College project time!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: yashrk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2015, 05:47:18 pm
content: Hey guys,In India EE course you have to make only two project in your whole 4 years of engineering, one in 3rd year and another one in 4th year. I am in 3rd year and I am all pumped upbecause I get to make "mini project" this year. And as an electronics hobbyist surly I was waiting for it and planed for it, I have kept making list for project to do like self balancing robot, MPPT, power supply, miliohm meter, power monitoring system, etc.The problem is not all teachers appreciate the these type of project, consider if I pitched them that I will be making a power supply then some of them won't like it, they might say whats in a power supply, they might not appreciate the complexity and effort that goes in to its design. And some time people get away by showing ("marketing") real basics circuit like one of my senior did, he made "Multipurpose Listening Device"which is just a fancy name for amplifier biased on two CE amplifies in cascaded to drive a headphones and he got away with it .So for teachers who have that kind of thinking, I want to have something that may please them, ultimately the project does carry significant marks, so I want your help guys for some ideas for such a project which not only be fun to build but also have some academic significance to it.To give you some perspective not what major topics we have yet coveredBasic transistor theory, Basic Digital circuit, integrated circuits, analog & digital communication, digital signal processing, Electromagnetics, PIC programming and now ARM programming, also going on is power electronics.Following is the university guide lines for it:-Domains for projects may be from the following , but not limited to:? Instrumentation and Control Systems? Electronic Communication Systems? Biomedical Electronics? Power Electronics? Audio , Video Systems? Embedded Systems? Mechatronic Systems? Microcontroller based projects should preferably use Microchip PIC controllers.So guys please share some cool ideas!!And as always thank you a lot for your time !!

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2015, 06:39:13 pm
content: Look for Bruce Land's channel on YouTube, he often has student projects.

author: georges80
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2015, 06:50:07 pm
content: Might be obvious... but why not talk with the teacher/lecturer that has assigned and/or will be evaluating your project?Ask that person what kind of project type they are expecting and how they will be marking/scoring the various aspects of the project (documentation, presentation, complexity, source code (if uC based) etc.).As an engineering project and as an engineer it should seem very clear to you that some kind of spec is required to design towards... Otherwise you could just provide a nice flower pot or a nicely wrapped/presented fruitcheers,george.

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2015, 06:54:55 pm
content: Self balancing robot? I think this is amazing. The most impressive thing is the way it can just start from standing and gain balance.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2015, 09:20:19 pm
content: I just noticed the Biomedical Electronics option... My son developed a PIC based ECG machine with graphic LCD display for his 3rd year project. A nice mix of sensitive analogue, A/D, digital, signal processing and S/W. Also an engaging demonstration for the lecturers. Just a thought.

author: pmbrunelle
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 12:10:11 am
content: Make a digital speaker system, seems cool! So make the DAC with one winding per bit in a multiple-winding voice coil. Then, you can talk about how it will help efficiency of battery-operated phone docks and such.One thing I wanted to do was to make a CNC magnetic printer. So, starting with an unmagnetized sheet of rubberized magnet, print poles on it everywhere, similar to a hard disk. Then, you can make arbitrary patterns for use with magnetic position encoders, Hall-effect or whatever.If you can get friends from mechanical (or other) engineering, teachers like that, because it shows you can cooperate with people outside your focus. Also, you will be able to do cooler projects.EDIT:Make a current standard. Determine the current that is equal to one Ampere by measuring the attraction between two parallel conductors.

author: yashrk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 12:57:05 am
content: Self balancing robot was on my list as I could build upon it a Segway for my final year project, cnc, and ecg are going in the list thanx.Have you guys any old link for similar type of questions on forum ?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 01:05:28 am
content: Quote from: Aodhan145 on December 09, 2015, 06:54:55 pmDid you recognize that bicycles are inherently self-balancing? All the robot has to do is provide power and not upset the apple cart...https://youtu.be/oZAc5t2lkvoOnce it is moving the bicycle will stay up all by itself.

author: yashrk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 01:46:35 am
content: Yeah I have seen that one! it's an classic physic experiment. Another Australian who makes great videos.I did thought about replicating that but practically you will just make a mechanical gyro to stabilize it.Have you seen the cubi on YouTube it's awesome, basically it's cube with 3 flywheel on its 3 sides controlled by motors using those it can stand on its corners or on its edges. It's a must watch!

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 08:15:31 am
content: Quote from: IanB on December 10, 2015, 01:05:28 amYeh but it is self balancing when it steps onto the peddles and goes. bikes are not self balancing without momentum. Try starting off on a bike without toucing the handlebars. Having a robot that is peddling constantly can upset the balance. Also the robots hands are on the handle bars. In the video it mentions it does not work when the bikes handlebars are locked. With the robot steering it would be the equivelent of locked handlebars it controls when they turn which is calculated so it doesn't fall over. Therefore the robot would be self ballencing.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 08:34:29 am
content: Quote from: IanB on December 10, 2015, 01:05:28 amSure, but getting it moving isn't easy. Watch the violent turn to the right just after it starts going. That's quite a correction.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 09:16:25 am
content: Apart from the (obvious) need for coherent project documentation, it can excite some professors if you include relevant forms of indicators / display to illustrate feedback and that you know the importance of what you're measuring & controlling...Just performing the technical function is fine (balancing, cooling, whatever...) but if you can show the sensors, limits & control metrics in real-time while the project is operating - that shows the prof youknowwhat you're doing.(These tools are also invaluable during development and debugging!)

author: yashrk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 05:35:50 pm
content: Quote from: SL4P on December 10, 2015, 09:16:25 amA great point! Thanx

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2015, 08:04:26 pm
content: Quote from: yashrk on December 10, 2015, 01:46:35 amnow that is amazing.

author: yashrk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 02:31:12 pm
content: Any more ideas guys ??