February 22, 2011

Preliminary Design Review…Review

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Topics 2/22/2011• Writing a Status Report• Preliminary Design Review Considerations

ID Task Name Duration Start Finish

1 Paper for T-F Journal 45 days Mon 11/30/09 Fri 1/29/102 Introduction/Background 10 days Mon 11/30/09 Fri 12/11/09

3 Theory 15 days Mon 12/14/09 Fri 1/1/10

4 Results 20 days Mon 1/4/10 Fri 1/29/10

15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13Nov '09 Dec '09 Jan '10 Feb '10 Mar '10 Apr '10 May '10 Jun '10

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Writing a Status Report• Chapter 7 in Pocket Book of TR• Follow format given in website• Simple and Straightforward: Comment on

your contribution’s status and the details of why the action item is in that state.

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Preliminary Design Review• Basic Engineering principles

– The simplest solution is often the best– Look at the big picture– Technical language is extremely important

• Use common sense– Many of the solutions to problems are

straightforward, not in an engineering textbook

– Consider Everything

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Simplest Solution: More Research= Easier Time

• Project: Trash collecting robot– Winner: Cloth conveyor, sorting via broom

bristles• Less components: less complicated

– Project: Marco Polo Sound Generation– Project: Capacitive hand tracker

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Interfacing• Several groups need to define interfacing

between circuits– Success does not depend on the subsystems

working independently; it depends on all subsystems working together

• Consider each subsystem’s outputs and inputs, and if you can make things easier– Analog filters– Automatic Gain Control– Digital signal transfer

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Consider Everything• Microcontroller:

– Sampling rate is limited by interrupts– Output is limited by clock

• Amplification– You can change circuits to suit your needs– Fixed, agreed-upon targets and ranges make

everyone’s life easier.• Power Requirements

– Are you losing power to heat sinks because you chose inferior components?

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Subsystem Demonstrations• Aim for completion, ensure everything

works properly• Define goals for team that are separate

from the goals defined by the project documents

• Integration of subsystems cannot occur too soon