PROJECT

[michael_krell]

Hey Everyone its brainstorm time:

I am an Electrical Engineer at New Jersey Institute of Technology. I am in my fourth year and I need to come up with an idea for a senior project. The project has to be somewhat innovative and most serve some kind of purpose by solving a problem.

It would be great to do something in the music field but any ideas would be appreciated.  Please throw in your insight!!!!!!

[michael_krell]

ANY ideas at all really.... it doesnt even have to be related to guitar or music. ANYTHING

[Mike Burgundy]

What level of expertise are we looking at? I assume modding the heck out of a FuzzFace won't satisfy your teachers.
Through-zero phasing is apparently a bit of a holy grail. Do a programmable MIDI cntroller. A "look-ahead" gate. A thingamajig that detects (and solves) phase-problems in PA systems, without resorting to loads of digital stuff. an electronic device that always keeps my guitar in tune. An analog polyphonic harmoniser without resorting to weird pickups.

What you need to do is not think of a project, but think of a PROBLEM. Brainstorm on that for a while (different situations, workarounds, this is not really handy, ideal world etc) and see if you can come up with something that needs to be solved and *might* be helped with electronics. It's then up to you to prove it actually can.

[Mark Hammer]

On-board DSP-based hum-rejection for guitars....with suitable output buffering/loading, so we don't have to do through any of that sure-it-cancels-hum-but-it-doesn't-really-"nail"-a-Strat-tone foolishness ever again.

[David]

On-board DSP-based hum-rejection for guitars....with suitable output buffering/loading, so we don't have to do through any of that sure-it-cancels-hum-but-it-doesn't-really-"nail"-a-Strat-tone foolishness ever again.

Here's your project, man!  You can help us all!  Do a DSP Leslie simulator.  Footswitchable speed control, capability to overdrive the "amplifier",  all in a guitar pedal that we can build.  Include the code and the programming method as well.

[Paul Marossy]

Design a guitar synth...

[Marcos - Munky]

Maybe a easy-to-build DSP project, or a synth, like Paul said. If you can do a analog Whammy, a analog clean octave or a analog polyphonic octave, you will satisfy your teachers and us too . Just joking.

[ESPm2M]

:shock:   I second the analog WH-1 Whammy idea!  

:wink:  

[michael_krell]

I dont think modding any pedals would be the way to go. Thats just not impressive. I need to create something that solves a problem (because thats what engineers do). The skill level is rather high. for example: i know some kids that made a unicycle robot that moved by itself. and another group that wants to make a fish that swims on its own. So i hope that helps.

[Paul Marossy]

IMO, building a guitar synth that tracks guitar well is a challenge. There are a lot of obstacles to be overcome with that type of circuit. Of course, on the surface, it doesn't appear to be as difficult because an electronic fish that swims by itself appears to be a greater feat to most.

[KORGULL]

Make a circuit that stops fluorescent lights from flickering. You could save the world from eyestrain, headaches, nervousness, diminished productivity in the workplace and other problems (seizures?).
  -just a quick thought.
 Good Luck, I know how difficult it is to come up with original ideas.

[Hal]

how about a robot fish that plays the guitar

[Sic]

Lets see...

i've been thinking alot about solar stuff lately... do something cool with solar panel designs...  think about how much energy we could harness if it was cheaper/smaller to use solar panels...

They don't produce much... maybe you could figure out a way for them to produce more... find something SUPER reactive with light... and harness that reaction...

[michael_krell]

i really like that flourescent light idea im going to look into that. Please give me more ideas.

[KORGULL]

Michael_Krell wrote:

i really like that flourescent light idea im going to look into that

I was thinking it is the cycling 60hz AC causing the flicker. Incandescent bulbs have the inductive filament which prevents flicker. Anyway I've only been studying electronics for a short time so I'm far from an expert, but maybe if you made a circuit that rectified the AC and supplied a DC - like current .....no more flicker. Sounds simple anyway. You could house it in a box with a jack(s) to accept  plugs from ordinary flourescent fixtures.
 You could then take it to market, sell millions and send me 10% royalty checks for each unit sold!

[niftydog]

I think you'll find that's the whole trick behind compact fluorescents.

[Ge_Whiz]

Yeah, DC fluorescents have been done before. They have an inherent problem - the discharge at one end of the tube causes mercury deposits on the fluorescent coating that kills the light emission - every so often you have to reverse the tube (or the supply polarity) in order to prolong its useful life.

And as for 'super efficient' solar cells - there are thousands of scientists and engineers working for hundreds of companies spending millions of dollars trying to find these first. Of course, you may get lucky... :roll:

[Joe Hart]

In the thread titled "Mesa Boogie Killing my Wah" (or something), Mark Hammer wrote:

It's not just that amp. Some distortion pedals sound great after a wah, and some sound terrible. I just wish I knew what distinguished them in terms of design so that it could be compensated for in some manner to assure a great wah+dist tone every single time.

Maybe there's an idea for your project? I know it would solve a real life problem. Not as impressive LOOKING as a robot that scratches its butt, though...

-Joe Hart

[Paul Marossy]

I just wish I knew what distinguished them in terms of design so that it could be compensated for in some manner to assure a great wah+dist tone every single time.

How about something that calculates input and/or output impedances between two pedals in a chain of effects and adjusts itself to some editable optimum setting(s)? Is this possible?

[Jason Stout]

Have you thought of asking a professor if he/she needs help with their research? Does an M.E. team need an electrical design? …Or perhaps you could participate in an IEEE contest like this for your project (you could go to Florida!)