Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
39 Auto-Tuner with LCD Display
John Driscoll
Lee Susara
Nicholas Chan
Eric Tang design_document1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
**Auto-Tuner with LCD Display**

**Team:** Nicholas Chan, John Driscoll, Lee Susara

**Problem:** In order for guitars to be properly used, each string needs to be tuned to the right frequency to play the right note. This can either be done manually, or with assistance from a tuner. We would like to make this process easier though, so we would like to implement an auto-tuning device that attaches to the pegs of the guitar. While these are exist, most of these devices on the market are over $100, so we would like to make it more affordable.

**Solution:** Our solution to this would be to create an auto-tuning device using a servo motor and a feedback loop. This solves the problem because this would make the tuner much more affordable while still maintaining its main functionality. Our design would be to attach a servo motor to each peg of the guitar and, while the user plucks the string, our device would use a microphone to take in the frequency and turn the peg as need be. The note being played will also be shown on an LCD display.

**Subsystem 1:** One of the subsystems we will be the device that attaches to the head of the guitar. This device will have 6 servo motors (HS-318), one for each peg. Each motor will have a clamp that will attach to the pegs of the guitar. The device will also have an electret microphone amplifier that is picking up sound from the guitar to know what note is being played. A clamp will be used to keep the whole subsytem in place.

**Subsystem 2:** Another subsystem we will need to implement is the control subsystem, which will house our PCB (QFN-16) and logic. We will use a breadboard (103-1100) , wires, and various logic chips to implement the correct logic.

**Subsystem 3:** The last subsystem we will need is the power and user interface. This will include our battery (EN-22), power switch button (1489), and LCD display , as well as any buttons, should we need to tune the guitar to non-standard tuning. We can use the 2x16 LCD display with controller for this.

**Criterion for Success:** For our project to be effective, it must be able to pick up and filter out the frequency being played, properly take in the sound as input to determine how the guitar should be tuned, and ensure the motors are being powered and are functioning as desired. It must also fit on the head of the guitar without being too clunky, and our LCD display must display the correct notes being played. The project as a whole must also be more affordable than the current auto-tuners on the market as of right now.

Control System and User Interface for Hydraulic Bike

Iain Brearton

Featured Project

Parker-Hannifin, a fluid power systems company, hosts an annual competition for the design of a chainless bicycle. A MechSE senior design team of mechanical engineers have created a hydraulic circuit with electromechanical valves, but need a control system, user interface, and electrical power for their system. The user would be able to choose between several operating modes (fluid paths), listed at the end.

My solution to this problem is a custom-designed control system and user interface. Based on sensor feedback and user inputs, the system would change operating modes (fluid paths). Additionally, the system could be improved to suggest the best operating mode by implementing a PI or PID controller. The system would not change modes without user interaction due to safety - previous years' bicycles have gone faster than 20mph.

Previous approaches to this problem have usually not included an electrical engineer. As a result, several teams have historically used commercially-available systems such as Parker's IQAN system (link below) or discrete logic due to a lack of technical knowledge (link below). Apart from these two examples, very little public documentation exists on the electrical control systems used by previous competitors, but I believe that designing a control system and user interface from scratch will be a unique and new approach to controlling the hydraulic system.

I am aiming for a 1-person team as there are 6 MechSE counterparts. I emailed Professor Carney on 10/3/14 and he thought the general concept was acceptable.

Operating modes, simplified:

Direct drive (rider's pedaling power goes directly to hydraulic motor)

Coasting (no power input, motor input and output "shorted")

Charge accumulators (store energy in expanding rubber balloons)

Discharge accumulators (use stored energy to supply power to motor)

Regenerative braking (use motor energy to charge accumulators)

Download Competition Specs: https://uofi.box.com/shared/static/gst4s78tcdmfnwpjmf9hkvuzlu8jf771.pdf

Team using IQAN system (top right corner): https://engineering.purdue.edu/ABE/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/SeniorProjects/2012/GeskeLamneckSparenbergEtAl

Team using discrete logic (page 19): http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/86206/ME450?sequence=1