Diary

Documentation update.

I'm far from finished with the documentation but it's moving forward steadily.

Pictures finished.

I finally got all the pictures done for this homepage and the documentation.

GUI software ready

Finally. The GUI is done and ready for use. Only documentation remains.

Meeting with my tutor

For this last meeting before christmas, there was little to talk about. I showed her my hardware, which had been working for some weeks, and the newly working GUI. There was some bugs that needet to be ironed out.

Z8 software ready

After some days of coding the Z8 software is now finished and testet. Now it's the Web GUI and database to be finished.

Abstract of meeting with my tutor on december the 13th 2004

Present was my self, Michael Sørensen, and my tutor.

We discussed the following:

• Do board id in the GUI.
• Demonstration of the hardware and software.
• Demonstration of project documentation system.
• Discussion about the final exam.
• Agreement on email correspondance before the final exam.

/Michael

Abstract of meeting with my tutor on november the 29th 2004

Present was my self, Michael Sørensen, and my tutor.

We discussed the following:

• Do part list and diagrams in pairs.
• Make all diagrams and schematics large enough to fold out and to be visible at all times when going through the documentation.
• Do test procedure for every board.
• Describe decoupling capacitors.

Our next meeting on the 13th. december 2004.

/Michael

Project update

Yet more work on my project handling system.

Added a lot of illustrations, photos and diagrams to the documentation.

It should be obvious that this homepage have got some graphical upgrade. Thanks to some KDE icons. I'll do anything to suck up to Windows users. ;-)

Project update

More rewrites of my project handling system.

Now I think it's working as it should. This tool really makes my project work a lot easier. But in the near future, I will add some more functions. I need it to work in an "off-line" manner for demonstration purpose on my final exam in january 2005.

The program is still located in the Tools menu.

Project update

Major rewrite of my project handling system.

The program simply got a lot bigger and I lost the overview of it. So I rewrote it and are now using "dialog" to generate the menu. It is a lot more easy to maintain and expand to fit future needs.

The program is located in the Tools menu.

Hardware update

New victory. I got the Digital Intput Board working.

I have worked hard to get this board working. The rest should be somewhat easier. I really look forward to finish the hardware. The software is allready on the way and being written as each board come online in the system.

Hardware update

Victory, if not a smaller one. I got the Digital Output Board working. Yeehaw!!!

I had clearly underestimated just how long it takes to build the hardware. 4 days to build a board. Not a thing to brag about.

The show must go on. Now it is the Digital Input Board on the table. Hopefully it is done in fewer days.

Project update

Things are progressing very fast these days. The Adaptor Board and Monitor And Power Board is ready operating right now.

2 out of 3 source code parts are ready for you to look at. But be warned: it's in early alpha state.

I'm sorry that I haven't updated the diary for a few days. It's because I've been very busy on the hardware.

Project update

Updating the schematics. Thanks to Rene(from class) for his ideas in drawing schematics.

I'm helping out another group in school which basically work on the same hardware. They are building an audio meter for testing hearing on people by generating tones for a headset. So I will integrate the software in this project so it is able to generate 8 low frequencies ranging from 125 Hz to 8 KHz. It's very little code, and only requires an anti aliasing filter on the Analog Output Board to function. I'm really excited about the idea. But later I will change the code to generate more frequencies.

Project update

Major milestone passed. Most of the hardware is ready to build. Only minor things need an extra touch.

Project update

More working on hardware design, documentation and project handling software of my own design.

Project update

More working on hardware design.

Project update

More working on documentation, specifications and project calendar.

Site update

More working on this homepage.

Site update

Project online

Abstract of meeting with my tutor on october the 29th 2004

Present was my self, Michael Sørensen, and my tutor.

We discussed the following:

• The user interface.
• Serial communication in details.
• Lock-file to prevent concurrently communication with the Z8.
• Middle values on analoge measurements.
• CRC checks in communications.
• Collision detection of boards with the same ID.
• Communication handling build around a state maschine.
• The next meeting will be friday the 19th of november 2004.
• Design of the connections in the cable.
• Noise imunity in serial communication.
• LCD on the system (Monitoring And Power Board).

To Do list for me:

• Write specs for the project.
• Finish the Adapter Board.
• Finish the Monitoring And Power Board.
• Build the Digital Output Board.
• Draw schematics on Digital Input Board, Analog Input Board and Analog Output Board.
• Design the communication protocol for the system.

/Michael

Abstract of meeting with my tutor

I was just at a meeting with my tutor. We agreed on the following points:

• Make a timetable/projectmanagement ASAP in MS Project 98.
• I was to write an abstract from the meeting.
• Write specs for the project.
• The projekt report should have a seperate HW and SW descriptions, but put together in an a extra final system integration.
• Milestones in HW and SW Block/module description.
• Use only pseudo code in HW descriptions.
• Send weekly reports on status and progress.
• Consensus on methods of communications.
• Our next meeting will be desided when the semester starts.

/Michael