Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
49 Eco-Trim: Smart Scratch Pad Recovery System
 Lehan Pan
Tianyi Xu
Zhizheng Ju
Zihan Wang
 proposal1.pdf
**Team Members:** Zhizheng Ju (zju4), Tianyi Xu (tianyi25), Lehan Pan (lehanp2), Zihan Wang (zihan20)

### Project Description

**Problem**
University libraries generate massive paper waste from partially used or single-sided prints. This innovation aims to reclaim these blank spaces locally, avoiding resource-heavy chemical recycling. The system must autonomously feed discarded stacks, identify blank areas, and extract usable scratch pads.

**Solution Overview**
Eco-Trim is an automated mechatronic system. Unlike standard shredders that destroy paper, or industrial recyclers that require wet pulping, our dry, localized approach actively salvages usable sections. The complexity lies in synchronizing optical detection with mechanical actuation, which is highly feasible given our interdisciplinary team. An ECE-driven solution is absolutely necessary because the system requires a custom PCB, a microcontroller running a finite state machine (FSM), and opto-isolated motor drivers to process sensor data and execute high-torque cutting safely.The entire system operates with a single push of a button, strictly adhering to the one-button activation rule.

**Components**
* **Mechanical Feeding:** Motorized friction rollers engineered to ensure reliable single-sheet feeding and flattening without jamming.
* **Optical Detection:** A custom PCB integrating an MCU and optical contrast sensors to scan and map printed versus blank areas.
* **Cutting Actuation:** A stepper-motor-driven blade mechanism designed for precise, automated trimming based on sensor feedback.
* **Safety Interlocks (Critical):** Essential IR light curtains and enclosure limit switches that instantly sever high-voltage motor power upon detecting human proximity, preventing injury and ensuring safe public usability.

**Criteria of Success**
1. System continuously feeds at least 5 single sheets of paper without mechanical jamming.
2. Optical sensors correctly differentiate printed from blank areas, triggering the appropriate cutting logic.
3. The actuation blade cleanly severs the paper into uniform pads without tearing.
4. Hardware safety interlocks physically disconnect motor power within 100ms when the enclosure is opened or the light curtain is breached.

A Direct Digitally Modulated Wireless Communication System

Qingyang Chen, Bingsheng Hua, Luyi Shen, Dingkun Wang

Featured Project

TEAM MEMBERS: Luyi Shen luyis2 Bingsheng Hua bhua5 Dingkun Wang dingkun2 Qingyang Chen qc20

PROJECT NAME: A Direct Digitally Modulated Wireless Communication System

PROBLEM: Communication system is closely related to our life. We measure communication systems primarily by their effectiveness and reliability. But in fact, validity and reliability are a pair of contradictory indicators, and they need a certain compromise. We hope to improve the efficiency of communication system on the basis of guaranteeing the accuracy of communication.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW: The project is to design and implement a kind of communication system for the next generation technology which is much more simplified compared to the systems that existed. The final version of the system should be expected to be able to transmit data like images and videos.

Our basic idea is that the information can be send in digital signal form to matesurface, EM waves will be sent to the matesurface and be scattered to space. The information we want to transit will be carried on scattered EM waves. And once the receiver receives the signal it will be decoded into the original information.

Basically, our project is a kind of innovation or re-creation of an existing communication system. The biggest difference between our design and other systems could be the method to process the information. There is a significant component in our future design called metasurface, which could be used to adjust the phase, magnitude, and polarization along with other significant properties of EM waves which can send multi-digit signal at same time.

As for the functionality of our project, we think it could be an interesting trial and we have faith to finish it since everything we need in the project we could find plenty of research materials and reports to look into. Even if the project is not applicable in the end, we believe the application of the metasurface material could be still powerful in communication system.

SOLUTION COMPONENTS: Metasurface: it could be used to adjust the phase, magnitude, and polarization along with other significant properties of EM waves. Receiver: it is where information will be received and decoded. FPGA: it is where information will be prepared and send to the metasurface. Signal emitter: Send EM wave to matesurface.

CRITERION FOR SUCCESS 1.The system could be used to transmit data like Images and Videos. 2.The system should be able to demonstrate a certain level of supreme communication efficiency

DISTRIBUTION OF WORK: Dingkun Wang & Qingyang Chen

Responsible for the software part of the communication system, including the information processing sent by the computer, the receiver information receives and decode, the interface between software and hardware, etc.

Bingsheng Hua & Luyi Shen

Responsible for the design of metasurface in the communication system and the construction of the hardware of the communication system.