Calendar

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1/15
Lecture 1 8:30a - 10:30a
1/22
Project Selection Form due 12:00p
Lecture 2 8:30a - 10:30a
PCB Design Excercise due 11:59p
Team Contract due 11:59p
1/29
2/5
2/12
2/19
2/26
Request for Approval due 11:59p
Lecture 3 8:30a - 10:30a
3/4
Proposal EARLY DEADLINE (3 points EC) due 11:59p
Lecture 4 8:30a - 10:30a
3/11
Project Proposal due 11:59p
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
3/18
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
3/25
Project Proposal Regrade due
Design Document due 11:59p
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
4/1
Teamwork Evaluation I due 11:59p
Tomb-Sweeping Day
Tomb-Sweeping Day
4/8
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
4/15
Individual Progress Report due 11:59p
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
4/22
Design Document Revision due - 11:59p
Weekly Update Meeting 8:30a - 10:30a
4/29
International Labor Day
International Labor Day
International Labor Day
5/6
Main Mock Demo Day D225
Mock Demo
Mock Demo
Mock Demo
Mock Demo
Final Report draft due 11:59p
5/13
Final Demo Block 1 due
Final Demo Block 2 due
Final Demo Block 3 due
Final Demo Block 4 due
Final Demo Block 5 due
5/20
Final Individual Design Report Draft due
Teamwork Evaluation II due 11:59p
Functionality Demonstration Video (extra credit) due 11:59p
5/27
Final Individual Design Report due 11:59p
Final Presentation due
Final Report due 11:59p

RFI Detector

Featured Project

Problem Statement:

Radio frequency interference from cell phones disrupts measurements at the radio observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Many visitors do not comply when asked to turn their phones off or put them in airplane mode.

Description:

We are planning to design a handheld device that will be able to detect radio frequency interference from cell phones from approximately one meter away. This will allow someone to determine if a phone has been turned off or is in airplane mode.

The device will feature an RF front end consisting of antennas, filters, and matching networks. Multiple receiver chains may be used for different bands if necessary. They will feed into a detection circuit that will determine if the power within a given band is above a certain threshold. This information will be sent to a microcontroller that will provide visual/audible user feedback.