EE494 PROJECTS

A. One dimensional inverted pendulum balance control system using Genetic algorithms or adaptive control. A rod with a mass at the top (inverted pendulum) is placed on a small plate. The plate is driven in one dimension so that the rod remains balanced. Sponsor: Advisor: Parr, Blandford, Mitchell, Lotfalian

B. Force feedback head mounted computer input device for the impaired. Head mounted device that senses two motions and transmits by light, ultrasonic sound or RF to a PC. The device has feedback (possibly vibration) to aid the user using the computer. Sponsor: Advisor: Mitchell, Blandford, Parr

C. Metal detector. The detector head motion is sensed by two accelerometers mounted orthogonally to each other. A liquid crystal display can then display the relative size of the object in 2-D graphics. Sponsor: Advisor: Mitchell, Blandford

D. Pulse forming network demo/analyzer. This device will create and monitor the high voltage pulse amplitude and duration (current and voltage) of a pulse applied to a xenon flash lamp. The pulse forming network under study can easily be removed and modified. Advisor: Mitchell, Reising

E. Home monitor. This device will transmit video, audio, and sensor data (such as temperature) to a remote pc through a network connection. Advisor: Mitchell, Reising, Blandford

F. Scanning monochrometer. Interface a bipolar stepper driver to the stepper motor in the monochrometer located in the laser lab. Create a pc based GUI that will display the intensity versus the wave length of the source being scanned on a graph. Print and manual scan options should also be included. Advisor: Mitchell, Reising G. Spectrometer. Design and build a spectrometer that can be used to view the spectra of various sources. The spectrometer will use a 1024 linear diode array (located in the laser lab) as the imaging device. The output of the diode array is a sequential analog data stream. The display device will be a pc using a GUI for the presentation of the data. Advisor: Mitchell, Reising

H. Invisible electric Dog fence diagnostic system. Design and build a system that will indicate the distance to a break in a length of 14 AWG wire. The wire can be 6,000 feet long. The cost must be under $200 dollars. Advisor: Mitchell, Reising

I. Universal Bipolar Stepper motor Driver. Design a bipolar stepper motor driver that is microcontroller based and will allow the user to control the step rate, acceleration, direction, current, and step mode (half stepping and micro stepping) via the serial interface. Input voltage range should be 3 to 50 volts and the current drive range should be 100ma to 10 amps. Advisor: Mitchell, Blandford, Reising

J. Sound direction monitor. The device will detect the source direction of a detected sound wave. The device will indicate the direction with tactile and visual displays. Sponsor: Advisor: Mitchell, Blandford, Richardson