Progress Report 6
March 2, 2004
Project Title: “Cherry Picking Guide” for Small Molecule Screening
Team Members: Blake Hondl, Amit Mehta, Jon Millin, Ryan Pope
Client: Noël R. Peters
Advisor: Willis Tompkins
Date: 2/24/04 – 3/2/04
Problem Statement:
Develop a device to guide a micropipette user in the transfer of small volumes of
compounds between 384-well micro-titer plates. The device will increase the efficiency of
transfers and reduce user error.
Restatement of Team Goals:
1. Test LCD screen that was purchased
a. Determine if it works properly
b. Determine how it connects to a PC
c. Check that it can illuminate a 384-well plate appropriately
d. Establish other necessary hardware, if any
2. Decide on final design
a. Choose either LED- or LCD-based design
3. Continue research into computer issues
a. Create a better understanding of how to send data out a specific port to our
device
b. Determine the best program and programming language for our project/device
(Microsoft Visio, Java, C++)
Summary of Team Accomplishments:
1. LCD screen has not yet arrived
2. Team chose the LCD design based on it adaptability to various size well plates
3. Researched computer issues
a. Will need an LCD screen to connect to a USB port or a video card
i. USB LCD screens are generally small or expensive
ii. Connecting LCD screen to a video card is more practical
1. Need a video card with dual-monitor capabilities, but must
limit access to LCD screen
b. Team will program in Java, since the it is most familiar with that
programming language
4. Prepared mid-semester materials
a. Compiled and practiced mid-semester presentation
b. Began compiling Preliminary Design Report
Summary of Individual Accomplishments:
Blake Hondl (Team Leader)
1. Discovered Java classes that offer I/O capabilities
2. Met with Mike Marrow, discussing LCD connectivity and output issues
a. USB connection would offer fewer output control issues
b. Video cards are common and often relatively inexpensive
i. Would need to offer access to second monitor (LCD screen)
exclusively to the application illuminating the well plate
ii. Perhaps a setting in Windows XP that will allow the team to
accomplish this
3. Researched LCD screens
a. USB LCD screens are either too small or too expensive
4. Prepared for mid-semester evaluations
a. Wrote portion of Preliminary Design Report
b. Created slides for mid-semester presentation
c. Compiled and edited slides and report
d. Practiced mid-semester presentation
5. Wrote progress report
Ryan Pope (Communicator)
1. Researched LCD controllers
2. Alerted client to presentation time and location
3. Prepared for mid-semester evaluations
a. Wrote portion of Preliminary Design Report
b. Created slides for mid-semester presentation
c. Compiled and edited slides and report
d. Practiced mid-semester presentation
Jon Millin (BWIG)
1. Compared proposed design solutions, evaluating them using a decision matrix
2. Prepared for mid-semester evaluations
a. Wrote portion of Preliminary Design Report
b. Created slides for mid-semester presentation
c. Compiled and edited slides and report
Amit Mehta (BSAC)
1. Communicated team ideas to course administrators at BSAC meeting
2. Prepared for mid-semester evaluations
a. Wrote portion of Preliminary Design Report
b. Created slides for mid-semester presentation
c. Compiled and edited slides and report
d. Practiced mid-semester presentation
Statement of Team Goals:
1. Test LCD screen that was purchased
a. Determine if it works properly
b. Determine how it connects to a PC
c. Check that it can illuminate a 384-well plate appropriately
d. Establish other necessary hardware, if any
2. Communicate our team project effectively through mid-semester presentations
3. Continue work on Preliminary Design Report
a. Finish writing individual portions
b. Compile portions together
c. Edit and revise report
4. Continue research into computer issues
a. Create a better understanding of how to send data out a specific port to our device
b. Determine the best approach to data output
i. USB or video card
c. Speak with someone in the computer science department to establish a team link
to a knowledge programmer and someone familiar with data output
Project Schedule:
3/2 – 3/5
3/5
3/6 – 3/12
3/6 – 3/26
3/26 – 4/2
4/2– 4/9
4/9– 4/16
4/16 – 4/30
4/30
4/30 – 5/7
Prepare mid-semester presentation
Mid-semester presentations
Work on Preliminary Design Report
Refine LCD design, research programming code and I/O, obtain a
working LCD screen, continue developing PDS
Connect LCD screen to a PC, get LCD screen to display output
Begin programming an application to display output on LCD
screen
Continue creating application, work on user interface
Prepare final presentation and paper, continue work on prototype,
add coding to accept input from an Excel file
Final poster presentations
Final written report and final meeting with advisor
Difficulties: Need to develop a better understanding of how to output data through a PC port.
This has been difficult due to the team’s unfamiliarity with output issues.
Activities:
Blake Hondl:
1. Designing slides for mid-semester presentation – 1.0 hr
2. Writing portion of Preliminary Design Report – 1.0 hr
3. Compiling and editing presentation slides and report 2.0 hrs
4. Meeting with Mike Marrow – 1.0 hr
5. Researching Java classes/source code for software application – 1.5 hrs
6. Researching LCD screens – 1.5 hrs
7. Researching computer I/O – 1.0 hr
8. Practicing mid-semester presentation – 2.0 hrs
9. Writing progress report – 2.0 hrs
Total – 13.0 hrs
Ryan Pope:
1. Comparison of LCD and LED designs – 0.75 hr
2. Communicating with client about presentation – 0.25 hr
3. Researching LCD video controllers – 1.5 hrs
4. LCD kit comparison – 0.25 hr
5. Creating presentation slides – 1.0 hr
6. Writing portion of mid-semester paper – 2.0 hrs
7. Compiling slides and paper – 2.0 hrs
8. Practicing mid-semester presentation – 2.0 hrs
Total – 9.75 hrs
Jon Millin:
1. Working on PowerPoint slides – 2.0 hrs
2. Writing portion of paper – 3.0 hrs
3. Updating design notebook – 0.5 hr
4. Compiling slides and paper – 2.0 hr
5. Practicing mid-semester presentation – 2.0 hr
Total – 9.5 hrs
Amit Mehta:
1. Writing report – 1.0 hr
2. Creating PowerPoint slides – 1.0 hr
3. Updating notebook – 0.5 hr
4. Compiling and editing slides – 2.0 hrs
5. BSAC meeting – 0.5 hr
6. Practicing mid-semester presentation – 1.0 hr
Total – 6.0 hrs
Team Total Hours for this week – 38.25 hrs
Cumulative Team Hours to date – 114.5 hrs