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Project Description:

The robot arm uses an Arduino, stepper motors, a belt system, gears and 3d printed parts to perform its function. The robot arm swings out from under the table and makes two 90 degree rotations so that it is perpendicular to the table. The light will then extend out a little and the robot will then sweep across the table. The arm will then return back the its starting position and return under the table until further usage. The arm will be unable to be activated while a user is nearby as a safety precaution.

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Project Description:

Our application is a mobile app for River Oak Skating rail, a company based in Ottawa, Ontario. The application is made to accompany the RiverOak website – RiverOak.Ca – and provide their clients with the accessibility and ease of use and include many other features found on the website. It will also provide more dynamic data to automate tasks for the client and improve the user experience.

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Project Description:

Etched is developed to be a mobile application directed at parents with the requirement of Text file saving, Image Saving, Collage UI, giving parents the ability to create a journal of memories of their kids either retrieving the images and images they have saved into the database or manually select themselves from their own gallery and typing the text in themselves to give the user more control of how things should look within the journal. Once the journal has been completed the user will be given a choice of Saving the journal up to their own database storage.
An issue the application could face going forward for the client is having to pay more money for more database space due to all the images, text files and journals within the database. The workaround is once the user chooses to either save or print the journal, the journal will be removed from the database making the application no longer responsible for what occurs afterwards saving money for the client and allowing the application to run faster without having to process or load more resources.
This application is focused on benefiting anyone who wants to create a journal or a collage of memories with the ability to do so anywhere without the user of papers, only needing any type of network connection either Wi-Fi or Data.

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Project Description:

In partnership with the Bruyere Institute, Algonquin College Electrical Engineering Technology students were tasked with finding a solution to tracking the mobility of their recovering patients. As a result of this request, the idea of a primitive Fitbit design that attaches to the leg was the best solution to produce accurate results. For it to see testing phases, it must be comfortable for the patient to wear and be easily accessible.

The initial phase of the project had multiple iterations over the course of the first year, however, issues arose. Due to COVID-19, the group was unable to bring the project to completion. With the new team taking over the project, the requirements for the scope were modified. Changes to the scope from the previous year’s group included the unit being self-powered, rechargeable and featuring an easy-to-read display. The earlier designs were a successful proof of concept for their design; however, a final iteration was never completed and could not be continued.

After extensive research, simulation, and personal component testing, the team created our first design. Using risk management strategies, we created a PCB test board. This test board allowed the team to practice creating a PCB for the first time, while verifying the power and communication circuits separately.

Creating a device that must be mounted on a patient’s leg created a new challenge for the team. Not only must the device perform well, but it must also not cause pain, irritation, or be too heavy for our most vulnerable patients. A housing and mounting for the device had to provide easy access to check the steps taken.

Coding the sensitivity of an accelerometer to track the steps proved another important factor that was critical to the project’s success. Dealing with patients of all heights and movement ability means that the sensitivity of the device is important. It must be able to detect and record the light steps that may or may not be completing a full movement of the leg.

This project connected major concepts in the program, showing a real-world application of the material. Keeping an open dialogue on all aspects of the design process ensured the team could consider new risks that may have been missed in other environments where you are working under pressure. The team was able to bring all their skills to the table to create a final product.

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Project Description:

This project resulted in a PI Processbook troubleshooting graphical display for the HVAC Systems Technician at Algonquin College. This display monitors multiple components of the ACCE Air Handling Unit 6.1. It uses real-time sensor tag values from the college’s Building Automation System to display and compare data. Data is displayed through graphs and labels for easy monitoring and is compared in the VBA editor to trigger flags. The flagging conditions are as follows:

-If the Occupancy is on for more than 24 hours.

-If the lead cooling compressor does not change from week to week.

-If the air temperature increases after cooling.

-If the air temperature is greater than the setpoint by 5 degrees Celsius or more.

-If a cooling coil turns on more than 4 times per hour.

If a flag is triggered, the corresponding LED will turn red which notifies the Technician that something is wrong. By using this display, the Technician can monitor the Air Handling Unit remotely and see when equipment is malfunctioning.

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Project Description:

Caremada, an amalgamation of “care” and “armada”, is an Ottawa-based company whose goal is to provide a user-friendly mobile application that aims to facilitate the connection and interactions between local caregivers and clients necessitating their services. Caremada’s founder, Suki Lee, assigned our group with the development of a task list manager and activity feed to help organize appointments and to provide updates on the activities of a service provider while appointments are in progress.

Our team decided to take a simplistic approach in terms of design and user-interactivity. We display booked appointments and associated tasks by date and time, providing a history of past, current, and future appointments which are navigated through a drop-down calendar. Within each appointment displayed, buttons are provided to allow service providers to update the status of appointments and tasks, this includes: start, complete, cancel, and late. Service providers may view additional information and details provided by clients related to specific tasks (i.e. description, ward details, rules) on a separate page to keep the task list uncluttered. On the client side, the application provides the client with the ability to cancel tasks.

The activity feed displays updates that are sent from service provider to client regarding all appointment activities. For increased productivity, certain updates are automatically generated and sent when a service provider selects a button within the task manager to mark the start or end of an appointment, cancellations, or to inform their client that they are running late. The feed can also display personalized messages containing photo and video updates, which are sent from service provider to client. Users can interact with media updates to play videos, zoom into photos, and download them to their personal devices. Lastly, the feed will host a map previously developed by another student group which will assist in tracking the whereabouts of a service provider while an appointment is in progress.

The application will be available on iOS and Android.

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Project Description:

To develop a solution for automating the focusing process of a microscope camera in an incubator. This process is required to keep material in an observable state during remote observation when manual adjustment is not possible, or would be inconvenient. The specifications of the proposed solution are a 10cm square platform that is translated vertically via stepper motor to a resolution of 2 microns. The software responsible for controlling the stage is written in python (version 3.7) and executed on a raspberry pi 4 running a Raspbian or Ubuntu operating system.

The incubator designed and manufactured by IncuversTM is designed to provide scientists and biologists with an observation platform as convenient as possible, including remote monitoring and recording of specimen. Currently, the model includes a separate stage that is placed inside the main box and manually adjusted to bring the observed materials into focus.

Our solution is as follows: Considering the stage resolution IncuversTM requested, it was determined that the versatility of a stepper motor would provide the most precise position control, and finest adjustment. The stepper motor utilizes a 2mm pitch threaded rod and a micro-stepping driver to meet the 2 micron resolution. The driver design is based on an A4988 micro-step stepper motor driver, which allows up to 1/16th of a step, which would provide a step as small as 0.1125°. When considering the 2mm pitch of the threaded rod, could provide a vertical resolution of 0.625 micron, well exceeding the requirements defined by the client. Since the signals controlling step and direction require 5V inputs, a level shifter was implemented to the circuit to shift the 3.3V logic form the raspberry pi to 5V. The Raspberry Pi 4 is running a python based computer vision program utilizing the Open CV libraries to evaluate for an image capture’s grayscale brightness. By analyzing captures taken throughout the range of the platform’s span, the best point of focus can be determined by the brightest image. Optimizations to the system were included, such as a modification to the image area under analysis, and the number of reading averages taken were included to provide finer control to the speed and accuracy of the system.

As a team, we primarily learned about project management. We were able to stay on track and managed the project by having weekly meetings to discuss progress to date and what was left to do. We divided up the work into 3 main parts and assigned each group member a specific task. This allowed us to be more focused on the task we were assigned. We also created a project plan/Gantt chat to help the whole group with time management and to ensure members took responsibility for their work.

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Project Description:

This project was sponsored and made possible by Uponor Ltd (PEX), The National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Applied Research division at Algonquin College. This project is the second phase of the 3- year Uponor-Algonquin College project investigating the performance characteristics of water piping systems utilizing Uponor Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX) pipe. The Canadian winter drops exterior temperatures to lows that require innovative heating solutions. The form of heating tested in this project requires a bigger initial investment, but shows a more promising return on investment, compared to other conventional forms of heating. Based on our research, an annual baseline of at least $1000 per year is required to operate an extremely efficient gas furnace, and upwards of $3000 is required annually to operate an efficient propane furnace.

This experiment explores the application of PEX piping used for radiant heating purposes in conjunction with a Flat Plat Collector (FPC) and respective thermal storage unit in a 100 square ft shed. Typical radiant heating builds mainly use boilers or water heaters to accomplish their heating needs. The Bachelor of Building Science program at Algonquin College encourages its students to look for sustainable and innovative solutions. The project hypothesizes that the use of a FPC as the main heating source for the system will reduce the energy demand of the test shed, especially when compared to its previous form of space heating. The project analyzes the system for its cost of installation and calculates the energy use and reduction to determine proposed savings, which will allow for the analysis of a payback period. Once a payback period is calculated it will then be compared with the initial investment and payback period of other heating systems. The project essentially aims to answer how much savings this system can provide, compared to more conventional systems, given the colder than normal conditions in Ottawa.

To additionally accomplish the objectives of this project, the system must effectively maintain an average optimal interior temperature for occupants of 17-24 degrees Celsius. The ability of the system to maintain these temperatures will be the basis of satisfying occupancy comfort. The test will occur in the winter/spring season where we can also relate to the fall/winter season; summer data will be ignored because the system will be turned off for days above the desired indoor temperature.

The project will upgrade the current test sheds facility used to conduct other forms of standardized testing (blower door) and enable college students and professors to test, analyze and benchmark the performance of the systems used in this project.

Furthermore, the project also aims to promote the use of PEX piping, in accordance with its sponsor, through its ease of installation and maintenance, as well as its applicability to hydronic heating systems.

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Project Description:

It is likely that you have overcome an obstacle, adversity or hardship and afterwards thought to yourself, “Wow, I cannot believe I overcame that.” You might reflect on the impact the event had on your life and realize the different ways you’ve grown. This is a normal occurrence, in fact, the ability for us to be able to “bounce back” from adverse situations is called resilience. Has this experience extended to a situation where you witnessed a friend, co-worker, family member, or acquaintance overcome adversity? Have you drawn strength, wisdom, or humility from seeing others overcome hardship? This concept is vicarious resilience.

Victim service providers are individuals who work with clients to navigate the impacts of traumatic events. Day after day, victim service providers are exposed to some of the most horrific acts humans can inflict on others. You might think that this work leads to becoming pessimistic, jaded, or hopeless, and wonder, “Where is the silver lining in this field of work?” Through the study of vicarious resilience, researchers found that witnessing the strength, perseverance, and determination of victims and survivors allows service providers to harness their own capacity for overcoming adversity.

Our study aims to further explore vicarious resilience by employing the valuable perspective of victim service providers across Canada. We will use this opportunity to explore what vicarious resilience means to service providers, how their organization helps them navigate their well-being, and the systemic barriers that may exist in their line of work. Our wonderful team of research assistants at the Victimology Research Centre are collaborating with partners to create an in-depth survey that will be disseminated nationally, as well as an interview and focus group protocol to collect additional insight. We are in the initial stages of our research; however, we are working diligently to hold a national conference later this year for service providers across Canada. We will use this opportunity to facilitate focus groups and gather information about common themes related to vicarious resilience that victim service providers encounter. Participants will have the chance to follow-up with an individual interview to tease out nuances and gain perspective on their personal well-being. With this information, we will create a ‘vicarious resilience toolkit’ that will help service providers navigate trauma work.

Most recently, we have been refining our survey by consulting with our research partners and incorporating their recommendations. Our team has had to navigate the use of SurveyMonkey, and we continue to educate ourselves on the use of research software, such as ATLAS.ti, to analyze qualitative data. We have collaborated as a team to create the focus group and interview questions and have gained a lot from each other’s unique perspectives. Our individual strengths allow each of us to contribute valuable insight to our research. We effectively communicate any concerns we have, and we help each other out where possible. By conducting this research, we have not only learned about the study itself, but have grown together and increased our personal capacities for resilience.

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Project Description:

The current system of martial arts punch training relies on the expertise of a master relying on their subjective opinion to gauge the force behind one’s strike. Sensei Darren Hunter believed there was a way to get a more scientifically accurate reading of force, to numerically track the progression of his student’s punches. He enlisted the help of the Psychic Coders development team to design an app that would provide a physics-based reading of force, and allow students of his dojo to visualize their improvements as they progress through their martial arts training.

Integrated with a customized training bag designed specifically for the application, the Force of a Punch application is made for Android devices, and provides users with new ways to get a visualization of how strong their punch is. Designed with cooperation from professional martial artists, this application is tailor-made for anyone who is looking for the ultimate training companion. The application not only provides users with the ability to numerically calculate the force of their punch, but allows them to record their results, and track their progressions using graphs and high score displays, making it a perfect tool for a single student, or even for an entire dojo.

During the time of working on this project, the Psychic Coders development team gained valuable knowledge and experience in many different areas. Learning to work in a five person team towards a single large goal was a new experience for us. Learning how to develop for Android was a challenging yet enlightening experience. We conducted research in the field of physics, increasing our understanding of it. And most importantly, with the guidance of our client, improving on conducting ourselves as a professional team, working in conjunction with a client, adhering to schedules and guidelines, and being good teammates.

Our progress with this project was excellent, and the team hopes that they have provided the client with a useful product that will allow him to give his students the best training possible.

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