Team:Cornell/notebook/drylab/june

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Revision as of 22:20, 25 October 2012

Progress Log
Details
Both

June

  • Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 6, 2012

    Focus: General Brainstorming

    Welcome to the Dry Lab Blog! We start off with fresh ideas for the biosensor. Details
    Entry:
    Dry Lab met up for the first time to brainstorm designs for a biosensor that would allow a steady flow of water in and out, sustain genetically modified bacteria, process electrical signals coming from the culture, and communicate that information to a remote device. Before we began, however, we all introduced ourselves: Dan, Dylan, Maneesh, Tina, Lydia, Caleb, Chie and me (Robert). After a brief casual exchange, we quietly thought about functional requirements for the system before sharing them around the table. These requirements helped us brainstorm and refine our designs. Dan the Dry Lab leader then split us into groups to form ideas about various components, such as the pump mechanism, food delivery, water filtration and power source. We sketched and made bullet point descriptions, and aimed for 3 distinct designs. Knowing the functional requirements organized our thoughts and later refine our designs after the critique session. We passed our transcribed ideas around and commented on other people’s papers with post-its. With the new feedback, we returned to the drawing board to improve our concepts in the remaining time. Before the meeting was adjourned, we were assigned to research products or methods related to our components.

    #hello #brainstorming

    Saturday, June 9, 2012

    Focus: Biosensor Components

    Dry Lab takes a close look at batteries and discusses various approaches to food delivery. Details
    Entry:
    This past week, I learned that summer in Ithaca is much quieter than during the fall and spring semesters, but has much nicer weather and beautiful scenery. On the other side of the window, the second Dry Lab meeting was in session. Manny and Kelvin had come on board the Dry Lab team recently. Introductions aside, all of us took turns presenting our findings on pumps, filters, batteries and other components that would go into our biosensor system.

    For the power source, there were 3 different types of batteries to consider: lithium, lead acid and silver ion. Tina informed that silver ion would be most expensive as it was still relatively new technology. However, it was the most energy dense source. Between lithium and lead acid, lithium has a greater power-to-weight ratio but lost its capacity to hold charge even when not in use, while the lead acid was clunkier (heavier and larger) and better equipped to deliver large jolts of power.

    For food delivery and water filtration methods, we began a discussion about a combination of pump and gravity-fed designs to save power and extend battery life. Related to that matter, we talked about discrete versus continuous flow of food and water into the bacterial culture but were cut short on time.

    At home, we continued research on our assigned components, looking mostly at product price, functionality and performance.

    #power #battery #filtration
    Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 13, 2012

    Focus: System Flow

    Discrete versus continuous: debate on food and water delivery system continues. Details
    Entry:
    Today was a huge discussion day, in which we continued our previous discussion on fluid flow through the system. Last time, we leaned toward a discrete system because it would cut energy costs due to less activity. However, Dylan told us today that discrete flow would not work because the culture needs to maintain steady state. According to the equations and graphs he drew on the whiteboard, discrete flow would not satisfy this requirement. Any deviation from steady state would add noise to the electrical output from bacteria, rendering the biosensor inaccurate.

    Still, Maneesh and Dylan tried to design a discrete system that would work. A programmable fish food dispenser would periodically release food into the bioreactor that held the bacterial culture. And a microcontroller would be used to activate the water pump. However, the issue of maintaining steady state still lingered.

    On the whiteboard, we also came up with two other designs--a passive gravity fed system and a continuous model. For continuous flow, pumps would be constantly churning food and water into the bioreactor. The disadvantages are incredibly low flow rates (meaning higher-end machines) and greatest power consumption.

    In the passive system, food and water input from above the water level would flow down into the bioreactor. This design allowed for continuous flow and least energy consumption. However, the bulk of this system would need to be strictly underwater, so we would have to look into waterproofing.

    #filtration #flow #gravity

    Saturday, June 16, 2012

    Focus: System Flow

    Decisions have been made! With flow method and battery selected, we move onto pumps. Details
    Entry:
    Maneesh and Dylan made a presentation for discrete flow. The system seems to be complicated, as it involves pressure gradients and the use of feedback loops and modifiers to generate pressure equalization. Since simplicity is a top priority, we returned to continuous flow because it would be easier to implement and still fulfill the functional requirements.

    During further discussion, we did a back-of-the-envelope calculation for a continuous flow rate of water. It came out to be 0.03 milliliters per minute, which meant we needed a very precise, slow-acting pump. For the purpose of conserving energy, Dan found some low power pumps, including a $5 Chinese manufactured pump and a $20 500 GPH (gallons per hour) bilge pump. However, more research is required to find the optimal pump. We also thought about methods for introducing food into the stream. One idea was to use a worm-gear compressor to slowly push through our system.

    Chie presented candidates for our biosensor battery. We selected a 100Ah deep cycle gel cell battery, after listening to suggestions from several professors. Lydia and others discussed meeting with ECE professors to figure out the logistics of the circuitry component. We have a rough plan for developing the potentiostat, which is vital for measuring changes in potential, or signal produced by the bacteria when they detect toxins in the water.

    #flow #pump #battery #potentiostat
    << Previous Week
    Next Week >>
  • Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 6, 2012

    Dry Lab met up for the first time to brainstorm designs for a biosensor that would allow a steady flow of water in and out, sustain genetically modified bacteria, process electrical signals coming from the culture, and communicate that information to a remote device. Before we began, however, we all introduced ourselves: Dan, Dylan, Maneesh, Tina, Lydia, Caleb, Chie and me (Robert). After a brief casual exchange, we quietly thought about functional requirements for the system before sharing them around the table. These requirements helped us brainstorm and refine our designs. Dan the Dry Lab leader then split us into groups to form ideas about various components, such as the pump mechanism, food delivery, water filtration and power source. We sketched and made bullet point descriptions, and aimed for 3 distinct designs. Knowing the functional requirements organized our thoughts and later refine our designs after the critique session. We passed our transcribed ideas around and commented on other people’s papers with post-its. With the new feedback, we returned to the drawing board to improve our concepts in the remaining time. Before the meeting was adjourned, we were assigned to research products or methods related to our components.

    #hello #brainstorming

    Saturday, June 9, 2012

    This past week, I learned that summer in Ithaca is much quieter than during the fall and spring semesters, but has much nicer weather and beautiful scenery. On the other side of the window, the second Dry Lab meeting was in session. Manny and Kelvin had come on board the Dry Lab team recently. Introductions aside, all of us took turns presenting our findings on pumps, filters, batteries and other components that would go into our biosensor system.

    For the power source, there were 3 different types of batteries to consider: lithium, lead acid and silver ion. Tina informed that silver ion would be most expensive as it was still relatively new technology. However, it was the most energy dense source. Between lithium and lead acid, lithium has a greater power-to-weight ratio but lost its capacity to hold charge even when not in use, while the lead acid was clunkier (heavier and larger) and better equipped to deliver large jolts of power.

    For food delivery and water filtration methods, we began a discussion about a combination of pump and gravity-fed designs to save power and extend battery life. Related to that matter, we talked about discrete versus continuous flow of food and water into the bacterial culture but were cut short on time.

    At home, we continued research on our assigned components, looking mostly at product price, functionality and performance.

    #power #battery #filtration
    Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 13, 2012

    Today was a huge discussion day, in which we continued our previous discussion on fluid flow through the system. Last time, we leaned toward a discrete system because it would cut energy costs due to less activity. However, Dylan told us today that discrete flow would not work because the culture needs to maintain steady state. According to the equations and graphs he drew on the whiteboard, discrete flow would not satisfy this requirement. Any deviation from steady state would add noise to the electrical output from bacteria, rendering the biosensor inaccurate.

    Still, Maneesh and Dylan tried to design a discrete system that would work. A programmable fish food dispenser would periodically release food into the bioreactor that held the bacterial culture. And a microcontroller would be used to activate the water pump. However, the issue of maintaining steady state still lingered.

    On the whiteboard, we also came up with two other designs--a passive gravity fed system and a continuous model. For continuous flow, pumps would be constantly churning food and water into the bioreactor. The disadvantages are incredibly low flow rates (meaning higher-end machines) and greatest power consumption.

    In the passive system, food and water input from above the water level would flow down into the bioreactor. This design allowed for continuous flow and least energy consumption. However, the bulk of this system would need to be strictly underwater, so we would have to look into waterproofing.

    #filtration #flow #gravity

    Saturday, June 16, 2012

    Maneesh and Dylan made a presentation for discrete flow. The system seems to be complicated, as it involves pressure gradients and the use of feedback loops and modifiers to generate pressure equalization. Since simplicity is a top priority, we returned to continuous flow because it would be easier to implement and still fulfill the functional requirements.

    During further discussion, we did a back-of-the-envelope calculation for a continuous flow rate of water. It came out to be 0.03 milliliters per minute, which meant we needed a very precise, slow-acting pump. For the purpose of conserving energy, Dan found some low power pumps, including a $5 Chinese manufactured pump and a $20 500 GPH (gallons per hour) bilge pump. However, more research is required to find the optimal pump. We also thought about methods for introducing food into the stream. One idea was to use a worm-gear compressor to slowly push through our system.

    Chie presented candidates for our biosensor battery. We selected a 100Ah deep cycle gel cell battery, after listening to suggestions from several professors. Lydia and others discussed meeting with ECE professors to figure out the logistics of the circuitry component. We have a rough plan for developing the potentiostat, which is vital for measuring changes in potential, or signal produced by the bacteria when they detect toxins in the water.

    #flow #pump #battery #potentiostat
    << Previous Week
    Next Week >>
  • Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 6, 2012

    Focus: General Brainstorming

    Welcome to the Dry Lab Blog! We start off with fresh ideas for the biosensor.
    Entry:
    Dry Lab met up for the first time to brainstorm designs for a biosensor that would allow a steady flow of water in and out, sustain genetically modified bacteria, process electrical signals coming from the culture, and communicate that information to a remote device. Before we began, however, we all introduced ourselves: Dan, Dylan, Maneesh, Tina, Lydia, Caleb, Chie and me (Robert). After a brief casual exchange, we quietly thought about functional requirements for the system before sharing them around the table. These requirements helped us brainstorm and refine our designs. Dan the Dry Lab leader then split us into groups to form ideas about various components, such as the pump mechanism, food delivery, water filtration and power source. We sketched and made bullet point descriptions, and aimed for 3 distinct designs. Knowing the functional requirements organized our thoughts and later refine our designs after the critique session. We passed our transcribed ideas around and commented on other people’s papers with post-its. With the new feedback, we returned to the drawing board to improve our concepts in the remaining time. Before the meeting was adjourned, we were assigned to research products or methods related to our components.

    #hello #brainstorming

    Saturday, June 9, 2012

    Focus: Biosensor Components

    Dry Lab takes a close look at batteries and discusses various approaches to food delivery.
    Entry:
    This past week, I learned that summer in Ithaca is much quieter than during the fall and spring semesters, but has much nicer weather and beautiful scenery. On the other side of the window, the second Dry Lab meeting was in session. Manny and Kelvin had come on board the Dry Lab team recently. Introductions aside, all of us took turns presenting our findings on pumps, filters, batteries and other components that would go into our biosensor system.

    For the power source, there were 3 different types of batteries to consider: lithium, lead acid and silver ion. Tina informed that silver ion would be most expensive as it was still relatively new technology. However, it was the most energy dense source. Between lithium and lead acid, lithium has a greater power-to-weight ratio but lost its capacity to hold charge even when not in use, while the lead acid was clunkier (heavier and larger) and better equipped to deliver large jolts of power.

    For food delivery and water filtration methods, we began a discussion about a combination of pump and gravity-fed designs to save power and extend battery life. Related to that matter, we talked about discrete versus continuous flow of food and water into the bacterial culture but were cut short on time.

    At home, we continued research on our assigned components, looking mostly at product price, functionality and performance.

    #power #battery #filtration
    Next Week >>

    Wednesday, June 13, 2012

    Focus: System Flow

    Discrete versus continuous: debate on food and water delivery system continues.
    Entry:
    Today was a huge discussion day, in which we continued our previous discussion on fluid flow through the system. Last time, we leaned toward a discrete system because it would cut energy costs due to less activity. However, Dylan told us today that discrete flow would not work because the culture needs to maintain steady state. According to the equations and graphs he drew on the whiteboard, discrete flow would not satisfy this requirement. Any deviation from steady state would add noise to the electrical output from bacteria, rendering the biosensor inaccurate.

    Still, Maneesh and Dylan tried to design a discrete system that would work. A programmable fish food dispenser would periodically release food into the bioreactor that held the bacterial culture. And a microcontroller would be used to activate the water pump. However, the issue of maintaining steady state still lingered.

    On the whiteboard, we also came up with two other designs--a passive gravity fed system and a continuous model. For continuous flow, pumps would be constantly churning food and water into the bioreactor. The disadvantages are incredibly low flow rates (meaning higher-end machines) and greatest power consumption.

    In the passive system, food and water input from above the water level would flow down into the bioreactor. This design allowed for continuous flow and least energy consumption. However, the bulk of this system would need to be strictly underwater, so we would have to look into waterproofing.

    #filtration #flow #gravity

    Saturday, June 16, 2012

    Focus: System Flow

    Decisions have been made! With flow method and battery selected, we move onto pumps.
    Entry:
    Maneesh and Dylan made a presentation for discrete flow. The system seems to be complicated, as it involves pressure gradients and the use of feedback loops and modifiers to generate pressure equalization. Since simplicity is a top priority, we returned to continuous flow because it would be easier to implement and still fulfill the functional requirements.

    During further discussion, we did a back-of-the-envelope calculation for a continuous flow rate of water. It came out to be 0.03 milliliters per minute, which meant we needed a very precise, slow-acting pump. For the purpose of conserving energy, Dan found some low power pumps, including a $5 Chinese manufactured pump and a $20 500 GPH (gallons per hour) bilge pump. However, more research is required to find the optimal pump. We also thought about methods for introducing food into the stream. One idea was to use a worm-gear compressor to slowly push through our system.

    Chie presented candidates for our biosensor battery. We selected a 100Ah deep cycle gel cell battery, after listening to suggestions from several professors. Lydia and others discussed meeting with ECE professors to figure out the logistics of the circuitry component. We have a rough plan for developing the potentiostat, which is vital for measuring changes in potential, or signal produced by the bacteria when they detect toxins in the water.

    #flow #pump #battery #potentiostat
    << Previous Week
    Next Week >>

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