Final Report

Be sure to include a title page with names of team members, advisor, and any outside sponsors.

The Executive Summary is not an introduction. It needs to include technical detail – Design objectiveWhat was doneHow well objectives were metRemaining problems of issues

No more than a sentence or two to set up the problem.

Reports should make project look like it was planned and executed perfectly. Anything else is hard to understand. Discuss at the end problems that were encountered and whether they were solved.

Hints on Writing Reports(The reader is not your friend.)

• Grammar is important for clarity.• Organization is also important for clarity.• Short sentences and paragraphs are monotonous and

confusing.• Long sentences and paragraphs are hard to follow.• Section headings remind the reader that there is light at the

end of the tunnel.• Proofread (and re-proofread) your reports.• Read report aloud.

Remember Murphy’s Law for writing reports:If it can possibly be mis-interrpreted, it will be!

Don’t use second person• “The design shows 110 volts being supplied . . .”

instead of “Looking at the design, you can see that we have 110 volts being supplied . . .”

This is your project. Keep me out of it.

Watch verb tense and structure• “The design will be affordable”

not “The design is going to be affordable”The design is or isn’t. It is not going anywhere.

If words aren’t necessary, don’t use them• “. . . [lack of an account] . . . is thought of as a possible cause of

our problem . . .”It isn’t actually a possible cause?

Don’t add unintentional humor with typos.• “The . . . design modifications have had productive meetings

and . . .”Did the modifications have doughnuts at the meeting?

Wording

Final Report (suggested)Executive summary (one page)

A. Statement of the problemB. Background (see proposal description)

C. Design approach1. Alternatives considered2. Milestones and schedule

D. Description of design1. Use sufficient detail to allow someone to build and/or use the design2. Describe testing procedures and results3. Use appendices

E. Critical evaluation of design1. Benefits and limitations of design2. Work to be completed / issues not resolved3. Manufacturing / distribution issues

F. Discussion (big picture issues)1. What has been learned / what is next2. Potential problems3. Intellectual property issues4. Non-technical issuesElectrical Engineering/Computer

EngineeringSenior Design Project

Background

Commercial State-of-the-Art

Research (Literature Review)

IEEE SourcesSpectrum, Potentials and Proceedings of the IEEE

IEEE Specialized Publications Total of 126 titles in technical areas ranging from

computer engineering, biomedical technology and telecommunications, to electric power, aerospace and wireless technology:

MagazinesTechnical papersConference ProceedingsBooks

Go to http://ieee.org/web/publications/home/index.html

Discussion 1: Evaluation

Evaluation of DesignWhat has been learned Strong points of designLimitations Potential problems

You can include the evaluation in the Discussion or keep it separate. Just be sure to cover evaluation.

Discussion 2: ManufacturabilityDevelopment costs

What will (did) it cost to design and build a prototype?Parts neededAvailability and sourcesFunding

Production costsWhat would it cost to produce the product in market-sized quantities for sale?

Any special components that might pose manufacturing or reliability issues

Discussion 3: IssuesOutcome 4 Exemplary 3 Proficient 2 Apprentice 1 Deficient Rating

3c. Graduates will be able to design a system, component or process to meet specified project requirements by:

i. identify specific project objectives based on general project and client requirements

.        

ii. gather and use relevant information          

iii. generate and analyze alternative by synthesizing and applying approriate engineering knowledge

         

iv. consider all relevant constraints if applicable.

Economic          

Environmental/sustainability          

Manufacturability          

Ethical/health and safety          

Social/political          

v. choose the best solution based on technical and economic criteria and considering relevant constraints

         

3.g. Graduates will demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively – written, oral and presentation skills.

ii. oral presentation          

3.b. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

i. experimentation if applicable          

ii. data analysis          

Discussion 4: What’s next?

Improvements or fatal flaws

Marketability

Implementation

Final Oral Presentation

10 minutes

About 1 slide per minute

Be selective - you can’t explain everything

Title slide should include team members, advisor, and acknowledgement of any outside groups you are working with.

Posters Senior Design Expo is from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on December 11(last Friday of classes)

Posters will be printed out by the Department.Give Angela or Michele updates on titles, teams, etc.You will be assigned space, computer, etc.Maximum width on printer is 42” Other faculty will be reviewing posters

Posters are like a magazine advertisementPresent material in “layers”

Be selective - you can’t explain everything

Include team members, advisor, and acknowledgement of any outside groups on poster.

Wireless (Bluetooth) Helmet Communication System

Team Members:Wen-Chieh Yu

Matthew SchapiroAdam AndrewsSteve CaplanVivek Pinto

Jarred MusserSang-Yaw Liou

Advisor:Dr. Marlin Mickle

Helmet Communication System Before Modification

Connect Bluetooth Into PTT For Testing

Amplifier Circuit Wireless PTT With Added Receiver And Battery

Current Clear Command Helmet Communication System

Wireless Helmet Communication System

Wireless Helmet Microphone

Amplifier SchematicClear Command Helmet Communication System Schematic

“Minimalist” example

Advisor: Dr. Steven JacobsSenior Design Students: Mark Perry, Dan Shero, Abbie ShoemakerIndependent Study Students: Christopher Church, Mike McElhinny, Amal Zenati

Interactive Radio Station Exhibit for the Children’s

Museum of Pittsburgh

Objectives:

Educational Design

Receiver Design

Coverage Area (Professional):

Coverage Area (Kit):

Transmitter• FCC Part 15 Compliance

• AM vs. FM transmission

• Propagation Method

Receiver• Interactive • Educational Value

• Cost • Sustainability

Commercial professional and educational kits were tested with the transmission system described. The professional radio significantly outperformed the radio kit in terms of audio quality and coverage. The receiver design includes the use of a high performance stereo FM chip used in consumer products such as mobile phones and MP3 and CD players. Because of its excellent performance characteristics, it is expected that the receiver will perform more similarly to the professional receiver.

Transmitter Design

A PowerPoint presentation was created to explain the basics of radio and FM to children. The educational material will be used in conjunction with the receiver kits by museum staff to teach the children.

A RadioSign FM Transmitter was selected because of its compliance with FCC Part 15 power regulations. Upon testing, it was determined that the FM transmitter from the radio station to the desired area of coverage was too weak; therefore, a UHF link was implemented

A handheld, cost effective, educational receiver was designed. The RF, IF, and detection stages were placed within a closed box which plugs into a base box containing the power supply. To incorporate a hands-on educational aspect, the audio amplifier was designed to be constructed by children

The Saturday Light Brigade is a weekly radio program produced by the Children’s Museum which is broadcast over FM radio on Saturday mornings. The objective of this project was to design, build and implement an educational, interactive radio exhibit to allow children to tune into a looped broadcast transmitted within the museum throughout the week while learning about radio.

on a breadboard. All sections of the receiver are hard-wired to each other within the base box.

Professional (Grundig) Educational Kit 1st Floor of Museum

Testing and Results

Design Considerations

Basemap Adapted from Drawings Courtesy of Perkins Eastman Architects PC 2002 and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Basemap Adapted from Drawings Courtesy of Perkins Eastman Architects PC 2002 and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

“Maximalist” example