Reflection - Technology Project APPT 6212

The last week of class of technology project it was my final project presentation. Since the previous of our project demonstration, it still has much that we didn't explain on our project how the system works and how the all components work.

In this presentation we have tried to explain all of it.

One of the tutors he think we should to create something in this course, yes it was. However, after the first discussion with our advisor, we have been told that we don't need to build this thing up. When tutor asked us do we have buy those sensor and try install on car to see can get the ECG signal or not. Of course it definitely can, because they are using this technology in medical use, this is pointless to buy those things to prove it, and it is so expensive. The sensors is fine, but the sensor's control box is expensive, without the control box, you can't get the signal.

We both felt disappointed, but we have tried our best to do it. In this subject we have learn some other knowledge, it can be related or not related to automotive engineering, it was interesting. Moreover, I think we have improved our presentation skill as well after this course.

Thanks to our advisor and everyone who has helping us and giving us an opinion on our project.

Week 13 - Technology Project APPT 6212

06/06/14 (Fri)

Finally today is stage 3 demonstration of our project presentation. However, today just need to present about our blog but we thought it is presentation of our project current status. Therefore we haven't get ready to present our blog on today.

Last night my team mate and I have done the complete system operation flow chart. We have the all needed information of components of non contact ECG system, and how it works. We have the electric diagram of the sensors, although we are not fully understand on it even discussed with Simon, but we got better understanding now. We have decided what is the action of warning and the back up plan.

However, we only left one more presentation to explain all this which is the final presentation.

Week 12 - Technology Project APPT 6212

30/05/14 (Fri)

After we discussed with our advisor again, we got our direction what to do on our project, and we knew about our problem.

This time we will do more focus on the sensor concept, installation, how it works, how the system process. Me and my team-mate we think from the starting point again, to see what information we have missed.

We have been told from last presentation that our slide show were not good enough. We should put more picture, video, diagram, data, not only the bullet points.

Week 11 - Technology Project APPT 6212

23/05/14 (Fri)

After we have finished our stage 2 demonstration, we got the poor marks at this time. 

At first, we introduce what technology can check a person is going to sleep. We just want to prove ECG is the one of the technology, but how it work on it? HRV, heart rate variability. HRV can tells you a lot of information not only the heart condition, almost the body is. Sleep rhythm is strongly connected with brain and heart activities. It also can determine the fatigue or relaxation from your body.

It is measured as the time gap between your heart beats that varies as you breathe in and out. 

Epic sensor is the non contact sensor to sense ECG signal from human body. Due to we don't understand the electric diagram therefore we don't have put it into our slide show of presentation. 

After we reviewed on this our presentation it was really bad. Definitely we went to wrong direction to do our research, and less information, also we don't understand clearly the system. It is hard to present and explain something that you don't understand.

Week 10 - Technology Project APPT 6212

16/05/14 (Fri)

Today we supposed to present our stage 2 demonstration in the class, but we were not getting ready, so our presentation was postponed to next week.

We still on discussing of how to do on our project but we stuck, we can't move forward to do next step. We probably went to wrong direction and I think it is because we don't have a strong purpose and clear direction, also we have spent insufficient time for our discussion.

After that we discussed again with our advisor, and then we try to follow the direction and find the related information.

Week 9 - Technology Project APPT 6212

09/05/14 (Fri)

We still discussing how to prove ECG can determine sleepiness. Finally we found the information of someone report of their research about Heart Rate Variability (HRV). I have tried to read it although I can't fully understand it but I know the HRV analysis study can tell us a lot of information about our body condition.

From the report it shows that typical HRV in human has three main frequency bands. When a person from waking stage change to sleeping stage, the frequency bands will be changed. 

Besides, we have found the some sensors can get ECG signal by skin contact-less but we still reading on it and see which one is better for our project and more convincing information. 

Week 8 - Technology Project APPT 6212

29/04/14 (Tue)

Since the previous presentation we have done, we have been questioned is the driver has to be naked because getting ECG signal usually it is by skin contact with electrodes.

We have spent a long time to search how to get ECG signal without skin contact. Although we found it but we don't understand how it works even after reading, due to this is the knowledge we never touch before. We also found what kind of sensor can get ECG signal through clothing without skin contact.

We wish to explain and prove how ECG can analyse drowsy signal, but it seemed like we need more research to do.

Week 7 - Technology Project APPT 6212

11/04/14 (Fri)

Last night we did research and we discussed our project until late night at my place. Due to we both have to work as part time therefore our process were slow.

Today was our stage 1 demonstration for our project. We have shown the basic system flow chart as below: 
1. Signal from sensors
2. Signal conditioning (filter & amplifier)
3. Beat to beat interval detection
4. HRV library (general information)
5. Drowsiness detection
6. If driver is drowsy, warning will be given
7. If driver is no drowsy, system will keep monitor

From the presentation we have explained that we are now only focus on doing drowsiness detection in our project. Due to the alcohol issue it is needed another components to check the alcohol containing from human skin.

We planed to locate the ECG sensors on car seat to get ECG signal from driver's back, and also another sensor on the seat.

The material of sensor we will use which is conductive fabric. It is because of low cost and it can sense tiny electric signal of your muscles.

The reaction of the system, we decided to put warning sound until it switched off by driver. Moreover, the vehicle speed will be slowed down or stopped if warning system did not turn off.

Week 6 - Technology Project APPT 6212

04/04/14 (Fri)

We are still confusing about how to find the information that which can support on out project, and where is the direction to do our research. We do believe that ECG can determine on drowsiness but we can't even find one of the evidence to prove it and also can't get the electrocardiogram of drowsiness, most of them are heart attack or heart disease. So we still not clear on this area.

In the other hand, we are starting to discuss the whole system operation, the warning action, the components of the system and material. We also discuss what kind of information we need to prepare for our next presentation. We still have many unclear information are waiting to be solved. 

Week 5 - Technology Project APPT 6212

28/03/14 (Fri)

Today other groups to present their project of first presentation. Some of their idea quite interesting. Every group has to build up their product with some simple component, except my group. It is because of our idea is quite innovative on technology, like using a medical technology apply in automotive.

Although we do not need to built up our product but it is not easy to find the information and it is so difficult to read and understand, and also sometime we cannot get the evidence to prove the information it is work.

Now, we only can say it is not able to know if someone was going to sleep detected by "heart rate". Therefore we only can use ECG technology to do it in our project.

Week 4 - Technology Project APPT 6212

21/03/14 (Fri)

Today was our initial report and presentation, it was our proposal presentation. 

We have shown the report of the car accidents were caused by alcohol issue, drowsiness issue, and heart attack issue, where happened in one of the city from United State. The report was provided by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqXiiqYwyog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLTnF8Aj-dY

We have suggested some solutions as the initial idea for those scenarios. For alcohol issue, the engine would not be started if driver have exceeded the limit of alcohol containing. For heart attack and drowsiness issues, a warning alarm will be given by the system to wake driver up. 

Week 3 - Technology Project APPT 6212

14/03/14 (Fri)

Since we have decided to use heart rate detection as our technology project idea, and we need to apply this system into vehicle. First, we need to think and find out what makes the system work?

From lecturer's advice, we get some information about heart rate and Electrocardiography (ECG). ECG is the recording of the electrical activity of the heart, it can be displayed in a diagram form and it called Electrocardiogram. Obviously ECG it can checks a lot of symptoms of condition from our heart and body, also it can determines what kind of heart disease.


However heart rate just the recording the heart beat from pulse to pulse, can it determines about heart problem or someone is drowsy? This is the first question that we need to figure out, because if heart rate can tell you those informations, the system will be installed easily in vehicle. Besides, it is difficult to install the system in vehicle if we needed to use ECG technology.

TTEC 6315 Automotive Professional Practice

Week 1

In Professional Practice subject, me and Kang be a team to work for the group assignment. In the group project we are required to do observation in an automotive workshop regarding to the business as to the relationship within the shop or industry. Areas to focus will be customer service, work planning, allocation of working, health and safety, billing and return work procedure, waste management.

At first we need to find a workshop to progress our works. After our discussion, we decided to go New Lynn area to looking for a workshop. On Tuesday morning, we first walked around some workshops and discussed about the workshop from outside what we have seen. The next, we went into the workshop and explained our purpose and asked for the permission to do research there for our assignment.

However, there were 2 workshops that we have targeted the manager was not there and therefore we didn't get the permission to do so. One of the staff told us that last year some of the students from our school had done the similar project in their workshop, he asked us to come again to meet his manager it should be fine. So we planned to come again next week.

Week 2 - Technology Project APPT 6212

07/03/14 (Fri)

Today we bring some ideas along with us. At first me and Kang to discuss about our ideas, some are good some are not good. We finally going to present our ideas to the lecturer because we really can't think any idea again.

After we presented the first idea, lecturer tells us it is good idea but it is quite easy in the technology, so we are required to create the real electronic device but we are not good in electronic, so we gave up the idea. 2nd idea it is kind of scanners and sensors. Although we don't need to create the real device but it is too wide of information we have to consider. The comments of lecturer is "too complicated". Lecturer says, " the first idea was too easy, second idea was too complicated, I believe the 3rd idea would be in between of them".

Our 3rd idea which is installing some technology on driver side where it can sense the heart rate from driver. In our initial idea it probably be installed on steering wheel. When your both hands holding on the steering wheel it will be able to get your heart rate and pulse. The purpose of we do that is want to increase safety level on driving. We do believe some accidents were caused by drivers because of falling asleep, heart attack or coma by low blood sugar, if driver receive a warning when this happen, it may avoid to happen an accident.

In the other hands, we also will try to figure out is it possible to check the alcohol level from drivers palm by sweat. There was a lot of car accidents were caused by after drinking. However, we do need to do more research on how to check the alcohol level from human body skin and sweat. If we got the solution we believe this idea could decrease the accident on driving after drinking, due to the engine is not allowed to start if the driver has exceeded the limit of alcohol containing.

We think this is an interesting idea therefore we decided to take it as our project in this subject.

Week 1 - Technology Project APPT 6212

28/02/14 (Fri)

Today was the first day in the class of "Technology Project". I was so glad that I am same class again with my good friend, Kang.

In the first day, lecturer explained what is the purpose of this subject and the assessments details. For this project, me and Kang will be a team to work together, we need to think and identify some problems in automotive area, to meet and discuss with advisor and then to analyse the problems and select one as our project. This project may practices us to use inquiry, research, critical thinking, planning skills and problem solving skills.

The 1st step always be the hardest and important for everything, no exception for this as well. We have to think some ideas of problem in automotive area and decide which one is the best for our project, and who is our advisor. Kang came out with one idea it was regarding to vehicle wind screen. The idea was about to create something to protect wind screen avoid from scratches and damage, however the idea was more on material and innovation area not on technology. After that guess what we've got? We were stuck.

Next week we are going to decide what is our project idea, so we need to get more ideas between the time, after that discuss with lecturer.