Circuit Examples

• decade counter and display circuit driven by a 555 timer (1.4 MB)
• filter frequency response using a linear sweep (2.3 MB)
• human circuit toy ball (1.9 MB)
• LED flasher circuit (0.7 MB)
• LED blinking eyed smiley face (0.4 MB)
• light bulb series and parallel circuit comparison (0.7 MB)
• op amp integrator circuit at different frequencies (2.2 MB)
• RC circuit charging and discharging (1.1 MB)
• siren circuit (1.0 MB)
• siren circuit with Darlington transistor output (0.6 MB)
• siren circuit with voltage-controlled oscillator (1.4 MB)

Data Acquistion

• data acquisition experiment (2.6 MB)
  • new version with external USB device and music sampling (11.2 MB) 
• NI dc motor data acquisition and control demonstration (8.5 MB) 
  • see also: using LabVIEW for interactive model-based control design and simulation (8.2 MB) 

Electrical Components and measurements

• breadboard construction (2.4 MB)
• capacitors (1.5 MB)
• connectors (BNC, banana, alligator clips) (3.2 MB)
• diodes (1.0 MB)
• electronics components of various types and sizes (5.9 MB)
• integrated circuit manufacturing process stages (5.2 MB)
• integrated circuits (1.7 MB)
• instrumentation for powering and making measurements in circuits (3.5 MB)
• oscilloscope demonstrations using the HP 2215 analog scope (16.2 MB)
• power transformer with laminated core (1.7 MB)
• relay and transistor switching circuit comparison (2.3 MB)
• resistor load bank (3.8 MB)
• resistors (1.4 MB)
• switches (1.6 MB)
• digital thermometer for thermocouple measurements ( 4.5 MB)
• transistors (1.0 MB)

  Mechatronic system examples

  • bowling machine controller and actuators (2.6 MB)
    • see also: "bowling mechanism" under Mechanism video demonstrations
  • brushless dc motor gear pump (2.5 MB)
  • computer hard-drive (1.8 MB)
  • DEMOSAT solar cell tester and air sample collector deployed by a helium balloon (7.1 MB)
  • inkjet printer components with dc motors and piezoelectric inkjet head (6.8 MB)
  • laboratory rat automated exercise machine (8.0 MB)
  • PIC microcontroller student design projects
  • programmable logic controller (PLC) with ladder logic (4.0 MB)
  • robot controlled by an EMG biosignal (6.0 MB)
  • robotics demonstrations
  • video casette recorder (VCR) (8.1 MB) 

PIC microcontroller examples

• dc motor PIC-based position and speed controller (6.8 MB)
• dc motor power-op-amp speed controller (7.4 MB)
• hexadecimal counter using a 555 timer and data flip-flops for hardware debouncing (2.1 MB)
• hexadecimal counter with software debounce (1.0 MB)
• LCD display (0.6 MB)
• potentiometer input and binary display (1.0 MB)
• pulse-width modulation speed control of a dc motor, adjustable by a numeric keypad (4.8 MB)
• multiple PICs (including one with internal A/D) used to control a robot based on an EMG biosignal (6.0 MB)
• stepper motor PIC-based position and speed controller (4.9 MB)

PIC microcontroller student design projects
              from ME307 - Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems
These projects are among the best from 2001 to the present. They are listed in order with the more impressive projects at the top of the list.

1. multifunction slot machine (5.6 MB)
   • appeared in the May '05 issue of Design News (see article and report)
2. gumdrop binary to digital learning machine (4.0 MB)
   • appeared in the April '04 issue of Design News (see article and report)
3. BeerBot - secure liquid dispensing system (3.3 MB)
   • appeared in the June '04 issue of Design News (see article and report)
4. laser pipe-cutting apparatus for fish-mouth joints (2.1 MB)
5. spiritied "Cam The Ram" stuffed animal (5.6 MB)
   • appeared in April '05 issue of Design News (see article and report)
6. Electronic "Twister" game (4.0 MB)
   • appeared in June '05 Design News (see article and report)
7. walking robot (3.1 MB)
8. automated socket retriever (3.1 MB)
9. clock with solar system model (4.7 MB)
10. Nintendo controller "Simon Says" game (6.4 MB)  
11. weight-based refrigerator alarm and locking system (5.4 MB)
12. automated bike headlamp (2.6 MB)
    • appeared in the 11/21/05 issue of Design News (see article)
13. automated rootBEER dispensing and metering system (4.5 MB)
14. rocket stabilizer (4.0 MB)
15. alarm clock with rug detector and automated window blinds (4.8 MB)
16. pinball machine controlled by a Motoral HC12 microcontroller (4.1 MB)  
17. Greek letter "Mastermind" game (2.6 MB)
18. lathe with stepper motors controlled by a manual pendant (1.5 MB)
19. juice mixer (1.7 MB)
20. RC airplane (3.7 MB)
21. Perfect Steering simulator (2.5 MB)
    • appeared in the November '05 issue of Design News (see article)
22. Beer Pong ball washer and dryer (1.8 MB)
23. rice transporter for an ASME Student Design Contest (2.9 MB)
24. squirting door security system (4.7 MB)
25. draft distribution center (3.9 MB)  
26. Field-programmble Gate Array (FPGA) controlled table tennis assistant (3.0 MB)
    • appeared in the April '05 issue of Design News (see article)
27. HVAC temperature control system (3.8 MB)  
28. shot shooter delivery system ( 2.3 MB)  
29. one-piece mechatronic Battleship game (3.1 MB)
30. vacuum robot (1.5 MB)
31. Southpark "AWESOMO" robot (3.7 MB)
32. 2 DOF vibration isolation experiment (4.7 MB)
33. binary coo-coo clock (1.7 MB)
34. binary addition game (3.8 MB)
35. automated blackjack dealer (5.5 MB)
36. IR controlled search-and-rescue robot (2.5 MB)
37. thermoelectric beverage cooler (3.4 MB)
38. miniature basketball HORSE game (4.3 MB)
39. can crusher with large dc motor (3.8 MB)
40. pneumatic aluminum can crusher (4.7 MB)
41. car with steering wheel control panel (1.9 MB)
42. parking lot control system (3.2 MB)
43. automatic TV power-off from a seat switch (2.0 MB)
44. miniature car wash (1.6 MB)
45. mine retrieval RC car for an ASME Student Design Contest (2.7 MB)
46. automobile automatic wiper and defroster (2.6 MB)
47. card dealer (4.5 MB)
48. drink mixer (1.7 MB)
49. alarm clock (2.5 MB)
50. automated ice-fishing pole (2.7 MB)
51. BeerPong game (2.8 MB)
52. submersible temperature and pressure sensor apparatus (3.9 MB)
53. RC car (1.6 MB)
54. automatic toilette seat (1.8 MB)
55. street lights (1.5 MB)
56. motor indexer (1.4 MB)
57. soda fountain (1.3 MB)
58. PWM speed control (2.8 MB)
59. combination device (1.6 MB)

power transmission

• high voltage power transmission line cables and connectors (2.2 MB)
• high voltage disconnect switch (1.5 MB)
• power station transformer fire (photos during, close-up, and after)

  sensors

  • accelerometer bearing signature analysis experiment (3.3 MB)
  • bouncing ball accelerometer (0.7 MB)
  • computer mouse relative encoder (1.0 MB)
  • EMG sensor used to control a robot (6.0 MB)
  • encoder components (1.8 MB)
  • infrared proximity sensor used in an automated laboratory rat exercise machine (8.0 MB)
  • inkjet printer components with custom digital encoders (6.8 MB)
  • magnetic pickup tachometer used in a PID speed controller test-stand (4.0 MB)
  • magnetostrictive position sensor (0.8 MB)
  • robot digital encoder components (4.3 MB)
    • see also: Adept One robot internal design and construction (4.6 MB)
  • strain gage rosette experiment (2.4 MB)
    • strain gage rosette experiment analysis discussion (10.3 MB)
    • PDF file containing analysis summary
  • switches (1.6 MB)
  • switch bounce (0.8 MB)
  • thermocouple with a digital thermometer (4.5 MB)
  • thermostat with bimetallic strips and mercury switch (2.3 MB) 
  • voice coil (1.1 MB)