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Tag Archives: Project
MAX30101 Pulse Oximeter – Maxim | DigiKey
Design a wearable fitness monitor that measure pulse rate and oxygen saturation level of blood.
CC2650STK Texas Instruments | Development Boards, Kits, Programmers | DigiKey
Design some kind of sensing network using the TI sensor tag – available in bluetooth and wifi.
Source: CC2650STK Texas Instruments | Development Boards, Kits, Programmers | DigiKey
Design an I2S to SPI bridge (electronics / audio / microcontroller)
I2S is a popular digital interface for audio, but is not supported on many microcontrollers. Design an interface from I2S to SPI (or I2C) that uses the smallest possible processor to do the work. Build a PCB/develop software….
Research Bond graphs and write a paper
Research Bond graphs – a technique developed for handling linear systems (mechanical, electrical…) under a single framework. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_graph
Model a nerve action potential using the Hodgkin-Huxley model
The dynamics of the voltage across a nerve membrane are well defined by a set of three coupled non-linear equations. MATLAB (or another tool) can be used to model these equations and accurately predict the dynamics of a nerve firing.
Make an animation of inner ear demo from class
Make an animation (either MATLAB or web-based) of the inner ear example from class. This involved some simulation and some relatively simple graphics programming. You could also update and expand this web page (http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/echeeve1/Ref/InEar/InnerEar.html) to include the animation.
Use the Makey-Makey with Arduino
The Makey Makey is essential a generalized input device – a touch keyboard that can be used in many different ways.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/makey-makey-advanced-guide
20 Unbelievable Arduino Projects
Use this to get some ideas, though some are rather complex and/or expensive.
Source: 20 Unbelievable Arduino Projects
Arduino : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits
Search for kits and projects on the Adafruit website
Source: Arduino : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits
Top 10 Kickass Arduino Projects
The Arduino is a cheap electronics board that allows you to make your own electronics without a ton of coding experience. We love the Arduino, but like any electronics project, coming up with ideas for what to build is tough. Whether you’re just looking for inspiration or just need a place to start, let’s take a look at ten of the coolest Arduino projects.
Source: Top 10 Kickass Arduino Projects
Some project on Arduino website
Note: even some of the ones marked Easy may not be so easy – also some require expensive extras.
Source: Arduino Playground – Ideas
Hack a servo motor for continuous rotation
The servo’s we have used only have about 180 degrees of rotation. You can make some fairly simple changes to modify the servo to rotate continuously so it could be used to drive wheels on a robot, or any other application that involves continuous rotation.
https://learn.adafruit.com/modifying-servos-for-continuous-rotation/overview
Modes on a drumhead
Explore modes on a drumhead – similar to modes on a guitar string, but in 2 dimensions.
Pulse Oximeters – Maxim
Pulse Oximeters – Maxim. Also – TI has information
Model a non-linear pendulum that has magnets.
Check the video below. It is a simple pendulum, but reacts to magnets near the base. A non-linear problem to be modeled with RK – but not too difficult. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_between_magnets#Magnetic_dipole-dipole_interaction
Implement an adjustable step-size RK algorithm for animations
The animation system at http://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Animations/ uses a fixed step size animation. Alter the code to use a variable step size.
Use an animation system (see below) to develop animations for homework problems.
Use the animation system (http://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Animations/) developed by a student a few years ago to develop animations for some of the homework problems.
Use simulink and MATLAB together to simulate a system (and animate it).
Use simulink and MATLAB together to simulate a system (and animate it). You could also do it all in MATLAB. The coupled pendulum system comes to mind.
Simulate this non-linear system with spinning magnets.
Simulate the system shown using Runge-Kutta (it is nonlinear, but not too complex). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_between_magnets#Magnetic_dipole-dipole_interaction
Explore Z-Transforms
Z-Transforms are related to the Laplace Transform, but are used for discrete time systems (i.e., when a computer is used to sample a signal). This would be more research then physical.
Javascript tool for demonstrating some principal from class.
Develop an interactive JavaScript tool for demonstrating some principal from class. … pole locations and step response? pole locations and Bode Plot? animating the Runge-Kutta process?
Javascript tool for visualizing convolutions
Use JavaScript to develop a tool for visualizing convolutions. Something like “The Joy of Convolution” from Johns Hopkins, or the MATLAB tool ConvolveGUI that I demoed in class.
Control Servo Motors with an audio signal.
Use the ideas in this post to control servo’s with audio signals from a cell-phone or other audio source. TRS Drawbot – Make: | Make:.
The Pi Machine – NYTimes.com – Calculate pi
Use this method to make an animation (web-based?) that calculate pi. The Pi Machine – NYTimes.com.
Use Audio Analyzer to Demonstrate Convolution
It would be very nice to have a MATLAB gui that makes the audio analyzer output a series of impulses to a circuit and then have software that would add up the delayed and shifted impulse responses to create the output due to an arbitrary input. This is ambitious, but if you want a very software (MATLAB) intensive project – this might be it.
Use a 3D printer to make circuit boards
Materials for 3D Electronics Printing — Voxel8: 3D Electronics Printing. This is an ambitious project – you may want to consider this for two students unless you have some experience building your own 3-D printer.
Recreating the THX Deep Note – Earslap
Recreating the THX Deep Note – Earslap. Read this blog post on how to create the THX Deep Note (the sound at the beginning of movies using THX). It involves some signal processing – see if you can do it in MATLAB. Here is professor Zucker’s implementation in shadertoy https://www.shadertoy.com/view
Add code to Fourier Series Lab so Function Generator makes Sawtooth and Triangle wave
Right now, the signal generator is only configured to create sine waves and square waves. Code could be added to the U8903a GUI to enable the generation of triangle and Sawtooth waves.
Build shaker table + building for E12 lab
Build a shaker table with sinusoidal input that shakes model building that is instrumented with accelerometers.