Science and Mechatronics Aided Research for Teachers with an Entrepreneurship Experience (SMARTER)
2013: Week I
Orientation
Alexa Goldstrom
Today we learned about the basic components of mechatronics and microcontrollers. Then we used our development board (Board of Education),Basic Stamp 2 (BS2) microcontroller, and the PBasic editor to write simple PBasic code to help us practice converting between the decimal, binary, and hexademical number systems.Then we learned about diodes and LEDs and wrote simple programs to control the LED lights and 7 segment LED display. We used the programs to turn lights on and off in different intervals. We used binary numbers and simple lookup codes to display 0-9 and A-F on the display.
Peter Tsun
Today we learned how to use push-button switches correctly with a microcontroller. We attended a lecture that gave an overview of switches and capacitors.Throughout the lecture, we asked many questions to understand how switches and capacitors operate and how to interface them with a microcontroller. Next, we performed experiments to read input from a push-button switch using a microcontroller. The highlight today is a project in which we developed the circuitry and program so that a microcontroller can keep track of number of students in a school building (by counting entering and exiting students). The corresponding program is shown in the enclosed picture and was written by Kelly and Alexa. Another enclosed picture shows a circuit to control two LEDs, one using a digital signal (on-off) and the other using an analog signal (to control LED brightness).
Zulficar Habib
Today we did some exciting activities. We began the day by using potentiometer to control the brightness of LEDs. We investigated charge/discharge times of capacitors in resistor-capacitor circuits by using the Rctime command in PBasic. This allowed us to measure analog changes in resistive sensors. We also worked with a transistor (BJT) to control current in a circuit. Finally, we created circuitry containing multiple ICs, including a digital potentiometer and a BJT.
Jason Rann
In the morning session we discussed motors in depth, specifically servo motors. We then discussed how to manipulate motor functions (position, speed, and direction) with a Basic Stamp 2 microcontroller and PBasic program, primarily with the PULSOUT command. We investigated charge/discharge times of capacitors in resistor-capacitor circuits by using the Rctime command in PBasic. This allowed us to measure analog changes in resistive sensors. We also worked with a transistor (BJT) to control current in a circuit. Finally, we created circuitry containing multiple ICs, including a digital potentiometer and a BJT.
