ECE4006 Senior Design Project

1. ECE4006 Senior Design Project Linda Milor and Jay Schlag linda.milor@ece.gatech.edu jhs@ece.gatech.edu

2. What Will Be Due • Email about yourself and interests (due Jan. 17) • Finalize groups (due Jan. 19) • Present project ideas at in class group meeting (Jan. 31 and Feb. 2) • Finalize project at in class short presentation (Feb. 7 and Feb. 9) • Spec Sheet (due Feb. 16) • First Progress Report including detailed project schedule (due Feb. 23) • Progress Reports 2-5 outlining progress (due March 9, March 30, April 13, and April 27) • Final Presentation (April 13, April 18, and April 20) • Final Report on the Web (due May 2) • Demo (due May 4)

3. Project Scope • Requirements include specification, design, implementation and testing • “incorporate engineering standards and realistic constraints that include most of the following considerations: economic, environmental, sustainability, manufacturability, ethical, health and safety, social, and political.” • Design project should include • Hardware – processor (any type) • Software – instruction set • Application

4. Example Projects • Mobile robot • - Add sensors and sensor processing to do complex tasks (vision tracking, velocity control and path planning, formation following) • - Examples include temperature sensing and reporting on the web and an automated highway that converts a remote controlled car into an autonomous vehicle that can perform lane changes autonomously • FPGA-based controllers • - Parallel sensor/signal processing and feedback loops

5. Example Projects • LEGO parts • - Extend a LEGO operating system to add services (a real-time open source OS is available) • Build sensors and sensor drivers: encoders, temperature sensors, sonar, etc. • Build your own application using a microcontroller, sensors, and motors • RF-based projects • - Use an RF reader to identify items in a refrigerator and their expiration dates and keep this information in a database that can be remotely assessed over the web

6. Example Projects • Automatic display projects • - Perform frequency analysis of music and display lights or water pumps according to the frequency spectrum • RF-based projects • Use an RF reader to identify items in a refrigerator and their expiration dates and keep this information in a database that can be remotely assessed over the web • - Use an RF reader to identify people (assume RF tags are on an ID badge) and equipment and use a database to control the lock on a door to determine if a particular person can take that piece of equipment out of the door

7. Example Projects • Wireless projects • Automatically dispense drinks from a vending machine based on a wireless input, check the availability of funds, and manage the account through the web • Read the buzzcard upon entry into the on-campus bus system and bill users accordingly • Display restaurant menus on a hand-held device, allow orders to be make through the device, and produce a bill and enable payment though the hand-held device

8. Example Projects • Computer game projects • Build an electronic chess board • Build an interface to enable the use of games from multiple manufacturers on a single display • Sensor projects • Use IR sensors to determine if someone is in the path of a sprinkler, and if so, turn off the sprinkler • Use sensors to display the number and locations of available parking spaces in a parking lot • Other ideas • PC-based picture frame that received input from the web

9. Things to Think About • Application • - What are you doing and why is it novel and necessary? • Market • - Who is the customer? • Cost • What is the product development cost, including design cost and parts? What is the manufacturing cost? • Sales Volume • - How many will you sell per year? What is the product lifetime? • Support • - How will you support the customer?

10. Things to Think About Inputs Outputs Processor • Inputs and Outputs • Number • Type (voltage or current?) • Level (Do you need a level converter?) • Speed • Control

11. Things to Think About Inputs Outputs Processor • Processors • Number • Type (PIC, FPGA, other microcontroller?) • Speed • Control • Instruction Set • Development System • Debugging • Assembler/Compiler

12. How to Get Parts • Borrow Parts • Edgar Jones and James Steinberg, VL C352-C329 have a collection from previous semesters (act quickly) • Buy Parts • You buy it, you own it • GT Funds – Each group gets a budget of $100 per person in the group; GT owns the parts. (Order from Edgar Jones or James Steinberg) • Company loan or gift

13. Design Process • Determine application • Write specifications • How will you measure performance? • Hardware block diagram • Software block diagram • Determine/order parts • Test parts of the project; test subsystems • Integrate all parts together

14. Group Formation • Responsibilities • Big picture and leadership, technical design, hardware, software, testing, integration, cost analysis, reporting • Group Pitfalls • “My Way or the Highway” • “You do the work, I’ll take the credit.” • “I did all of the work” • Group Intelligence (more than the sum) • Each person contributes equally and all suggestions are considered seriously

15. Due January 17 (by email) • Name • Email • Expertise and Experience • Project Idea • Current Group Members Send email to linda.milor@ece.gatech.edu and jhs@ece.gatech.edu