During the Fall quarter of this course sequence, student groups choose a project, define and refine a description of its external behavior, then launch into the hardware design phase. By the end of fall quarter, using industry standard Computer Aided Design tools, they have produced detailed hardware schematics, fabrication-ready printed circuit board artwork, and complete component kits and associated documentation necessary for prototype assembly. An organized project notebook describing all aspects of the project as well as formal design reviews/presentations and the use of professional project management software complete the initial portion of the capstone design experience.
All students are expected to submit a weekly report describing their specific individual contribution to the project in that week. Instructor will discuss the details of weekly report with the students in the weekly meeting. At the end of each quarter, all groups have to present/demo their project in front of the whole class.
During winter quarter, the printed circuit boards (PCB) are fabricated and assembled. While the PCB is getting ready, the focus shifts to software development on a development kit that is closest to the custom hardware and any mechanical components are acquired and/or manufactured and assembled. Once the hardware design is validated and the software and mechanical development efforts are completed, the final project prototype is integrated, tested and verified. A succession of milestones, reviews and presentations ensures that project completion occur in a timely and successful manner.
At the end of spring quarter, each project team participates in the Computer Engineering portion of the Senior Capstone Project Presentation Day. During the day long event, the groups display posters highlighting their projects' features and operation and conduct a public presentation and demonstration of the completed projects.
List of team members, conceptual drawing and brief overview "datasheet" of the project with preliminary block diagram.
Annotated block diagram, external behavioral specification and identification of the role to be played by each team member.
Subsystem requirements & specifications, software flow, and interface specs.
Schematic drawings, and (if programmable logic is being used) Verilog or VHDL sources with both functional and timing simulations.
Software development begins on a development kit that is closest to the custom hardware.
Artwork for fabricating the printed circuit board (PCB), including Gerber plots, final schematics, engineering drawing, assembly drawing. Submittal of Gerber files to Sunstone Circuits.
Software development on a development kit that is closest to the custom hardware. Procurement of components for PCB's, creation of complete assembly kits.
Printed Circuit Board fabrication returns.
PCB should be sent for assembly. Assembly kit should have: bagged parts, assembly drawing and Bill of Materials.
Assembled PCB returns, software development continues.
Apply power to board with no shorts, correct regulated voltages, currents within spec, etc.
Demonstrate execution of user code via the 'Hello World' program, flashing LED', etc.
In spring quarter most of the focus will be on software development. main() with infinite loop; polling/interrupt structure of peripheral control demonstrated.
Independent software control of all sensors, motors, wireless, displays, etc. Systems exercised and communicating through common main().
Final integration of 'Controls Indicators & Interconnect' and full system operation.
Test the system extensively and prepare for final presentation and demo of the project.
Work on presentation material: Posters, demo videos, website and final presentation slides.
Capstone Presentation Day!