The goal of the Smart Traffic Sign project is to replace a traditional road sign with a wireless communications link. The information on the sign is transmitted directly inside a motor vehicle over this link. The road sign information is then displayed to the driver on an illuminated liquid crystal display. Expensive “bridge structure” interstate signs, common to United States interstates, are specifically targeted for replacement. In the original project plan, work was divided into two major areas: hardware and software. The hardware component of the project called first for the design of power supplies for each of the Smart Traffic Sign units; later, packaging for the units was also designed. The project required software to be written that controlled the units and their output. Finally, the software and hardware components of the project were integrated to complete testing and to provide a prototype to demonstrate the Smart Traffic Sign concept. With a few minor exceptions, the project plan was executed unaltered from its original form, and the performance of the Smart Traffic Sign prototypes was verified.
Reliable object recognition and object tracking are of great importance to the design of intelligent systems. Several methods have been proposed, but the Visual Object Recognition and Tracking System concentrates on dynamic template matching with deformations. A target object is tracked using a Connectix Quickcam by matching the colors seen in the object with all possible screen locations. In addition to color recognition, information is derived about the horizontal position and the distance of the object from the camera. Images are processed on a single board computer and the position relative to the tracking robot is sent to a robot controller. The robot controller makes decisions on how to move and turns the decisions into motor commands to drive the robot. The camera, image processor and robot controller are all self-contained on the robot which results in an autonomous implementation. Any behavior can be programmed onto the robot controller such as line following, obstacle avoidance, playing a game of tag, etc. The system successfully tracks a drone robot driving a random pattern and maintains a constant distance at all times.
The system has been designed to be completely scaleable. The tracking algorithm can process data at resolutions up to 640 x 480 and still deliver a decent frame rate. Performance is directly tied to processing power and any increase in processing ability results in increased performance. Increased performance here is defined as more accurate object recognition and better tracking of fast motions. The robot response is also closely tied to processing speed, but indirectly. Faster processing between frames leads to a higher frame rate. High frame rates enable the robot to respond more accurately to small and fast movements. The hardware platform described here performs reasonably well given the limited processing ability.
The purpose of this project is to construct a low-cost portable edge detection device. The device will acquire an image from a CCD camera through a serial port. The device will then process the image for edges using the Prewitt edge detection method. The output is then compressed and passed on to the user serially.
The team’s original Gantt chart was modified early in the project to incorporate a more appropriate solution to the problem. This included a new processor, a different means of acquiring the image, and a compressed format for outputting the edge data. All tasks and milestones listed on the new Gantt chart were met. The team was successful at creating this device. All functional requirements were achieved or were within the acceptable margins of error. To correct the requirements that not completely satisfied are followed by suggestions on improvements.
The team was able to meet most all of the functional requirements successfully. These requirements include the price, portability, power consumption, and other design restrictions. Of these requirements, the power consideration was not met by simply using two AA batteries as anticipated. However, simply using a different kind of battery resolves this issue. The speed consideration of the device was not completely met either. The functional requirements state that the throughput of the device should be 5 to 10 frames per second. The implemented algorithm, however, has a throughput of just over 2 frames per second. The solution to this problem would be to utilize a slightly less complicated edge detection algorithm, or a faster processor.
The functionality of the device was verified using two software tools. VisualDSP++ 2.0, a tool which was provided by Analog Devices, was used to create and debug the code running on the main processor. A second tool was created by the team members to test the validity of the output of the edge detection algorithm.
The aim of this project was to develop an automated measurement system, which measures the S-parameters of a two-port network with respect to frequency. The frequency range of the system is from 1 MHz to 1300 MHz. The system and accompanying software were developed to make the measuring and displaying of the parameters simple and still allow the user to select the frequency range of the measurements.
A step-by-step user's guide is included in the report to assist the user. This report also discusses: The properties of traveling waves and their relation to s-parameters, as well as other parameter sets; The equipment used to measure s-parameters; Automating the measurement process with a desktop computer; The testing of the system with a resonant circuit; and Possible ways of improving the accuracy of the system.
With rapid advancements in the space program, space applications are becoming more affordable, leading to an increase in space related projects. From construction of the space station to repairing space satellites, more and more astronauts are working outside the space shuttle. To ensure the safety of the astronauts, it is important to continuously monitor the astronaut’s vital signs as well as their equipment’s performance. This monitoring technology is currently limited to electrodes on the skin directly wired to a computer that monitors vital signs. This technology limits the astronauts mobility, their efficiency, and performance while performing their duties in space.
A low power, wireless solution is the answer. With the recent emerging technology of Bluetooth, we have been able to build an application to communicate an astronaut’s vital signs and equipment performance.
The goal of this senior project was to develop an optical attenuation meter for manufacturing process control. This was inspired by a local corporation interested in using the optical attenuation characteristics of materials to monitor the binary chemical components of a glue used by a mechanized sprayer. The end product was to exhibit the following characteristics:
- Cost By replacing an expensive optical spectrum analyzer, there is immense possibility for cost reduction through this project.
- Dynamic Range The device should be able to function over a large range of optical attenuation levels.
- Correlation The device should provide a DC voltage output that linearly varies with the optical attenuation the device is exposed to.
- Stability The measurement should not be susceptible to slight flaws in the material (i.e. bubbles in the fluids) or changes in ambient lighting.
Ideally multiple identical circuits with different center optical wavelengths will be used to measure the infrared attenuation spectra of a specific material.
The circuit that has been designed and built uses a light emitting diode phototransistor pair to measure the optical transmission using a modulated optical signal. By amplifying this detected signal and measuring the magnitude of the AC portion with a lock-in amplifier circuit the design goals have been successfully met.
The project team of Andrew Jones and Mike Krofcheck setout to build a wireless communication board and corresponding driver software utilizing Bluetooth technology that would be interfaced with the LEGO robot microcontroller boards used in EECS 375. Bluetooth was chosen for wireless communication due to its lower power consumption, operation in the unlicensed ISM band, ability to interface with serial devices, and low cost in high quantity. Other competing communication protocols like WiFi (802.11b) and HomeRF do not provide the integrated all-in-one solution, low power consumption, or cost savings of Bluetooth. The communication capabilities provided by Bluetooth will allow robots designed by students to communicate with each other and with a computer wirelessly.
An integrated Bluetooth Module (BTM) was utilized as opposed to one of the many available single chip Bluetooth modules due to the difficulty in acquiring single chip modules and the inclusion of the Bluetooth Stack software on local Flash memory. The Bluetooth Stack controls the baseband controller and radio transmitter/receiver chips, making it vital to any Bluetooth implementation. A single chip module typically does not include the Bluetooth Stack, significantly increasing development time. To date, the project team has obtained an integrated BTM, designed a high frequency Integrated Inverted F Antenna (IIFA), designed and fabricated a Bluetooth communication board with serial communication links and IIFA, tested and verified operation of the Bluetooth communication board, and implemented a Bluetooth communication driver.