CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR 2005 PROJECT SUMMARY Name(s) Project Number Nathan Bales; Daniel Trubey S0701 Project Title Detecting Radio Anomalies in the ULF to ELF Spectrum Abstract Objectives/Goals We are trying to create a device that can detect radio anomalies in the radio frequency range of sub-1 Hz to 30 Hz. Methods/Materials We created the inductor coil using 37,000 feet of 30-gauge magnet wire. The #receiver# or signal-processing unit was made from schematics off of the ELFRAD web site. We wound the wire around a PVC pipe and inserted a mu-metal core to make it more sensitive. We record these signals through our coil into the #receiver# and then into our computer through an analogue to digital converter. If we can detect an event called a Schumann resonance then we were successful. Results We have made the coil and the receiver but have yet to successfully record with this set-up. We are working on a variety of little problems and should have it fixed by the time of the fair. Conclusions/Discussion By what we have seen so far and what we know of our coil, we believe that we will be able to successfully record the Schumann Resonances. We are working on getting our system up and running. Summary Statement We are trying to create a device that can detect radio anomalies in the radio frequency range of sub-1 Hz to 30 Hz. Help Received Bruce Mount from Hamilton Sundstrand helped with electrical engineering questions Ap2/05 CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR 2005 PROJECT SUMMARY Name(s) Project Number James B. Bonner, IV S0702 Project Title Determining the Accuracy of an Ultrasonic Proximity Sensor vs. an IR Proximity Sensor using Autonomous Robots Abstract Objectives/Goals The purpose of this experiment was to determine which type of proximity sensor, ultrasonic or infrared, is most accurate at detecting the presence of an object. The ability of proximity sensors to detect the presence of objects allows the ability of envisioning a foreign and dynamic surrounding without possessing the sense of sight. Therefore, proximity sensors can be used to replace the nonfunctioning eyes that burden the blind or to assist in the autonomous navigation of robots. Methods/Materials To test this problem, several objects, each varying in size, shape, and dimension, were placed in front of an autonomous robot, equipped with either the ultrasonic proximity sensor or the infrared proximity sensor. The object was placed at varying distances from the sensors to test the distance of each sensor#s sensing range. In addition, the sensors# output energy was emitted at different angles. Results Following the completion of testing each sensor#s accurateness at detecting the presence or absence of an object, the results indicated that the original hypothesis, which stated that the ultrasonic sensor would be the most accurate sensor in its ability of object detection, was supported. Conclusions/Discussion After conducting extensive research pertaining to electronic sensors and analyzing the experimental results, a probable explanation was postulated. The infrared sensor experienced difficulty in detecting objects from the 30cm marks. This is most likely attributed to the large #dead spots# infrared sensors experience when sensing objects from far distances. The autonomous motion trials also support this inference. In the autonomous motion trails the robot equipped with the infrared proximity sensor stopped much later than the robot equipped with the ultrasonic proximity sensor, implying that the infrared sensor#s sensing range is shorter than that of the ultrasonic sensor. Another flaw the infrared sensor possessed was its high susceptibility to ambient infrared light. In trial where the ambient infrared light circuit projected infrared light with a wavelength of 940nm, the IR receiver module mistook these received beams of infrared light as reflections of the emitted light beams. This data proves that infrared proximity sensors misread the absence of an object when the IR receiver module intercepts ambient beams of infrared light. Summary Statement This purpose of this project was to determine which type of proximity sensor, ultrasonic or infrared, is more accurate at detecting the presence of an object. Help Received No help was received during the execution of this science project. Ap2/05 CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR 2005 PROJECT SUMMARY Name(s) Project Number Scott M. Elder S0703 Project Title Brewster's Angle Effect on GPS Multipath Abstract Objectives/Goals Brewster's angle is typically associated with light. However, it also has an effect on GPS Radio Frequency (RF) signals. When a GPS navigation signal is reflected off a material, it will change from a right hand circular polarized to a left hand circular polarized signal at Brewster's angle. If the reflected signal reaches a GPS antenna, it can cancel out the real or direct GPS signal. This is called multipath and it can cause a position error in a GPS receiver. The problem is how to determine Brewster's angle at the GPS frequency and its effect on the GPS receiver. My hypothesis states "If I can create a controlled GPS multipath environment, then I can determine Brewster's angle and determine the effect on the Global Positioning System signals for different materials". Methods/Materials I first created a controlled multipath environment by mounting my GPS antenna on a board and pointed the antenna towards the WAAS POR Geostationary (GEO) satellite. This satellite supplies a GPS signal but is a GEO satellite so its orbital position to earth stays the same. Also, this signal is lower power than GPS signals so it will react more to multipath. I then used different surface materials to determine their effect on the GPS receiver operations. Results My board was the propagation environment and it was big enough to contain the first Fresnel zone from 10 degrees to 50 degrees with an antenna height of 4 inches. Placing the board in line with the POR signal created a controlled multipath environment and tilting the board at different angles resulted in different multipath signals being received by the GPS antenna. Conclusions/Discussion The multipath signal did result in a disruption of signal power as I increased the angle of the board. For each surface type tested there was a complete loss of signal at a specific angle. Although this angle was not Brewster's angle, it did correspond to Brewster's angle by subtracting 7 degrees. The 7 degree difference is attributed to the internal GPS processing techniques. Summary Statement I determined Brewster's angle at the Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 frequency and what its multipath effect was on the GPS receiver operations. Help Received Dad helped with the test fixture design. Ap2/05 CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR 2005 PROJECT SUMMARY Name(s) Project Number Evan M. Gates S0704 Project Title Rubik's Cube Solving Robot, Year Two: Faster Algorithm, Graphical User Interface, and Vision Abstract Objectives/Goals The goal was to write the software and create the hardware required to autonomously solve a Rubik's cube. Methods/Materials The physical Rubik's cube solver was made primarily out of Plexiglas. Stepper motors were used to turn the faces of the cube. All code was written in C or C++. For the second year, the Kociemba algorithm was implemented, which works in much the same way as the prior algorithm, using iterative deepening searches, except that it works through fewer nested subgroups, cutting down the number of moves needed to solve the cube. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) was also created which added ease of use to the robot. The use of cameras has been implemented to read the state of the cube, as opposed to "remembering" it. A color recognition scheme was devised, comparing red, green and blue (RGB) values of preset sample points. For the second year, the RGB values were converted to hue, saturation and value (HSV) values, and the sample points were input by the user. Results There was some trouble stopping the solver from jamming. This was fixed by making all turns clockwise and slightly overshooting the goal so that the cube would self correct if slightly misaligned. The Kociemba algorithm solved the cube in roughly half the time and half as many moves as the Thistlethwaite algorithm. The GUI worked nicely, making the robot much more user friendly. The cameras worked more consistently, but still not to a point at which they can be depended on. Conclusions/Discussion Although the goal was reached, the project can still be improved upon. The main area that could use improvement is the color recognition algorithm. The implementation of neural networks along with an edge detection algorithm would be optimal. Now that the Kociemba algorithm has been implemented, the next step would be God's algorithm, which is still an impossibility with modern computing power. Summary Statement During year two of the project the Rubik's Cube solving robot was refined to use a faster solving algorithm, a graphical user interface, and visual recognition. Help Received Father was programming mentor and helped format final report, Herbert Kociemba provided advice on visual recognition, Mother helped create project board. Ap2/05 CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR 2005 PROJECT SUMMARY Name(s) Project Number Ian R. Girard S0705 Project Title Solar Hydrogen Fuel Cell Future Abstract Objectives/Goals I designed and built a renewable hydrogen energy system. It consisted of a photovoltaic panel, an electrolyzer, a hydrogen storage system, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. I tested it to find its optimum operating conditions and energy conversion efficiency. The entire system was designed to be simple enough and cheap enough to build and test in a high school classroom for educational purposes.