Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
7 Lightweight Hybrid Guitar Amplifier
Most Marketable Award
 Jeremy Pessin
Thomas Satrom
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proposal0.pdf
Our project is a hybrid (vacuum tube and transistor) guitar amplifier. It will be designed to be lightweight, using a class-D power amplifier, switching power supply, and lightweight cabinet materials not commonly used in this application. Unlike other hybrid guitar amps on the market, this amplifier will contain a complete low-power tube amplifier (including an output transformer) inside of it instead of just a single tube preamp stage, in order to get closer to the sound of a conventional tube amp than is currently available in consumer hybrid amplifier designs. In addition, the amplifier is intended to be energy-efficient and durable.

The benefits of this design are twofold: First, the sound of the amplifier will be more desirable than the sound of previous hybrid amplifiers because it will sound more like a traditional vacuum tube amplifier. Second, the amplifier will be lighter in weight than traditional tube or hybrid guitar amplifiers because of the smaller power electronics and because of the choice of foam and carbon fiber cabinet materials, which are much lighter than the traditional plywood, as well as the choice of speakers with neodymium magnets instead of the usual, heavy ceramic magnets.

Low Cost Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand

Michael Fatina, Jonathan Pan-Doh, Edward Wu

Low Cost Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand

Featured Project

According to the WHO, 80% of amputees are in developing nations, and less than 3% of that 80% have access to rehabilitative care. In a study by Heidi Witteveen, “the lack of sensory feedback was indicated as one of the major factors of prosthesis abandonment.” A low cost myoelectric prosthetic hand interfaced with a sensory substitution system returns functionality, increases the availability to amputees, and provides users with sensory feedback.

We will work with Aadeel Akhtar to develop a new iteration of his open source, low cost, myoelectric prosthetic hand. The current revision uses eight EMG channels, with sensors placed on the residual limb. A microcontroller communicates with an ADC, runs a classifier to determine the user’s type of grip, and controls motors in the hand achieving desired grips at predetermined velocities.

As requested by Aadeel, the socket and hand will operate independently using separate microcontrollers and interface with each other, providing modularity and customizability. The microcontroller in the socket will interface with the ADC and run the grip classifier, which will be expanded so finger velocities correspond to the amplitude of the user’s muscle activity. The hand microcontroller controls the motors and receives grip and velocity commands. Contact reflexes will be added via pressure sensors in fingertips, adjusting grip strength and velocity. The hand microcontroller will interface with existing sensory substitution systems using the pressure sensors. A PCB with a custom motor controller will fit inside the palm of the hand, and interface with the hand microcontroller.

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