Tutorials

Designing PCB's

Drew Handler has put together an Eagle video tutorial: Eagle video tutorial

Lab Equipment

The Senior Design Lab has a wide selection of equipment that provides nearly all of the capabilities of the other teaching labs combined. If project needs are not met by the equipment already in the lab, then your TA may be able to help you get what you need.

Lab Kits

Each team is provided with at least one lockable storage drawer in 246 EL, and a portable lab kit. An additional drawer and/or kit may be issued as need arises and facilities allow.

The lab kit includes a box with carrying handle, containing a wiring board for prototyping circuit projects, a kit of pre-cut wires, a multiple-output power supply, and a digital multimeter. This is checked out to you by your TA at the beginning of the semester and must be returned undamaged at the end of the semester. Missing lab kits will result in an encumbrance or withheld diploma and a charge of $500.00, so always be sure to lock your lockers! Also, do not store any cables in your kit. Doing so will result in a loss of points.

Test Equipment

Most equipment is connected to the PCs via HPIB cables. Below is a sampling of the test equipment available:

For more information on capturing information from an oscilloscope or other piece of equipment, please check out the information about Agilent VEE on the Software page.

Computers

The lab has PC's with Pentium 4 processors, 512 MB RAM, and high-resolution monitors on each bench. These machines are networked to a high-capacity laser printer. Each has an Ethernet connection to the campus network, an HPIB interface card connecting it to all of the standard instruments on its bench, and a sound card. The computers are maintained by the Engineering IT Shared Services. Email ews@illinois.edu for assistance.

The PC's are presently configured with wide array of software shown here. Their primary uses include:

Automatic Piano Tuner

Joseph Babbo, Colin Wallace, Riley Woodson

Automatic Piano Tuner

Featured Project

# Automatic Piano Tuner

Team Members:

- Colin Wallace (colinpw2)

- Riley Woodson (rileycw2)

- Joseph Babbo (jbabbo2)

# Problem

Piano tuning is a time-consuming and expensive process. An average piano tuning will cost in the $100 - $200 range and a piano will have to be retuned multiple times to maintain the correct pitch. Due to the strength required to alter the piano pegs it is also something that is difficult for the less physically able to accomplish.

# Solution

We hope to bring piano tuning to the masses by creating an easy to use product which will be able to automatically tune a piano by giving the key as input alongside playing the key to get the pitch differential and automatically turning the piano pegs until they reach the correct note.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1 - Motor Assembly

A standard tuning pin requires 8-14 nm of torque to successfully tune. We will thus need to create a motor assembly that is able to produce enough torque to rotate standard tuning pins.

## Subsystem 2 - Frequency Detector/Tuner

The device will use a microphone to gather audio measurements. Then a microprocessor processes the audio data to detect the pitch and determine the difference from the desired frequency. This can then generate instructions for the motor; direction to turn pegs and amount to turn it by.

## Subsystem 3 - User Interface/Display Panel

A small but intuitive display and button configuration can be used for this device. It will be required for the user to set the key being played using buttons on the device and reading the output of the display. As the device will tune by itself after hearing the tone, all that is required to display is the current key and octave. A couple of buttons will suffice to be able to cycle up and down keys and octaves.

## Subsystem 4 - Replaceable Battery/Power Supply

Every commercial product should use standard replaceable batteries, or provide a way for easy charging. As we want to develop a handheld device, so that the device doesn’t have to drag power wires into the piano, we will need a rechargeable battery pack.

# Criterion For Success

The aim of the Automatic Piano Tuner is to allow the user to automatically tune piano strings based on a key input alongside playing a note. We have several goals to help us meet this aim:

- Measure pitch accurately, test against known good pitches

- Motor generates enough torque to turn the pegs on a piano

- Tuner turns correctly depending on pitch

- Easy tuning of a piano by a single untrained person

Project Videos