Shashanka Doddamani

The Contest

                                        Texas Instruments India Analog Design Contest (TI-ADC) a national level IC-based system design contest open to Bachelors/Masters/PhD students from recognized Engineering Colleges of India. The contest happens in 2 phases namely Phase 1 and Phase 2. For the year 2012-13, the contest saw 350 teams from 102 colleges across India. 

 

Abstract

                

                             Crime inhibits the development and growth of a society. Domestic home security is not viewed as a necessity, but as luxury by the common man especially in developing countries like India. We proposed an affordable two layer electronic security system that uses bio metric identification and a password. The innovation here is that the password can only be felt, through a set of pulsed vibrations that are randomly timed for controlled access. A 'key' with a cellphone vibrator and a push button is used for this purpose, called 'The Smart Key'. 

                       Smart Keys are universal and identical, thus eliminating the question of panic if lost. The entire system is powered by an Embedded DC UPS, eliminating the need for an inverter in the face of power cuts.

 

Tools and Hardware used

 

Electronics                                                      Design

                                                                                                                      

Software:                                                           Software:  

 

TINA - Texas Instruments' Circuit                   AutoCAD 2012 2D nad 3D 

Simulation Software                                         modeling

Code Composer Studio v5 -                            Sony Vegas Pro - Video 

Embedded Coding                                                    

OrCAD - Schematics and Layout                      Hardware:

Design of   PCB                                                  

                                                                           3.5 mm Particle Boards

Hardware:                                                         3 mm Acrylic Sheets

                                                                           Roller Bearing

MCU:  MSP430 G2553 in LaunchPad

R303A Optical Fingerprint Module

Analog IC's used: LM 358, TL 2575

series of switching voltage regulators

Lead Acid Batteries (6V, 1.3 Ah),

Cell   Phone Vibrator, Servo motor (12V), DC

Siren (12V), Relays (12V)

 

 

First Round: Phase 1

 

 

           Phase 1A

           Based on the project proposal, list of projects were selected

for the first round called Phase 1. Here there were sub tasks.

In Phase 1A, we were given the task to solve a problem

statement related to linear, analog and digital circuits, prove

the output and demonstrate it with a hardware implementation. 

           Phase 1B

           We were given 4 months time to develop the working

prototype and submit a video demonstration of the project. 

 

        We started from the power supply, which was a DC UPS.

This was a vital part as a security system targeted at the

masses should be a stand alone one. Parallel work on

programming the MSP430's GPIO, Interrupt handling were 

started. Eventually, the Smart Key's circuit was rigged up and tested to be successful. UART communication with the R303A fingerprint module was established and tested. The code was optimized and events sequenced. It was now time to transform breads into PCBs; The schematics, layouts were drawn in OrCAD and gerbers were released to local PCB makers. The PCBs were fabricated and mounted with components. Extensive system level testing and debugging was carried out.

                    

                         Report and Video Submission

       

       We prepared a final report with all the technical details

and started to work on the video. Finally we comleted the

submission on time. 

 

The Team (Order of Appearance in the Video)  

 

1. Raghav Abboy                              

2. Tejas DC

3. Sumukha Chandra

4. Shashanka D

 

 

Results were out, we got selected for the final round.

 

 

Final Round: Phase 2

 

           A total of 350 teams from 102 colleges completed in Phase 1, among which 23 projects were declared as winners. In the final phase 23 winners were required to exhibit their work and present a technical paper at the IEEE Texas Instruments India Educators Conference (TIIEC 2013) at Bangalore.  we decided to redesign the Smart Key's case and form factor. We redrew the schematics, optimizing the PCB size. We were able to reduce the size of the Smart Key by over 50%, making it just the size of a Flash Drive. 

           The Hub containing the DC UPS and MCU was also redesigned. We modelled every board in AutoCAD, placed them optimally in space. The case was designed using this component arrangement as the reference. The result was one that occupied just 1/3rd of the volume of the original case. We made a small wooden door with a slider lock for portability. A new electric lock was built that consisted of a servo motor actuating the slider using a bearing arm assembly. The Smart Key, Key Receiver, Control Hub and the Servo Actuated Door lock worked seamlessly, as they were made for each other. The final set up was ready to face the big stage.

 

The real test

 

        The 2 day conference was teeming with

presentations by all the 23 finalists in their respective stalls,

visited by students, educators and professionals from various

industries. We put all our effort to make all our visitors happy.   

 

Results

 

          Finally arrived the judgment day. We have done our

best. I am by nature optimist, which made me believe that

my team will make a mark in the contest. I was right!

We were called on stage to receive First Runner Up Award,

it was an amazing experience. This was BNMIT’s debut win

at the contest! Our paper was selected for publication in

IEEE Xplore[Pdf]. Upon recommendations we filled an Indian patent on the core idea of our project, hoping to give it to the real world one day.

 

           I wanted my college to make it big at every such event. So I requested TI’s University program partner – Cranes Software International Ltd to conduct an MSP430 workshop in my college. With full support from our HOD and Director, I was able to organize it for my juniors.

 

Even after Graduating from college, I used to motivate my juniors through social networks. The effort paid off, with more than 25 teams applied for the contest next year even though they couldn’t win, I am happy to seam my juniors participate every year.