellectually stimulating. The
project provided an excellent opportunity for our group to develop an excellent
sense of teamwork and cooperation with each individual member playing a pivotal
role in the completion of the project. Despite the fact that our group had a relatively
limited exposure to soldering as well as some of the intricate circuitry, together
through cooperation and determination, the task at hand was completed in a timely
manner and the information learned was quite valuable for the future.
The
materials used in this lab were basic circuit components such as resistors,
transistors, capacitors and diodes, as well as parts expected in a radio such as a
volume knob, amplitude modulation tuner, and a speaker. The diodes were the
most important components as they detected the frequencies that were amplified by
the transistors. The speakers then amplified the sound that frequencies transmitted
through the diodes. While the actual circuitry was quite complex, the instruction
manual provided an excellent concise reference to make the project run relatively
smooth and enjoyably.
The only tool used in this experiment was a soldering iron as well as tin
solder. If there were difficulties faced throughout the course of the experiment they
came as a result of the soldering iron. This tool is quite daunting to the
inexperienced user as it can be extremely dangerous. However, with the keen
watchful eyes of Qianyi watching over the process, there was no chance for failure.
In fact after a few times, our groups soldering became more and more efficient and
towards the end, it could even be considered fun.
After the soldering was complete the radio was ready to go and despite initial
concerns our group succeeded. The end result was that a great deal of information
was learned regarding the transmission of information via amplitude modulation
radios. It is easy to see why these pieces of equipment were so valuable throughout
the 20th century. This project demonstrated the simplicity and effectiveness of the
AM radio and gave our group a greater appreciation for circuitry as a whole.