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Team:Cornell/notebook/drylab/week 4
From 2012.igem.org
Week 4
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Focus: Electronics For realization of the biosensor, the Geek Squad discusses electrical components. Details
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Focus: Food Containment; Design of Chassis Mm mm... talk about food and open grills. Details
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Wednesday is now designated meeting time for the electronic aspect of the system. At the start, Dan made a chart of broad objectives that were broken down into tasks. Objectives include circuitry build, implementation of microcontroller and data transmission. An electrical engineering major, Lydia was the most knowledgeable one as we looked for analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and microcontrollers. In order to send data wirelessly, we decided to go with transmission over a cell phone network. First, the electrical signal from the bioreactor would be sent to the microcontroller; the microcontroller would be connected to a cellphone, which would then broadcast the data to a remote location. Kelvin as the computer science guy was the prime candidate for developing an Android application that would act as the interface between the microcontroller and phone. #potentiostat #electronics #microcontroller #ADC #Android #phone
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Yesterday, the microcontroller for our entire system, the Arduino ADK, was the first item to arrive! Produced in Italy, it seems like a neat, little thing. While we glossed over the board, Lydia and Kelvin went over some details regarding data transfer from the board to an Android phone. After settling down, our first line of business was to finalize the method for storing the viscous yeast-rich food source. Although we initially planned to machine a PVC cylinder, the issue of pressure building up due to airtightness led us to consider IV drip bags instead. Simple enough, the transparent pouches would deflate as food was depleted and give a clear indication of how much food is left. On a different note, these last few days have been inundated with ideas for housing the equipment. The chassis is required to float on the water surface and withstand the impact of a log traveling downstream. We also voted to place the solar panels within the case, spurring the need for a transparent rooftop; desiccant would prevent the inside from fogging up. Several messy sketches later, we envisioned a cylindrical chassis: a semi-cylindrical ceiling that mirrors the base. The roof would be some type of polycarbonate bent into a semicircle fixed on either side by the thin aluminum or steel walls that would provide strength for the casing. Steel rods would . After accounting for weight, we thought it best to similarly incorporate the cheaper and lighter polycarbonate material into the base. Our design resembles a grill, with the top half opening up like a briefcase. The solar panels are fixed to the roof. There are two mid-level trays to attach the Arduino board, bioreactor, food and micropumps, and one lower tray for the battery. To prevent contamination and promote portability, everything except the battery is installed into the chassis before deployment. The reactor is fixed to a swiveling plate on the tray to minimize sloshing and disturbance when someone is carrying the case. Once at the site, a person would need to only do 3 things: place the battery into the case, move the case out into the water and secure it to an anchor. Ultimately, our tentative design is streamlined for simplicity and portability. #food #chassis #grill #deployment
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Focus: Electronics For realization of the biosensor, the Geek Squad discusses electrical components.Entry:
Wednesday is now designated meeting time for the electronic aspect of the system. At the start, Dan made a chart of broad objectives that were broken down into tasks. Objectives include circuitry build, implementation of microcontroller and data transmission. An electrical engineering major, Lydia was the most knowledgeable one as we looked for analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and microcontrollers. In order to send data wirelessly, we decided to go with transmission over a cell phone network. First, the electrical signal from the bioreactor would be sent to the microcontroller; the microcontroller would be connected to a cellphone, which would then broadcast the data to a remote location. Kelvin as the computer science guy was the prime candidate for developing an Android application that would act as the interface between the microcontroller and phone. #potentiostat #electronics #microcontroller #ADC #Android #phone
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Focus: Food Containment; Design of Chassis Mm mm... talk about food and open grills.Entry:
Yesterday, the microcontroller for our entire system, the Arduino ADK, was the first item to arrive! Produced in Italy, it seems like a neat, little thing. While we glossed over the board, Lydia and Kelvin went over some details regarding data transfer from the board to an Android phone. After settling down, our first line of business was to finalize the method for storing the viscous yeast-rich food source. Although we initially planned to machine a PVC cylinder, the issue of pressure building up due to airtightness led us to consider IV drip bags instead. Simple enough, the transparent pouches would deflate as food was depleted and give a clear indication of how much food is left. On a different note, these last few days have been inundated with ideas for housing the equipment. The chassis is required to float on the water surface and withstand the impact of a log traveling downstream. We also voted to place the solar panels within the case, spurring the need for a transparent rooftop; desiccant would prevent the inside from fogging up. Several messy sketches later, we envisioned a cylindrical chassis: a semi-cylindrical ceiling that mirrors the base. The roof would be some type of polycarbonate bent into a semicircle fixed on either side by the thin aluminum or steel walls that would provide strength for the casing. Steel rods would . After accounting for weight, we thought it best to similarly incorporate the cheaper and lighter polycarbonate material into the base. Our design resembles a grill, with the top half opening up like a briefcase. The solar panels are fixed to the roof. There are two mid-level trays to attach the Arduino board, bioreactor, food and micropumps, and one lower tray for the battery. To prevent contamination and promote portability, everything except the battery is installed into the chassis before deployment. The reactor is fixed to a swiveling plate on the tray to minimize sloshing and disturbance when someone is carrying the case. Once at the site, a person would need to only do 3 things: place the battery into the case, move the case out into the water and secure it to an anchor. Ultimately, our tentative design is streamlined for simplicity and portability. #food #chassis #grill #deployment
