Independent Study Projects

2023-2024 ICS3U Independent Study Projects (ISPs)

Independent Study Projects. Please read our overview on why ACES pursue Independent Study Projects so vigorously.

Grade	Contribution to Final Mark
10	30%
11	40%
12	60%

For the bulk of your formal education you have been, and will continue to be, required to consume curriculum chosen for you by someone else. Hopefully you will put this knowledge and skill to good use in your future. However, jumping through someone else's hoops no longer secures future success. For that, you must put yourself in the driver's seat while in secondary school to both cultivate and demonstrate your own unique initiative, motivation, and passion. RSGC ACES program is explicitly built and tailored for you to foster these greater goals. Yes, there is much to learn but there are so many great projects to be undertaken and noble problems to be identified and solved that offer stimulating contexts within which to develop and refine your interests it will quickly seem more than worth the risk, effort, and cost.

To my mind, the characteristics of a great project include such aspects as imagination, creativity, a degree of risk and, sometimes, even simplicity, to name a few. Check out the flashlight circuit 'board' this guy made out of little more that a piece of paper and a pencil? Simple, but inspiring. Consider a problem that needs a solution. Boyan Slat did at age 17 when he was in high school; four years later he is

cleaning up the world's oceans. (Update: January 9, 2019) So, dig in, think, dream, research, and explore possible project pursuits. Be discerning: don't accept the first thing that comes along. You'll be expected to maintain the progress of your ISP on your web page to enable everyone to follow your efforts so have your phone handy to at all times to capture the images of your journey. Be conscious of the fact that a multi-page summary of your project will appear in your DER after Presentation Day for more permanent record of your efforts. You may wish to take into account the ISP Evaluation document that will be applied on your Presentation Day.

Also, don't underestimate the value of an enterprise/entrepreneurial aspect to your project that could see a number of units of your project in the hands of future ACES, for sale in the Dragon's Lair or beyond, reaching an even a broader audience.

2023-2024 Independent Study Projects

ACE	Short ISP (20%) Saturday October 14	Medium ISP (20%) Saturday February 3
Proposals	Short ISP Proposal	Medium ISP Proposal
Evaluations	Short ISP Evaluation	Medium ISP Evaluation
Aiden A.	Shift Register Traffic Light DESCRIPTION This project displays a traffic light on a street and uses the 555 coupled with a potentiometer for the clock, and shift registers to control the timing of the traffic light and the cars. Each car is represented by an LED and the traffic lights are constructed with three LEDs (red, yellow, green). The traffic light cycle is activated by pressing a button. When the traffic light is green, the LEDs light up one after another to act as if cars are flowing through the street. When the light turns yellow and then red, the LEDs slowly follow one another, turning off and appearing as if they flow out of the street. The cycle then repeats autonomously. MCU N/A HARDWARE The 74HC595 shift registers are the main components of the circuit, with a 555 timer used for the clock inputs of the 595s and a 4071 OR gate for the serial input and a 4069 NOT gate for the latch input of one of the 595s. Transistors and passive devices such as LEDs, resistors, capacitors, potentiometer(s) and PBNO(s) are included in the project. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN After a breadboarded prototype is constructed, Fusion 360 will be used to create a case for the project which houses the circuit on a stripboard. MECHANICAL N/A	Custom Peripheral LCD DESCRIPTION This project entails creating a Custom Peripheral LCD which displays a logo which can be cycled through with hand gestures. The gestures are monitored by an APDS9960 and the logo is created by using the LiquidCrystal Arduino library. The time, date and temperature also cycle through the LCD every once and a while to the right of the logo. Furthermore, the name of the computer mouse the operator is using is displayed by using the colour sensor feature of the APDS9960. To do this, the mouse is held up to the sensor, which determines the name of the mouse from its corresponding pre-programmed colour. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN First a breadboard prototype is constructed, then the PCB is designed in EAGLE which connects the Nano, LCD, APDS9960, TC74, and potentiometer. Everything is housed in a 3D-printed case designed in Fusion360. MECHANICAL N/A COMMUNCATION There is Serial communication between the LCD and 328P and I2C communication between the APDS9960 and the temperature sensor and 328P.
Camden A.	Laser Sensor Security System DESCRIPTION The laser sensor security system is a two-piece product that alerts a homeowner of intruders in their house. When there is an interference with the laser, the circuit will make a sound using a buzzer, showing that someone has broken in, as well as a light turning on to signify the breaking of the signal. When the laser pointer beam aimed at the LDR is interrupted, its resistance increases, causing a chain of events leading to a reaction from the 555-timer chip and a pulse from the output pin. This triggers both previously mentioned effects and will make a sound loud enough to deter anyone, which can only be stopped with the power switch at the side of the custom 3D-printed case containing the circuit. MCU N/A HARDWARE NE555P Timer IC, Laser Pointer, Photocell LDR, HK19F 5 V Relay, 5 mm Red LED, Buzzer, 10 KΩ Potentiometer, 10 KΩ Resistor, 1 KΩ Resistor, 330 Ω Resistor, Electrolytic Capacitor 10 µF, (2) Ceramic Capacitor 0.1 µF, 1N4004 Diode, Stripboard, Jumper Wires, Fusion 360 Case for Circuit, Fusion 360 Laser Pointer Holder, 5 V DC Adapter 2A. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN Stripboard, 3D Printing (mounting to the wall). MECHANICAL N/A	Custom Optical Computer Mouse DESCRIPTION In this project, I will be building and coding a custom optical computer mouse. This will include the function of a sensor chip and 3 MP lens that can capture and track the movement of the mouse, which will be coded to move the cursor on screen. Also, coding will be used for the left and right mouse buttons. The SPI library will be used for data reception and transmission between the computer and the mouse. A possible scroll wheel might be added, though it will be difficult to gather data from the encoder. The mouse will be wired to the computer where all communication and power will be transferred through. Additionally, the mouse will be designed smoothly and ergonomically to fit my hand comfortably with Fusion360, while the custom PCB will be designed with EAGLE and printed through JLCPCB. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN Fusion360, Custom EAGLE PCB printed by JLCPCB. MECHANICAL A scroll wheel might be implemented into the mouse design, depending if I have enough time and the difficulty level. COMMUNCATION SPI and Serial communication will be used to communicate from the mouse and sensor to the computer and vice-versa.
Alex B.	Hexadecimal Decoder DESCRIPTION This Circuit will be able to decode 4 Binary inputs into 7 different outputs for hexadecimal display. I will use a combination of XOR, NOR OR, and AND logic gates to decode the binary input into the hexadecimal display. When a binary value is inputted, the corresponding hexadecimal value will display on the 7-Segment display. MCU N/A HARDWARE 2 XOR IC logic chip 2NOR IC logic chip 1 OR IC logic chip 1 AND IC logic chip Rocker switches 7 segment display, Custom PCB Custom 3 printed Case. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN I plan on starting by creating a breadboard prototype with a working Cricut. Once it is completed and working, I will transfer all the parts to a ~~Custom PCB designed with Eagle~~ , and a custom case using Fusion 360. MECHANICAL N/A	The Ball Balancer DESCRIPTION This project will be able to balance a ball in the center of square platform. The circuit will calculate the required movement for the ball to be centered on the platform and the servo motors in will tilt the platform for the proper adjustments. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN The design part of this project plays a major role. A box will be designed to store the PCB, Arduino, and communication drivers. As well as arms for the stepper motors will be designed to attach to the platform. Lastly a universal joint will be used to hold up the platform so that it can rotate. MECHANICAL The location of the ball will be tracked through a resistive touch screen which will give x and y coordinates to where the ball must go in order to center. The platform will be tilted through the use of 2 stepper motors allowing for various angling of the platform. COMMUNICATION This device will communicate with the motor drivers through I2C connected to the Arduino and data coming from the resistive touch screen for the coordinates. The Arduino will be in control as the master device as the rest will be the slave devices.
Nate C.	Jeopardy buzzer buttons DESCRIPTION This project can be used for a quiz with up to 4 groups or individuals. Each group has a push-button and LED. When a trigger switch is pressed it lights the corresponding LED, sounds the buzzer and prevents the other trigger switches from working - therefore showing which contestant was the first to press their switch. A reset push-switch on a separate panel cancels the buzzer and switches off the LED so the circuit is ready for the next question. MCU N/A HARDWARE 555 Chip Push Buttons On and off switch Battery Buzzer SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN Stripboard, 3D Printing MECHANICAL N/A	The Inverted Pendulum DESCRIPTION This project aims to balance an upright rod (the pendulum) on a moving cart that slides along a horizontal rail. To achieve this balance, the system dynamically adjusts the cart's position on the rail in response to the pendulum's motion, countering gravitational forces that attempt to topple the pendulum. The project's core components include stepper motors, a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control library, and an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor that combines an accelerometer and gyroscope. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN Fusion 360 MECHANICAL Stepper COMMUNCATION SPI and Serial
Harsha G.	Person Detector Circuit DESCRIPTION This project is designed to detect people or objects crossing between the Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR) and the laser beam by counting the interruptions between the path of the laser beam. The 555 chip, 4017 chip, 4510 chip, and 4511 chip will be used to convert the oscillations into readable numbers, displayed through the 7-segment displays. Each interruption triggers the 7-segment displays to track and display the number of interruptions, continuously counting until reaching 99. A buzzer will be integrated into the circuit to ring whenever an interruption occurs, providing a clear indication, and a reset button for user convenience. MCU N/A HARDWARE This project uses important hardware components such as a NE555 timer chip, a 4017-decade counter chip, a 4510 binary-coded decimal (BCD) up-down counter chip, a 4511 BCD, 7-segment displays, a 5V Piezo buzzer, and a LDR. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN Will most likely be using a stripboard enclosed in a 3d printed case. MECHANICAL N/A	The Sun-Seeking Phone/Battery Charger DESCRIPTION The Sun Seeking Phone/Battery Charger is a solar energy harvesting system that relies on photoresistors as solar sensors and a gear motor for continuous alignment with the optimal sunlight angle. This allows the solar panels to harvest the most amount of energy possible. The device contains a USB port, allowing users to conveniently charge their phones using harvested solar energy. The Sun Seeking Phone/Battery Charger also features a rechargeable battery, serving as an energy storage solution to charge various battery-powered devices. Arduino Nano code will be used to identify the optimal sunlight angle and turn the gear motor in the required direction. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I will use FUSION360 to develop cases and a pcb for the circuitry. MECHANICAL A Gear Motor COMMUNICATION N/A
Evan H.	The Pulse Stopwatch DESCRIPTION This project utilizes our knowledge of the 555 timer as well as displays and logic chips to essentially create a timer much like a stop watch. The resistance given to the 555 will be precise and calculated so that it outputs 1 pulse per second. This will then be inputted into a counter circuit that will display this output on a 4-digit, 7 segment display. The final prototype of this project will be shown on a 3D printed hand-held prototype that will include a reset button. MCU N/A HARDWARE This project will utilize the 555 timer (configured for 1-second delay between outputs), PBNO buttons, a 9V battery, as well as some 4017 chips for the counter circuit. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN The first version of this circuit will just simply be built on a breadboard. These versions will then slowly increase with complexity and resourcefulness, as the next version will be created on a stripboard as it allows more freedom within the soldering process. The V3 or final version of this prototype will be created using acrylic, a 3D printed case, ~~and a custom PCB~~. This final version will offer a sleek and functional finished version of the prototype. MECHANICAL N/A	Heart Rate Monitor DESCRIPTION The Heart Rate Monitor uses a 3D-printed case, an Arduino microcontroller, and a pulse sensor to create a device to monitor your heart rate. The main idea is to make a device that's easy to use, measuring and showing your heart rate in real-time on an LCD screen. This project will not just display your heart rate as a number but also display it graphed using an extension of the serial plotter. This way, the users of the device can get a good overall picture of their heart rate. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN The design of this project will be done using Fusion360 to create a comfortable 3D printed Case. This Case will either be a handheld version where the LCD screen and pulse sensor are placed next to each other or there will be a version that can strap to your wrist and be worn like a watch. In this version the pulse sensor will be strapped to your finger with the LCD being strapped to the wrist. MECHANICAL Only mechanical component used is the pulse sensor. The pulse sensor uses a infrared light and bounces in off the tip of the finger and uses the light that it receives back to determine heart rate/pulse. COMMUNICATION The heart rate monitor project will use Arduino programming to integrate a pulse sensor with an LCD screen. The code includes functions for updating the graph, and continuous data processing within the main system to ensure real time updating of the graph. This project will also most likely implement a library to help with plotting data and outputting to LCD.
Chance H.	Wheatstone Thermometer DESCRIPTION The circuit is designed to measure and visualize the temperature of a room. The circuit utilizes a 555 timer, thermistor, and Wheatstone bridge in order to record the temperature variations of its surroundings. The 555 timer is connected to a Arduino which presents the temperature on a LCD. MCU 328P HARDWARE The project uses a 555 timer, a Thermistor, an ATmega328P microcontroller, an Arduino (most likely a Nano or Uno), and possibly an LCD. SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN The prototype of the circuit will be made on tinkercad along with the preliminary code for the microcontroller. The final product will most likely be an encased in a 3d printed case. MECHANICAL N/A	Morse Code Translator DESCRIPTION The experiment involves translating Morse code and converting words into Morse code for display on an OLED screen. Morse code uses time intervals: a "dot" is one interval, a "line" is three intervals, and a space is one interval. Using a button, button presses and releases are interpreted to create Morse code characters, stored in a list. A switch is then used to display the translated word on the OLED screen. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN For this circuit a PCB will be used for the final product, the PCB will be designed using the EAGLE Software and housed in a 3d case, There will also be a 3d printed top lid so that only the screen and any interaction devices are visible to the user. MECHANICAL N/A COMMUNICATION To translate to Morse code the circuit will use user-input in the Serial Monitor to take a word and separate it into characters. Unfortunately, for the circuit to communicate with the serial monitor it will need to be directly connected to the laptop. This is not as portable as I would prefer for this device so if a better solution appears I will use that.
Rohan J.	Custom Bike Speedometer DESCRIPTION This ISP will be a bike computer custom to my bicycle. Its capabilities will include current speed as well as total trip distance (until the device is turned off, via a switch on the side, at which point the trip is over and the distance will reset). In addition to an Atmega328P, the device will use a reed switch on the fork of the bike, and a magnet on one of the spokes of the bike. Using this mechanism, the device will know when the wheel has completed a full revolution. With access to the circumference of the wheel as well as precise timing between revolutions, the device will be able to find the immediate speed of the bike, and read it out to a series of seven-segment displays. It will also be able to calculate distance, based on the total number of revolutions completed. The displayed stat is controlled by a SPDT switch. MCU 328P HARDWARE The main hardware component used in this project is an Atmega328P microcontroller chip. It will also need four different single-digit 7 segment displays, and four CMOS 4511 BCD decoder chips to go along with them in order decrease the required number of I/O pins. In this configuration, each display uses only 4 I/O pins instead of 7. SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN The device (made on a point-to-point/perf board) will be housed in a 3D printed case, barely larger than the size of the seven-segment displays (there will be multiple layers of boards to ensure a small footprint). The top layer will only include the four seven-segment displays, a switch to toggle between distance and speed and the appropriate header pins. The bottom layer will contain all the electronic components, including the 4511s (display drivers) the 328P, and others. Additionally, the device will be detachable from the bike via a second 3D printed part. The second part will mount directly (permanently) on the bike, and allow the main device to clip into it. It will also have male header pins that can interface with female header pins on the main device to allow the reed switch signal to pass through to the main device. The side of the case will have the power switch to turn off the device when inactive. MECHANICAL Magnetic Reed Switch	Automatic Bicycle Gear Shift System DESCRIPTION A device on a bicycle that can automatically switch to the optimal gear while you’re riding. It does this using a servo/stepper motor connected to a threaded rod. As it spins, it can draw a bolt towards or away from the back of the bike. This allows the derailleur cable to be tightened or loosened with control from a tiny 84. The input comes from a cadence sensor (magnet and reed switch) on the pedals, as well as buttons on the handlebars. Using this, the device can also be in manual mode where it functions as a simple electronic gearshift system. MCU 84/85? HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN The primary case is on the seat tube of the bike. It is 3d printed and secured with zip ties. It houses the motor assembly, primary board, and battery. The secondary case that is 3d printed is on the handlebars. it features a switch and 2 PBNOs. These are configured as a single I2C device using an Attiny85. This is mounted on a custom PCB, so that the MCU can be SMD to save as much space as possible. MECHANICAL The device will use a servo/stepper motor. Which one depends on how much rotation of the bolt is required. Additionally, there is a reed/magnet combo for the cadence sensor. COMMUNICATION To communicate between the handlebars controls and the primary PCB, an bus is employed. In this configuration, the Attiny85 is configured as the slave and allows the 2 buttons and the switch to be addressed as a single I2C device. The master is the ATtiny84.
Jett K.	TMP36 Arduino Thermometer DESCRIPTION A TMP36 temperature sensor will detect the temperature outside and translate it into an output voltage. This voltage is then read into an analog input of an Arduino. The code in the Arduino translates the voltage into a number in Celsius, which is then translated into a seven-segment display. Then, an SPDT slide switch will be used to determine whether the temperature reading is live or static. When the switch is on, the 4-digit display will store the temperature that was read at the time of the switch being turned on in its display. MCU 328P HARDWARE The major components are a TMP36 temperature sensor, a 5V power supply, an Arduino Nano, an SPDT slide switch, and a 5mm LED. SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN The first prototype will be on a breadboard. Once I have figured out the circuitry and code I will then move to a perma-proto board with soldering. With the perma-proto I will 3d print a case for the final piece. MECHANICAL N/A	Arduino Load Cell Scale DESCRIPTION This project uses a load cell to measure mass of objects on a scale. The load cell output will go through an HX711, which is specifically designed to convert the load cell output into an Arduino Nano. The HX711 is I2C compatible so I will use I2C to read/write data from the load cell. The Nano will then print the mass on the scale on an OLED screen (also I2C compatible). The Nano will be able to print the mass in grams or ounces. Like a regular cooking scale, this scale will be able to “zero” an object, so that if measuring the weight of sugar in a cup, it can isolate the weight of just the sugar. For this project I specifically want to focus on efficiency of space and design of the case. MCU 328P HARDWARE 2kg Load Cell, HX711 Load Cell amplifier, Arduino Nano. SOFTWARE DESIGN The prototype will be built on a breadboard, Then I will transfer the final design to a perma-proto board. The entire build will be encased in a 3D print. I will also print a plate for objects to be measured on. MECHANICAL COMMUNICATION
Triyan K.	The Audio Amplifier DESCRIPTION This project builds on the 555 Timer to further explore the different type of waveforms that can be generated by oscillators such as the sawtooth, square, and triangle waves. In this project, a sine wave is produced to amplify audio signals through a speaker. This is done through a sine-wave oscillator with Op-Amps which integrate a continuous feedback system. The aim is that the speaker will produce sound that reflects the outputs of the sine wave. For example, as the wave rises, the speaker becomes louder and as the wave falls, the speaker gets quieter. There will also be a potentiometer to manually increase the volume. MCU N/A HARDWARE This project will involve Op-Amps which are intended specifically for audio applications. The sine wave oscillator will be in the form of an RC phase shift oscillator. Therefore, this project will require resistors, capacitors, jumper wires, a battery, a potentiometer, a speaker, diodes, and a transistor. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN For this project, I will first create it on a breadboard, which will include all my components. After, I will solder all my components on a permaproto which will be encased in a 3D printed box using Fusion. In the final product, a potentiometer will be protruding from the case so that the audio output can be manually configured. There will also be a gap in the case to place my speaker. Additionally, the 3D printed box will have my initials on one side and the course code on the other. MECHANICAL N/A	The Rocket Motion Calculator DESCRIPTION This project intends to study the different characteristics of a rocket’s motion. I will be using a MPU6050 IC which includes an accelerometer and gyroscope to find the acceleration and angular velocity of the rocket as it rises. I will display these values on a LCD screen. Additionally, I’ll use the MPL3115A2 IC which is a barometric/altitude/temperature sensor to find the rocket’s altitude. I will display this value on a 4-digit seven segment display (TM1637). The MPU6050 IC and the MPL3115A2 IC both require I2C communication which means I will need to use the wire library and the corresponding chips’ libraries to use these devices. Moreover, the project will incorporate an original, fully printed rocket which will include a placeholder for a rocket engine. As a final test, once I have the chips working, along with the displays printing the right outputs, I will attach them to the interior of my rocket. Hopefully, the rocket launches and the above devices record the rocket’s acceleration, angular velocity, and altitude as it rises. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN To create the rocket, I will use Fusion 360. Since I want the rocket to be fairly large, I will print multiple components of the rocket and then hot glue them together. I will use EAGLE to create the PCB for both devices (MPU6050 IC with LCD screen) and (MPL3115A2 IC with seven segment display) in a 3D printed case made in Fusion. When I’m testing my rocket, I’ll use a perma-proto or perfboard to solder the components temporarily. MECHANICAL The project doesn’t really integrate any mechanical elements. Although, servo motors may be wired to the rocket’s fins to allow the rocket to liftoff more easily (maximizing its altitude). I will also use a rocket controller to activate the rocket engines, though this is store bought. COMMUNICATIONThe communication signal utilized will be I2C (Inter-integrated Communication) for all the peripheral devices. They will be wired to the Arduino Nano acting as the master.
Rex L.	555 Electronic Keyboard DESCRIPTION This is a 13-key electronic keyboard which utilize a 20 kΩ potentiometer network connected to a 555 IC to generate different sounds when a button is pressed, similar to a piano. The frequency that the speaker produces for each button press can be adjusted manually utilizing the potentiometers. MCU N/A HARDWARE NE555 13 * 20 kΩ Potentiometer 13 * Momentary PBNO 8 Ω Speaker Assorted Capacitors Assorted resistors SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN The circuit will be concealed in a 3D printed case utilizing a combination of permaproto and point-to-point boards. MECHANICAL Buttons as keys	Arduino Nixie Clock DESCRIPTION The project will be an Arduino controlled clock with nixie tubes as its display. It will use a RTC module as its timekeeper, a DC-to-DC step-up booster module to power the nixie tubes, and K155ID1 ICs to drive the nixie tubes. I will also learn some Russian in the meantime as the original datasheets for the K155ID1 IC and the IN-12B nixie tube are both in Russian. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I will design a custom 3D-printed case for the circuit to be housed in. Potentially, there could also be a piece of custom cut acrylic covering the nixie tubes depending on the design of the case. MECHANICAL COMMUNICATION The RTC module of the circuit will use the I2C bus as communication between itself and the Arduino Nano.
Oliver L.	Copy&Paste Macro Keyboard (P1 of Stem Deck from Scratch) DESCRIPTION This device will be able to copy and paste on Apple Devices or Windows. There will be two buttons, one for copying, and one for pasting. This will be the first step to creating my own “Micro Pad”/“Stream Deck” Basically programmable buttons for shortcuts on certain applications using Keyboard switches as inputs. MCU 328P HARDWARE Arduino Nano, Diodes, Resistors, and Custom PCB SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN I plan to first prototype this on a breadboard and once I get it complete and working, I will transfer and solder it onto a custom PCB with Eagle in a 3D printed case using Fusion 360. The PCB will be a custom 2x1 Keyboard PCB, Keyboard Switches will also be used. MECHANICAL N/A	Mini Stream Deck (P2 of Stream Deck from Scratch) DESCRIPTION This device will not only act as a macro board for keystrokes, but also specific applications of the user’s choice. There will be 9 different programmable buttons, all connected to an Arduino Micro which will read them as if reading a 3x3 keyboard matrix. It will be able to auto set preferences on desired applications like brightness and audio. MCU ATmega32u4 HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I will create a breadboard prototype of the keyboard matrix, then move it onto a custom 3x3 keyboard PCB designed on eagle, which will be held by a 3d printed case with rounded corners to give it a finished look. The case will be divided into three segments, the top segment which will be open, the plate which will separate the key switches from the PCB, and the bottom segment which will hold the PCB. MECHANICAL ? COMMUNICATION Serial communication between the Arduino Micro and the whatever Mac OS or Windows device you will be using.
Lucas Q-T.	Digital to Hexadecimal Converter DESCRIPTION In this ISP I will take lots of inspiration from the binary and hexadecimal game. I will be making an 8-bit binary to hexadecimal and decimal converter. It will have 8 input binary pins, 2 displays for the hexadecimal, and 3 other displays for the decimal. All the displays will be 7 segment displays. MCU N/A HARDWARE 5 7 Segment Displays, 8 Slide Switches SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN BreadBoard, PermaProto MECHANICAL N/A	The RC Robot DESCRIPTION I will create a robot that will have four motors attached to wheels that will be controlled by a remote that I can hold in my hand and can be completely controlled by the remote. The robot will also stop automatically if it detects something in its path. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I will use Fusion 360 to design the case that will hold both the actual robot and the remote control. I will also use eagle to create the PCB in both the robot and remote. The remote will be designed to be both small and comfortable to hold will the addition of felt pads to make it softer. The robot will be designed to be as small and light as possible to reduce stress on the motors and make it as fast as possible MECHANICAL I will use 4 DC motors to control each wheel on the robot. COMMUNICATION This project will use Bluetooth for the remote and robot to talk to each other and so that the controller can control the robot remotely.
Goran S.	Automatic Tuner DESCRIPTION As a Double Bass player, tuning the instrument before playing is required which is annoying to do. The Automatic tuner would listen to the frequency, or pitch the instrument is playing using a microphone. Then know what it is trying to tune to via a user interface, involving push buttons to select the note, a display to show what note is selected and how far off of the desired pitch it is. And finally, after being processed by an Arduino Nano, it would automatically turn a peg with a DC motor to tune the instrument. MCU 328P HARDWARE This project involves an Arduino Nano, which will allow the device to hear the pitch via the microphone and create output commands on the DC motor to tune the pegs, and an alpha numeric display to show the pitch and LEDs the distance off. The alpha numeric display and LEDs will be soldered to a point-to-point board with inline resistors. The DC motor will be controlled by a push button trigger, which will make it so that only when the trigger is pushed, does the motor spin. SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN I will get the device working first on a breadboard, then it will move into a custom 3D printed case created using Fusion, which will be modeled around the components so that it forms a power drill-like shape. The alpha numeric display and LEDs will be visible from a side so the user can easily see what is happening. In addition to this, there is going to be a trigger button, which will enable or disable the DC motor from spinning. Finally, the part which attaches to the tuning pegs will be removable from the motor, so that it can be changed with other designs. MECHANICAL DC Motor	3D LED Cube DESCRIPTION In class we have learned about the LED Matrix, this project takes that idea into the third dimension. There will be a thin metal wire grid that will support the layers of LEDs. The base of each vertical column of the Matrix will much like a 2-dimensional Matrix have its own independent power supply. These supplies will be controlled by shift registers. The ground will be attached to each of the layers allowing for a single LED to be turned on at a time. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN For the design of the Matrix, I will make the actual Matrix cube out of thin metal wires which are soldered together. Under the cube, there will be a base with a PCB. Around the PCB there will be a custom 3D-printed case to enclose it. MECHANICAL N/A COMMUNICATION I plan on using the SPI communication protocol to interface with the 328P chip that will control the MATRIX.
Seb T.	Blinking Bow DESCRIPTION A bow that causes the tip of an arrow to start getting brighter when it is drawn. When the arrow is fully drawn, the tip arrow will start to blink. This will be caused by the voltage divider inside the bow, as springs will be placed inside. The farther back you draw the bow the less resistance the voltage will encounter as the springs will be wired a voltage divider (resisters in series). As the spring fully extends the voltage will run through a 555-time machine and the arrow will start blink. The string of the bow will be a conductive material split in the middle, and notching the arrow will complete the circuit causing the arrow to light up as there is circuitry on the inside the arrow. MCU N/A HARDWARE The main component is 555 IC chip. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN The housing of the circuit will be half of a ¾ inch PVC Pipe bent in the shape of a bow. A spring will be placed inside with circuity on a PermaProto Board. MECHANICAL Sort of	The Multi-Level Alarm Clock DESCRIPTION This build will be an alarm clock system designed to wake you up. It will be similar to a normal alarm clock except for two main differences, that being how to turn off the alarm clock, and what will happen when the alarm clock goes off. To disarm the system, you must remove an article of clothing from a hanger. This will cause two metal strips to connect sending a Bluetooth signal to the MCU ending the sequence. The longer the system runs, the more intense the wake up methods will be. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I will be using fusion 360 to design the alarm clock case as well as any other housing units for the build. This could include a speaker, or a matrix. MECHANICAL COMMUNICATION I will be using Bluetooth to connect the MCU to the hanger, letting me know when the metal strips connect.
Atticus T.	Heat Detection Fire Alarm DESCRIPTION The Heat Detection Fire Alarm is a circuit created that can read the temperature in a room. When the temperature reaches a certain degree, the Thermistor built within it will drop in resistance. Due to the drop in resistance, there is now a low-resistance path through the base of a transistor, a diode, and a capacitor. As the capacitor charges up, the time for which the alarm is on increases. Due to this, this will cause a speaker to relay a noise and an LED to go off. The LED and speaker will turn off once the temperature lowers enough to where the Thermistor’s resistance will increase, meaning a high-resistance current is now flowing. The circuit can be also be powered down by flipping the SPDT slide switch. MCU N/A HARDWARE The major components that are utilized within my circuit is the LM555 Timer, a 10 KΩ Negative Temperature Coefficient Thermistor and an 8 Ω Speaker. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN For the first prototype, I am building my circuit on a breadboard to figure out how the circuit works and mess with the layout to see where I can compress certain features. I will follow this by designing and soldering my circuit ~~onto a custom PCB with Eagle~~ in a 3D printed case created using Fusion 360. MECHANICAL N/A	Handheld Wordle DESCRIPTION The Handheld Wordle is a game that has been adapted from online onto a handheld Gameboy. This project will make the user guess a random 5-letter word and display their guess on an LCD screen. Once their guess has been inputted, the software will inform the user whether each letter is not used or is in the wrong spot. After six turns, if the user needs to guess the word correctly, they will win the game. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN I plan to create a PCB for my Handheld Wordle Game using EAGLE. This way, the soldering can be more transparent and concise, and an audience can differentiate what each solder's job is and what it accomplishes. Once the PCB has been properly created with the correct dimensions, I plan on designing and printing a case using Fusion 360 in the shape of a mini Gameboy. MECHANICAL N/A COMMUNICATION I plan to use communication when attaching the LCD to the Arduino Nano through the I2C. I am still deciding whether to attach it manually to my Arduino Nano or use the I2C bus, but if I do not attach the LCD screen directly, I will use the I2C bus another way.
Max Z.	4-bit Calculator DESCRIPTION This is a binary adder, subtractor and multiplier. The adder is controlled through an XOR, AND, and OR gate configuration. The subtractor is controlled through NOR, NOT and AND gate configuration. Lastly, the Multiplier is an extended 4 by 4-bit adder. To control which configuration is receiving the binary inputs 2 single poll double throw switches will be used. Along with an EPROM version MCU N/A HARDWARE 20 4081 CMOS chips, 20 4070 or 4030 CMOS chips, 10 4001 CMOS chips. SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN 3D Printed Case and Breadboard MECHANICAL N/A	The Magic Chessboard DESCRIPTION An Automated Chessboard is controlled by 2 stepper motors pulling a cart with an electro-magnet in a Core XY formation. The chessboard has 64 reed switches between the electro-magnet and the magnets in the chessboard. These signals are sent to 4 MUX break boards sending coordinates to the Nano while the Nano also controls the stepper motors moving the electro-magnet. This is all encased in a see-through Acrylic case. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN The design is a 450 by 125 mm rectangles for the acrylic sides and a 450 by 450 square top that is very compatible with magnets. MECHANICAL 2 Stepper motors controlled by A4988 Motor Driver Carriers. These are pulling a teethed rope. COMMUNICATION Serial communication is used on all devices through the Arduino Nano. There is a possibility of including an I2C compatible LCD screen to display the position.