Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
103 Adaptive Solar Panel Canopy for Vineyard Microclimate Control
 Titouan Louis Matthieu Morel
Zikora Okonkwo
 Zhuchen Shao proposal1.pdf
# Problem :
Climate change is increasingly threatening vineyards by exposing plants to heat stress and water scarcity. During hot, sunny periods, leaves can overheat, soil moisture evaporates rapidly, and crop yield and quality can decline. Growers currently lack a localized, automated system to manage sunlight and humidity at the plant level without frequent manual intervention or excessive irrigation.


# Solution
We propose an adaptive shading and microclimate control system that combines a motorized solar-panel canopy with a moisture-capture foam layer beneath it. By using environmental sensors such as soil moisture, air temperature, humidity, and light intensity we can continuously monitor the conditions around the plants. The system will automatically adjust the title and height of the panels to regulate sunlight exposure and local humidity. The foam layer captures and retains ambient moisture to further mitigate heat stress. By using real time data, the system can optimize plant protection and water conservation which will provide precise and low maintenance solution for growers.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1: Environmental Sensing
### Function:
Monitor the microclimate around plants to inform adaptive responses.
### Components:
Moisture sensor for soil → Capacitive sensor (DFROBOT SEN0193)

Air temperature & humidity sensor → DHT22

Light intensity sensor → BH1750

Microcontroller → Arduino Uno

# #Subsystem 2: Moving Canopy
### Function :
Thermal Protection : Orient the panels to cast shade over the plants

Humidity Management : Adjust the height and tilt to trap or release humidity of the air generated by water capturing layer
### Components :
Linear Actuators → Progressive Automations PA-14

Distance/Height Feedback → Ultrasonic distance sensor HC-SR04

Tilt Control → Stepper Motor NEMA 23 + IMU BNO055

Orientation Feedback → IMU Sensor (BNO055)


# #Subsystem 3: Water capturing Layer
### Function :
Absorption : Capture the humidity of the air when it’s high

Release : Release the water when it’s needed
### Components :
Hydrophilic medium → Polyurethane Foam

Moisture absorbing material → Calcium Chloride CaCl2


# Criterion For Success

Soil moisture retention is improved about 10-15% compared to uncovered soil during test periods

System operates autonomously for about 24hrs without manual intervention

Canopy height responds to local humidity levels where height adjusts within 60 seconds to increase or decrease humidity

Canopy tilt responds to changes in light intensity where the panel tilts within 30 seconds of sensor threshold breach

The air temperature at the plant canopy reduced by at least 3 degrees celsius under high solar exposure

# Demonstration :
For the demonstration, we propose building a microsystem that simulates an environment with a bell jar, a lamp, a hair dryer, and a humidity diffuser. The demonstration will focus on showing the system’s response to an increase in temperature as well as on measuring and capturing humidity. We also propose adding a display to check the sensor readings and lowering the thresholds for the demo.

Logic Circuit Teaching Board

Younas Abdul Salam, Andrzej Borzecki, David Lee

Featured Project

Partners: Younas Abdul Salam, Andrzej Borzecki, David Lee

The proposal our group has is of creating a board that will be able to teach students about logic circuits hands on. The project will consist of a board and different pieces that represent gates. The board will be used to plug in the pieces and provide power to the internal circuitry of the pieces. The pieces will have a gate and LEDs inside, which will be used to represent the logic at the different terminals.

By plugging in and combining gates, students will be able to see the actual effect on logic from the different combinations that they make. To add to it, we will add a truth table that can be used to represent inputs and outputs required, for example, for a class project or challenge. The board will be able to read the truth table and determine whether the logic the student has created is correct.

This board can act as a great learning source for students to understand the working of logic circuits. It can be helpful in teaching logic design to students in high schools who are interested in pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Please comment on whether the project is good enough to be approved, and if there are any suggestions.

Thank you