Projects

I probably have on the order of 10 to 20 projects running at any given moment. Some are school related, like my thesis, and some are hobby related, or personal research related. Below you will find an immediate list of websites I have designed over the years for projects.

Further down, I also have short descriptions of school projects I have completed over the years that may or may not be relevant to a possible employer or geeky friend.

Enjoy!
–Darrell

1998 – Recombinant DNA

2000 – The Dark Crystal, The Labyrinth

2005 – Guntley Barn Photovoltaic System
— Very Nicely Done, Design and Construction with lots of photos!

STARTech Competition
Myself, Jim Pugh, and Cameron McFadden did a small website describing the process of Recombinant DNA. I have kept the page up to this day. It was used as an entry for a local competition at the time. I recall us being a bit flabbergasted that the folks that won 1st place had only created very basic HTML pages. They had done no JavaScript with 3D engines like ours, they had just printed each web page (one for every student) out and stuck it in a 3-ring binder. Since there were 120 students, this made for a thick binder. The judges appeared to like quantity over quality. The two winners even admitted to us their surprise that we did not win 1st. We got 2nd. The 1st place prize was a PowerMac G3 all-in-one. The 2nd place prize was a lame keyboard that recorded what you typed up to about 32k or so for taking notes in class — pretty useless. Anyhow, the page is here — Recombinant DNA.

CMPE100 Spring 2000: Logic Design
Boolean algebra, logic minimization, finite state machine design, sequential circuits, common logic elements, programmable logic devices, and an introduction to system level design. The electrical behavior of circuits including three state outputs, propagation delay, logic levels, and fanout. — My lab partner and I made an ALU with to do 7 basic operations using Xilinx Chip and software. || report ||

CMPE121 Spring 2001: Microprocessor Design
The design and use of microprocessor-based systems. Covers microprocessor and microcontroller architecture, programming techniques, bus and memory organization, DMA, timing issues, interrupts, peripheral devices, serial and parallel communication, and interfacing to analog and digital systems. — Using an Motorolla HC11, I built a microcontroller that had 32k of SRAM exaustively mapped and a 128k EEPROM paged 8 times into 16k blocks. || report ||

CMPE123 Fall 2001: Advanced Microprocessor Design
Students, alone or in teams of two or three, define a microprocessor-based design project which they implement. Class time is spent in technical discussions and ongoing design reviews. A formal presentation and demonstration of each project is required at the end of the quarter. — Using the Rabbit Microcontroller RCM2300, my lab partner and I built two IR-tropic mice. || report ||

CMPE126 Winter 2002: Advanced Logic Design
The principles of digital system design with emphasis on using computer-aided design tools for the specification, design, and verification of digital systems. Project is the complete design, implementation, and realization of a digital system using field-programmable gate arrays. — I designed a GOMOKU player in logic using Xilinx Software and a BORG board. || midterm ||

CMPE173 Spring 2002: High Speed Digital Design
Studies of analog circuit principles relevant to high-speed digital design: signal propagation, crosstalk, and electromagnetic interference. Topics include electrical characteristics of digital circuits, interfacing different logic families, measurement techniques, transmission lines, ground planes and grounding, terminations, power systems, connectors/ribbon cables, clock distribution, shielding, electromagnetic compatibility and noise suppression, and bus architectures. The laboratory introduced topics in high-speed digital design, and consisted of three theory and technique laboratories followed by a significant final project consisting of a functional printed circuit board uniquely conceived, designed and constructed by each student. — I built a circuit from design all the way though test that dealt with ground bounce.|| report ||

ENGR305 Spring 2005: Appropriate Technology
Study of various forms of appropriate technology. One group project and one individual project of sizable magnitude required. Many field-trips to nearby appropriate technology based companies like Footprint Recycling for biodiesel, the Arcata Educational Farm for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)– I designed and installed a small off-grid photovoltaic system for my a barn on my Dad’s girlfriend’s property. I built a nice web page detailing the installation of the system. || Guntley Barn Web Page ||

IT251 Spring 2006: Industrial Control Electronics
Analog signal processing and control with theory and practice using discrete and integrated devices. Topics include noise, filtering, power supplies, operational amplifiers, DC & AC analysis, computer simulation, instrumentation, and troubleshooting skills. — I built a circuit using the Water Wave/Tide/Level Meter described at Nathan Hurst’s website. || report ||

MATH 698: MS Thesis – A Distributed Renewable Energy System Providing 100 Percent of Power Demand in Humboldt County: A Feasibility Study
Humboldt County is cut off from most of California power-wise and must generate the bulk of its power locally. If we relied on Wind, Solar, Biowaste, and Wave power only, would it be possible for Humboldt County to supply all of its power needs? Now if the sun was shining, the wind blowing, the waves crashing, and the biowaste flowing all the time, the answer would obviously be yes. But intermittent sources wreak havoc. Would a distributed system work? When I began this project, I felt the answer was still obviously yes. Now that I am a bit further I am not so sure. || Thesis Blog Posts ||