As society progresses, the necessity for wireless communication is evolving from a mere luxury to an essential requirement. Wi-Fi, extending beyond conventional internet communication, finds myriad applications. This guide delineates the functionalities inherent in the Microchip Explorer 16 Development Board for Wi-Fi operations. It also details the configuration steps required to establish Wi-Fi communication on […]
Projects
Designing Your Ideal Alarm Clock: An Introduction to PIC18
Within this laboratory session, you’ll employ the C language to create an alarm clock, delving into the implementation of “C” programs on the PIC18 microcontroller. Additionally, you’ll gain insights into utilizing interrupts, executing digital-to-analog conversion, and incorporating music playback capabilities on the PIC18. This project operates on a team basis, allowing a maximum of two […]
Revolutionizing Wearable Tech: Advancements in Self-Powered Microchips
The potential for preventive healthcare could be driven by harnessing energy from body heat and movement. At the University of Virginia, researchers are crafting a low-power microchip capable of supporting real-time health monitoring directly on the body. This chip, fueled by sources such as body heat, motion, and sunlight, promises an exceptionally compact and durable […]
Transform Your Home into a Smart Haven with DIY Wireless Automation
Introduction Smart home technology has grown tremendously in popularity over the last decade. A recent survey found that 46% of consumers view smart home features as an important consideration for their current or future residence. However, many commercial smart home systems are quite expensive to implement and require ongoing third-party monitoring fees. We sought to […]
Audio Spectrum Analyzer
We developed an audio spectrum analyzer as our final project for ECE 4760. This analyzer presented a histogram-style representation of audio signals. We successfully achieved real-time display of the audio signal’s frequency spectrum using a monochromatic histogram layout, where bins extended from left to right, representing low to high frequency ranges. Our system was built […]
Exploring the PIC16F88 Microcontroller for Remote-Controlled Robotics
I. Design Summary The objective of this mechatronics system design project is to develop a straightforward control and interface platform for robotics using a Microchip PIC processor. The aim is to create a versatile platform capable of accommodating various sensors, displays, and outputs, and it should be mobile while being controlled through 2.4GHz remote signals. […]
Thermistor Respiratory Monitor
The concluding assignment in ECE 4760 involves the creation of a respiratory monitor tailored for use in resource-constrained settings. This device determines a patient’s respiration rate by identifying temperature fluctuations as the patient breathes through a mask. Notable attributes of this device encompass an alarm mechanism activated by a piezoelectric speaker, which triggers when the […]
Video Project Development in the Midst of an Impromptu Online Semester
Receiving robot parts in the mail was an unexpected conclusion to the Winter 2020 semester for students. However, when faced with a unique situation, innovative solutions were required, and the instructors of EECS 373: Introduction to Embedded System Design rose to the challenge. With the sudden transition to online learning in March due to the […]
Mastering the Art of Proportional-Derivative Control with Pulse-Width Modulation
Project Goals Upon completion of this project, you will have gained the ability to: 1. Regulate the velocity and direction of DC motors using an H-bridge circuit. 2. Execute and fine-tune a proportional-derivative control algorithm to sustain the desired orientation of the hovercraft. 3. Implement an upper-level control algorithm that determines the appropriate instances for […]
Crafting a Microcontroller Circuit: From Design to Programming
Official Assignment Description For this week’s project, the task was to create a board, which was relatively straightforward once I got the hang of EAGLE’s idiosyncrasies. Afterward, the challenge was to instruct the board to perform a specific task, a process that proved to be quite frustrating. Given my prior experience with Arduino programming, I […]