My PBL Project

Building a Wireless Communicator

Problem Statement(s):

The current problem with wireless communications is that transit is too slow even for modern standards. Everyday, millions of people find themselves using these wireless techno logies like WI-FI, Bluetooth, and NFC. The problem is that due too high transit, in this case for WI-FI, connection times become almost unusable. Now, in Bluetooth and NFC's case,even though both suffer of not very fast speeds, their load times are not terrible because both of those technologies were designed to be for close range only. And because NFC and Blue-tooth were designed for short distances, both suffer from lack of power and sometimes are not able to penetrate obstacles like walls. Also, both technologies consume too many resources such as battery and RAM inside our devices. In other words, wireless communications such as Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi, which are main wireless technologies today, need improvement in their speed, power, and resource management.

Purpose:

The purpose behind studying wireless communications is to understand how data is transmitted. Also, by comparing laser to white light, we will be able of decididng which source of light is optimal to use on a expanded scale.

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Goals

1- Compare the audio quality between laser and LED-emitted, white light.

2-Understand how light is tranferred into sound and viceversa

3-Experiment how to improve results by using fiber optics

Research Question(s):

Between a laser and white light, what will provide the best quality audio?

Hypothesis:

Because laser concentrates on a single spot, and since we are using an LDR, the laser

seems the best prospect to provide better sounding and more accurate audio than the white light. The white light emitted by the LEDs will provide sound but not with the same quality,volume, or accuracy. The reason behind white light not being a great sound-transferring method is because it delivers light in a scattered matter, In other words, the white light does not focuses in a single spot, which makes sound more prompt to static,low volume, and unclear sound.

+-----------------------+-------------+--+--+--+ | Independent Variables | Controls | | | | +-----------------------+-------------+--+--+--+ | Sound Quality | Speakers | | | | +-----------------------+-------------+--+--+--+ | Volume | Flashlight | | | | +-----------------------+-------------+--+--+--+ | Accuracy | Environment | | | | +-----------------------+-------------+--+--+--+

Safety:

Adult supervison is optional. Since we do not handle any sharp, poisonous, or harmful

objects, no real adult intervention is needed. Although wearing dark, protective glasses can

hellp prevent any direct pointing of the laser into the eyes.

NOTE: This safety message does not apply to the second section of the circuit-making. We do not need adult supervision for the prototyping of the circuit, however, we will require adult supervision once we start using the soldering iron in the second section of the project.

Materials for the whole project :

• Small radio/audio source with 3.5mm jack

• Any laser (multilight-laser flashlight recommended)

• 9V battery to power speaker (optional)

• 20 alligator clips

• 1 solar cell or LDR

• 1 headphone cable

Creating The Emitter

Phase 1: Basic circuit

Fig. 1

Materials to build the emitter:

1. Flashlight head (laser compatible)

2. 6 alligator clips (standard size)

3. Battery holder (minimum of 4 slots)

4. 4 batteries (minimum)

5. Aux cable

6. Any elctronic device capable of reproducing audio

7. Rotary switch (In reality, any switch will work, but we are using a rotary switch for convenience)

Recommendations:

1- Start from the head of the flashlight down because it will make following/connecting cables easier.

2- Try to use new alligator clips. Since alligator clips have stranded copper wire on the inside, they tend to break up and lose contact over time.

3- Never use over 4 batteries because the circuit containing the light/laser function of the flashlight will burn out

Procedure:

STEP 1:Connect the negative terminal of the battery pack to the outside rim of the

metal housing of the flashlight head (black cable).

STEP 2: Using two alligator clips, connect either of the small red cables sticking out the

light torch's head.

STEP 3: Identify which cable attached to the circuit of your light torch's head controls

the LEDs and the laser.

Fig.2

NOTE: The reason we do not worry about what is negative or positve on this step is because the two alligator clips will connect to the rotary switch that will determine how many times we will click the switch to get that specific function.

STEP 4: Connect the light and laser function alligator clip that is connected to the small red wires to the rotary switch.

NOTE:The amount of clicks required to activate either function of the flashlight will depend on the leg used. If we connect the alligator clip that goes into the small red cable that turns on the laser function of the flashlight to the first leg of the switch, it will require one click for the laser function to turn on.

Fig. 3

Description:

In this case, the laser function of the flashlight is connected to the first leg of the rotary switch and the white light is connected to the third leg of the switch. In theory, every time we click the switch once, we will see the laser work. Now, the white light will work every third click.

STEP 5: Using a new alligator clip, connect the positive side of the switch (round-looking, longer leg of the switch) to the positive terminal of the battery pack.

Fig. 4

Step 6: By using another alligator clip, connect the positve terminal of the switch (round-looking, longer leg) to the red wire inside the aux wire after ripping the outside plastic cover .

Description:

The green arrows and circles represent both ends of the positive terminals being connected to the positive side of the switch.Simililarly, the red circles and arrows represent the negative terminals. Additionally, the white circle and arrow point toward the connectinon between the first pin of the switch to the laser and white light function.

Results

Fig. 5

Creating "The Receiver"

Phase 1 Sec. 2

Fig. 6

Materials:

1-LDR(Light-dependent resistor) (recommended) or solar panel

2-Battery Holder for 1 battery

3- one AA battery

4-AUX cable

5- 4 alligator clips

Recommendations:

1- Start from the the AUX cable down to make the assembling of the circuit much easier

2- Check you battery. The last thing you want is trying to figure out why your output s not working.

3- Beware of interference between cables inside the AUX cable. Since all three cables inside the AUX cable are so close, you need to be careful and avoid any of the three cables from touching each other because they will create noise when testing both the emitter and receiver.

Step 1: Strip down the AUX cable until you see the three cables that go inside.

Step 2:Identify the negative and positive cables from inside the AUX cable and connect both using individual alligator clips.

Fig. 7

Step 3: The positive cable, in this case, the red alligator clip, will go to one of the LDR's leg.

NOTE: It does not matter how we connect the LDR because it has no positive or negative sides like almost all other resistors. We only need to treat the LDR delicately because it can break with a minimal amount of force.

Fig. 11

Highlights:

:

Fig. 12

Descriptions:

1-The complete "emitter" circuit

2-Designing the possible container for the whole emitter and receiver

3-Assembled emitter circuit

Fig.13

Descriptions:

1-Deciding where to install the emitter

2- Cutting out the required holes for the emitter and receiver

3-Installed emitter

4- Top view of assembled circuits

Fig. 14

Analysis:

Through a series of 5 different trials, the laser proved to be the best wireless method of transporting sound. The bar graph above clearly shows the laser's better sound quality over white light's based on the opinion of 5 different people. At the time of processing data,some trends were apparent in the results. On all the 5 trials, people always gave the same grade to the laser's sound quality. The mean,mode, and range did not change at all when describing the laser's sound quality. On the other hand, at the time of grading the sound quality produced by the white light, people were not completely sure of whether to answer 2 or 3 as a grade for the white light.

Experimental errors may have been also part of the results. Even though testing occurred in the same spot and each trial was made using the same equipment, experimental errors like distracted testing subjects and environmental noise could have affected the final results.

Conclusion

Laser was superior at transporting data, in this case sound, wirelessly. The sound

produced by the the laser and white light were compared and graded by a small group of 5 testing subjects. After 5 different trials, illustrated by the bar graph after getting the mean from the whole experiment, laser kept being described as the best at transporting audio. My hypothesis was correct: laser delivered much clear audio and at higher volume.

Further Research

Studying wireless communications can be the way of revolutionizing our world. If we are able of better understanding how data is transferred wirelessly, new data-transferring methods that are faster, stronger, and lighter can be developed through time and more investigations. With better data-transferring methods, casual life would not be the same.High-speed internet has the possibility of even becoming free for all. Once we become experts on data-transferring methods involving light sources such as lasers or regular,white lighting, the possibility of using our current public lighting infrastructure to share a decent, tree internet service for everyone becomes greater.

Even aspects of life not really related to any data-transferring methods like health could be affected in several important ways. A great example of how better data-transferring methods would change health is by providing a route to integrate the community. By allowing high traffic through a stable and free internet connection,people who has never been able of communicating with others through popular methods can now join an online community that promotes good and healthy living. Opening new data transferring methods will expand the economy especially in poor sections of the country. Now that free WIFI is available for everyone, small companies will be able of expanding to online world, which will translate into the creation of more jobs and higher presence in the worldwide economy. If wireless communications like WIFI ever becomes free, society will be the one who wins the most. Now people will be able of sharing their views on important issues like politics,migration policies, internal and external conflicts, and many others.

References:

Special thanks to Mr. Fatih Gozuacik (Mr. G) for his continuous guidance.

Advantages and disadvantages. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2016

Brandon, J. (2014, April 21). 5 New Wireless Technologies for Today's Businesses. Retrieved November 21, 2016.

Mary, R. (2010, December 22). Wireless Communication and types. Retrieved November 21, 2016.