Video Demonstrations of Mechatronics Principles

Video Demonstrations of Mechatronic Devices and Principles

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actuators
circuit examples
data acquisition
electrical components and measurements

mechatronic system examples
PIC microcontroller examples
PIC microcontroller student design projects

power transmission
sensors

See also:

control system demonstrations
vibration and sound demonstrations (various examples of spectra, frequency response, and sampling)
robotics demonstrations

For more information about mechatronics and measurement systems, see:

Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems

actuators
- ac induction motor (single phase) (2.3 MB)
- ac induction motor variable frequency drive for a building air handler unit (6.8 MB)
- ac induction motor with a soft start for a water pump (1.2 MB)
- ac generator, motor, and load experiment (6.9 MB)
- brushless dc motor from a computer fan (1.7 MB)
- brushless dc motor gear pump (2.5 MB)
- butterfly valve and controller for a natural gas engine throttle body (1.0 MB)
- dc and stepper motor examples (2.2 MB)
- dc motor components (2.7 MB)
- dc motor PIC-based position and speed controller (6.8 MB)
- dc motor power-op-amp speed controller (7.4 MB)
- dc motor turned on and off by a transistor (2.4 MB)
- high voltage disconnect switch
- hydraulic gear pumps (1.3 MB)
- hydraulic pilot valve amplifier cut-away (2.5 MB)
- inkjet printer components with dc motors and piezoelectric inkjet head (6.8 MB)
- LatchTool PowerCylinder force amplifier (view video from website)
- magnetic levitation with superconductors
- pneumatic biomechanics exercise apparatus overview (3.8 MB)
- pneumatic biomechanics exercise apparatus frequency response (1.1 MB)
- pneumatic cylinders of various types and sizes (3.5 MB)
- radio control (RC) servo motor with pulse-width-modulation control (1.6 MB)
- servo motor system (1.7 MB)
- shape-memory alloy used to actuate a small, walking robot (2.2 MB)
- stepper motor PIC-based position and speed controller (4.9 MB)
- stepper motor step response and acceleration through resonance (2.3 MB)
  - high-speed video of medium speed response (0.2 MB)
- stepper motors used in an automated laboratory rat exercise machine (8.0 MB)
- voice coil (1.1 MB)
- voice coil head actuator and 3-phase stepper spindle motor in a computer hard-drive (1.8 MB)

circuit examples
- decade counter and display circuit driven by a 555 timer (1.4 MB)
- filter frequency response using a linear sweep (2.3 MB)
- human circuit toy ball (1.9 MB)
- LED flasher circuit (0.7 MB)
- LED blinking eyed smiley face (0.4 MB)
- light bulb series and parallel circuit comparison (0.7 MB)
- op amp integrator circuit at different frequencies (2.2 MB)
- RC circuit charging and discharging (1.1 MB)
- siren circuit (1.0 MB)
- siren circuit with Darlington transistor output (0.6 MB)
- siren circuit with voltage-controlled oscillator (1.4 MB)

data acquisition
- data acquisition experiment (2.6 MB)
  - new version with external USB device and music sampling (11.2 MB)
- NI dc motor data acquisition and control demonstration (8.5 MB)
  - see also: using LabVIEW for interactive model-based control design and simulation (8.2 MB)

electrical components and measurements
- breadboard
  - advice and "rules of thumb"
  - construction (2.4 MB)
- capacitors (1.5 MB)
- connectors (BNC, banana, alligator clips) (3.2 MB)
- current measurement and checking continuity (7.5 MB)
- diodes (1.0 MB)
- electronics components of various types and sizes (5.9 MB)
- integrated circuit manufacturing process stages (5.2 MB)
- integrated circuits (1.7 MB)
- instrumentation for powering and making measurements in circuits (3.5 MB)
- oscilloscope demonstrations using the HP 2215 analog scope (16.2 MB)
- power transformer with laminated core (1.7 MB)
- relay and transistor switching circuit comparison (2.3 MB)
- resistor load bank (3.8 MB)
- resistors (1.4 MB)
- switches (1.6 MB)
- digital thermometer for thermocouple measurements (4.5 MB)
- transistors (1.0 MB)

mechatronic system examples
- beer-launching refrigerator (see more info here)
- bowling machine controller and actuators (2.6 MB)
  - see also: "bowling mechanism" under Mechanism video demonstrations
- brushless dc motor gear pump (2.5 MB)
- computer hard-drive (1.8 MB)
- CSU 2006 "Good Samaritan" urban search and rescue robot (13.2 MB)
- DEMOSAT solar cell tester and air sample collector deployed by a helium balloon (7.1 MB)
- inkjet printer components with dc motors and piezoelectric inkjet head (6.8 MB)
- laboratory rat automated exercise machine (8.0 MB)
- PIC microcontroller student design projects
- programmable logic controller (PLC) with ladder logic (4.0 MB)
- Richard Simmons steamer with Letterman (example of a mechatronics project gone bad)
- robot controlled by an EMG bio-signal (6.0 MB)
- robotics demonstrations
- SawStop finger-saving table saw (with real finger test)
- self-tuning guitar
- video cassette recorder (VCR) (8.1 MB)

PIC microcontroller examples
- dc motor PIC-based position and speed controller (6.8 MB)
- dc motor power-op-amp speed controller (7.4 MB)
- hexadecimal counter using a 555 timer and data flip-flops for hardware debouncing (2.1 MB)
- hexadecimal counter with software debounce (1.0 MB)
- LCD display (0.6 MB)
- potentiometer input and binary display (1.0 MB)
- pulse-width modulation speed control of a dc motor, adjustable by a numeric keypad (4.8 MB)
- multiple PICs (including one with internal A/D) used to control a robot based on an EMG bio-signal (6.0 MB)
- stepper motor PIC-based position and speed controller (4.9 MB)

PIC microcontroller student design projects
from MECH307 - Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems
These projects are among the best from 2001 to the present. They are listed in order with the more impressive projects at the top of the list.
TOP TEN OF ALL TIME:
1. submarine - F11 (18.4 MB)
2. laser tanks - S11 (10.5 MB)
3. Jukebox Hero - S08 (10.7 MB)
4. multifunction slot machine - F05 (5.6 MB)
5. sign language machine - F08 (15.2 MB)
6. magic piano - F09 (10.6 MB)
7. picture waterfall - geometric falling water - F10 (7.1 MB)
8. glove-operated hand - F11 (7.8 MB)
9. bike lights - F11 (15.3 MB)
10. bike shifter - F11 (8.7 MB)
11. gumball trivia machine - S11 (11.5 MB)
12. automated melodica - F08 (13.9 MB)
13. variable-landscape putting green - F09 (9.3 MB)
14. guitar teacher with dual-purpose LEDs - F10 (13.3 MB)
15. Etch-a-Sketch - F11 (12.0 MB)
16. emergency rescue arcade game - F08 (14.6 MB)
17. self-playing electric guitar - F07 (3.6 MB)
18. water-powered Tesla turbine - F08 (15.4 MB)
19. LED fountain system - F09 (13.1 MB)
20. propane-powered potato launcher - F06 (8.1 MB)
21. magic knock domitory door - S10 (12.5 MB)
22. Bellagio fountain replica - F10 (9.2 MB)
23. water and lights alarm clock - F11 (7.7 MB)
24. fire-fighting mobile robot - F06 (7.9 MB)
25. POV LED fan - F11 (6.4 MB)
26. automated harmonica - F10 (7.7 MB)
27. automatic sensing prosthetic - S10 (17.3 MB)
28. Recycle bin with bar-code reader - F11 (7.4 MB)
29. CNC router - F10 (8.8 MB)
30. vending machine - F09 (9.9 MB)
31. motorized mountain board - F08 (6.8 MB)
32. propane-boost truck (11.1 MB)
33. robotic snake - S12 (7.1 MB)
34. camera focusing system - S12 (11.7 MB)
35. Sous Vide Cooker - F11 (8.8 MB)
36. circuit board tester - F09 (5.9 MB)
37. ice cream sundae machine - F09 (5.2 MB)
38. tank battle bots - F09 (7.4 MB)
39. pinball machine - F11 (7.0 MB)
40. claw machine - S12 (10.9 MB)
41. PLC infant formula machine - F09 (11.3 MB)
42. "Animal Hunt" shooting game - F09 (6.1 MB)
43. automatic dog feeder - F09 (10.1 MB)
44. voice-operated RC car - F10 (6.2 MB)
45. toolbox with touchscreen - S12 (16.1 MB)
46. Stressometer - S09 (9.7 MB)
47. sound seeking car - S11 (6.3 MB)
48. air-ride vehicle suspension - S07 (6.9 MB)
49. "Bright Write" letter teacher - S09 (7.3 MB)
50. CaddyShack golf bag - S12 (7.8 MB)
51. bean toss game - S10 (10.9 MB)
52. Pong game table - F11 (4.9 MB)
53. CSU-themed pinball machine (6.7 MB)
54. RC blimp - F08 (8.0 MB)
55. laser spirograph - S11 (3.3 MB)
56. RC hovercraft - S09 (4.2 MB)
57. security door - F10 (6.4 MB)
58. RAM-Ride RC car (7.3 MB)
59. auto-track-reconfigure mobile robot - F07 (3.0 MB)
60. water drop strobe (5.5 MB)
61. gumball sorter - F11 (5.5 MB)
62. persistence-of-vision LED clock (5.4 MB)
63. bottle uncapper - S09 (8.5 MB)
64. Pong light table - S11 (8.3 MB)
65. CNC laser cutter - S09 (9.3 MB)
66. linear drink dispenser - S11 (6.0 MB)
67. automated rootbeer pong - F10 (7.6 MB)
68. pancake alarm - F09 (6.5 MB)
69. spring-loaded cue-stick squirt tester (7.3 MB)
70. variable surface putting green - F09 (5.6 MB)
71. security safe - F09 (4.9 MB)
72. flavored shaved ice machine - F10 (4.3 MB)
73. digital card dealer (5.2 MB)
74. automated tool box - F11 (6.4 MB)
75. Monopoly game assistant (7.1 MB)
  - see full report
76. gumdrop binary to digital learning machine - F03 (4.0 MB)
77. paintball gun aiming and shooting system (4.3 MB)
78. "BeerBot" - secure liquid dispensing system - F03 (3.3 MB)
  - appeared in the June '04 issue of Design News (see article and report)
79. pinball machine - F10 (4.9 MB)
80. ice cream maker - F09 (3.8 MB)
81. mobile ottoman cooler - F09 (6.3 MB)
82. 4-wheel steering RC all-terrain vehicle - S09 (6.8 MB)
83. thermoelectric car console - S09 (6.5 MB)
84. paintball gun turret (6.4 MB)
85. powertool security cabinet - S09 (6.0 MB)
86. shuffle board - F10 (4.8 MB)
87. temperature control sink - S11 (2.5 MB)
88. "Hic PICnic" carnival game (6.6 MB)
89. drink dispenser - S11 (2.8 MB)
90. ultrasonic part cleaner - S10 (14.2 MB)
91. Batman belt - F09 (4.5 MB)
92. pneumatic cue-stick squirt tester (3.5 MB)
93. Relaxation Station recliner - S09 ( 7.0 MB)
94. wind turbine (8.9 MB)
95. glass, plastic, aluminum recycle kiosk (8.0 MB)
96. automated paint-ball turret (5.9 MB)
97. multifunction alarm wake-up system - F08 (10.8 MB)
98. automated plant watering system - S09 (5.7 MB)
99. Mayan fountain with sound-activated lights - F10 (7.4 MB)
100. zombie detector - F09 (3.5 MB)
101. laser pipe-cutting apparatus for fish-mouth joints (2.1 MB)
102. frog linkage robot (2.8 MB)
103. automated paint mixer (6.9 MB)
104. spirited "Cam The Ram" stuffed animal - F04 (5.6 MB)
105. Electronic "Twister" game - F04 (4.0 MB)
  - appeared in June '05 Design News (see article and report)
106. searching security robot - F08 (6.6 MB)
107. off-road vehicle welded shaft straightener (8.5 MB)
108. digital turntable for vinyl album music (5.1 MB)
109. car door security system (4.1 MB)
110. FormulaSAE race car electronic shifter (4.8 MB)
111. dog door and feeder - S08 (4.3 MB)
112. walking robot (3.1 MB)
113. soda mixer - F10 (2.3 MB)
114. automated socket retriever (3.1 MB)
115. clock with solar system model (4.7 MB)
116. breakfast machine - F09 (3.5 MB)
117. plant care tank (7.1 MB)
118. Nintendo controller "Simon Says" game (6.4 MB)
119. hot air balloon controller (3.7 MB)
120. "Volcano Island Tiki Golf" (4.4 MB)
121. automated beer brewing system (3.5 MB)
122. Set-It-&-Forget-It automated dog feeder (3.6 MB)
123. golf tee ball-placement system (3.4 MB)
124. automated fish tank (2.1 MB)
125. weight-based refrigerator alarm and locking system (5.4 MB)
126. automated bike headlamp - S05 (2.6 MB)
  - appeared in the November '05 issue of Design News (see article)
127. smart tool box (7.4 MB)
128. automated rootBEER dispensing and metering system (4.5 MB)
129. rocket stabilizer (4.0 MB)
130. motor-driven cue-stick squirt tester (1.9 MB)
131. alarm clock with rug detector and automated window blinds (4.8 MB)
132. pinball machine controlled by a Motorola HC12 microcontroller (4.1 MB)
133. Greek letter "Mastermind" game (2.6 MB)
134. lathe with stepper motors controlled by a manual pendant (1.5 MB)
135. juice mixer (1.7 MB)
136. RC airplane (3.7 MB)
137. Perfect Steering simulator - S05 (2.5 MB)
138. rice transporter for an ASME Student Design Contest (2.9 MB)
139. automatic window blind system (6.8 MB)
140. squirting door security system (4.7 MB)
141. draft distribution center (3.9 MB)
142. audio CD jukebox (5.9 MB)
143. miniature basketball HORSE game (4.3 MB)
144. "Whac-a-mole" carnival game (2.3 MB)
145. Field-programmble Gate Array (FPGA) controlled table tennis assistant - F04 (3.0 MB)
  - appeared in the April '05 issue of Design News (see article)
146. Dr. Dave Bot - F09 (2.4 MB)
147. HVAC temperature control system (3.8 MB)
148. one-piece mechatronic Battleship game (3.1 MB)
149. vacuum robot (1.5 MB)
150. Southpark "AWESOMO" robot (3.7 MB)
151. 2 DOF vibration isolation experiment (4.7 MB)
152. binary coo-coo clock (1.7 MB)
153. binary addition game (3.8 MB)
154. automated blackjack dealer (5.5 MB)
155. IR controlled search-and-rescue robot (2.5 MB)
156. thermoelectric beverage cooler (3.4 MB)
157. can crusher with large dc motor (3.8 MB)
158. pneumatic aluminum can crusher (4.7 MB)
159. car with steering wheel control panel (1.9 MB)
160. automatic TV power-off from a seat switch (2.0 MB)
161. "Doggie Diner" automated dog feeder (2.0 MB)
162. mine retrieval RC car for an ASME Student Design Contest (2.7 MB)
163. automobile automatic wiper and defroster (2.6 MB)
164. card dealer (4.5 MB)
165. alarm clock (2.5 MB)
166. automated ice-fishing pole (2.7 MB)
167. submersible temperature and pressure sensor apparatus (3.9 MB)
168. motor indexer (1.4 MB)

power transmission
- high voltage power transmission line cables and connectors (2.2 MB)
- high voltage disconnect switch (0.6 MB)
- power station transformer fire (photos during, close-up, and after)
- zapped squirrel (and stupid man)

sensors
- accelerometer bearing signature analysis experiment (3.3 MB)
- bouncing ball accelerometer (0.7 MB)
- computer mouse relative encoder (1.0 MB)
- EMG sensor used to control a robot (6.0 MB)
- encoder components (1.8 MB)
- infrared proximity sensor used in an automated laboratory rat exercise machine (8.0 MB)
- inkjet printer components with custom digital encoders (6.8 MB)
- LVDT principles of operation
- magnetic pickup tachometer used in a PID speed controller test-stand (4.0 MB)
- magnetostrictive position sensor (0.8 MB)
- robot digital encoder components (4.3 MB)
  - see also: Adept One robot internal design and construction (4.6 MB)
- strain gage rosette experiment (2.4 MB)
  - strain gage rosette experiment analysis discussion (10.3 MB)
  - PDF file containing analysis summary
- switches (1.6 MB)
- switch bounce (0.8 MB)
- thermocouple with a digital thermometer (4.5 MB)
- thermostat with bimetallic strips and mercury switch (2.3 MB)
- voice coil (1.1 MB)