Spring 2013
Client : Scott Sikkink
Project: LED Façade- In Progress
The LED Facade is a device intended to be placed on the front edge of a DJ's table in order to conceal the equipment and wires behind. It contains strips of individually controlled red, green, and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light diffusion assembly to project a wash of light forward. The façade will have the capability to track the beat of music inputted through a line in connection and synchronize the animations accordingly.
This project was started as a part of the Engineering and Professional Development IV course at Itasca Community College. The LED façade was one of three lighting elements that were commissioned for Scott Sikkink, another student at ICC, who is also a DJ . The LED Facade's structure, lighting, and diffusion elements have already been designed and built, but the controlling software and beat synchronization capability is still in a rudimentary form.
Students: Bill Tycer, Eric Taintor, Brian Stephson
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Fall 2012
Client : Pediatric Neuromotor Laboratory- University of Wisconisn-Milwaukee
Project: Integration of a low cost motion capturing device, video streaming and EMG device
A commonly used method of mocap involves attaching reflective markers to a patient's joints, and then using an array of infrared cameras to record the movement of joints or muscles as a set of points. Mocap and video recording from multiple perspectives can be simultaneously performed and synchronized by a controller.
However, some problems such as high costs (up-front and maintenance), adhering markers onto delicate skin of infants, high computer hardware requirements, and parental concern have been reported. There is a need for a low-cost, markerless motion capturing, integrated with video recording to address the problems associated with current mocap systems.
Since the Microsoft Kinect is an array of sensors with motion capture capabilities, we selected the Kinect as the motion capture camera. Our solution involved using multiple Kinects to record motion data and a graphical user interface (GUI) that enabled the user to interact with the system. The GUI also synchronizes multiple video clips and integrates them with the motion capture data. Playback, frame-by-frame control of the video and motion data simultaneously, showing frame number in sections of interest during playback are some of the GUI features.
Students: Eric Diep, Eric Taintor, Mellisa Hoppe
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Spring 2012
Client : ESSAR Steel Minnesota
Project:Design a power substation for ESSAR Steel Minnesota
The goal of this project was to prepare a basic design for the main pellet plant substation. The substation l housed 13.8 kilovolt switchgear, along with associated power transformers and variable frequency drives. The project consisted of the following:
Produce a layout of the electrical equipment per the newest version of the National Electric Code (NEC)
Design and size the building based upon this equipment layout
Prepare a basic design of the substation including:
Basic electrical and lighting layout
Grounding concept
Basic heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) design with enough cooling capacity for all housed electrical equipment
Expected civil loading from equipment, snow, wind, etc.
Building materials/basic architectural design
Students: Daniel Marshall, Cord Semotink, Graham Redshaw, Richie Kennedy, Nicholas Esler and Jeremy Goodell
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Fall 2011
Client: Keewatin Taconite
Project: Replacing a Gyrol Fluid Drive With an Efficient Variable Frequency Drive
This project entailed investigation into replacing the Gyrol fluid drive with a more efficient electrical drive system. This resulted in less electrical energy consumed, less maintenance costs, and less occupied space. It was also required that the team provides recommendations for a motor and transmission coupling.
Students:Brianna Frey, Eric Schaupp and Austin Mekash