Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
96 Motion Sensing Guitar Pedal System
Luke Hilgart
Nicholas Oberts
Spencer Siegellak
Po-Jen Ko proposal1.pdf
Problem:
One issue that can come up with playing guitar on stage is wanting to switch guitar pedals on and off while playing. If a guitarist wants to change the effects on their guitar as they are playing, they would either have to have their pedalboard on stage, or would need someone else controlling which pedals are turned on and off.


Solution

Our solution to this problem is a motion sensing attachment that can clip on to the bottom of the guitar. The attachment will project a lighting display on the ground, indicating which pedals’ effects are currently active, as well as using motion sensors to detect when the guitarist kicks near each light. The attachment is connected wirelessly to a custom routing box, which routes the signal through the connected pedals, allowing the guitarist on stage to control which pedals’ effects are active at any given time.

Solution Components

Subsystem 1: Lighting

This subsystem will have to display different colored lights on the ground from the guitar. The entirety of the device will have to be angled from the guitar so that it can shine directly to the ground. One color of light will indicate the effect is active, and another will indicate that it is inactive.

Subsystem 2: Motion Sensor

This subsystem will be responsible for delivering user inputs. When someone steps on a light, that light will turn off and the pedal effect associated with that light will activate. When another light is stepped on, the pedals’ effects will combine, as they ordinarily would while using a standard pedal setup. In order to remove a special effect, you need to step in that area again.

Subsystem 3: Pedal Connection Box
In order to use multiple effects, we need to use foot pedals that are turned on and connected to the box. In a normal guitar pedal arrangement the pedals are connected in series, so the box will route the audio signal in series through whichever pedals are designated by the sensing system. The box will have a wireless receiver that takes in data on which pedals should be activated, and use it to route the signal in and out of the connected pedals.

Criterion For Success
Describe high-level goals that your project needs to achieve to be effective. These goals need to be clearly testable and not subjective.

In order for our project to be considered a success, the guitarist should be able to switch between their pedals as they like despite being away from the pedal board. The criterion for this to occur would be:
1) The kick/step motion effectively toggles on/off desired pedals
2) The lights correspond with pedals correctly
3) Pedal connection box correctly routes the signal to go through the desired pedals

Automatic Water Bottle Filler

Priyank Jain, Jakub Migus, Abby Mohan

Automatic Water Bottle Filler

Featured Project

# Automatic Water Bottle Filler

Team Members:

- Priyank Jain (priyank3)

- Abby Mohan (ammohan2)

- Jakub Migus (jmigus2)

# Problem

In normal liquid dispensing and water bottle filling systems, the process requires the user’s attention and constant manual activation of the device. This may require the holding of a button, the action of pushing the bottle against a sensor for a specific amount of time, or holding the bottle in front of a sensor until it is full. If the user gets distracted or is unable to provide that attention (blindness or lack of motor function), liquid may spill or the bottle may not be filled enough.

# Solution

Our goal with this project is to make an automatic water bottle filling station. Our device senses when a water bottle is placed underneath it, begins filling the bottle with water once a start button is pressed, determines when the bottle is full and shuts off automatically. After placing the bottle on a platform and pressing a button, the user can walk away knowing their bottle will be filled accurately.

# Solution Components

## Sensing Component

This subsystem utilizes multiple sensors including an ultrasonic sensor to measure the water level and a light-based sensor to determine the height of the bottle.

## Control

This subsystem connects the sensors to the water system. It receives data from the sensors, compares the water level height to the height of the water bottle, then decides to either begin, continue, or stop dispensing water.

## Display/Interface System

An LCD display will show instructions for the user and will display simple messages. A few push buttons will be included for manual filling and selection of desired amount of liquid (ex. Half bottle, full bottle)

## Water System

This subsystem utilizes a water tank attached to a pump and tubing, which transport water to the dispenser.

# Criterion for Success

The device…

- detects a water bottle and accurately measures the height

- monitors the water level in the bottle

- stops filling when a desired water level is reached

If there is no bottle/ the bottle is removed, the device stops filling water.

Project Videos