Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
67 Automatic Water Quality Monitoring using Test Strips
Abdullah Alsufyani
Fahad Alsaab
Jiankun Yang design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
other1.pdf
presentation1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
# Automatic Water Quality Monitoring using Test Strips

Team Members:
- Fahad AlSaab (fahadma)
- Abdullah AlSufyani (aaa25)

# Problem

Using water quality testing strips to identify key characteristics can be time-consuming. Each color strip can have different color scales and varying wait times before the chemical agent provides valid results. While it is true that some tests, such as pH, have digital alternatives, these alternatives tend to be more expensive, often require additional calibration, and sometimes do not exist for certain chemical tests. Consequently, automating water quality testing across a wider range of chemicals and substances continues to rely on test strips.


# Solution

Our solution is an automated system that applies water to a test strip and records its values. The enclosed system consists of a mechanism to dispense water onto a test strip. It then waits for the chemical reactions to complete and reads the color results using sensors. A mechanism will replace the used test strips with a fresh one from a storage stack, ensuring multiple days to weeks worth of testing before needing user replacement.

Water will be dispensed using a solenoid, with water sourced either from a reservoir or a home water inlet. The colors will be measured using either color sensors or a digital camera, with LED illumination for consistency. This system enables automated daily monitoring with fresh water samples compared to other water quality testing designs. It expands the range of testable chemicals by leveraging traditional test strips while maintaining affordability by avoiding expensive digital water sensors. The system will be evaluated based on its ability to reliably execute the testing cycle and the accuracy of its color reading compared to human observations.


# Solution Components

## Test Strip Storage Cartridge

This subsystem stores and dispenses test strips. The strips are stacked vertically and dispensed using a roller mechanism similar to a printer. The cartridge ensures that a fresh test strip is available for each test cycle.

### Components
Motorized roller mechanism
Vertical test strip storage compartment
Sensor to detect the presence of test strips.


## Feeder System

The feeder system transports test strips from the storage cartridge to the testing chamber, It ensures proper alignment and positioning of the strip for water application and water detection.


### Components

Stepper motor with precision control
Guide rails for strip movement
Optical sensor for strip alignment verification
Adafruit Motor Shield (https://www.adafruit.com/product/169)

## Water Reservoir and Droplet Dispenser

### Components:
Solenoid valve for controlled water dispensing
Water reservoir with level sensor
Tubing and nozzle for precise droplet application


## Test Strip Color Sensor

This module measures the color of each square of the test strip and has illumination via onboard LEDs to make reading the color more accurate. We will use a color-sensing chip to test its accuracy first and switch to a conventional camera if we do not get the accuracy we want.

The TCS3472 color light to digital converter chip provides us with color measurements.

### Components:
RGB color sensor (e.g., The TCS3472 color light to digital converter chip provides us with color measurements.)
LED illumination for consistent lighting

## Displaying Results

Print over serial USB connection the measured concentrations of chemicals and minerals found in the water.

## Power System

Powered from a standard wall outlet using an AC to DC converter.

# Criterion For Success

1. The cartridge system is reliably able to dispense test strips to the feeder system. Able to do at least 5 water quality testing cycles automatically without jamming.
2. The feeder system can move and position the test strip underneath the water droplet dispenser and color sensor within half a centimeter.
3. The water droplet dispense system can dispense exactly one drop of water at a time accurately onto the square chemical papers such that the test square is fully saturated.
4. The color sensing system can accurately determine the concentration for each test within 10% accuracy compared to a human’s reading of the same test strip.
5. The system can reliably store used test strips in a removable container for the user to dispose.

Electricity-Generating Device Retrofitted for Spin Bikes with Wall Outlet Plug Connected to Gym's Grid

Raihana Hossain, Elisa Krause, Tiffany Wang

Electricity-Generating Device Retrofitted for Spin Bikes with Wall Outlet Plug Connected to Gym's Grid

Featured Project

**Elisa Krause (elisak2), Raihana Hossain (rhossa2), Tiffany Wang (tw22)**

**Problem:** Something we take for granted everyday is energy. Constantly, there is energy consumption in malls, offices, schools, and gyms. However, the special thing about gyms is that there is always someone using either the elliptical, bike or etc. Now what if, along with losing those extra pounds, you can also generate some electricity using these machines? Our device is a straightforward and cheap alternative for gyms to have retrofitted spin bikes that generate electricity, and for the gym to save money by using the electricity generated by the bikes that can be connected to the gym’s grid by simply plugging the device into the wall outlet.

**Solution Overview:** We are retrofitting a spin bike with an electricity-generating device that can be plugged into the wall outlet, which will be the path to send the generated electricity back to the gym’s grid to be used. The amount of electricity generated can also be monitored and displayed with the device.

**Solution Components:**

* **[Retrofit for Electricity Generation]** Component that attaches to any spin bike on the outside (straightforward and simple retrofit) and generates electricity when the bike is being used.

* **[Send Power to Gym Grid]** Component that reverses the typical direction of the wall outlet and sends the energy generated by the bike riders back to the gym’s power grid.

* **[Metering]** Component that records and displays how much energy was generated between the times when someone presses a button on the device. The first button press will reset the display. The second button press will show how much energy was generated from the time when the button was first pressed.

**Criterion for success:**

* Retrofits any (or the majority of) spin bike types

* Energy generated from people working out on the spin bikes is sent from a wall outlet to the gym’s power grid

* Device displays the power generated by a bike during the time of two button presses.

* Show that our power output being generated matches and syncs up with a sinusoidal input using a mock setup to simulate the grid

Project Videos