Compiled information from HW #5 into the TCSP #4 that I presented on February 15. Created IR LED Layout for the display.
It's powered by a single 12V source with 27 arrays of 6 IR LEDs each in parallel.
January 11, 2012 (2 hours):
Met with group to verify the goals of the project. We made sure that we all had a clear understanding of what we wanted to do. Found some links on the web to determine how we would accomplish our project. Found some handy tutorials like THIS ONE.
WEEK 01 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Determined how we would implement this project. We also determined how much it might cost for each individual in the team.
Weekly Work Total : 2 hours
Project Work Total: 2 hours
January 18,2012 (2 hours):
Met with group to complete homework #1 so that we could have a further understanding of what exactly we wanted to accomplish in making this project. The preliminary PSSCs are listed below.
1. An ability to interpret and track touch signals.
2. An ability to adjust display brightness with an infrared frequency modulator.
3. An ability to load applications from an external USB drive.
4. An ability to properly display the graphical user interface.
5. An ability to use buttons to control non-touch user interactions such as power, load, and brightness.
WEEK 02 SUMMARY
Accomplishments:Finished homework 1 with first diagram of project completed.
Weekly Work Total : 2 hours
Project Work Total: 4 hours
January 21, 2012 (4 hours):
Re-created the website from scratch. Made it more appealing to the eye and organized. Uploaded any relevent documents.
January 23, 2012 (5 hours):
Met with the team to learn how to use Eagle in order to create schematics and layouts for our PCB. After we had a reasonable understanding of the topic, we completed homework #2 individually, which included creating the schematic and PCB layout of a 5V regulator.
January 27, 2012 (2 hours):
Met with the team to create a detailed list of potential products that are necessary to create the touch table.
WEEK 03 SUMMARY
Accomplishments:Finished homework 2 and gained a reasonable understanding of Eagle software.
Weekly Work Total : 11 hours
Project Work Total: 15 hours
January 31, 2012 (2.5 hours):
Met with team to compile the detailed list of products that we created on January 27th into Homework #3. Specifically, I edited the first draft of homework #3. Also looked for potential power supply products and verified compatability with the Intel Atom board. Also looked at micro-controller options. Narrows micro-controller down to Atmel and PIC.
February 1, 2012 (2 hours):
Finalized the TCSP for the week and uploaded it to the website. Also uploaded HW #3. Changed the layout of the notebook links.
WEEK 04 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Determined how we would implement this project. We also determined how much it might cost for each individual in the team. Narrowed down micro-controller.
Weekly Work Total : 4.5 hours
Project Work Total: 19.5 hours
February 6, 2012 (5 hours):
Started Homework 4. I wrote the introduction, product comparison, and a portion of the summary. Afterwards, I purchased 200 LEDs.
February 7, 2012 (4 hours):
Updated the website with TCSP #3. Made revisions and additions to the introduction, product comparison, and summary of HW #4. Assisted Dan in modifying the Playstation Eye.
WEEK 05 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Worked on homework 4. This helped us get an understanding of where our product lies within the market.
Weekly Work Total : 9 hours
Project Work Total: 28.5 hours
February 13, 2012 (4 hours):
Started HW #5. Created detailed compilation of circuit design and created micro-controller pin assignment table. Determined that our power supply would power the micro-controller which would power the motherboard.
February 14, 2012 (4 hours):
Compiled information from HW #5 into the TCSP #4 that I presented on February 15. Created IR LED Layout for the display.
It's powered by a single 12V source with 27 arrays of 6 IR LEDs each in parallel.
February 15, 2012 (2 hours):
Set-up the Intel Atom board with RAM and power-supply. The Intel Atom board is using 2GB of RAM which is adequate for our software.
WEEK 06 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Completed HW #5 and TCSP #4.
Weekly Work Total : 10 hours
Project Work Total: 38.5 hours
February 20, 2012 (4 hours):
Helped Daniel with the introduction to his HW #6 assignment. Determined the type of BJT and resistor necessary to function with the Fans in our case. Ordered the hard-drive that our Intel Atom board will use.
February 21, 2012 (2.5 hours):
Compiled schematic pictures for the presentation for Daniel's presentation. Organized our group's online documents and sourced various datasheets.
February 22, 2012 (1 hour):
Picked up the hard-drive from UPS store so that we could begin testing our programs and install the Xubuntu OS immediately. The HD was a cheap 60GB which is more than enough for the amount of software we will be installing onto it.
February 25, 2012 (1.5 hour):
Came into lab to test the IR LED circuit that mimics a remote control for the projector. Determined that the clock of the micro-controller wasn't fast enough to accurately compute the delay that we wanted for the PWM output.
WEEK 07 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Assisted Daniel in completing HW #6 and TCSP 5. Progressed toward a copycat remote for the projector.
Weekly Work Total : 9 hours
Project Work Total: 47.5 hours
February 27, 2012 (3 hours):
Created the wooden template for the IR LED array that will be mounted at the perimeter of the touch screen. 
Before creating the array, Eric and I tested all of the LEDs to make sure they worked. Eric then used the wooden template to solder the LED strings. 
Finalized, it was 27 arrays of 6 LEDs each with 3/4" between each LED.
February 28, 2012 (1 hour):
Reviewed the mid-term presentation and made sure that it had met all requirements.
February 29, 2012 (5 hours):
Re-designed and edited the entire mid-term presentation to make it more grammatically correct and pleasing to the eye. The older version is available here and the newer version here.
WEEK 08 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Worked on assembling the IR LED Array and re-implemented our mid-term presentation.
Weekly Work Total : 9 hours
Project Work Total: 56.5 hours
March 4, 2012 (6.5 hours):
Re-designed and implemented the PWM controlled fan circuit with Eric. Below is the original design, which had many flaws. 
Here is video showing the new circuit in action.
The circuit features a 4N28 optical isolator, and a TIP120 MOSFET. Left the circuit running over night to burn-in test it.
March 6, 2012 (4 hours):
Changed the appearence of the home page of the website. I also drew a rough sketch of the PWM controlled fan circuit for Dan to implement in the schematic. 
WEEK 09 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Tested and successfully implemented the PWM Fan control circuit and assisted in converting to schematic form.
Weekly Work Total : 10.5 hours
Project Work Total: 67 hours
March 19, 2012 (2 hours):
Updated the Team page of the website and made some adjustments to the home page.
March 21, 2012 (3 hours):
Searched for wooden rods that would frame the touch surface and holster the infrared LEDs pointing into the surface. Found 3/8 x 3/8 x 36 inch square wooden dowels at Home Depot available here. Purchased 10 and began drilling holes 3/4 inch apart corresponding with the aformentioned LED arrays.
WEEK 10 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Found adequate wood rods for the LED array.
Weekly Work Total : 5 hours
Project Work Total: 72 hours
March 24, 2012 (10 hours):
Went to Daniel Grum's home and worked on the housing for the touch table. We first created the IR LED wooden placeholders from the wooden dowels mentioned above. We drilled holes 3/4" apart and inserted the LED strands.
We then created interior electrical circuit that would power the IR LED array. We used 20 gauge wiring that is fastened along the trim of the interior of the case. Each series of 6 LEDs has its own wiring that is sent to a single wiring point that is connected to the PSU.
March 25, 2012 (7 hours):
We finished up the interior wiring of the IR LED array and then positioned wood as a placeholder for an exceptable positioning for the projector and the mirror.
We also drilled holes in the exterior of the wooden case for the 3 inch power strip cord and 200mm fans.
Finally, we mounted the framing on the top of the case that holds the acryllic surface and LED placeholders in place.
WEEK 11 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Implemented the bulk of the case-specific hardware.
Weekly Work Total : 17 hours
Project Work Total: 89 hours
March 27, 2012 (5 hours):
Met with Daniel Grum at the lab to apply Silicon to the vellum paper that will be used as the top layer of our touch surface. This enhanced surfaced will block unwanted IR light, create a smoother touch surface, and help the Playstation Eye camera to track touches.
We used standard silicon and applied it using a foam paint roller. We applied three separate applications of silicon 1 hour apart from each other. This created an even spread throughout the vellum.
In the hours between applying the silicon, Daniel Grum and I fixed an LED that wasn't working properly in the IR LED array. The array had 2 strands of 4 LEDs in series which posed a problem, as the maximum rated voltage of a singled LED is 2.45V and we were feeding the 4 LEDs 12V (3V per LED). We attached a current-limiting resistor to these two strands and the array worked beautifully.
Unfortunately, at the end of the production, the vellum paper ripped and we were forced to start from scratch the next day.
March 28, 2012 (4 hours):
I went to home depot and purchased a new bottle of silicon. Fortunately, I found a cheap calking gun that allowed us to apply a more evenly spread layer of silicon thant he previous day. I also purchased two vents for the fans on the side of the case.
The same process as the previous day (March 26) was performed. It was successful. We let the vellum paper dry over night. It came out perfectly.
In between the silicon applications, me and Dan secured the vents to the outside of the case.
WEEK 12 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Improved the touching surface and fixed/improved case hardware.
Weekly Work Total : 9 hours
Project Work Total: 98 hours
April 2, 2012 (4 hours):
Met with the team to complete extraneous tasks.
We determined that we would need more velcro to secure the projector in place. We also determined that some sort of trimming would be needed in order to cover up exposed acryllic on the touching surface.
April 3, 2012 (2 hours):
Went to Home Depot to look at possible trim options for the surface. Nothing that met our needs of covering the exposed acryllic surface was available.
WEEK 13 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Determined and studied available materials needed.
Weekly Work Total : 6 hours
Project Work Total: 104 hours
April 9, 2012 (5 hours):
Determined the environmental impact of our product throughout its lifecycle. Implemented the detailed information in the Homework 12 report here.
April 10, 2012 (8 hours):
Met with the team to determine some extraneous materials that we needed for the project. We headed to Menard's to purchase the mentioned trim.
I also began working on the TCSP 9. Extracted relevant information from the Homework and put it in a powerpoint and uploaded it to the web here.
April 12, 2012 (4 hours):
Began working on the roulette application for GNMS. This project uses the SDL library in C (SDL Website). This is an easy-to-use library for manipulating layers (images).
I implemented picture loading and some basic user-clicking interaction. The user is able to select the bet number.
April 13, 2012 (14 hours):
Continued to code the roulette application. Implemented a number pad and wheel spinning. Also created the tables for the outcomes of winning bets.
April 14, 2012 (14 hours):
I implemented the money tracker and the notifications to the user for the Roulette application. Created opening and closing splash screens and ability to play again having lost. Finished the roulette application.
WEEK 14 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: Completed homework 12, TCSP 9, and the roulette application. Also purchased some materials for the project.
Weekly Work Total : 46 hours
Project Work Total: 150 hours
April 17, 2012 (4 hours):
Met with the team to determine why the touching mechanism wasn't working properly. It turns out that roughly 8 IR LED strands were not functioning. We tested them for blown LEDs and replaced the inoperable ones. After doing this, the touching reacted much more smoothly.
WEEK 15 SUMMARY
Accomplishments: None.
Weekly Work Total : 4 hours
Project Work Total: 154 hours