Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
12 ECE OpenLab Automated Equipment Checkout System
 Abigail Starr
Alex Ortwig
David Hickox
 Dhruv Mathur design_document1.pdf
design_document2.pdf
design_document3.pdf
design_document4.pdf
design_document5.pdf
design_document6.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
other1.pdf
proposal2.pdf
proposal1.pdf
Team Members:
Aditya Bawankule, David Hickox, Alex Ortwig, Abby Starr
(adityab2, dhickox2, aortwig2, amstarr2)

Problem:
Checking out equipment in the ECE OpenLab takes a long time, and it is something that the OpenLab monitors have to do fairly frequently in our job. There are several steps to checking out equipment, including taking down the i-card information, getting the kit, and making sure all of the components are in the kit. One problem we experience frequently is that the kits often come back disorganized with the cables are missing. Additionally, this takes out a lot of time from our other lab monitor duties, such as working on projects, due to the distraction and the timely process of checking out a lab kit.

Solution Overview:
We would like to make a system that can handle equipment checkout, logging of data, and that would keep track of the parts in each box. We could have a locker style system, with one prox card scanner to check out the equipment, and in each locker have a scale to tell if the weight is the correct amount that we expect to return as well as an rfid or bluetooth based identifier per individual kit. We could also have logging and a web interface so that the lab monitors can keep track of which kits are being checked out, and if there are any issues with any of the kits.

Solution Components:
- Hardware:
- Locker Design & Lock
- Physical Locker housing
- Magnetic lock, is locked when power is off
- Solenoid lock
- Microcontroller
- Must be connected to the network to communicate with web interface
- NXP 1064 with custom pcb and ethernet connection
- Locker Controls
- Well labeled button interface (either physical or touch) with lcd for info
- RFID System
- Prox card scanner
- Equipment security
- Weight scales at the bottom of each locker ensure that materials are returned correctly assuming this is not cost prohibitive for the material needing to be stored
- Power
- Connected to AC Power 24/7 (people should be able to get lab kits at any time of day)
- AC-DC power supply purchased to ensure safety and reliability. DC-DC conversion for various power rails (student designed).
Software:
- Web interface
- Provide a system for the lab monitors to monitor the system and check on the state of the system remotely also alerts incase of fault states.
- Potential lab user facing side similar to the 391 big brother
- Potentially Microsoft Power BI visualization
- Locker touch screen interface
- User select which locker to open
- Prevents selection of empty lockers
- Displays what contents are in each locker
- Allow users to submit a report about a kit that has broken/missing parts
- Backend data storage
- MySQL database to store users of openlab and prox card information

Criterion for Success:
- Constant access to equipment, provided that ECEB power is running
- Self explanatory locker interface and powerful web interface for administration
- Semi-accurate kit verification system. Ethics regarding potential false accusations are of a high concern and will mean that lab monitor intervention is needed for any issues.
- User input system on locker functions without extreme unnecessary complications

S.I.P. (Smart Irrigation Project)

Jackson Lenz, James McMahon

S.I.P. (Smart Irrigation Project)

Featured Project

Jackson Lenz

James McMahon

Our project is to be a reliable, robust, and intelligent irrigation controller for use in areas where reliable weather prediction, water supply, and power supply are not found.

Upon completion of the project, our device will be able to determine the moisture level of the soil, the water level in a water tank, and the temperature, humidity, insolation, and barometric pressure of the environment. It will perform some processing on the observed environmental factors to determine if rain can be expected soon, Comparing this knowledge to the dampness of the soil and the amount of water in reserves will either trigger a command to begin irrigation or maintain a command to not irrigate the fields. This device will allow farmers to make much more efficient use of precious water and also avoid dehydrating crops to death.

In developing nations, power is also of concern because it is not as readily available as power here in the United States. For that reason, our device will incorporate several amp-hours of energy storage in the form of rechargeable, maintenance-free, lead acid batteries. These batteries will charge while power is available from the grid and discharge when power is no longer available. This will allow for uninterrupted control of irrigation. When power is available from the grid, our device will be powered by the grid. At other times, the batteries will supply the required power.

The project is titled S.I.P. because it will reduce water wasted and will be very power efficient (by extremely conservative estimates, able to run for 70 hours without input from the grid), thus sipping on both power and water.

We welcome all questions and comments regarding our project in its current form.

Thank you all very much for you time and consideration!