156B Week 6

Overview of Status of Analysis, Design, Fabrication, Tests, etc.

  • The order for the spherical display structure has been placed. We decided to go with acrylic bonded hemispheres. The decision to go with acrylic was mainly motivated by ease of fabrication. The other materials we were looking at, polycarbonate and glass, had similar optical properties but would be hard to work with or potentially hazardous to our health. This was the case for polycarbonate which contains BPA, a known hazardous chemical present in some plastics.

  • The tethering setup has been completed by our sponsor. This has helped to tremendous improve our tethering times and success rates. (fewer casualties)

  • The mirrors that will be used to help project onto the sphere have arrived. Now that we have the mirrors we can begin testing with the projector and projection software to determine a method for sphere projection. Testing will begin (5-9-14)

  • Successfully recorded videos of a tethered fruit fly. one at 500fps, 400fps, 300fps, 200fps and 150fps. Now that we have these videos we have determine the optimal frame rate for captueing images of the fly to be 300fps and have begun the process of applying image analysis to the recorded videos.

  • We have also begun looking into buying or making a more powerful back light. This is because in order to capture clear pictures and videos of the fly, we need a fast shutter speed. With a fast shutter speed though the image becomes darkened more then what would be ideal. So we would like to increase the intensity of our back light to compensate.

Accomplishments from Previous Week

  • Decide to purchase the acrylic display structure sphere.

  • Successfully record multiple videos of tethered fruit fly at different frame rates.

  • finished first rough draft of report and website.

  • Laser cut current back light mount.

Goals for Next Week (list names after each item). Use specific and measurable objectives.

  • Continue fine tuning background subtraction, wing edge detection and ellipse fitting. We Currently have this aspect of the code finished, but there is good amount of tuning that needs to be completed.

  • Determine geometry of projector and mirror setup for projection onto the sphere.

  • Work with projection software to fit the image to the sphere and determine if software will run at a faster frame rate.

  • begin assembly of new back light if parts arrive in time.

Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)

  • In the last meeting with our sponsor we were working to record videos of tethered flies. He noticed that the image of the flies was darker then ideal and suggested that we look in to a more powerful back light or perhaps a laser to illuminate the fly. The current back light we are using consists of 50 IR LEDs in a 2 inch by 2 inch housing. We have ordered IR LEDs and protoboards and believe we can make a back light with similar dimensions that will house 100 LEDs. We have also looked into using on the IR laser that is already available in the lab and have ordered absorptive neutral density filters to lower the intensity.

Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)

  • In our last meeting with the instructor, he expressed concerns that we were completing to many little side projects and not focusing as much as we should be on the major upcoming tasks such as coding work, sphere selection and projection method. In response to that we have recorded good videos of the tethered fruit flies and have begun the process of image analysis. We have also ordered the spherical display structure and will begin testing of the projection method by the end of this week.

Comments from Other Students in the Class (indicate date of comments and if via email or in person)

  • N/A

Risks and Areas of Concern

  • Implementation of code on recorded videos.

  • Projection method.

  • Determining a new method of illuminating the fly

Resources or Information Required but not Available

  • N/A

Schedule

  • Preliminary testing with projector.

  • Implement wing edge detection code on recorded video of tethered fly that we have produced.

  • Implement wing amplification code on recorded video of tethered fly that we have produced.

Budget (list amount spent and amount remaining)

  • Point Gray USB 3, Flea 3 1280X1024 high speed camera. ($600.00)

  • Macro zoom lens ($1000.00)

  • Other parts have been ordered. Will update the budget once we have obtained the invoice from our sponsor.

  • Amount remaining ($3,400.00)

Progress on Report and Webpage

  • The first draft of the report and website have been completed.