RWEP Project Library

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Project	Author
The Coding of Sound by a Cochlear Prosthesis In this project, students learn how cochlear implants work to improve the lives of people with profound hearing loss. The students experiment with the control parameters of a cochlear implant signal processor using Matlab tools, and learning digital signal processing concepts, including filtering, along the way.       » View All Project Files	Pamela Bhatti
Human Energy Generation and Electrical Signal Measurement In this curriculum module, students learn about the energy generation and usage. Emphasis is placed on potential sources of renewable energy, and on how power demands vary from country to country. The students learn how energy is measured, and experiment with generating and storing energy themselves, using an AC generator connected to a bicycle and lead-acid batteries. They measure how long common household appliances can be run on the stored energy, and in the process gain a better understanding of their own personal energy usage.       » View All Project Files	Tom Hartley
Pico Power Generation for the Developing World In this project, students create a power source capable of providing 1 Watt-hour of energy for night-time use. The students learn how access to even a small source of electrical power can make a difference to families in remote, undeveloped areas of the world. They also learn some basics of circuits, energy, and motors and generators, and gain experience with an engineering development process.       » View All Project Files	Loren Wyard-Scott
Smart Vehicles In this project, students learn how making automobiles more autonomous can make them safer, by providing functionality like anti-lock braking, self parallel parking, and lane departure warnings. In the laboratory, the students work with small motorized cars with infrared sensors, programming the cars to spin in a circle, stop on a line, and follow a curvy path. In the process, the students learn about infrared sensors, motors, and embedded systems. A code framework is provided so that minimal programming skills are required.       » View All Project Files	Leyla Nazhandali
Manipulating Everyday Objects with Prosthetic Hands In this project, students learn how prostheses that use robotic technology can improve the lives of people with disabilities. In the laboratory, the students use Lego Mindstorms NXT kits to create an artificial arm or hand that can lift small objects, such as a coffee cup. In the process, students discover and explore the following concepts and ideas: Hooke's Law, hysteresis, Newton's Second Law, accuracy and precision, rapid prototyping, and the relationship between the voltage applied to a motor and its speed.       » View All Project Files	Chris Macnab
Error Correction Codes for Wireless Communication Systems In this project, students learn how error correction coding makes wireless communications more robust in the presence of noise. In the laboratory, the students work in Matlab to code two simple error correction schemes, and simulate their use in a wireless channel. In the process, they learn concepts such as bit error rate, and see the trade-off between processing time and robustness.       » View All Project Files	Sami Khorbotly
Solid State Lighting for the Developing World In this project, students learn how solid state lighting technology can improve the lives of people in the developing world, making their evenings more productive and safer. In the laboratory, the students design a portable, solar-charged, LED lamp that can provide two hours of reading light. In the process, they learn about basic circuits, the engineering design cycle, and light. They also compare the efficiency, durability, and cost of lighting technologies.       » View All Project Files	Loren Wyard-Scott
Energy System Design: A Look at Renewable Energy In this project, students learn how harvesting energy from renewable sources will help meet the future needs of society. In the laboratory, the students will develop a system to store energy from a renewable source (represented in the laboratory by a light bulb, a box fan, or flowing water). The students will transport the energy, and use it to supply an electrical load (a light bulb) in a different physical location. In the process, students will learn about energy and power, and will learn about analysis of physical systems, modeling and simulation, and design under constraints.       » View All Project Files	Taryn Bayles
Feedback Controlled Brushless DC Motor with Personal Electric Vehicle Application In this project, the students learn how brushless DC motors have made personal electric vehicles (PEVs) possible, and calculate how much using a PEV instead of an automobile for some of their daily driving can impact their production of carbon dioxide, based on United States driving patterns. In the laboratory, students build a brushless DC motor using three different control methods, based on a reed switch, a Hall effect sensor, and optoelectronics, respectively. In the process, students learn about motors, and compare the components used for control in terms of their reliability.       » View All Project Files	Stephen Williams