Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
37 Musicians' Essential Link for Optimized Digital Instrument Connection (MELODIC)
 Colin Devenney
Macrae Wilson
Ryan Libiano
 Koushik Udayachandran design_document1.pdf
design_document2.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
other1.pdf
presentation1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
# MELODIC

Team Members:
- Colin Devenney (colinfd2)
- Ryan Libiano (libano2)
- Macrae Wilson (macraew2)

# Problem

A common problem associated with live performing is the rats nest of audio and control cables required to run front of house equipment, digital effects, and instruments, to name a few. However, in recent times UHF, VHF and ISM systems have taken mainstay in the industry to overcome this problem. For a large performance, a $10,000+ rack dedicated to wireless audio systems make sense. For the performing musician on a budget, such as a small house band or a coffee shop artist, current budget products (<$300) suffer from problems such as data packet collisions, limited audio quality, and lack features such as frequency hopping and diversity.


# Solution

A wireless system designed to connect two audio devices (keyboard to speaker, guitar to amp) using two MELODICs. The idea is a pair of devices using Texas Instruments’ CC8530 RF SOC’s as the microcontroller/host for peripheral devices, such as the CC2590 range extender and the TLV320AIC3204 audio codec. The main components of the system include a power subsystem using a 9V battery, an audio system (codec, control), and digital RF (CC8530, range extender). We will create two identical devices which can be used interchangeably (as master or slave).


# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1 - Power

9V battery with buck converter to account for 3.3V required for CC8530. Additionally, a linear regulator may need to be used to account for voltage rippling.

## Subsystem 2 - Audio

This includes the audio codec chip TLV320AIC3204 and buttons for controlling the power and pairing. Additionally, the TLV320AIC3204 chip communicates with the CC8530 through an I2C bidirectional bus for control processing and I2S for audio processing. The CC8530 also includes software from Texas Instruments which allows for easy programming. The TLV320AIC3204 allows for Line-in and Line-out ports for use with musical and audio devices. These will be connected to ¼ inch TRS jacks so the device can act as either a master or a slave depending on the programmed firmware.

## Subsystem 3 - Digital RF

RF processing is done through the CC8530 chip as well as the CC2590 range extender. These two chips will be coupled with a microstrip line, and associated circuitry for balancing and matching the antenna will be connected to an SMA port on the output of the CC2590 range extender. The CC8530 chip, which will manage all the peripherals over I2C and I2S digital communication protocols. The chip features a Cortex Arm-M3 Microcontroller and associated radio and audio co-processing hardware needed for the digital and analog RF front end. The chip also handles the clocking, framing and transmission of the wireless data packets as well as the clock, audio transmission and control for TLV320AIC3204 audio codec. Using Texas Instruments Configuration tool we can set the chip to autonomously run on its own, without need for control from an external master.


# Criterion For Success
-All buttons (for now, power and pairing) should work as intended.

-System should allow for monitoring power levels in each device (LEDs).

-Line-in line-out connection compatible with instruments.

-Coexistence with existing 2.4GHz protocols such as bluetooth and WLAN.

-Able to transmit lossless CD quality audio. Human-friendly enclosure with battery status LEDs and control buttons.

El Durazno Wind Turbine Project

Alexander Hardiek, Saanil Joshi, Ganpath Karl

El Durazno Wind Turbine Project

Featured Project

Partners: Alexander Hardiek (ahardi6), Saanil Joshi (stjoshi2), and Ganpath Karl (gkarl2)

Project Description: We have decided to innovate a low cost wind turbine to help the villagers of El Durazno in Guatemala access water from mountains, based on the pitch of Prof. Ann Witmer.

Problem: There is currently no water distribution system in place for the villagers to gain access to water. They have to travel my foot over larger distances on mountainous terrain to fetch water. For this reason, it would be better if water could be pumped to a containment tank closer to the village and hopefully distributed with the help of a gravity flow system.

There is an electrical grid system present, however, it is too expensive for the villagers to use. Therefore, we need a cheap renewable energy solution to the problem. Solar energy is not possible as the mountain does not receive enough solar energy to power a motor. Wind energy is a good alternative as the wind speeds and high and since it is a mountain, there is no hindrance to the wind flow.

Solution Overview: We are solving the power generation challenge created by a mismatch between the speed of the wind and the necessary rotational speed required to produce power by the turbine’s generator. We have access to several used car parts, allowing us to salvage or modify different induction motors and gears to make the system work.

We have two approaches we are taking. One method is converting the induction motor to a generator by removing the need of an initial battery input and using the magnetic field created by the magnets. The other method is to rewire the stator so the motor can spin at the necessary rpm.

Subsystems: Our system components are split into two categories: Mechanical and Electrical. All mechanical components came from a used Toyota car such as the wheel hub cap, serpentine belt, car body blade, wheel hub, torsion rod. These components help us covert wind energy into mechanical energy and are already built and ready. Meanwhile, the electrical components are available in the car such as the alternator (induction motor) and are designed by us such as the power electronics (AC/DC converters). We will use capacitors, diodes, relays, resistors and integrated circuits on our printed circuit boards to develop the power electronics. Our electrical components convert the mechanical energy in the turbine into electrical energy available to the residents.

Criterion for success: Our project will be successful when we can successfully convert the available wind energy from our meteorological data into electricity at a low cost from reusable parts available to the residents of El Durazno. In the future, their residents will prototype several versions of our turbine to pump water from the mountains.