2010
ECE 457/458 Design Project I/II is the capstone design experience where students expand their abilities and develop important real world engineering problem solving skills. The students were divided into eight groups. The details are given below.
Senior Design Instructor:
Dr. Howard Michel
Project Title | |
---|---|
Group 1 | Television Volume Equalizer "Ear Tender" |
Group 2 | Real-time GPS Drifter Network System for Oceanographic Research |
Group 3 | Automated Identification System for Mobile Command Centers |
Group 4 | Object Recognition System for an Existing Autonomous Micro-UAV |
Group 5 | Remote Data Collection System |
Group 6 | IED Locator for Explosively Formed Projectile-type Objects |
Group 7 | Sleeping Driver Detection Device |
Group 8 | High RMS Current Testing of Power Electronic Capacitors |
Group 1
Student Members:
Israel I. Anifowose*
William Frank Brigham
Chhoeun Sann
Jared Adam Tardy
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. David Rancour
Project Title:
Television Volume Equalizer "Ear Tender"
Project Description:
The Television Volume Equalizer or "EarTender" is a self contained portable device that will automatically lower or mute the volume level of a standard IR controllable television set when the reference sound level is exceeded. The volume level heard during commercials is usually much louder than the reference level heard at other times. The "EarTender" automatically lowers or mutes the volume during commercials. It also has the option to restore the sound when the commercials are over.
Customer:
Mr. Stephen Hall, Dialogic, Inc.
Group 2
Student Members:
Christopher J. Boucher*
Michael John Alfonse
Carl Anthony Grilo
Joshua Sochin
William R. Turner
Faculty Advisor:
Professor Philip Viall
Project Title:
Real-time GPS Drifter Network System for Oceanographic Research
Project Description:
GPS tracked drifters are useful tools for understanding physical processes related to ocean mixing and stirring. They are also useful for emergency response in case of oil spills, and for general mapping of ocean currents relevant to navigation. In 2006, a UMD Senior Design project team attempted design and build a low-cost GPS tracked drifter. The drifters contained GPS receivers along with a radio frequency transceiver that could be automatically polled by a base station on a ship to periodically obtain the drifter�s positions in real time. This project involves modifying and/or redesigning drifter hardware and communications systems to increase the range and duration of the units, and to design a network of land-based base stations to enable multiple drifters to be tracked simultaneously in real time by one another and/or by multiple base stations.
Customer:
Dr. Miles Sundermeyer, School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST)
Group 3
Student Members:
Michael Steven Elsner*
Thomas L. Grime
Irfaan M. Sameja
Jeffrey M. Towers
Nathan Andrew Trapp
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Dayalan Kasilingam
Project Title:
Automated Identification System for Mobile Command Centers
Project Description:
Develop and demonstrate a field-deployable, long-distance RFID system for use in land-based operations. Currently, field deployed Command Centers used throughout the military for land-based activities require adequate security to conduct operations. The developed system will identify approaching assets (personnel or vehicles) at least 100 meters from the Command Center with a very narrow focus. The system will operate autonomously, but will alert operators to contacts whose identity is unknown to the system.
Customer:
Mr. David Silvia, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)
Group 4
Student Members:
Matthew S. Gonsalves*
Sean Thomas Cartin
Dmitry V. Makarov
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Michael Geiger
Project Title:
Object Recognition System for an Existing Autonomous Micro-UAV
Project Description:
Through the use of a wired or wireless web-cam an automatic object recognition system (in order to find injured humans) is integrated onto an existing micro-UAV. The micro-UAV employs inertial navigation and was developed as a 2008 UMass Dartmouth senior design project. The micro-UAV is capable of autonomous navigation.
Customer:
Mr. Stephen Frechette, Riverside Research Institute
Group 5
Student Members:
Phillip B. Hulse*
Christopher F. Arata
Dipankar Gogoi
Michael Greaves
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Steven Nardone
Project Title:
Remote Data Collection System
Project Description:
Develop a secure data collection system for meteorological and power production data. The system must be capable of collecting data and transmitting it wirelessly over the internet or by other means to a remotely located server. The system is designed to provide timely alerts if any of the remote units fail to operate or to transmit data. Server administrator is able to control certain functions of the data collectors, such as a reset, over the wireless connection. The system should be designed to minimize travel to the remote sites for normal maintenance, or in the event of a malfunction. The data collection system is secure so that persons at the remote sites will be unable to affect data integrity.
Customer:
Mr. Paul Gay, Aerostar, Inc.
Group 6
Student Members:
William A. Mason*
Kevin Brian Blair
Jeffrey Ryan Coopee
Nathan Alan Kurra
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Paul Fortier
Project Title:
IED Locator for Explosively Formed Projectile-type Objects
Project Description:
The problem is locating explosively formed projectile-type IEDs buried within a road. Just as the pulse compression technique is used in radar, pulse compression could be used to find IEDs that contain metal shells. The shaped charges that are required to penetrate armor must contain a significant amount of shaped metal. This technology dates back to WWII, and is the only method to penetrated armor with mine/IED. The shaped metal will reflect a unique signature that can be detected.
Customer:
Mr. Stephen Frechette, Riverside Research Institute
Group 7
Student Members:
Ross Michael Simpson*
Kevin M. Chaves
Joshua Azariah Grauman
Timothy Richards
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Chi Hau Chen
Project Title:
Sleeping Driver Detection Device
Project Description:
The problem is to develop a system for detecting and waking up a sleeping driver. A webcam is used to detect when the driver closes his eyes. An interface to a serial port will be used to sound a custom built light and sound device that must be manually reset by the driver to ensure that he wakes up and moves around.
Customer:
Mr. Stephen Frechette, Riverside Research Institute
Group 8
Student Members:
Seth Edmund Woiszwillo*
Chad R. Deschamps
Jonathan P. Hickey
Brenton Alan Webster
Faculty Advisor:
Professor Robert Helgeland
Project Title:
High RMS Current Testing of Power Electronic Capacitors
Project Description:
Aerovox is a leader in the manufacture of film capacitors for power electronic applications. These capacitors are specially constructed using metallized film dielectrics and using processes and techniques that are suitable for capacitors that operate at high RMS currents. Aerovox is presently about to offer two new lines of capacitors for these applications. These capacitor lines operate at voltages up to 2000VDC, but at very high RMS currents. This project will develop a unique system to test these new capacitors at high RMS current, but without exceeding the voltage ratings of the same capacitors. The system may utilize any wave shape including sinusoidal or trapezoidal wave shapes.
Customer:
Mr. Edward Lobo, Aerovox Corporation