Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
13 60 Hz Electromagnetic Field Detector/Interface system
Area Award: Electromagnetics
 Bhaskar Vaidya
Gaurav Jaina
Kuei-Cheng Hsiang
 design_document0.pdf
final_paper0.pdf
presentation0.pdf
proposal0.pdf
The aim of this project is to design a modular 60 Hz Electromagnetic Field Detector/Interface system. Sensors and feedback have been developed by the client that allow individuals to perceive 60 Hz electric hum. The current design is not sensitive enough to distinguish noise in this frequency band from an acceptable distance. Given the existing design, we can improve the range from which this signal can be distinguished by bumping up the gain of the amplifier and/or redesigning the antenna, or considering another means of detection. The system will interface directly with the user's sense of touch through the utilization of haptic feedback, designed in a way that provides the optimal experience for the user to learn to use. The system will be designed as a modular system, so that either block (sensor or interface) could be replaced for another application; for example, the detection of cell-phone frequencies instead of 60 Hz.

The intersection of microelectronics and neuroscience can currently be used to give people the ability to sense previously invisible forces. Applications include potential research on the effects and pathways of giving people extra senses (which can help advance the field of neuroscience/psychology), as well as mapping out 3-dimensional images of EM fields in specific areas to observe effects on biological systems.

S.I.P. (Smart Irrigation Project)

Jackson Lenz, James McMahon

S.I.P. (Smart Irrigation Project)

Featured Project

Jackson Lenz

James McMahon

Our project is to be a reliable, robust, and intelligent irrigation controller for use in areas where reliable weather prediction, water supply, and power supply are not found.

Upon completion of the project, our device will be able to determine the moisture level of the soil, the water level in a water tank, and the temperature, humidity, insolation, and barometric pressure of the environment. It will perform some processing on the observed environmental factors to determine if rain can be expected soon, Comparing this knowledge to the dampness of the soil and the amount of water in reserves will either trigger a command to begin irrigation or maintain a command to not irrigate the fields. This device will allow farmers to make much more efficient use of precious water and also avoid dehydrating crops to death.

In developing nations, power is also of concern because it is not as readily available as power here in the United States. For that reason, our device will incorporate several amp-hours of energy storage in the form of rechargeable, maintenance-free, lead acid batteries. These batteries will charge while power is available from the grid and discharge when power is no longer available. This will allow for uninterrupted control of irrigation. When power is available from the grid, our device will be powered by the grid. At other times, the batteries will supply the required power.

The project is titled S.I.P. because it will reduce water wasted and will be very power efficient (by extremely conservative estimates, able to run for 70 hours without input from the grid), thus sipping on both power and water.

We welcome all questions and comments regarding our project in its current form.

Thank you all very much for you time and consideration!