Final year project ideas for electronics enthusiast!? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: alltherc
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 09:24:12 pm
content: Hello, I know it must seem terrible that I have to ask other people for ideas for doing something I love, but hear me out.If I had it my way, I'd be doing something totally analog for my final year project, an analog synth, an FM transmitter or receiver, a tube power amplifier, this kind of fun great stuff.The problem is two dedicated software people have been dragged onto the team.This sucks because now I just have no ideas, all of my ideas pretty much exclude any need for software.I'm really not a fan of robots, either, I was hoping to do some real analog design. I'm tired of hooking up a few voltage regulators, microcontrollers, and sensors, and calling it a day as an EE (our junior project was essentially this).Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, as our deadline for everything (including finding a sponsoring professor) is very soon.

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 09:35:20 pm
content: Why not build an improved ultrasonic ranging/collision avoidance system. As much analog as you see fit and some nice low level stuff that will scare the bejesus out of your object-orientated partners.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 09:40:35 pm
content: What about a software defined radio or digital mode beacon transmitter (maybe hooked to a GPS and launched in a balloon)?Includes both hardware and software components.Although it's a kit which may be excluded, there's a new Ten Tec transceiver kit which is very basic when put together but has a lot of scope for changing its specs through software.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 10:05:43 pm
content: I can't think of any project where software doesn't helpFM transmitter and receiver with digital PLL, channel selection by keyboard and a displaypolyphony analog synth in combination with digital potentiometers, frequency measurement and auto-tuning by software, and a digital sequencer

author: alltherc
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 10:09:26 pm
content: Could you expand on the last one, that is very interesting as it is sort of a modification of what we hoped to do originally. The problem I was having was justifying the analog design aspect of the music synth.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 10:25:12 pm
content: Well, some people think that analog synths sound different than digital synths. I think this could be all emulated in software, but could be fun to use analog oscillators.One big problem of analog synths is the frequency stability. A solution could be to build a VCO, and then control it with a high resolution DAC and measuring the output to tune it, or with a digital potentiometer (but usually the resolution of these devices is low).Another problem of synths like the Moog is, that they are complicated and time consuming to configure. You have a patch field and you can control a VCO with an LFO etc. by connecting the modules with wires. Instead build some analog routing matrix and switch it with transistors, controlled by a microcontroller. Then you can just load patch-presets, and even change it dynamically at runtime.The advantage of such a system is that you can use a very small microcontroller, because all the sound generation, ADSR envelope, filters etc. are analog, which would need a powerful microcontroller if emulated in software, but nevertheless it can create some impressive sounds, which would be not possible with a simple microcontroller or a simple analog synth, only.

author: TerminalJack505
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2013, 11:38:39 pm
content: Build a transistor curve tracer USB device. That would be a pretty good mix of PC software, microcontroller firmware and analog electronics.