AME 3623: Project 1

All components of the project are due by Thursday, February 25th at 5:00 pm.
Discussion within your assigned groups is fine.
Discussion across groups may not be about the specifics of the solution (general programming/circuit issues are fine to discuss).

At the end of this project, you should be able to:

create simple microcontroller-based circuits,
read information from a connected computer, and
convey information using a set of LEDs.

Component 1: Microcontroller Circuit

Create a Teensy-based circuit on a solderless breadboard.

Add a new set of ten LEDs that will be used to display distances. You have been supplied with a 10-LED "bar graph" module for this purpose (remember that the direction of current flow matters, and don't forget the resistors!).
Connect the 10 LEDs into five pairs. Connect each pair of LEDs to a single Teensy pin. Each LED has its own resistor (200 or 470 ohm resistors will work here). All five digital pins must be on the same Port.

Component 2: Software

In setup(), initialize the serial port connected to the USB port (which is connected to your computer):
```
       Serial.begin(115200);
       Serial.setTimeout(100000000);
       delay(1000);
```
This C++ notation is new for many of you. Here, there is a software object that is related to a specific piece of hardware (in this case, the serial communications port that is connected to your laptop/desktop). The global variable name for this object (provided by the Arduino environment) is Serial.
begin() is a function (also called a method) that is executed with respect to this object. The 115200 is a parameter that tells the serial port to send/receive data at 115,200 bits per second.
Implement the following function:
void display_distance(float dist), which changes the state of the LED pairs to reflect the specified distance.
- dist is specified in meters and can range between .1 and .8 meters.
- The LEDs indicate 9 different distance ranges:
  1 0 0 0 0
  1 1 0 0 0
  0 1 0 0 0
  0 1 1 0 0
  0 0 1 0 0
  0 0 1 1 0
  0 0 0 1 0
  0 0 0 1 1
  0 0 0 0 1
In your loop() function:
- Prompt the user for a distance in millimeters. The function call:
  Serial.printf("Hello, World!\n\r");
  will print out the indicated string.
- Read an integer from the serial port (this integer is typed on your computer) using the following function call:
  int i = Serial.parseInt();
  The user will type in a distance in millimeters.
- Call display_distance() to display the indicated distance.

Component 3: Testing

After downloading your program to your Teesny, establish a connection to your program:

Set Tools/port to the port that corresponds to your Teensy. You can figure out which one is your Teensy by comparing the list of ports before and after you plug your Teensy in.
Click on the "serial monitor" icon in the upper right corner.
Set data rate to 115200 baud.
Now any string you type in the top window will be sent (after you click the Send button).
And - anything that your program prints will be placed in the main window.

What to Hand In

All components of the project are due by Thursday, February 13th at 5:00 pm.

Code: Check your documented code into the project1 area of Gradescope.
Remember that documentation is about helping you and others looking at your code to understand what it is doing. Therefore, it will generally describe the logic of the code (and not-necessarily the low-level details). For this class:
1. At the top of your C file, provide project-level documentation: include the project number, group number, group members, date and the group member responsible for the code.
2. Each function must be documented (above the function header). This documentation must include:
  - A description of what the function does at a logical level,
  - A list of the input parameters and what their meanings are,
  - A description of the return variable type and meaning, and
  - If the function has external effects (e.g., commanding an actuator or modifying a global variable), these must also be documented here.
3. In-line comments must be used to describe logically what is happening at that line or group of lines.
See an example for the specific format that we are looking for.

Demonstration/Code Review

The review triggers the grading process.
The review must be completed by the Tuesday following the deadline. However, the sooner you have feedback, the better prepared you will be for the next project.
The code and circuit must not have changed since the deadline (unless your group is taking a time penalty).
All group members must be present.
If a code review is completed before the deadline, you have the option to resubmit for an improved grade, as long as the submission is done before the deadline. Note that the resubmission may require a new code review.

Grading

For this project, we expect:

A properly configured circuit
- Microprocessor installed
- LEDs wired to the microprocessor (all to the same PORT)
Properly written software
- Function that displays distance
- Loop function that reads distance measurements from a user and displays them
Properly documented code
- Project-level documentation at the top of the ino file: name and group number, date and project number
- Function-level documentation above the function definition. Include an abstract description of what the function does; a list of the names, types and units associated with each parameter and return value; and the effects that the function has on the processor or connected components.
- In-line documentation inside of functions: individual lines or small groups of lines have an English description that describes logically what the code is doing

andrewhfagg -- gmail.com

Last modified: Tue Feb 23 23:04:00 2021