AS Project Ideas - Many from From Ian Kemp

A2 Project Ideas - Many from From Ian Kemp

Vehicle/marine problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • time the lights on a marine buoy
  • alert a car driver when the road temperature falls below 0°C
  • switch on the side lights of a car when darkness falls
  • sound an alarm when someone attempts to break into a vehicle
  • remind the driver that the headlights have been left switched on
  • remind the driver that a passenger is not wearing a seat belt
  • display the speed of the engine in a car or motorcycle
  • replace the mechanical flasher unit in older cars
  • vary the delay on windscreen wipers

Bicycle problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • sound an alarm when someone attempts to steal a bicycle
  • display the speed of a bicycle

Home security problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • switch on an electric lamp when darkness falls
  • switch on the front porch light of a house when darkness falls
  • alert the occupier that there is someone at the front door
  • alert a person who is hard of hearing that there is someone is at the front door
  • alert the occupiers that there is smoke in the home
  • alert the occupier that there is fire in the home
  • alert the occupier that there is an intruder
  • protect a property against intruders
  • sound an alarm when someone attempts to steal a pram

Domestic problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • time how long food has been cooking for
  • display the time that food has been cooking
  • maintain the temperature of a tropical fish tank
  • dispense food for animals
  • maintain the temperature of hair curling tongs
  • display the time of day
  • sound an alarm at a preset time of day
  • measure temperature and control cooling fan speed
  • detect bath water level detector and sound an alarm (for a blind person)

Entertainment problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • amplify the output from a portable CD/MP3/minidisk etc player to operate a loudspeaker
  • generate random numbers for playing board games
  • determine which contestant in a quiz first knows the answer to a question
  • increase the level of bass in an audio signal
  • count the number of laps model racing cars have made around a race circuit
  • keep score for a cricket match

Music problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • generate musical rhythms
  • increase the strength of the output signal from an electric guitar to operate a loudspeaker
  • combine together several audio electronic signals
  • help a musician keep in time
  • help a musician tune a guitar
  • produce interesting audio effects such as reverberation, fuzz, wahwah, frequency division, envelope control, ring modulation

Test Equipment problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • determine the state of charge of a battery
  • charge a rechargable battery
  • produce a loud, warning sound
  • give a visual display of the output power of an audio amplifier
  • measure the value of unmarked capacitors
  • measure light intensity
  • measure temperature
  • determine whether there are any live mains cables embedded in a wall
  • measure the pH of a solution
  • measure reaction times
  • display the logic state of a point in a digital circuit
  • 74 Series Chip Tester
  • 4000 Series Chip Tester
  • capacitance meter
  • sound level meter

Gardening problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • deter snails and slugs from eating garden plants
  • alert a gardener when the temperature falls below 0°C
  • detect the presence of bats
  • control the temperature of a greenhouse
  • automatically water plants
  • display the maximum and minimum temperature
  • deter animals from the garden

Medical problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • monitor the heart beat of a person
  • monitor the temperature of a person
  • sound an alarm when a baby stops breathing

Other problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • produce a traffic light sequence

Communication problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • send data over an Infra Red link
  • send data over an optical fibre link
  • send data over a serial cable link
  • convert serial digital signals to parallel digital signals
  • convert parallel digital signals to serial digital signals
  • display information on a small or large display board
  • measure the signal strength transmitted by a mobile phone
  • receive AM radio transmissions
  • receive FM radio transmissions

Measurement Problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • measure and record (using a computer) enviromental conditions
  • measure and log (using a computer) tortoise hibernation temperatures
  • accurately measure the value of an inductor
  • accurately measure the value of a capacitor
  • analyse the logic state of several digital signals
  • display graphically the frequencies present within an audio signal
  • digitally store waveforms for display on an oscilloscope
  • measure the distortion introduced by an amplifier
  • measure the impedance of a loudspeaker system
  • measure and record (using a computer) rapidly changing signals
  • measure and record (using a computer) very slowly changing signals

Music Problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • control MIDI instruments
  • generate musical rhythms using a computer
  • generate musical sound effects by delaying an audio signal

Other Problems

An Electronic system to:-

  • control a toy tank or robot
  • control the speed of a motor
  • control a servo motor
  • display programmable messages
  • control bike indicator lights
  • chase lights (bug or mini robot)
  • send signals
  • decode Morse code
  • preform simple calculations
  • implelent a 4-bit computer
  • keep score in sports events
  • interface devices to computer ports
  • provide a re-programmable remote control