TABTAP ELECTRONIC RECEIPT SYSTEM
Over 10 million trees are cut down yearly to create paper receipts in the U.S. alone. The objective of this project is to design an alternative to paper receipts that reduces paper consumption, while maintaining the functionality of a paper receipt, and provides the user with a method to conveniently store and manage the receipts. The system includes a hardware terminal that connects physically to a traditional point of sale terminal, and wirelessly to a user’s smartphone through Bluetooth. The system then transfers a digital receipt to the user’s smartphone, which is received, stored, and managed by the smartphone app. Embedded hardware design is used for the underlying hardware of the physical terminal, and embedded software design is used for the creation of the software. Concepts from computer networks and communication theory are leveraged to optimize data transfer methods. The main advantages of this design over alternatives are that it provides a single platform to manage receipts from multiple retailers and multiple sources of payment, and that it is compatible with existing point of sale systems. Additionally, the system connects to a physical receipt printer, supporting users who still desire a paper copy of their receipt.
JINK
Mobile phone users are inundated with countless notifications every day. jInk uses E Ink, a display technology that mimics print on paper, providing users messages and other passive information. This technology allows content to be viewed in direct sunlight, while consuming an exceptionally small amount of power. jInk provides the user with a secondary E Ink screen that shows static content in place of the device's battery-hungry primary display. jInk incorporates this screen into a low-profile case that can fit onto a user's mobile device. Bluetooth Low Energy enables fast and easy communication, allowing the development of responsive and content-rich applications. Furthermore, jInk sips energy, drawing just a small amount of power from the mobile device's USB port, eliminating the need for charging. The project requires the application of antenna design, circuit theory, and switching power supply design, as well as both embedded and high-level software design principles. jInk provides improved display viewing angles and power consumption over existing solutions using conventional backlit displays, and similar devices are not commonly available on the market.
ACCELERANDO: THE SELF-LEARNING PIANO TUTORING SYSTEM
The most conventional piano learning method is to hire a piano teacher, which can be expensive depending on the level and frequency of the lessons. In a survey, approximately 60% of teenage students expressed interest in learning the piano but were inhibited by various circumstances such as financial cost, peer pressure, and self-pride. The objective of our project is to provide a cheaper and self-correctable way to learn the basics of score reading before going into more advanced levels that require professional input. Accelerando is an interactive score-reading tutoring program which provides real-time feedback on the user’s performance. It presents music sheets which move in a preset tempo on the monitor and provides feedback by lighting up the target keys on a keyboard with different colours when the user follows along and tries to play accordingly. Database and webpage design is used to track and store the user’s progress and to provide feedback, while microprocessor theories are used to manage the hardware inputs and outputs. The advantage of this design is that Accelerando provides, at an affordable price, real-time feedback which is a better alternative to students practicing/learning on their own without a mentor’s correction.
DR. STEP
Approximately twenty to thirty percent of North Americans have over-pronated or flat feet due to poor walking posture, often leading to medical conditions such as Plantar Fasciitis and Bunions. These issues could be identified and corrected at early stages with early diagnosis; however, there is no widely-available technology for non-professionals which assists with self-diagnosis and monitoring of walking posture. The goal of this project (Dr. Step) is to design an adaptable and convenient real-time biometric data-gathering system, focusing on gait analysis and data communication in an accessible manner. The system utilizes algorithms for gait analysis based on force-sensing resistive sensors, and interfaces with market-ready android/iOS applications. The design of the system incorporates concepts from algorithms, statistical analysis, analog control systems, electronic devices, database systems, software design, and computer networking courses. The main advantage of this design over alternatives is its data retrieval without user effort, as well as real-time and historical data delivery using mobile platforms/devices. Summarily, Dr. Step identifies and informs the user of incorrect posture and gait patterns, and makes recommendations to the user on walking habits to mitigate potential medical conditions.
SHOPSMART
A study conducted in New York discovered that 81% of shoppers are frustrated with their grocery shopping experience. Reasons for this frustration include long lines, crowded aisles, and “sticker shock at prices”. With increasing competition from online shopping, the shopping experience stores provide to customers is bound to become even more important. Our objective is to design a system with a shallow learning curve that provides grocery shoppers a more organized shopping experience. Current implementations include Tesco and Scan-It which focus on reducing checkout times and managing customer budgets. The ShopSmart system includes an integrated tablet with a portable scanner as well as weight sensors attached to the cart. These devices allow customers to scan-in products throughout the store while using the additional features such as product reviews and an in-store map on the tablet. The weight sensors ensure customers are adding only scanned items to the cart. With the help of near field communication, customers are able to transfer their electronic shopping list from their smartphones to the tablet. Lastly, with the help of break beam sensors, the total number of customers in the store is displayed in the smartphone application. This helps customers make informed decisions and provides an enjoyable shopping experience.
FOLLOWCAM
Personal video recording is becoming more and more popular. In the past, video recording has been mostly limited to hand-held cameras operated by a third-party. However, a third-party is not always available. In those situations, the user is limited to filming themselves via a self-attached camera, which can be a hindrance, especially if the user is in motion (running, climbing, etc.). A self-attached camera also offers only limited camera angles. The project is a fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that allows for the filming of a person in motion via a camera mounted onto the UAV. The UAV tracks and follows the target with image processing and recognition as it films, thereby removing the need for manual control of the UAV or any other peripherals. The movement and control of the UAV involves knowledge of control systems and routing algorithms. The goal is to provide an affordable solution to filming great action shots from a wide variety of angles and distances, all with ease.
HELIOS NETWORKS
Every year, the Canadian telecommunications industry spends $2 billion on planning and development to provide Internet connectivity across the country. In mature countries like Canada, wide-spread Internet availability accounted for over 20% of gross domestic product growth in the past 5 years. However, 15% of rural Canadians remain without an Internet connection, and for developing countries lacking capital expenditure, Internet access has become an impossibility for 68% of households. Internet dead-zones can also occur beyond rural and developing regions; efforts to restore Internet connectivity to disaster-stricken areas, such as the 2015 Nepal Earthquake region, can take months. The objective is to design a low-cost solution that can be deployed to provide Internet access in regions with little or no existing infrastructure. The proposed solution is a wireless base-station that reduces the cost of network deployment by minimizing planning and hardware requirements. Each base-station is fully self-sustaining; solar- powered microcontrollers run a mesh network protocol on unlicensed spectrum and automatically connect with similar base-stations and other Wi-Fi enabled clients. Each base-station is optimized for maximizing signal strength by using a switched directional antenna array. Existing alternatives rely on fixed power sources which do not provide the same ease of setup, flexibility, and cost-savings.
SOUNDSPOT
Bridgestone Corporation finds that nearly 90% of Americans take summer road trips. Often times, the driver listens to navigational instructions while passengers are sleeping or listening to music. There is no simple way to separate sound from the driver and passengers. Headphones are not a plausible solution since they prevent conversation and may cause dangerous situations for the driver. The objective of SoundSpot is to provide an isolated personal and configurable audio experience. SoundSpot achieves this through switching between directed speakers, that only the intended passenger can hear, and conventional speakers, that are broadcasted to all passengers. Each passenger can alternatively listen to their own music by connecting their device to the hub. SoundSpot generates and emits directional ultrasonic waves at two different frequencies, which combine to produce audible sounds for human ears when they are blocked by a person or an object. Communication systems theory is essential when developing ultrasonic emitters. An alternative from Harman International creates individual sound zones through small individual speakers and noise cancellation modules for each headset; this solution requires careful design of interference filters. In contrast, SoundSpot simplifies the implementation by using a directional speaker that can be heard only in the path it faces.
CROWDSOUND
It is difficult to gauge a crowd’s music taste in a public setting such as in a restaurant, bar, or gym especially with the constant flow of people in and out of the area. While top charts can identify popular songs in a nation, there is no dynamic solution for smaller crowds with changing demographics. The objective of this project is to design a collaborative and unobtrusive music system. The product is able to determine the music preferences of all users within hearing range of the system and intelligently generate the optimal set of songs or genres for the given audience. The music system consists of a centralized server that listeners connect to with mobile devices over a wireless network in order to autonomously push native song metadata. Optionally, the users can provide real-time feedback by suggesting or voting for specific music songs or genres. The centralized server takes metadata along with the feedback to compute the best, continuous playlist to play on a connected speaker. The main advantage of this system over radio or disc jockey is that it takes the listeners music taste and feedback into consideration.
SMART MIRROR
Every morning, an average person spends two minutes brushing their teeth in front of a mirror. The traditional practise entails checking one’s smartphone during their morning routine. The goal of this project is to increase productivity during the idle time spent in front of a mirror by providing the user with useful information such as the weather, email, upcoming calendar appointments, and to-do lists. This mirror displays the current day’s activities in the early hours and displays the following day’s appointments at night. The solution involves a display that resides behind a one-way glass, controlled by a wirelessly enabled logic board. The information displayed on the Smart Mirror can be configured by a smartphone application or through a web interface. The solution involves knowledge of embedded systems, user interface design, and networking. By displaying information throughout the day using the Smart Mirror, it ensures the client is equipped with information to tackle the day. The main advantage of using the Smart Mirror instead of a traditional mirror is the display of personalized information to the user without requiring additional effort.
THE GUARDIAN: FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
In the year 2013, fires resulted in property damages of $11.5 billion in the US alone. During a fire, a portion of the property damage is caused by indoor sprinkler systems spraying water in areas where the fire is not active, resulting in the destruction of sensitive equipment and building infrastructure. Current systems are also slow to respond to small fires. The objective of this project is to design a first response fire suppression system which selectively targets and douses areas where fire is present until the fire is contained or help arrives. The Guardian achieves this goal by using infrared cameras and sensors to detect heat, an on-board processor to analyze targets, two motors for three dimensional motion, and a built-in fire suppression mechanism. Image processing is used to decode received infrared data, and control theory is applied to control the device’s operation accordingly. The main advantage of this design over existing systems is its ability to quickly isolate areas where a fire is active and put it out. Another advantage is an overall simpler and more intelligent design involving less piping and infrastructure.
CONHAB
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury resulting from an impact the head, jarring the brain inside the skull. Each year, approximately 4,000,000 people worldwide suffer from concussions – a number that has doubled over the past decade. If left untreated, long-term brain damage may occur. Currently, physiotherapists visually observe a patient’s eye (ocular) gaze direction and head (vestibular) rotation while performing rehabilitation exercises to evaluate their condition. ConHab is a rehabilitation tool that aims to eliminate the reliance on the existing manually performed, non- quantitative methods. The tool is designed on a mobile platform which uses a smartphone camera to detect ocular and vestibular motions. It guides patients through the rehabilitation exercises prescribed by the physiotherapist and provides corrective data as feedback to the user based on what it ‘sees’ and records this data as a quantified data set. The recorded data is then analyzed and reported to the physiotherapist to monitor the patient’s progress. The design incorporates knowledge of control systems, digital image processing and Human-Machine Interaction. ConHab offers the benefit of being a portable, easy-to-use solution which delivers significantly higher measurement accuracy compared to manual observations, and can be utilized in both clinical and home settings.
SMARTROUTE INDOOR NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Some indoor urban environments, such as Toronto’s Eaton Center, attract over 50 million visitors annually. The growth of mall sizes, with hundreds of shops in each mall, is making it increasingly difficult for shoppers to navigate these environments. The objective of this project is to design a system which allows users to find specific locations in an indoor location. The Smart Route is an intelligent indoor GPS system that provides users with path finding information, as well as being a platform which can provide users with additional information that enhances their experience. In a mall, shoppers can be shown any promotional or discounted items that they may be interested in. Wireless devices placed around the mall are used to triangulate the user’s location. Machine learning and adaptive algorithms provide dynamic routes, determined by variables such as time of day and flow of foot traffic. Software architecture design is used to construct an extensible platform on which modules are built to provide users with additional specific notifications, such as store sales. One advantage of this design over other alternatives is its ability to analyze user behavior and then adapt continually to provide the user with optimized efficient routes.
NURHACHI: VIRTUAL ENERGY MARKET PLACE FOR DISTRIBUTED ENERGY
With innovations such as roof-top solar panels and large capacity battery storage, people’s day-to-day energy profiles are changing drastically. The current grid lacks the ability to react to changing consumer behaviors since it was designed solely for centralized generation. This could cause serious disruptions in power quality. Power outages and disturbances cost businesses in the U.S. alone more than $120 billion a year. Nurhachi’s energy market place aims to alleviate the strain on the grid introduced by a high penetration of renewable technology. This platform reduces the net power flow from the primary transmission network by managing power dispatch within the secondary distribution network. The market enables direct commercial transactions of energy from renewable sources between the independent supplier and consumers on the secondary distribution network. The market place is a web service with two main components. First, a power management subsystem provides the signals used to control the energy discharged from renewable sources using demand and generation forecasts. Second, a market place records energy transactions and provides a mechanism for energy consumers to pay suppliers directly. Nurhachi enable maximum savings for consumers and premium earnings for independent energy suppliers. This will increase the return on investment for renewable energy suppliers. The utility’s monolithic influence over the energy market can be replaced by shared influence from distributed energy suppliers.
ULTIMATE SHOWEROMETER SUPREME
According to Environment Canada, an average Canadian uses 343 litres of water each day, 35% of which is consumed in showers and baths. Managing the demand of this finite resource is an essential part of a sustainable future. The objective of the Ultimate Showerometer Supreme is to promote the efficient use of water during showers. The system features a “Pause” function, which uses a valve to temporarily interrupt the flow when performing activities such as applying soap, shampoo, or shaving. The Ultimate Showerometer Supreme offers a monitoring system that tracks consumption via flow meters. It provides a way to view statistics in real time through a screen display, indicating water consumption and water saved via the “Pause” feature. Furthermore it allows users to share their water saving progress with friends through the use of a bundled web/mobile application. Unlike similar designs, the Ultimate Showerometer does not cut the water supply upon reaching a threshold time or volume of water. It instead encourages users to shrink their environmental footprint by raising awareness of usage, and by promoting personal involvement in conservation efforts.
POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SOLAR-POWERED QUADCOPTER
The use of commercial drones for surveillance, commercial, and consumer recording is increasing. The electronic quadcopter market currently faces a problem of maximizing flight time. Low-end consumer models can fly for approximately 20 minutes on average. The objective of this project is to construct a quadcopter drone with an intelligent power management system to increase flight time. Using a commercially available drone kit as a base, we build a solar cell array and integrate it into the drone power system. Optimization for energy production versus mass is conducted to optimize production versus weight. Fourth-year knowledge required for this project includes power systems, hardware architecture, control systems, power conversion, energy loss, and embedded software design. The advantage of this drone, aside from longer flight time, is an improvement in the commercial feasibility of drones.
TRIFECTA: TRAINING ASSISTANT FOR TRIATHLETES
Over 100 million users already use fitness tracking services such as Strava and Runkeeper. These services provide functionality to track fitness progress and motivate athletes; however, these services do not utilize this data’s full potential. Trifecta is a training assistant for cyclists, runners and swimmers which leverages an athlete’s activity data to create training plans based on their fitness level to help them achieve their goals. Using well established fitness models, Trifecta optimizes a training plan to maximize its effectiveness based on athletes’ preferences. This training plan is then scheduled into the athlete’s calendar during specified free periods in order to optimize their fitness benefits. Furthermore, Trifecta generates suggested geographical routes based on the training plan activities. Optimal routes are charted based on criteria such as athlete preferences, road popularity, and intersection avoidance. As a whole, Trifecta aims to reduce or eliminate many challenges involved with planning training activities. As athletes improve their fitness, their Trifecta training plans will adapt based on their fitness level, keeping the athletes challenged and motivated. Built and designed for anyone, from the aspiring athlete to the seasoned Ironman, Trifecta helps athletes spend less time planning and more time building a healthy lifestyle.
CSCREEN
Screen sharing is currently used for demos, presentations, and troubleshooting. Presently, the ability to share content exists for desktops. As of early 2015, 80% of Internet users own a smartphone. Screen sharing functionality should extend to mobile devices as they become increasingly prevalent. The Optia Android application tried to enable screen sharing between mobile devices; however, it is limited to Samsung devices and is unstable. The objective of this project is to design a screen sharing solution for all Android devices running Android version 5.0 or higher. The application uses a mobile peer-to-peer system to facilitate screen sharing among devices. The peer-to-peer system connects devices over a local area network and can be expanded to allow users to share screens over the Internet. This expansion relies heavily on current theory regarding scalable distributed systems. Connectivity between users is managed through an in-application friend list. Current approaches to the problem usually restrict the smartphone to act as the sharing device. The application allows for any Android smartphone to share its screen and to view the screens of other Android smartphones.
AUTOMATED SINGLE VESSEL HOME BREWERY SYSTEM
The art of home brewing has been steadily gaining popularity over the past 35 years alongside the rise of craft breweries in North America, so much so that in 2010 there were over 2000 craft breweries in the United States, after starting with only 8 in 1980. The objective of this project is to combine home brewing experience with engineering design, and construct a single vessel brewing system. By maintaining a strict control of key parameters, the brewing process is regulated using a combination of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, digital controls, power systems, embedded robotics and mobile development. The Robotics Operating System allows for a design where sensors can be added to a modular setup and provide feedback. By receiving feedback from temperature readings, density measurements, and capacitance monitoring, the brewing process can be accurately recorded, shared, and automated by the system. The single vessel design allows for reduced complexity compared to the traditional home brewing method which requires various components, constant monitoring, and heavy maintenance.
CRYPTONITE: LOW POWER HARDWARE CRYPTOGRAPHY
Cryptography in embedded devices, especially small or mobile, is often lackluster because the cost, time, and power usage often outweigh the risks of having little to no security. The objective of this project (Cryptonite) is to enable low power, high quality, easy-to-use cryptography in embedded devices. This is done by providing a hardware implementation of the "Networking and Cryptography Library", supporting low-power symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption, and hashing. The hardware implementation is prototyped and proven on a field programmable gate array. The majority of the design work is writing Verilog hardware description language code, to perform the cryptographic operations as well as the configuration and operation of a serial interface that facilitates data exchange between low power micro-controllers and Cryptonite. The device is subject to numerous security tests. The main advantages of this design over major alternatives are the simple application programming interface, low power usage, and ease of embedding into circuit designs.
JAMBOT: AUTONOMOUS STAGE CREW
Due to changing times, live performances are more and more important. However, managing and preparing for a live performance takes time as well as a large sum of money, which most musician groups do not have. The JamBot is built in order to help musicians save the time and money spent on live performances by providing musicians with software that adjusts stage effects based on the music performed. The JamBot is able to identify changes in real-time to the pitch, rhythm, and the volume of the music being performed and to make changes to the lights to reflect this change. This is accomplished by custom software that analyzes the music being played and detects when changes occur. The software reflects these changes by managing the lights in specific ways. An alternative to JamBot is LightJams. LightJams has a similar purpose to JamBot, in that it is designed to automate light performances. LightJams requires the user to design the light show and create cues and change schedules to create the light show, whereas JamBot uses minimal user design to fully automate the light show. This design involves knowledge of real-time sensors, frequency analysis, and adaptive algorithms. The JamBot will help performers everywhere bring their performances to higher levels.
ANIWEAR
Cattle are an integral part of human society. The health of these animals is important to the people who manage and raise them. The objective of this project is to facilitate the monitoring of cattle health using a wearable device. AniWear is a livestock wearable that can be placed around the neck of any bovine. Fitness technologies are used to track early warning signs of deteriorating health and provide detailed information to help with the diagnosis and treatment of various ailments. By monitoring a bovine’s motion using an accelerometer, an approximate measurement of their health can be obtained. This low-power wearable uses Bluetooth LE to communicate with a stationary access point which, in turn, relays information back to an available, scalable, distributed system. On some farms, the health of cattle is monitored by visual inspection by owners or rare visits to a veterinarian; on other farms, complex and costly systems are in place to monitor cattle health. AniWear provides a less expensive and more convenient method of diagnosing health problems in cattle.
FUTUREGRAM
Social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram play an important and influential role in today's society. The power of social media allows self-expression, individuality, and branding on a global scale. With the proper media outlet and creativity, any individual or business is capable of reaching thousands of people instantly. The metric for success is commonly quantified by the number of likes, favourites, or followers one may have on their account. For many users or businesses, these metric of success do not simply symbolize popularity but are actually tied to monetary values. The objective of the FutureGram application is to predict the number of likes a photo will accumulate as well as discover trends and demographic information that are useful to advertisement firms. The predictions are based on machine learning algorithms that analyze data from existing photo profiles extracted using image processing and other interfaces. The accuracy of the predictions increases with the number of iterations from testing and consumer utilization. With the utilization of FutureGram, users can maximize their exposure by adjusting their photos to increase the number of likes attained as well as obtaining demographic information on their followers to better satisfy their market.
SMARTTRIGGER
In many countries, including America, it is exceedingly simple to purchase a gun. Guns are prevalent in society, but so far there isn’t any sophisticated protection in place to account for when or where these guns are being used. The goal of this project is to detect when a shot is fired and record all relevant information, such as the time and location of the firing. This is done via multiple sensors on the gun that accurately detect when a bullet is fired. An embedded system then records this information, and sends it to a secure database. This system is powered with an internal battery, and the data is encrypted before it is sent out over the network. Engineering design decisions were developed with knowledge of software architecture, power systems, computer security, and databases.
WATAWARE: INTELLIGENT HYDRATION COMPANION
Water is essential to our lives and well-being, but less than half the population actually drink the recommended amount on a daily basis. While the consequences for long-term dehydration can be severe, the general public may not regard consistent hydration as a top priority. The objective of WatAware is to design a water bottle that monitors daily water intake and encourages users to meet their hydration goals. By embedding capacitive water level sensors within the bottle, the volume of water present within the bottle is determined in real-time throughout the user’s daily activities. The user can set a daily water intake goal through a capacitive touch interface and the bottle actively reminds the user to rehydrate. Users are able to verify their daily water intake directly on the bottle and further analyze their intake history through a smartphone application. Existing solutions for real-time water intake tracking rely heavily on the use of a smartphone to synchronize information between a bottle and a software application. In contrast, WatAware is a standalone system that is fully functional without the need for any intervention from external devices.
INTERACTIVE PROJECT SYSTEM (IPS)
Despite recent technological advances in the field of education, it is still not feasible to have an interactive projector in every classroom. Currently available options, such as the SMART boards, are expensive, sluggish and have limited functions, leading most educational institutions to rely on basic presentation tools, such as chalkboards or whiteboards. IPS, an interactive projection system, serves to facilitate the transition from analog presentation to a digital environment. The system is composed of a graphical user interface that allows the user to annotate PDFs and various other files, ultrasonic sensors to detect the motions of the user’s hand, and a battery-powered glove with laser sensors that communicates with the main system for accurate tracking of hand gestures. Design of the glove uses knowledge of sensor systems and tracking as well as wireless communication standards such as Bluetooth. Our interactive projection system is a compact, user-friendly solution, which is more affordable than current electronic teaching tools and offers a wider range of functions with a fast response time.
POWER SMART
The demand for the ability to control and monitor household appliances continues to grow. Many current communication schemes use WiFi integrated systems for power management and control. However, WiFi may not be available in every part of the system, and is not reliable at every point of a smart home. Another option is to use powerline communication as a resource for home automation. Powerline infrastructure is a resource available in every household but is not used for internal communication. The goal of this project is to design a platform for communication and management of any system that uses electrical power inside a home. Power Smart connects all appliances through the existing powerline infrastructure to a centralized hub. This solution consists of a module with integrated powerline protocol chips, a microcontroller, and a hub running an embedded linux server. The design of this system requires the understanding of power electronic circuits, analog filters, and embedded software. The main advantage of the Power Smart platform is that users are able to monitor energy consumption throughout the system and send control information to connected appliances.
SMARTBRACE
Every year, many athletes across the world suffer from sport injuries that can potentially lead to permanent physical damage and psychological impairment. The damage is more extensive for athletes who play at a professional level as it could result in a significant financial loss. Sport braces are commonly used to reduce the risk of injuries or to support the recovery process by providing pressure around a specific area. However, the added pressure often hinders an athlete’s movement and does not feel comfortable. The objective of this project is to design a smart ankle brace that will tighten up and apply pressure only when the athlete is at risk of injury. The SmartBrace uses a gyroscope and flex sensors to detect the onset of an ankle twist. The input to the system is collected from the athlete’s movement, while the output of the system consists of a sudden tightening of the brace in the appropriate area. This is calculated and applied using circuit design and control theory. The main advantage of this design over current alternatives is that it provides similar protection while also being more comfortable and less restrictive to an athlete’s movement.
TAILORLESS CUSTOM-FIT CLOTHING
Mass produced 3-size clothing (S/M/L) does not properly fit all aspects of a human body, and traditional custom-fit clothing is too expensive for most consumers due to its intensive manual involvement. The objective of this project is to design a system that computationally generates a pattern for a well-fitting t-shirt using a 3D body scan of the individual. The system takes a 3D scan of a person using the depth sensor on a Microsoft Kinect and then uses image processing algorithms to gather precise body measurements from this data. These measurements are used to calculate and render an appropriate t-shirt pattern that matches the customer's unique body shape. This system replaces the need to have an experienced tailor manually measure the customer's body and design a suitable pattern, which is typically the highest cost and most time consuming portion of the traditional custom-fit tailoring process.
TYR ROBOTICS
The human hand is the most important appendage to the development of our species. In the age of technology, we remain reliant on the dexterity of our hands, as we use it to interact with technological tools. However, over 2 million people in the world have lost one or both of their hands. Available hand prosthetics, like the DEKA and BeBionic hands, either require input from another body part or use limited pre-programmed gestures, and are not widely available. The goal of Tyr Robotics is to design software for hand prosthetics, offering flexible control based only on electromyographic (EMG) data from the arm that is wearing the prosthetic. Tyr Robotics’s solution for prosthetic hand software receives EMG data from third party sensors like Thalmic Lab’s Myo. With statistical analysis of the EMG signals emitted by the forearm, and using heuristics based on each wearer’s unique EMG data patterns, the software can accurately reproduce hand motions. This technology provides easy mapping of data to a robotic prosthetic, making it highly expandable and able to adapt to a wide variety of robotic hand prosthetics.
BINTEREST
In order for recycling companies to expand their reach they must add or relocate 30 drop off locations per month in over ten major cities. This process requires significant human resources to scout out new locations, and it relies heavily on organizational memory with respect to the expected and past performance of prospective locations. The objective of this project is to address the location-prospecting problem faced by expanding recycling companies. By studying existing collection network data, new locations are found in use-specified regions by identifying the location-based factors which lead to a productive location. These predictions are constantly refined by an algorithm utilizing the feedback of how well the new locations are performing, and insights derived from testing them against the performance of the existing decision-making process. The system is to be used in order to expand the collection network more efficiently by automating the existing manual and laborious process of prospecting locations. Additionally, historical collection data aids the organization in preventing losses due to deployments at locations that are statistically inferior within their existing operational area. This project enables the product and service providers to make more educated, data-backed business decisions and investments.
AUTOTRIPP
Global tourism is a $2 trillion industry, an enormous figure that could be even larger if travellers knew how to plan for their trips more appropriately. The objective of this project is to provide a solution to minimize the time it takes for tourists to create an itinerary. By entering the types of attractions the user wants to visit, along with their budget and duration of stay, this app aggregates information from leading sites such as Foursquare and Yelp to create a custom itinerary. Furthermore, it maps out the attractions so that they can be visited in an optimal manner. This requires the implementation of graph theory and optimization algorithms. The main advantage of this design over alternatives is that it compiles information from multiple sources and calculates the most efficient use of the user’s time based on the attractions they want to see, eliminating the need to filter through individual sites for the best possible options. Furthermore, it caches the itinerary and route for use when abroad. This application will help travellers be prepared and organized while travelling and help them focus on enjoying their trips rather than wondering what to do.
AUTOMATED DIRECTIONALLY CONTROLLED PHASED ANTENNA ARRAY
Consumer electronics are constrained by available power. As high-speed wireless communications become more integral to the functionality of these consumer devices, the high power demand of data transmission is becoming a greater concern. This project aims to apply the directionality of a four-square vertical antenna array to increase mobile wireless efficiency. By combining a software-controlled phase-shifting network with the phase-directed array, this system detects incoming signals and automatically adjusts the array’s directionality to provide optimal gain in the direction of the source, allowing for stronger received signal strength, increased attenuation of extraneous signal sources, and greater transmit efficiency over an isotropic radiator-based design. This project uses hybrid-90-degree microwave couplers in a tuned-phase, varactor-controlled topology to allow for complete phase control, facilitating field adjustments if necessary. This design provides the benefits of a directional antenna (increased gain and efficient use of transmit power in the direction of the source) without the added mechanical complexity and physical footprint of a rotor-based solution.
AISLEMARKET
An average Canadian spends 57 minutes grocery shopping, at least 37 times each year; for many, this time is either a luxury or a hassle. This project introduces a service that periodically gathers, predicts, and generates the user’s grocery list based on individual user profile. Shoppers interact, review and make necessary changes through a smartphone application. Consumption is tracked through point-of-sale data and the use of a Near Field Communication (NFC) system. The NFC reading system is a phone attachment that is able to quickly gather the consumed items by sensing all discarded items in a garbage bin. Through the gathered consumption information, the prediction algorithm produces a more accurate result after each use. Concepts from cooperative and adaptive algorithms are applied to create systems for purchase data prediction. Knowledge from database design and management is used to create a centralized server for storing and computing personalized groceries for individual users. Foundational skills on software architecture and web services are used to implement the frontend interface for the user. Compared to existing methods, the user can expect to save time and effort from traveling and choosing groceries. Users are free from the responsibility of grocery shopping.
HOME ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (HESS)
Since 2008, there has been a significant rise in energy costs in Ontario. Residential consumers have seen a cost increase of 196% during off-peak hours, and an increase of 73% during on-peak hours. The objective is to provide a storage system for the home that can charge during off-peak hours, and discharge to provide power during on-peak hours. This storage system aims to provide an effective method to reduce the energy demand on the electrical grid during on-peak hours, and provide the user with increased control of their energy consumption. HESS includes a battery for energy storage and a connected embedded system to easily and safely monitor and control the device over the web. The system’s voltage regulation component takes into account the instantaneous power, power factor, and total harmonic distortion during the charging and discharging cycles. Embedded systems knowledge and power theory are used for the controller, current and voltage monitoring peripherals. Networking protocols and database theory are used for configuring the embedded system with a user feedback interface. HESS differs from current solutions by incorporating connectivity to the web for compliance, control, and monitoring purposes.
SPORTACUS
When training for sports, information regarding biometrics and performance are critical for an athlete to track and understand impact and progress of their workout. Currently, the best solutions for biometric tracking include various smart watches and heart rate monitors, all targeting general athletic activity. However, there are no wearable technologies that focus on interpreting motion sensor data over short distances to provide insight into the pure athletic capabilities of the user. Sportacus focuses on calculating the speed and acceleration of an athlete using advanced signal processing techniques, and displaying these metrics to the user via a durable, safe heads-up-display. By displaying these metrics in real time, Sportacus provides instant feedback to athletes, allowing them to train and compete at the highest levels.
WILCO
Two-way radios are the industry standard for short-range voice communication in various fields such as public safety, construction/warehouse, retail, and other occupations. With the increasing trend of ‘bring your own device’ in the workplace, our device combines the functionality of the smartphone and the two-way radio. The Wilco is a portable device incorporating an antenna, radio, and Bluetooth circuit enclosed in a small chassis. The Wilco operates on the GMRS/FRS UHF bands. It incorporates a microprocessor, which controls the Bluetooth module and RF chip; it also processes transmitted and received audio data. A lithium polymer battery powers the device. Wilco pairs with a user’s smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing the smartphone to have push-to-talk capabilities. The Bluetooth module interacts with the Wilco smartphone app, which transmits and receives real-time audio data. The main advantage of the Wilco over traditional software VoIP applications on smartphones is its backward compatibility with traditional two-way radios. Wilco offer users the features of the traditional two-way radio, gives them the ability to use their smartphones, all while eliminating the need of a bulky two-way radio.
SLEEPSIGHT
Quality of sleep is crucial to a person’s health and well-being. The lack of a good night’s sleep has been linked to a degradation of concentration, productivity, and memory. For general consumers, sleep tracking solutions that use smartphones to monitor simple quantitative data such as sleep duration and frequency have achieved limited success in reducing this personal and economic burden. However, their scope of functionality does not include determining how a person sleeps throughout the night and detecting sleep abnormalities related to their posture and breadth of movement. SleepSight gives users a more complete suite of data than existing consumer solutions. It is a mattress pad system that rests on existing bedding ensembles and integrates a pressure matrix to physically map a user on the bed. Data is analyzed to provide a visual representation of their body position, movement, and sleep duration throughout the night. The focus is not only to provide users with simple tracking information, but intuitively show them how they are sleeping and suggest feedback on how it affects their overall sleep quality. The end goal is to better detect sleep abnormalities and offer consumers a more visual dataset to bring corrective action to their sleeping habits.
LIT BITS: MODULAR DISPLAY DEVICES
Every year, 50 million people attend concert venues to see their favourite artists. As part of these concert events, artists require, now more than ever, stimulating visuals and lighting effects to evoke emotions in their audience. The aim of this project is to create an easy to use, functional, modular display system, capable of being used for a variety of lighting applications, where users can present custom visuals. Lit Bits are intelligent display modules that know other Lit Bits' locations, and are scalable to the users' needs, whether they need a small assembled display for mood lighting, or a large display for a concert venue. In addition, they are also capable of being connected in various orientations to suit the needs of the user. This project encompasses power distribution methodologies due to its' modular design, embedded systems to control the entire assembled device, and algorithm concepts to design a self-addressable display system. Unlike existing modular display solutions, Lit Bits enable any user to easily assemble a robust display of any shape and size which can display custom animations and content.
GRANDPA GUARD
In 2015, baby boomers reach an average age of 65, with there being more than 76 million baby boomers in the US alone. As the large portion of the world’s population rise in age, the need for health-tracking technology becomes increasingly important because with age, health complications are likely to arise. According to a National Diabetes Statistic Report, 25.9% of American seniors have diabetes while many others are suffering from common health problems such as heart disease. The objective of this project is to assist elderly people with health problems by developing an algorithm that monitors their health status and detects life threatening patterns. The project design has two major components: a medical condition pattern detection algorithm built into a software application and a wearable device that is built with a continuous heart rate monitor. The application notifies the user when a life threatening event occurs and provides the user with frequent reminders. Similar existing solutions to the problem that this project attempts to solve are nursing homes or in-home health care for periodic diagnosis. However, both alternatives are expensive and are not applicable for a large population. This project creates a solution that is accessible to most people and attempts to aid aging people who have growing health concerns.
SORTERA: THE RECYCLABLE MATERIAL SORTER
On average, Canadians produce over 750 kg of garbage per year. About 75% of the garbage is recyclable, but only about half is actually recycled. This puts unnecessary pressure on waste management systems and the environment. Efforts to recycle downstream, both manually and through the use of industrial sorters, have limited success in separating materials. By improving the sorting of recyclables closer to the source, the efficiency of recycling downstream can also be improved. The aim of this project is to design a household waste sorting system that automates the recycling process. Sortera is an intelligent system that is able to autonomously identify and sort recyclable materials according to its waste type. It minimizes the dependency on humans who may be inconsistent in these actions. The open ended solution identifies the waste using acoustic analysis, capacitive sensors, and inductive sensors. Sortera probabilistically identifies and sorts inputted materials. Sensory systems provide data to a microcontroller that drives the actuators responsible for physical sorting. Knowledge of embedded systems and adaptive algorithms is leveraged in this design. The result is a system that makes recycling more convenient, allowing for a greater percentage of recyclables to be reclaimed.
SEAT SPOTTER
Students often find that workspaces in libraries are filled before they arrive; they usually spend a long time looking for a place to sit, especially during exam time. The objective of this project is to design a mobile application and create the hardware necessary to show the locations of free seats within a library. The use of infrared and ultrasonic sensors at each desk determines its vacancy. Every group of desks connects to its own networked unit, and these units deliver data to a database where the mobile application extracts the data. This project requires knowledge of networking, circuit design, and analog/digital communication. A similar system designed at another university used pressure sensors in the seats to determine seat vacancy. Seat Spotter does not require changing the furniture in the library, which gives it an advantage over this pre-existing solution. Seat Spotter eliminates time wasted walking around a library looking for a free seat and lets students know if a library is full before they leave their house.
EDUCATIONAL RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSMITTER
In the past year, the number of mobile devices connected globally grew from 6.9 billion to 7.4 billion. With the prevalence of wireless technology, it is essential to educate future engineers about the fundamentals of wireless systems. While most universities have software laboratory exercises, only some can offer students hands on experience with cellular hardware. Current educational Radio Frequency (RF) equipment is expensive and performs poorly with multiple transmitting frequencies. The objective of this project is to design a reconfigurable RF transmitter which allows students to adjust the transmitting frequency, gain, modulation scheme, and baseband signals. Students can measure signal characteristics, such as gain, and distortion at different stages of the transmitter. The design uses an I/Q modulator that transforms the output of a digital-to-analog converter to a modulated RF signal, which is then amplified to be transmitted. RF circuits and communication theory are used for the design. Reconfigurability of the transmitter module is achieved using an embedded system with a USB interface controlled through a desktop application. The main benefits of the transmitter module are reconfigurability and low cost which allows more students to gain access to RF system educational tools.
PROJECT RESERVOIR: REDUCING AGRICULTURAL WATER WASTE
Roughly 70% of worldwide water consumption is used for agriculture. Reducing global agricultural water consumption plays an important role in maintaining the health of our planet and its inhabitants. Project Reservoir is a comprehensive system focused on reducing agricultural water waste through real-time, intelligent irrigation systems. The system is both simple to integrate into existing irrigation infrastructure and easy to use for non-technical customers. It is comprised of sensors which monitor the real-time soil conditions of the field, a base station which controls irrigation valves and collects sensor data, and a powerful web interface which provides data visualization and irrigation set-up/control functionality. Project Reservoir is focused on creating a powerful set of tools and devices enabling farmers to understand and optimize their operation in greater detail and flexibility than ever before.
SHELF-M8
Studies show that the average person forgets three things a day. This can be as simple as forgetting to dress appropriately for the weather, or as significant as forgetting to take your medication. The objective of this project is to design a smart storage system that assists users in keeping track of their day-to-day activities by providing a broad range of organizational tools. The Shelf-M8 is a storage unit that allows users to customize its functionality to fit their own needs. The system consists of several weight sensors, a microcontroller interface, a back-end server, and a mobile application. Data from a shelf is sent via Wi-Fi to a back-end server which can be remotely accessed through the mobile application. The Shelf-M8 can also act as a user programmable scheduling system that can send text notifications when certain events occur. Signal processing and synchronization techniques facilitate the connections between each layer of the design. Architectural design practices are used in the back-end server controls and mobile application design. This solution offers a flexible set of tools to improve user organization in a variety of situations around the home.
A REALLY COOL HAT
In the United States alone, almost 40 million people suffer from chronic insomnia. Many studies have shown that white noise can help insomniacs fall asleep. The objective of this project is to assist the prevention of insomnia by designing a comfortable sleep enhancing cap. A Really Cool Hat is a fully outfitted wearable that provides audio playback and sleep-tracking functionality. The system utilizes an Android app for controlling playback, functionality, and viewing sleep statistics, as well as a web server running a database backend for storing device usage and sleep habits. Audio playback is incorporated via an array of light-weight micro speakers surrounded by comfortable padding. Various sensors are embedded into the hat for monitoring sleep patterns, which is in turn used for implementing a control system enhanced with user feedback and processed sleep data. Wireless connectivity to Android devices is implemented through the hat’s integrated Bluetooth technology and is powered by a low-profile rechargeable battery that allows for full functionality for an entire night. A Really Cool Hat is an all wireless and stylish solution that combines the functions of many sleep enhancing and tracking systems in one comfortably cool hat.
ALFRED: WELLNESS TRACKING WEARABLE DEVICE FOR LONG-TERM CARE INDIVIDUALS
In 2013, over 60% of the North American population accounted for those requiring long-term health and wellness care. This demographic could progressively experience various health issues inhibiting them from leading a safe life. Alfred aims to seamlessly connect a healthcare-receiving individual to their caretaker to keep track of their wellness from anywhere. The device, worn on the wrist, collects vital health and physical information about the user through an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a pulse sensor, and a temperature sensor. The data is sent via Bluetooth Low Energy to a centralized hub located in the user’s residence. The hub performs algorithmic analysis to detect events such as falls, inconsistent health rate, anomalies in body temperature, and general health information gained through sensor readings. The companion smartphone application, in use by the caretaker, receives in real-time over the internet notifications about the health of the person under care and any emergencies that may arise. The system is implemented using knowledge of microcontrollers, sensors, databases, machine learning, and wireless networking. Alfred provides a coherent solution over its competition of fitness trackers, to help those requiring health and wellness care, proactively trying to detect accidents as they occur.
GODEL
Despite the drastic cost reduction in computing power over the last few decades, both the private and public sector have not fully leveraged this growth in productivity to make optimal decisions in the areas of routing, scheduling, and planning of their resources. At present, important decisions, such as the placement of ambulances for the fastest response times in a city, are solved informally, as opposed to leveraging cheap computing power capable of finding optimal solutions to these problems. The services available today for solving complex optimization problems are desktop based, and are much less capable of handling requests in real time; in the case of ambulances, updating their location dynamically cannot be done using desktop-based software. Godel is a fully cloud-based solution that can solve optimization problems sent to it via the internet. Another issue that the current landscape presents is the lack of an available, single source that can make optimizations in multiple areas such as routing, planning, and scheduling. Our service is geared towards having a flexible, extensible architecture that can support many types of optimization problems in a simple, easy-to-use interface.
ACEASSIST
A reliable serve is an integral component of tennis that demands a high degree of skill and consistency. AceAssist is a fun and interactive system that intends to supplement the traditional approach of tennis training. Open to all skill levels, AceAssist helps players develop a proper serve by monitoring and tracking important aspects of their serve. Each ball hit is simulated in a virtual training environment for players to receive immediate feedback and statistics on the quality of the serve. Variables such as ball toss position, impact angle, and impact velocity are actively monitored to determine the outcome. The system is comprised of a combination of cameras, accelerometers, and gyroscopic sensors to measure each variable in real time. Captured measurements are compared against collected data, providing the user with useful advice on improving the next serve. Bluetooth technology is used to relay the information within the system. Our design relies on knowledge of image processing, motion-tracking, and signal control theory. Ultimately, AceAssist provides meaningful performance analytics to help players develop a consistent and reliable serve.
PORTABLE GENETIC ANALYSIS PLATFORM
Current DNA analysis procedures require large, expensive equipment that can only be used in specialized labs. This means that samples have to be shipped to a lab in order to get results. The objective of the project is to design a portable, inexpensive platform that can assist in performing polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis, known as the “gold standard” of medical diagnostics, in the field. This system would be useful in a wide variety of fields, including medical diagnostics, food testing, and water quality analysis. The system consists of a single board computer (Beaglebone Black), which serves as the controller of separate circuits which perform the test. The circuits include a thermal control component to maintain the required temperature of the sample, a high voltage unit which will generate an electric field to manipulate the sample, and a microfluidic chip to help facilitate the lab on a chip system. This design can be combined with a fluorescence detection circuit in the future to maximize its potential. The main advantage of this design is that it allows the “gold standard” of medical diagnostics in a portable and inexpensive method.
FLEXWEIGHTS
Only 15% of Canadians between the ages of 18 to 65 meet the minimum exercise standards. Exercising can help burn fat, reduce risk of diabetes, and even help fight depression. In particular, weightlifting can help improve bone strength, body posture, and appearance, and it presents many health benefits resulting from lower blood pressure. The objective of this project is to replace clunky dumbbells seen at the gym with a universally compact free weight system. Instead of having multiple dumbbells of different weights, FlexWeights uses theory of electromagnetic energy to vary the directional force experienced by the user. FlexWeights works in conjunction with permanent magnets, electromagnets, ferromagnetic materials, and an embedded system to vary the effective weight of the dumbbell via variable current. The user-friendly interface provides an intuitive way to set the desired weight of the dumbbell via digital input fed to a remote embedded system equipped with sensors and feedback switches. Expected benefits of this design include reduction in cost and space as well as increased flexibility over current industry alternatives. In addition, FlexWeights benefits the individuals who cannot find time to visit a gym, by providing an easy-to-use compact system in the comfort of their home.
PARKAID: PARKINSON’S FREEZING OF GAIT AID
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological movement disorder that affects approximately 10 million people worldwide. One of the common problems that Parkinson’s disease patients face is the freezing of gait. Freezing of gait is characterized by a temporary and involuntary inability to move. Consequently, it leads to dangerous situations that cause patients to lose balance and fall. Parkaid is a wearable device that detects the freezing in advance and provides audiovisual feedback to the patient. This helps the patient to adjust posture and avoid imbalance that may lead to falls. Parkaid consists of inertial measurement units and an electrical impedance myograph situated around the patient’s knees which collect real-time data of the patient’s gait. A prediction algorithm compares it with normal gait data to predict freezing and provide audiovisual feedback. A smartphone application is used to contact emergency contacts in case a fall occurs. Engineering design decisions draw on knowledge of embedded systems, wireless communications, and algorithm design and analysis. Current technologies that address this problem are obtrusive, expensive, or still in the research stage. The advantages of this design are that it is compact, inexpensive, has higher precision in prediction/detection, and provides faster feedback that enable patients to avoid fall incidents.
ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEM
Electricity prices have increased over 60% in the past 5 years and continue to rise. The objective of the Energy Monitoring System is to provide consumers with the ability to monitor their power usage and provide statistical feedback and suggestions to help them reduce their energy consumption. This is accomplished by using existing technology to measure power in branch circuits within the home electrical panel. This data is then conveniently sent to an application on the consumer’s mobile device and is used to trend their power usage. The consumer is then informed of available cost savings by reducing consumption or by changing the times at which power consumption occurs. Knowledge of control and communication systems is necessary for adequate analog signal recognition and filtering out unwanted noise from the designed circuit. Knowledge of electrical distribution systems is also necessary to adequately analyze power usage and elegantly trend the results. Existing solutions sufficiently report statistics to the consumer, but lack in educating the average consumer on how energy costs can be reduced by modifying power usage.
THERMUG
In the US, about 83 percent of adults drink coffee and its consumption is expected to continue to climb. However, current drink containers lack in functionality and portability. Drinks such as coffee or tea typically get cold very quickly if left unattended. The remainder of the drink is tossed in the garbage and causes environmental waste. This provides the motivation for a new product to be developed, called the Thermug. The objective of this project is to design a temperature controllable, portable drink container that can be used to maintain individual drinks at a user-defined temperature. The design leverages a thermoelectric peltier cooling module and flexible heating elements to keep drinks at a desired temperature. In order to ensure that the temperature is accurately controlled, a thermocouple is placed at the bottom of the mug. This provides an input to a microcontroller that manages heating and cooling functionalities. The temperature can be monitored and set using a mobile phone through Bluetooth LE technology. The main advantage of the Thermug over existing drink containers is that it provides an unmatched drinking experience; it is portable and enables temperature control. The Thermug is both the hottest and coolest mug out there.