Independent Study Projects

2024-2025 ICS4U-E 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.

The 7 Ps of a Successful ISP...

Preparation > Proposal > Prototyping > Preview > Production > Presentation > Publication

2024-2025 Independent Study Projects

ACE	ISP.Long (20%) Tuesday October 15	ISP.Medium (20%) Saturday February 1	ISP.Short (20%) Saturday ???
Proposals	ISP.Long Proposal	ISP.Medium Proposal	ISP.Short Proposal
Evaluations
Nate C. (Design?)	Bluetooth Computer Mouse DESCRIPTION The mouse being designed is a custom 3d printed device that emphasizes smooth mechanical functionality and Bluetooth communication. It has a rotary encoder for the scroll wheel control and tactile feedback, along with push buttons for the left, right, and side. The mouse will be built using a flex PCB to efficiently connect all internal components, housed within a 3D-printed body for optimal fit and feel. Acrylic will be used on the bottom to ensure smooth gliding across surfaces. Bluetooth technology will enable the mouse to connect wirelessly to a computer. The design focuses on a comfortable hand grip, control mechanisms, and operation on various surfaces. MCU ESP-32 Nano DESIGN EasyEDA - for inside of the mouse I will attempt to make a flex pcb in order to fit the inside and reach all of the buttons within the mouse Fusion – to create the body and encasement for the pcb and buttons Acrylic – for the bottom of the mouse in with the correct shape and curves in order to slide easier on the mouse pad COMMUNICATION I will be using Bluetooth to communicate between a USB and the mouse in order to control it on the screen MECHANICAL I will be using PBNOs as the buttons along with a rotary encoder for the scroll wheel for the mechanical feel and scrolling.	Karnaugh Mapping Device DESCRIPTION The Karnaugh Mapping Device takes a matrix of ones and zeros as input, processes it, and generates a simplified Boolean equation using NOT, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, and XOR gates. It automates the Karnaugh mapping process to help with logic circuit design. The device uses an LCD screen to display results and communicates via serial connection. MCU 328P HARDWARE None SOFTWARE Arduino C DESIGN PCB & Box Case COMMUNICATION Serial MECHANICAL N/A	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Harsha G. (Computer?)	Bluetooth Device Finder DESCRIPTION The Bluetooth Device Finder helps users locate their Bluetooth-enabled gadgets. Using the Arduino Nano ESP32, this tracker allows users to find up to three paired devices with a simple button interface. Each of the three buttons corresponds to a specific device for quick selection and tracking. A slide switch powers the tracker on and off, while the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries provide power and portability. An OLED display shows real-time information about the selected device, including its name and signal strength (RSSI), which is used to estimate the distance; the stronger the signal, the closer the device is. The tracker indicates how close the device is by outputting a number from 1 to 10, where 1 means closest and 10 means farthest, along with labels like "close," "somewhat far," and "far." Additionally, a buzzer will emit a sound whose frequency is controlled through the Arduino's tone function; as the user gets closer to the device, the frequency increases, providing an audible cue to locating the device. MCU ESP-32 BLE Nano DESIGN The final product will be housed inside a Fusion-built case, containing an EasyEDA made pcb. COMMUNICATION I2C communication (for OLED) and Bluetooth LE (to connect between Nano ESP32 and nearby Bluetooth devices) will both be incorporated. MECHANICAL N/A	Footstep-Driven Power Generator DESCRIPTION This project converts kinetic energy from footsteps into electrical energy using piezoelectric elements arranged in both series and parallel to generate higher current and voltage. The piezoelectric elements will be carefully insulated to prevent breakage while ensuring they remain efficient enough to convert mechanical pressure from footsteps into electrical power. These elements will be housed in a 3D-printed frame with a customized mat on top for comfort and pressure distribution. As people step on the mat, their footsteps generate mechanical stress, which the piezoelectric elements convert into electrical energy. The voltage from the piezoelectric elements will be stored in separate batteries and then routed through a buck converter (which I will also design) to step down the voltage to a level sufficient to charge a power bank for later use. An LCD display, powered by external batteries and controlled via an Arduino, will show the real-time voltage generated, offering a visual indicator of the power bank's voltage and the system's output. MCU 328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE C DESIGN PCB & Case COMMUNICATION I2C MECHANICAL None (?)	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Chance H. (Mechanical?)	Enigma Machine Pt.1 DESCRIPTION This will be an encryption/decryption device inspired by the Enigma Machine used in World War 2. This will take the user-input and case design from the Morse Code Translator and apply it to a larger scale. The first part of this project will use a Keyboard Matrix to design the user inputs as well as the plugboard, and the LEDs. This part of the project will have one rotor configuration. MCU Raspberry Pico Wireless DESIGN Fusion360 will be used for the overall case design, if time permits I may try to create a more permanent metal case as I predict that a single 3d printed Enigma Machine case would use up a large amount of filament. The PCB will be designed through EasyEDA COMMUNICATION The device will use Serial Communication for the button inputs and the plug board. MECHANICAL N/A???	ACES' Video Card DESCRIPTION For my Medium ISP, I plan to design and build a video card capable of generating a VGA signal to display an image on a monitor. The circuit will use a Full Can crystal oscillator and 4-bit binary counters to generate the necessary clock pulses. By using inverters and 8-input NAND gates, I will define specific timing conditions to ensure accurate synchronization of the display signal, including the active display area and blanking intervals. To store the image data, I will use an EEPROM programmed with hexadecimal RGB values corresponding to the pixels in my image. These values will be read and processed to generate a VGA signal, which will control the electron beam of the monitor, allowing me to display a predefined image. MCU None HARDWARE The device will use a series of inverters and NAND gates to create the timing for the display which will allow the EEPROM to know where it is on the monitor. I will also be using a PLL circuit to alter the frequency of the crystal oscillator to match the requirements for my intended resolution. Currently I do not have any plans of using a MCU. SOFTWARE C/Python. Libraries: Python PIL Library I will be using the PIL library in python to break down my image into the hex-values for each of the individual pixels and then I will use these values to program my EEPROM in Arduino to display the image DESIGN I will use fusion360 to design a 3D case for the video Card and EEPROM Programmer and use the JLCPCB software to design the custom keyboard for the card and the EEPROM Programmer COMMUNICATION MECHANICAL	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Rohan J. (Computer?)	12-Bit Audio Player DESCRIPTION An iPod-reminiscent audio player incorporating multiple MCUs, as well as a 12-bit R2R ladder DAC. Output is a headphone jack through an op amp. The idea of the project is to avoid using a library to (directly) play the audio, instead reading data from an SD and streaming it to a DAC. MCU 328p/84 DESIGN Will be in a case designed in Fusion360. The case will (hopefully) somewhat resemble an early iPod (perhaps a little bit thicker). The whole circuit will be on 1 PCB, with as many surface mount parts as possible (to reduce their footprint) and it will be baked in the ACES reflow oven COMMUNICATION Since there are multiple MCUs, there are communication busses between them, as well as other components. Firstly, the main “control” MCU has an I2C bus that it uses to communicate with the “player” and “LCD” MCU. It uses 2 bytes to communicate with the “player” MCU (see drawing). It also has an 8-bit SPI bus to access an additional SRAM chip, and a regular SPI bus to be able to read from an SD card. The “player” MCU has an SPI bus to read from the SD card. The way that the device works: when it’s powered on, it “boots” up. During this time, the main MCU downloads the name of every track into RAM, and assigns it a number (based on location on SD). Then, it gives up control of the SD to the player MCU. At this point, the device is booted. When the user selects a track, the control MCU sends the number over I2C (along with other data) which causes the player to play back that track, streaming data from the card. Having 3 separate MCUs allows the user to scroll through the device while audio is playing. MECHANICAL N/A	32 by 32 RGB Matrix DESCRIPTION This project will be a 32 by 32 RGB matrix involving 1024 RGB LEDs. These will be standard RGB LEDs, not addressable ones. To control them, I will have a variable current source, similar to an R2R ladder, but for current, and a 384 shift registers. This allows every LED (red, green, and blue for each) to be controlled individually. There will also be 2 SRAM chips that are each capable of storing data for 1 frame. At any given time, one SRAM chip is being used to display a frame, and the other is being reloaded with the next frame by an ATmega328P. The actual displaying of a single frame is done completely in hardware. The active SRAM chip has a 12-bit counter on its address pins with its clock synchronized to the bank of shift registers. The variable current source has its 8 inputs connected to the output of the SRAM and each LED has a mosfet that enables it. On each clock cycle, the next shift register pin goes high and the next location in SRAM is navigated to. Since they are in sync, this puts the correct colour (via current limiting) on the corresponding LED (via the shift registers). The MCU controls which SRAM chip is active and it switches the active one (via multiplexers) when a new frame is available from the camera (or at a fixed rate for video from SD). The matrix will be able to display from both an SD card and a camera. MCU 328P HARDWARE The project is mostly hardware-based. There will be 384 shift registers, just over 3072 MOSFETS, and several 12-bit synchronous counters. The 328P is simply used to update the frame buffer (SRAM). SOFTWARE Libraries: SD, potentially Camera as well Libraries are not required for the vast majority of the project. It will likely be required to access the SD card, and the camera as well depending on the camera used. DESIGN The circuit will be built on a PCB. The entire design will never be made on a breadboard due to its complexity, though the design is relatively modular and a scaled down version will be built on breadboard for testing purposes. Additionally, the design will be housed in a 3d printed enclosure where only the actual matrix is visible (not the entire board and chips). COMMUNICATION N/A MECHANICAL N/A	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Jett K. (Mechanical?)	3D Servo Sonar Mapper DESCRIPTION This project will use a LIDAR Lite V4 Distance Measurement sensor to retrieve distance information from the point in front of it and saving the data within the Arduino. At the same time, the sensor will be rotating horizontally, then vertically via servo motors, and will map out a complete picture of a 2D window of your desired size. This 2D window will then be displayed on a 1.8" LCD tft display, where the further the distance, the darker the color will be on the screen. Before the mapping process begins, it will ask you what scale of distance you want the colour spectrum to vary to. This is done so that if you know that the objects in the frame you plan on measuring has very similar distances to one other, you might want to make the contrast higher to see distance differences better. MCU 328p DESIGN It will all be encased in a final fusion case, and will have an easy EDA PCB circuit board. COMMUNICATION SPI MECHANICAL This project will use 2 Servor Motors, a Servo - Hitec HS-425BB (Standard Size) (as they will require more torque and will also have to support a LIDAR + another servo. This brings me to the second servo motor, a Servo - Hitec HS-85MG (Micro Size).	Superheterodyne FM Radio DESCRIPTION This project will create an FM radio receiver, and using mainly discrete computer components, it will isolate, filter, and demodulate frequencies received from an antenna and convert it to playable audio on a speaker. Based on the complexity of my approach to this radio (as I want to use mainly base parts (transistors, capacitors etc…), I am not sure if there will be a display for the project. There are multiple types of FM radios, but a superheterodyne, is a style of receiver that focuses on minimum noise and hopefully will create a clean sound. Due to the “high-quality” approach I want to take, a lot of research will have to go into the creation and theory behind it, I don’t know if I will have the time for a display. Potentially for my SHORT ISP, I will extend this, in which I will create a display that also shows the song played, as the Radio Broadcast Data System sends data on frequencies higher than the human ear that holds the data for each song. MCU None HARDWARE If there is a display I will still try to avoid a microcontroller. If necessary however, I may have to use an 85 ( I will try to avoid this as much as possible). SOFTWARE N/A DESIGN PCB & Case COMMUNICATION Radio Frequency MECHANICAL Antenna & Speaker	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Triyan K. (Aerospace)	The Weather Station DESCRIPTION The Weather Station is a device that will leverage the ESP32’s WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) capabilities to display the current temperature on two seven-segment displays. As I connect the ESP32 to the internet, it can update the temperature in real-time; this will be done by feeding the Nano with data from an application programming interface (API) called Free Weather API. The data will be outputted in JSON and XML and I will convert this into data that Arduino can handle. I will utilize JSON as it is a more friendly data type in Arduino, there are dedicated libraries for it while XML doesn’t. Additionally, because the API keeps track of the weather across places worldwide, I will create a library of the capitals of countries such as Canada, US, UK, France, and Spain. that the user can toggle to see the temperature. This toggling will be enabled by pressing a button. Moreover, there will be an LCD screen wired to the ESP32 to signal to the user what region’s/country’s temperature is being displayed. To shift out values from the MCU to the seven-segment display, I will use two 595 shift registers, one for each seven-segment display. The MCU’s BLE feature will allow me to broadcast the temperature of different countries in the DES to other devices. Finally, there will be a switch that convert the temperature on the seven segment displays from Fahrenheit to Celsius and vice versa. The final product will resemble a real-life weather station with the seven segment displays protruding from the front with an acrylic and the LCD screen with one switch (temperature) and one button (country). MCU ESP-32 Nano (BLE) DESIGN First, I will use Fusion 360 to design the case which will resemble a real-life weather station. The temperature will be displayed in a case with a long stand. Next, I will use EasyEDA to create the PCB which will be embedded in my case. Since it’s powered by 5 V, there will be an opening in the case for the power supply. A voltage regulator of 5 V will be on my PCB to facilitate this. Finally, I intend on making an acrylic (with my name and ACES logo) that’s placed on top of my seven-segment display for a cleaner presentation. COMMUNICATION I will use the ESP32’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) features for my project. By connecting to a Wi-Fi network, I can hook up my ESP32 to an online weather API such as Free Weather API which will update the temperature in real-time via an LCD screen. The BLE is an additional feature that will allow me to connect to other devices in the DES and broadcast the temperature. Additionally, the BLE system will allow the device to update settings and function properly without any human input. MECHANICAL N/A	FM Radio DESCRIPTION This project, as the Arduino Nano as its microcontroller, will receive FM audio signals and transmit them through a speaker. There will also be a potentiometer to adjust the frequency (changing the radio station) and an OLED screen so that the audio signals can be visualized. Moreover, the project utilizes the TEA5767 FM Radio Module to transmit/receive signals with comes with a built-in antenna. It will communicate with the Arduino via I2C. As the Arduino receives the FM signal, it is processed to the OLED screen via Fast Fourier Analysis algorithms. I’ll invoke the Arduino’s ADC pins to break the audio signal into its frequency components so that the signals can appear on the OLED. Next, I’ll use an audio amplifier (PAM8403) to amplify these frequency components from the TEA5767 to a speaker. Essentially, I’ll output audio from local radio stations to a speaker, whose signals can be visualized on an OLED. MCU 328P HARDWARE ? SOFTWARE Libraries: TEA5767.h, Wire.h, Arduino FFT DESIGN I’ll use JLCPCB’s manufacturing services to produce my PCB, which will be designed on EasyEDA. I will then 3D print a rectangular case for my PCB on Fusion. The entire PCB will fit in the case with only the speaker and OLED screen visible, so that the audio can easily be heard and that the radio station can be seen. There will also be a potentiometer protruding out so that the radio station can conveniently be changed. COMMUNICATION This project makes use of I2C to connect the TEA5767 FM Tuner to the Arduino. The FM Tuner uses RF to transmit/receive the FM signals. MECHANICAL N/A	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Lucas Q-T. (Mechatronics?)	A Helping Hand DESCRIPTION A glove to open and close your hand. It will have 4 tiny DC motors that will move 3D printed sections attached to the sides of each finger on the glove. Each joint in the finger will have a bearing so the finger can curl. This can be generalized for different sizes of gloves. There will be a touch sensor in the glove to close on objects and a current sensor that can be triggered to open the glove, amount of resistance can be fine-tuned per person. PCB will be flexible. MCU 328p DESIGN Fusion 360, EasyEDA, JLC PCB, 3D Printing COMMUNICATION None MECHANICAL 4 DC motors 1 torque sensor Touch sensor Current sensor	The Split Flap Display DESCRIPTION A large split flap display that can display both symbols, numbers and letters to make words and other messages. Most of the pieces will be 3D printed but the flaps that display each symbol might needs to be bought since they need to be a little flexible. Stepper motors will control each display and an ATMEGA will control each servo. MCU 328p HARDWARE Will use shift registers to control each stepper motor if the ATMEGA does not have enough pins. Additionally, will use a ATMEGA328P and try to make it work since mine didn’t in the long ISP SOFTWARE Will use an ATMEGA to control each motor using AVR assembly DESIGN Fusion 360 for each display box that will hold each symbol and the stepper motor. JLCPCB and Easy EDA for the PCB that will hold the ATMEGA which will control each stepper motor. COMMUNICATION N/A MECHANICAL Stepper	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Goran S. (Aerospace?)	ACEOCOPTER Pt.1 DESCRIPTION This project is part 1 of a quadcopter drone. This part goes over mainly the design and hardware aspects of the drone such as the propellers, motors, and frame. If time permits, I will start working on the avionics for the drone, however, communication with the drone will be saved for part 2. MCU 328p DESIGN I plan on using onshape for the propellers, as it is easier to make airfoils in it, and fusion for the body. The avionics will sit in a central area with the battery which will be slightly lower than the propellers (for center of gravity). COMMUNICATION None. (Part 2) MECHANICAL DC Motor × 4	ACEOCOPTER Pt. 2 DESCRIPTION This is the second part of the drone project which focuses on the avionics allowing the drone to hover. If time permits, I would like to add a controller which would communicate through radio to command movements. MCU ATtiny87/167, ATmega328P HARDWARE SOFTWARE Libraries: PID library I plan on writing the avionics code in C/C++ using the PID library for active stabilization. If time permits, I may also rewrite the motor driver code in assembly. DESIGN I will be designing new avionic PCBs through EasyEDA and JLCPB. The surface mount will be done myself. MECHANICAL COMMUNICATION The main avionics MCU will have serial communication with USB-C to make programming and debugging easier. I2C Communication is used between the main avionics MCU and the IMU, with a custom two wire system communicating with each motor driver.	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Atticus T. (Mechanical?)	AT Record Player DESCRIPTION The AT Record player is a hand created music player that allows a vinyl to be placed upon the turn table. When the vinyl is placed upon the spinning turn table and the needle is set onto one of the grooves, the circuit will be able to play the amplified sound through a speaker, allowing whatever song that has been etched within the acrylic to be outputted. MCU 328p DESIGN For design, I plan on creating a box that holds all of the wires and internal components such as the various PCBs that I will design in EasyEDA. I also plan on 3D printing quite a few components such as the parts that are attached to the turn table all created in Fusion360 COMMUNICATION Serial Communication may be used in the creation of this project – I2C can also be incorporated for things such as a motor controller as it is especially useful if I am planning on working with multiple sensors or control devices. MECHANICAL In order for the turntable to spin, the best motor that I have come across and will work the best will be a stepper motor. Although being a stepper motor, since the turntable is moving at such a fast rate, the result is going to act much like that of a sine wave therefore it will be the easiest to work with as it is also easily controllable.	Flip-Dot 7-Segment Display DESCRIPTION This project will design and create a flip-dot 7-segment display using no external LEDs. The circuit works by using various magnets and creating a magnetic field that I can manually change directions through code causing each segment to flip indicating on or off. Furthermore, this means that I can code any digit or letter and if time permits, find a method in which other digits can be attached allowing more than one digit to be controlled. MCU 328p HARDWARE Will use a Nano most likely as the project mainly focuses on the concepts however I may upgrade this if I have enough time SOFTWARE Arduino C (no libraries) DESIGN The Design is one of the more complicated aspects as I have to not only design a case that encloses the PCB and it set up in a way that when a digit is shown, it is legible, but each flip-dot needs to be individually printed and designed. This will be done using Fusion360. The PCBs will be created on EasyEDA as well. COMMUNICATION N/A MECHANICAL N/A	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL
Max Z. (Electrical?)	Spectrum Analyzer DESCRIPTION An 8 Band-Pass Sallen Key Op-Amp filter configuration receiving an amplified sound signal from a MAX9814 audio amplifier. The frequency with range from 200Hz to 10kHz which resistor capacitor configurations controller which frequencies are let through. The amplitude of each band is sent to an amplitude comparator of 8 Op-Amps of divided voltage from resistor dividers. The Op-Amp signals are sent to a common anode to cathode configuration. MCU None DESIGNAn Easyeda designed PCB will be sent to JLCPCB for order. a 3D encasement to make the 8x8 LED configuration look visually appealing. COMMUNICATION N/A MECHANICAL N/A	ACES Buck-Boost Converter DESCRIPTION The ACES Buck-Boost Converter will be two separate Buck-Boost converter designs that can step up and down a power supply in DC. The resistor-inductor-capacitor circuit paired with a Zener diode and PWM signal will create a circuit continuously powering on and off; when this shifting voltage is flowed through a capacitor, a lower or high-power supply is outputted. The two circuits will be a single-ended primary inductor circuit and a 4-switch Synchronous Buck-Boost Converter. The PWM signal will be generated by an Op-Amp and trying out a TL494. MCU None HARDWARE Uses passive Resistor, Capacitor and Inductor components. PWM signal coming from a triangular Op-Amp PWM Generator and TL494. IRLZ44N MOSFET SOFTWARE None DESIGN JLCPCB(Through Hole and SMD) and Fusion360 Case COMMUNICATION None MECHANICAL None	? DESCRIPTION MCU HARDWARE SOFTWARE DESIGN MECHANICAL