Official Accepted Teams for 2007

A downloadable PDF version can be found here

School: Univerisity of Nebraska at Omaha
Project: S.A.R.D.I.N.E
(Submersible Autonomous Remote Data & Imaging Nautical Explorer)
URL: http://www.ceen.unomaha.edu/events/20060419.php
Members: Ben Barenz, Dean Glazeski
Description: The project is a remotely operated, semi-autonomous "submarine" that includes a color camera and robust sensor network. The bot can be wirelessly controlled via a 550nm communications system or a secondary LF (low frequency) RF system. It can also be fully autonomous with a given program. The bot is fully maneuverable including a stepper motor magnetically coupled to the drive system, active balance/ tilt system, and pneumatic ascent & decent control. The control is achieved through multiple AVR microcontrollers, stepper motors, servo motor, pneumatic valves, inclinometer, ultra-sonic ranging, and a host of other sensors. The bot is intended to work in a team of similar robots to achieve a common goal. The expected uses could be one operator controlling several bots in a search or repair activity or the bots could be pre programmed to autonomously search an area for an extended period of time or in environments too hostile for humans. Charging and wireless long distance communication could be achieved through a central hub buoy that could be located a large distance from shore.

School: Syracuse University
Project: MultiTouch Interaction Game Table
URL: http://scientificchess.com/Multitouch
Members: Aditya Mittal, James Wallace, Albert You, Luke Behm, Paul Ferrara
Description: MultiTouch Interaction Game Table is a Finger and Hand Gesture based touch screen table for PC game play, simulation and use of all types of computer software. MultiTouch is the futuristic interaction with technology. It will replace all the current I/O devices like keyboards, monitors, and mice completely and forever change the future. IBM, Microsoft, and Apple are all doing research in this area. This technology has been started by Jeff Hahn of NYU. The main parts comprising our project are: infrared based touch detection hardware technology from a Microsoft paper; a C# windows driver based upon a DShow motion detection algorithm; .ahk scripts that interact with the driver through a COM interface and provide Win32 mouse movements and clicks to standard windows applications such as Age of Empires, Paint, or Internet; specially written demo applications that interface directly with the driver through the COM interface to demonstrate the power of MultiTouch over regular touch screens; and specially mounted mirror and projector setup to allow full reflected rear-view projection of the application onto the table, so it portrays like a touch screen. Bonus feature: Our complete internally-reflected infrared technology works in our screen, we can generate these “touches” on the table even from a distance using a laser. So, if the screen was setup vertically, instead of horizontally, it could be used for presentations for example by a chemistry teacher using a laser from the distance to move the molecules around on the screen. This allows new multiplayer gaming applications where users may operate the table from distance. This remote control takes our project beyond what the other companies are doing. We have developed a full set of documentation including presentations, lengthy functional and technical specification sheets, testing and verification documents, validation scripts, project review, marketing plan, and user documentation for the project. Our interactive table replaces old style video game controllers or keyboards or joysticks or mice, the applications themselves can be more flexible and powerful, and the screen is far more comfortable for the eye than a computer or TV screen allowing users to function longer hours without getting tired. Basic specification sheet is available at http://www.scientificchess.com/articles/Multi-touch%20Game%20Table%20Specification.htm#_Toc161676364.

School: Pennsylvania College of Technology
Project: Autobot System
URL: http://www.pct.edu/schools/iet/electronics/projects.htm
Members: Ajaiah Connelly,Nick Fantaske
Description: The Autobot System is a microcontroller controlled autonomous robotic vehicle that follows an user maintaining a predefined distance while transferring a load. The Autobot System can act as a luggage cart, grocery cart or even act as mobile book cart. The Autobot System also requires the user to wear an “user control” that emits infra red (IR) light which is received by the vehicle to determine direction. An ultrasonic sensor mounted on the robot vehicle is used to determine distance between the robot and the user. Locomotion is achieved by two front pulse width modulation (PWM) controlled electrical motors and a rear swivel wheel. All decision making and movement are controlled by the robotic vehicle’s on-board microcontroller located on the vehicle’s base. In addition, we have added add-ons above and beyound the scope of our project. We have added bump sensors to negotiate obstacle avoidence. Also, we have incorporated a RF wireless Remote Control option using two Picdem z boards which allows the user to switch from follow mode to remote control mode.

School: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Project: An ultrasonic 3D Wireless Computer Mouse
Members: Chris Banker, Mike Cretella, Jeff DiMaria, Jamie Mitchell, Jeff Tucker
Description: The aim of this project is to develop a three-dimensional computer input device which provides a better interface between the user and the computer. The user will wear a ring on his or her finger which will transmit an ultrasonic signal to an array of receiver transducers. A microcontroller will then calculate the three-dimensional coordinates using Time Difference of Arrival methods. These coordinates will then be provided as input as a standard human interface device (HID) USB peripheral. X and Y dimensions will control the mouse cursor on the screen, and the Z dimension can be used in three-dimensional applications. This project is currently in the prototype stage. The transmitter is a small ring worn on the user's finger and the receiver array is a unit that sits next to the monitor and has been machined out of aluminum. Printed circuit boards have been designed and fabricated and the final stages of testing are currently underway. This device stands to redefine the way users interact with their computer by providing a novel, intuitive interface. Eventually, the receiver array would be integrated into the monitors of new computers, providing seamless interaction. This project will be featured in the June 2007 issue of Popular Science.

School: Rochester Institute of Technology
Project: Cable Free WarFighter
Members: Jarrod Adams, Beth Dombrowski, Cory Fitzsimmons, Dave Howig, Mike Landers, Tim Sileo
Description: The reliable transfer of information in the military is vital to the survival of the soldier. With the widespread use of Harris radios in conjunction with headsets and personal data assistants (PDAs), the wires connecting these devices have become cumbersome. Using Bluetooth wireless technology, the burdensome cables can be eliminated, giving the soldier greater mobility without sacrificing data reliability or security. The Harris Corporation, in an attempt to stay ahead of their competitors, hopes to cater to soldiers whose lives depend on their ability to communicate. By creating a wireless network between a radio and a headset for voice transmission, a PDA for data transmission, and a Push-to-talk (PTT) to remotely key the radio, the bulk of a soldier’s communication equipment will be reduced. 

School: St. Cloud State University
Project: Vulcan
Members: Justin Ficker, Josh Boesche, Gabe Borscheid, Mark Sahr, Joseph Idziorek
Description: This project is motivated by the recent emergence of Unattended Ground Vehicles (UGVs) as agents in aiding humans to perform hazardous, tedious, or remote tasks. The objective of our team’s project is to design and implement an Unattended Ground Vehicle capable of deploying and retrieving unattended ground sensors over a one-mile range. This work presents the audience with the results of our design in addition to research we conducted on the different ways in which users from various personal backgrounds can effectively control the vehicle. The design of a UGV hinges on its ability to meet performance specifications and to be adaptive in order to complete a plethora of tasks. The method employed in this project to accomplish both of these design implantations is based on modularity. The vehicle was designed with a core group of essential components that allows it to be controlled wirelessly from a base station (Ethernet radio, single board computer, motors, etc.). To further extend the ability and functionality of the vehicle, peripherals such as a camera, GPS unit, and digital compass were added to bolster its capabilities. Although these components are not necessary for some tasks, the ability to expand the overall effectiveness of the vehicle without hindering the nucleus of essential components promotes this design as adaptable and expandable. As UGVs become more prevalent, it will be necessary to develop a refined graphical user interface (GUI) as well as an effective method of vehicle control able to suit the skill set of the average user. This procedure can be broken down into two steps. First, in order to create an effective layout for the GUI, we conducted research on the positioning, availability, and functionality of the sensor information broadcasted back to the control device from the UGV. Secondly, we also determined whether it is more effective to control the vehicle with a direct (digital screen of a Tablet PC) or indirect (video game controller) pointing device. This research was done through the solicitation of consulting feedback from both professionals and volunteers. Combining criticisms from both ends of the user spectrum, we adjusted our GUI and control method to employ a carefully crafted and considered design. The combination of these two findings assisted us in determining that the most effective design for UGV con 

School: Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Project: MindScouts
Members: Daniel Gallagher, Kristen Dorsey, Alison Lee, Catherine Murphie, Laura Stupin, Susan Tse
Description: As an engineering capstone project at Olin College, we have designed a device to help people with Alzheimer’s disease live independently, without the need for institutionalized care, for longer periods of time. Our device, called MindScout, alleviates two key challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.

1. Carepartners such as spouses and children must constantly coordinate and organize the schedules of two people, remembering not only to take care of themselves but also to see to the needs of the Alzheimer’s patient.

2. Patients constantly ask questions to refresh their memory like “What is the date?” Carepartners frequently report that repetitive questions are a source of burnout.

MindScout is not a replacement carepartner but a tool to enhance the independence of the user and peace of mind of the carepartner. The hope is that MindScout will ease the burden of Alzheimer’s disease for both parties, delaying the move to institutionalized care.

MindScout is a handheld device that automates reminders about daily activities and hears and answers a patient’s most frequent questions. The device is worn around the house throughout the day and is always on. A customizable interface with appropriate audiovisual cues ensures that both the Alzheimer’s patient and his or her carepartner can easily use the device. MindScout can be programmed by the carepartner to answer specific spoken questions and to store schedule and reminder information. Our team has developed a proof of concept that demonstrates these functions.

MindScout runs Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software along with the MindScout software application that we have designed for Windows XP. Its VIA mini-ITX mainboard provides the conveniences of a larger machine, such as a full scale 1 GHz processor. A seven inch 800x680 touch monitor and directional microphone are integrated to support the user interface. A 4 GB IDE flash hard drive was selected for low power consumption and kinetic shock resistance. The software application has been written in C#.NET.

School: Syracuse University
Project: High Fidelity Digital Wireless Audio
Members: Eric Humphrey, Korey Kryder, Ken Rieke, Will Sproesser
Description: The objective of the project is to design and implement a wireless speaker network that receives and processes audio from a single computer in real time. Current wireless audio, in the form of headphones or speakers, is attained through RF transmissions similar to those of AM or FM radio. This scheme is inherently susceptible to distortion, and any compromise in signal integrity will be heard after demodulation at the receiver, attempting to recreate the original signal. The IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless communication, however, uses a form of binary frequency shift keying, which allows the receiving device to reduce demodulation to the question, “Is it a one or a zero?” This communication scheme allows for much higher levels of accuracy in data transmission. Our system is comprised of a computer-based application that captures and streams audio data at CD quality (16-bit, 44.1kHz), a receiving device that outputs an analog waveform to a powered speaker, and a wireless router for the system to connect. The speaker node capacity of the system is limited by number of available channels seen by the router. Each receiver uses an Altera DE2 development board, with which we have built a dual-processor embedded system to receive and process the incoming audio data in true parallel form. The computer application uses the DirectX 9 framework to create a sound capture buffer from the playback of the PC and transmits blocks of audio samples as a TCP/IP packet. The end goal implements wireless adapters to create a connection between the DE2 board receiver and the source computer, but functionality of this project can also be achieved with an Ethernet connection as each receiver is given both a MAC and IP address. A main element of the system is that the playback array of speakers is resizable and reconfigurable. Digital audio filtering is performed at each speaker, allowing the user to perform channel assignments at the speaker (i.e. Center, Low-Frequency Enhance). The main design constraints focus on data throughput and synchronous playback. Functionality requires maintained transfer rates of about 200kB/sec and consumes a significant percentage of the host computer’s processing capability. Also, audio samples must be output within a range of 10 milliseconds (about 440 samples) as to avoid any audible delay.

School: Ryerson University
Project: Mobile Remote Sensing Platform
URL: http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~skalutha/
Members: Dushyant Patel, Sanjaya Kaluthanthrige, Waqas Shaheen
Description: This project offers an energy efficient solution to accurate measurement of environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and light intensity in congested areas inaccessible by humans. The design facilitates the use of one wireless system as opposed to a multiple sensor network; thereby significantly reducing the production costs. Our project consists of a mobile robot capable of measuring above mentioned parameters while guiding through an obstacle filled path. The user can maneuver the robot anywhere from the graphical user interface (GUI) with the assistance of an on board camera. This intelligent mobile robot system housing the temperature and humidity sensors is capable of transmitting these parameters to the base station using the energy efficient wireless ZIBGEE protocol. The network topology as created by ZIBGEE enables accurate transmission of data with minimal power consumption. Low power consumption is achieved by programmatically disabling the camera, sensors, and placing the micro-processor in the stand-by mode. The environmental parameters as transmitted from the mobile system are graphically represented and recorded on the GUI. The user can specify the duration of continuous data acquisition at periodical intervals and record the data that can be further used for statistical analysis. In addition to the data acquisition, the mobile system is intelligent enough to track a heat source with a user defined critical temperature value. Considering the mobility features of the project, the potential applications include fire detection and security surveillance, to name a few.

School: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Project: Jumping Jack
Members: Tim Gramiccioni, Francois Jean-Noel, Shil Madhiwala, Joseph Moffitt
Description: Using contemporary consumer electronics, the delivery of television video signals within confined living areas, such as inside houses or apartments, is only possible through the use of cables. Additionally, in the case of cable and satellite television, if a subscriber wishes to view programming in any room of the house, a set-top box is required to demodulate and decode the cable or satellite signal in order to be viewed on the television. These set-top boxes are typically leased to customers by cable and satellite television programming providers. This scenario quickly becomes very costly in the case of multiple rooms requiring such programming since, often, not all of the set-top boxes and televisions are simultaneously used. The Jumping Jack is a device that solves the abovementioned problems. The system consists of a wireless transmitter that is connected to the composite video output of a set-top box in one room of a house or an apartment, and a wireless receiver that is connected to the composite video input of a television in another room. To allow the viewer in the room receiving the video to change the channel, the receiver and transmitter pair include Infrared (IR) photo sensors and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which relay the remote control information back to the set-top box. The system not only reduces the number of additional set-top boxes that must be leased for cable and satellite television applications, but also allows for streaming of any wireless video signal from a composite source within a confined area. Potential sources of video could be VCRs, DVD players, and video cameras. In addition, the device, having been designed for video transmission, can be used to transmit and receive very high quality digital audio. The transmitter accepts a standard composite video signal, digitizes the signal, and modulates the resulting bit stream using the Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation scheme. The video receiver demodulates the signal to recover the bit stream, and converts the digital stream back to the composite analog video signal. Transmission of the video signal utilizes the 420 – 450 MHz frequency band. The remote control signal is relayed to the set-top box with the use of the Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) modulation scheme with a carrier at frequency of 315 MHz.

School: Royal Military College of Canada
Project: 3D Scanner
Members: Alexandre Lanteigne-Voye, Hans LaPierre
Description: A 3D scanner is used to obtain a tridimensional computer model of a real object. In the same fashion that a 2D scanner digitizes text or images, a 3D scanner does this operation on objects of interest. 3D models can be used for animation, cataloging or to perform digital manipulations such as changing the shape or color. There are already 3D scanners available for purchase but the costs can be prohibitive for common household use. We have built an affordable 3D scanner (SCAN3D) with inexpensive off-the-shelf components for less than $300(Cdn). SCAN3D provides the following functionality: digitizing, display, manipulation (displacement, rotation, zoom and coloring), and The elaboration, design and implementation of SCAN3D were completed as part of a 4th year design project in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Royal Military College of Canada. SCAN3D offers a simple and intuitive interface that provides all the functionality to obtain, manipulate and save the models. The object that we wish to digitize is put on a software-controlled turntable inside a small dark room build in the scope of the project. A series of laser illuminated profile pictures are taken as the object is rotated with the turntable stepper motor. The digital model is constructed by an algorithm that we developed using a Java graphics library. The object is then displayed on the screen where it can be manipulated in three dimensions and saved on disk. The entire system was designed to use commercially available components. SCAN3D uses a webcam with a resolution of (640 X 480 pixels), a laser that is part of a carpentry level ($20) and the Java 3D graphics freeware. The system is composed of five main modules that we implemented: - Main Controller which is responsible for the coordination between the other modules and the exchange of model information; - Digitizer which controls the turntable and the digital pictures, it also returns the coordinates of the laser illuminated points on the object; - Modeling creates the 3D model from the coordinates obtained from the Digitizer, the modeling is done by creating virtual bands and extrapolation; - User Interface allows the user to control the system and manipulate the object; and - Power provides the electrical power for the system Commercially available 3D scanners are expensive. Other non-commercial systems require expensive software for their operation. SCAN3D offers an affordable and effective system for home use because of its low cost and the availability of the Java 3D API. Our system can digitize a volume from 1000-9000 cm3 in less than 10 minutes.

School: State University of New York at Binghamton
Project: Small-Scale Hydrogen Generator for Automotive Fuel
Members: Robert Correnti, Saugata Ghose, Eric Gursky, Patrick Hart, Christopher Tallant, Christopher Wenz
Description: For the last decade, the implementation of alternative energies as a viable automotive fuel source has been hindered by the proverbial Catch-22 – consumers are hesitant to purchase an alternative-fuel car unless refueling stations exist, and businessmen are hesitant to build refueling stations until cars start appearing on the roads. What could otherwise be a flourishing opportunity to move away from fossil fuels instead suffers a premature demise. The creation of a small-scale hydrogen generation unit aims to bridge the gap by removing the consumer's dependency on such refueling stations. The generator has been designed to produce enough hydrogen for powering a large vehicle for an average daily commute. The unit’s design will allow anyone with an electrical outlet and a water supply to run it at their house. Power is currently drawn off the coal-powered electrical lines, in order to demonstrate the concept and to provide a stopgap measure to encourage hydrogen car sales. Due to project timeline limitations, the current scope also does not include any means of storing and compressing the hydrogen. Future development, to be conducted in later senior design projects, includes the powering the unit with solar energy and creating a hydrogen container system. One of the unique aspects of this generator is the use of proton exchange membranes within the electrolysis process. These membranes are sandwiched between each anode and cathode to form a cell, acting as a barrier to the oxygen ions formed during electrolysis. The membranes increase the purity of the hydrogen generated due to the smaller quantity of anions available to react with the hydrogen ions. A series of tests will be conducted to determine which of a variety of membranes provides the most cost-effective yield. The nine electrolysis cells are contained within a chamber made of acrylic and polycarbonate, from which a series of manifolds collects the hydrogen gas formed from the combining ions. A Freescale 68HC08 family microprocessor controls the entire process. Readings are sampled from a series of redundant electromechanical sensors inside the chamber, measuring water levels, temperature, gas pressure, and current draw. An LCD panel displays the status and shows the readings obtained from the internal sensors. An emergency power stop has been implemented in the prototype in the event that the unit needs to be shut down.

School: DeVry University, North Brunswick
Project: LiquidLens: An Advancement in Optical Communication
Members: Antonio Lantigua, Elkanah Mutuku, Jaime Mot, Shawn Casey
Description: 'Liquid lens' technologies promise significant advancements in machine vision and optical communications systems. Utilizing two isodensity liquids with differing electrical characteristics to focus, liquid lenses require no moving parts for operation. Liquid lenses also offer lower power consumption and smaller package sizes than their electromechanical counterparts. Liquid lenses are quickly becoming a viable alternative to conventional lens technologies for a wide variety of applications. Notable variations of liquid lens technology are discussed. A machine vision student project, Automatic Speed Detection and Ticketing System, utilizing this technology will be discussed in detail. An adaptation of the machine vision project, for use in human vision correction, and independent research in optical communications are also used to exemplify the versatile nature of this technology.

School: University of Minnestoa
Project: System for the Evaluation of Respiratory Function
Members: Ziyad Aljarboua, Arvind Gururajan, John Aiton, Ryan Westphal
Description: The introduction of SERF (System for the Evaluation of the Respiratory Function) shows the devotion to the prevention through early detection of respiratory diseases such as pulmonary emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis. With an estimated 25 million Americans living with respiratory disorders, lung disease is the number three killer in the US and number one killer of infants. Although breathing testing can be used to accurately detect lung disorders, it is typically only used on patients with a history of respiratory problems. This leaves the marketplace open for the introduction of SERF, satisfying the need for an early detection mechanism. For use as part of an annual physical, the device would be marketed to the clinics and also individuals with no medical training who are at a risk of lung disorders. The system utilizes air pressure and air flow sensors mounted at the end of a breathing mask. Volume of lungs is later measured and steadily monitored for abnormal rate of change of volume or gas flows in the lungs during breathing movements. Real time breathing indexes such as forced vital capacity, tidal volume and inspiratory capacity are displayed and consistently processed for abnormal values. Along with the physical device, a very comprehensive algorithm for the detection of the breathing disorders is done using National Instruments Lab View. 

School: Syracuse University
Project: iBall
Members: Alexander D Tsepkov, Mohammad M Khajah, Maria C Ruiz Reyna
Description: iBall is a portable object-tracking camera system. The system allows the user to select an object to be tracked on the screen, after which the camera follows the object around, keeping it in the center of the camera view at all times. If the object disappears from view and reappears later, the camera will continue tracking it after it finds the object, making iBall useful even when tracking an object that is partially obstructed by other objects. Unlike most other object-tracking devices, iBall does not rely on being used with a fixed background. In fact, since the camera will constantly realign itself to face the tracked object, the background will rarely be fixed. Potential uses for iBall include security (scanning for suspicious activity), military (tracking a target for an extended period of time), presentations (unassisted cameras keeping track of the speaker), entertainment (interactive robots/devices), and areas inaccessible to humans (toxic areas as well as spaces too small for humans). The system consists of a compact camera, a motor to control camera movement (currently only tracking in one dimension is implemented, but with addition of a second motor and slight modifications to our algorithm the system can be easily extended to 2-dimensional tracking, which we didn’t implement due to time constraints), and Altera DE2 board (for analyzing camera output, user interaction, and controlling motor movement). Our algorithm works by analyzing the color ranges on the screen as opposed to more-commonly used frame-comparing algorithms. Since iBall has to be able to deal with constantly changing background, we can’t rely on the usual image-recognition algorithms applied in immobile object-tracking devices (which work by canceling out the non-changing parts of the image between frames). We solved this problem by analyzing the colors of the pixels on the screen, trying to match the average color to the color of the original object selected for tracking. The problem with this approach is that another object can be introduced in the camera view that is more attractive to our algorithm than the original project (the new object could have similar color range as original but be brighter or located in part of the screen that is better-lit). With additional time and research, however, we believe we can reduce that problem by introducing several levels of image analysis after the color analysis is complete.

School: DeVry Institute of Technology-NYC
Project: The Mimic ARM (Active Remote Manipulation)
Members: Dhanraj Hira, Pedro Hernandez
Description: The world’s demand for expert skills in many technological and non-technological areas is rapidly increasing in today’s era. As a result of such demand, our project’s objective is to provide the means through which a single user can perform tasks that require remote human interaction. As the name suggests, the mimic ARM will be able to mimic the movements of its user on a specific device, which in our case will be a robotic arm. For instance, if the user performs a specific set of actions with his/her hand; the mimic ARM will mimic these various motions of its user’s arm as they are being performed. How exactly will mimic ARM work? Basically, the mimic ARM project is Internet base. The system will establish, and maintain communication with a remote or local device(s). For presentation purposes we are planning to use a robotic arm. The way it will work will be by having a user login into a secure website on which he/she will be able to access and control the robotic arm or any other device that can be modified to use the mimic ARM system. In Conclusion, Mimic ARM, with its capability to be controlled in real time by an operator from a remote location via the Internet, is a bold step into the future of robotics. Robotics have came far a way over the years with its purpose to make our work easier. This is the aim behind Mimic ARM; to perform tasks that could be undesirable or dangerous for humans. Mimic ARM can in theory can and will help in situations that require the expertise of a qualified individual to perform specific tasks, or to perform tasks that might be risky or dangerous for humans, but require the technical and delicate movements of a human’s arm/hand.

School: Queen's University
Project: Optically Pumped Rb Atomic Frequency Standard
Members: Josh Bendavid, David Burns, Joseph Fox, Gaetan Kenway, Carlos Paz-Soldan, Devon Stopps
Description: We report on the detailed design, construction, and performance analysis of an optically pumped atomic frequency standard based on the 6.8 GHz 87Rb hyperfine transition. Pumping of the F=1 ground state was achieved using a custom built tunable external cavity diode laser locked to the Fg=2 -> Fe=2 780 nm transition of 87Rb using a saturated absorption spectroscopy configuration and feedback control. A microwave oscillator was stabilized to the 6.8 GHz transition using feedback from the cyclic double resonance resolved using frequency keyed modulation of the microwave source with feedback from the optical response to the RF modulation. The short term stability of the standard was compared against temperature controlled quartz oscillators. Long term stability measurements were conducted using the timing pulses from a GPS receiver to gate a high frequency counter. In addition to optically pumping the microwave transition, our optical configuration is also capable of resolving the hyperfine

School: Rochester Institute of Technology
Project: METEOR: Instrumentation Platform 
URL: http://meteor.rit.edu/
Members: Matt Lipschtuz, Rashmi Shah, Adam Gutterman, Jessica DeSignor, Peter Rozwood, Rick Frisicano
Description: This team will have to redesign, implement and flight test the Meteor Instrumentation Platform as follows: * Change the on-board micro-computer to the MSP430 TI Microcontroller; * Change the 2-meter Transceiver and the TNC; * Add an Output RF Power Amplifier to the Video Transmitter; * Create a transient thermal model of the instrumentation platform as it ascends and descends. 

School: West Point Military Academy
Project: HAGAR ("Hordes of Autonomous Ground and Aerial Robots")
Members: William Lee, Gavin McMahon, Sami Ochi, James Roberts and Joseph Sagisi
Description: This project is to design and build two robots that autonomously and cooperatively navigate an unknown environment in order to emplace or retrieve objects/sensors at key locations in a limited amount of time. The robots must be able to communicate between each other and a user.  The robots will identify and avoid obstacles while optimizing their paths as they gather more data about the environment.  Our approach is based on the execution of three fundamental processes:  a navigation process that uses sensor-input and previously stored sensor-input to maneuver each robot in the environment,  an emplacement/retrieval process that calculates the appropriate location necessary to drop or pick-up objects and a communication protocol that periodically exchanges data between the two robots for continued cooperative performance.