Sailing pirates

Team page for Deploying IT Infrastructure Solutions.

Team Members

• Kristjan Tõnismäe, The Estonian Information Technology College
• Konstantinos Verigos, Technological Educational Institute of Crete
• Stefanos Athanasiadis, Technological Educational Institute of Crete
• Tommi Potapoff, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
• Jesse Koski, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
• Mikko Heikkuri, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences

Goal

• Work out good working prototype or final product.
• Build up product with good graphical user interface.
• Create embedded system with two parts:

1. Consumer android application for monitoring and visualizing marine data.

2. Using Marine microcontroller and Marine sensor system.

• Embedded system can save history data and hold it.
• This embedded system can show all information what sensors can give.
• It has to be simple and easy to use.
• It has physical buttons what you can use to start and stop saving data, to turn device on and off.

Activity

Activity chart

Monday - 25.03.13

Things what we did that day:

• Listening some lectures.
• Programming sumorobots and took a part from the sumorobots contest.
• Divided into groups and we chose our project.

Tuesday - 26.03.13

Things what we did that day:

• Made some research for hardware, software and tried to got a cleaner view of our project.
• We met sailing boat in our school, got inspiration, made some brainstorming, collecting ideas.

Problems what we faced:

• We tried to find those problems what we will starting to face.

Things what we plan to do:

• Collect more information about our project.
• Ask some questions, what we have made for clients.

Wednesday - 27.03.13

Things what we did that day:

• We met our mentor Andres Käver and other project owner Linnar Viik, we cleared up our project.
• Everybody got their part what to do:

Tommi and Mikko - working with hardware development

Konstantinos - working with software and android development

Kristjan - working with Wiki page and Java software development

Jesse - working with user interface development

Problems what we faced:

• What kind of devices can connect to system?

Answer to question

All the devices what sailing boat using.

There are GPS Antenna, Compass Transducer, Triducer, Wind Transmitter, Analog Display,

Dual Digital Display and through NMEA there will be connected tablet.

Questions and answers from client:

Things what we plan to do:

• First thing

Thursday - 28.03.13

Things what we did that day:
We made plans what someone start to do.

Software (Kostas and Jesse)

Setup development tools for android, maps, arduino-android

Build testing applications for maps and arduino-android

Ui prototyping and mochup/sketch

Arduino (Stefanos and Kristjan)

Arduino development tools research

Arduino development tools setup

Arduino hardware testing

Arduino software testing

Hardware (Tommi and Mikko)

Research and order missing parts

Prototyping circuits

Connect maggellan gps to nmea

Teamwork

Update wiki and make activity chart

Friday - 29.03.13

Things what we did that day:

• Built a level shifter.

• Built hardware connections between sensors and level sifter.

• Improved user interface by changing the size and colors of some parts (eg. buoy). Uploaded the image in the tablet and testing it outside in the environment.

Problems what we faced:

• In the software Arduino part a problem raised at the NMEA/TinyGPS library, because the library does not include ready functions for extracting wind information
  

such as direction and speed. Due to that problem Arduino will not be responsible for analyzing and parsing the NMEA strings in C language, but the tablet will

take this responsibility and this task will be completed using Java programming language.

Things what we plan to do:

• Fix our main problem to get information from arduino controller.

Saturday - 30.03.13

Things what we did that day:

• Visiting Tallinn TV Tower
• Visitinig The Seaplane Harbour

Saturday - 30.03.13

Free day

Monday - 01.04.13

Things what we did that day:

• On the hardware section some faults were repaired. We changed the baud rate of the information extraction, and by that action the laptop device that was
  

connected to the server was able to identify the NMEA protocol strings from the server. Also with an Oscilloscope we checked that the outcome signal of the system is correct.

• A prototype program was created that a tablet controls the led of the arduino controller with a tap of a button.

Problems what we faced:

• Faults in hardware connections, faults with the level shifter.
• Just problems with java developing, can't say in more details.

Things what we plan to do:

• Finalizing the hardware setup.
• Continuing the development of android and arduino software.

Tuesday - 02.04.13

Things what we did that day:

• Visiting Skype office.
• Debugging hardware setup and testing software.
• Started to do our presentation for Thursday.

Problems what we faced:

• Cannot get information from arduino to the tablet.
• We are not getting wind speed to the windometer. We don't know how use windometer multi-control.

Things what we plan to do:

• Try to find out how to use windometer multicontrol.
• Complete our presentation about our project.
• Continuing the development of android and arduino software.

Wednesday - 03.04.13

Things what we did that day:

• Created the powerpoint presentation
• Fixed the bug.

Problems what we faced:

• Bug that delayed the arduino communication.
• used library was newer and no backwards compatibility.
• the old library was not stable.

Things what we plan to do:

• Fix the communication so the devices can communicate with each other.

Thursday - 04.04.13

Things what we did that day:

• Fixing and correcting the powerpoint presentation
• preparing our speeches
• creating a demo of an application

Problems what we faced:

• The arduino controller was fried up, that is why it could not communicate both ways.

Things what we plan to do:

• Test the communication with a different arduino controller.

Results

Summary of what we did and solution what we developed

Personal Input

• Konstantinos Verigos

As team leader of this team i was responsible for everyday meetings, everyday task assigments and everyday problem solving. As a member of this team i analysed the description and researched solutions with my team for this project. I was assigned the programming aspects of this project. Programming the arduino microcontroller with the android shield and developping the android application for our 10inch tablet.

What I learnt:

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• Tommi Potapoff

All the information is based on data, we are getting out of our sensors (wind, gps, speed). I had to find out how to connect all the Nexus components and set the settings. It took a lot of time to get familiar with manuals and get the system up and running. Because of different voltage levels, I had to build a level shifter that we could connect Arduino to our Nexus system. NX2 server's +/- 12V was converted to +0-5V. To Arduino I connected all the hardware buttons that we used in prototype. To connect Arduino and Android together, needed we the Android shield on Arduino board. I had to use tools like oscilloscope to make sure that signal we are getting out is realistic and not just noise.

What I learnt:

1. I have learned a lot about working in a group and in a “real work environment”. I have seen how are the roles shared based on persons’ talents. Pressure makes results and in this short time we needed some pressure to finish the project. Unfortunately this time time ran out and we just didn’t have enough know-how.
2. Making a better presentation.
3. Communicate with English better.

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• Mikko Heikkuri

I connected all the hardware components of the nexus system, like NX2 server, WSI box, GPS, wind transducer, speed sensor. I built a level shifter which it was responsible for switching/alternating the voltage level so the arduino controller can connect with nexus system. Also i helped with programming the arduino micro controller.

What I learnt:

1. Teamwork first of all
2. More hardware components
3. Programming and using arduino alot
4. Learned about oscilloscope
5. about NMEA protocol and sensors
6. Learned to make better presentation

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• Stefanos Athanasiadis

I was responsible for updating the wiki page and documenting the project progress. I also help testing the functionality of arduino micro controller, did some run testings. Another thing I did was making the presentation, and some various small tasks.

What I learnt:

1. I learnt how to program C language in Arduino.
2. Researched in Google Android API v.2.
3. Communicating and working with other people is essential when working in a group.
4. How to plan your work in a short and pushy timetable.
5. How to make better presentations.

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• Kristjan Tõnismäe

My task here was updating the wiki page and documentation the project. Also helped with some tasks, helped to make much better UI design. I helped to understand java and Android parts. I tried to give as much ideas to the project as I could. I did research for java libraries, what we used.

What I learnt:

1. How to do work in a big team with serious project.
2. I learnt a lot of English language, practiced it a lot.
3. I understood more about marine censors and Nexus equipment.

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• Jesse Koski

I was responsible for graphical user interface to Nexus android design and drawing. I did research for java (UI part) and arduino code. Also i helped with the arduino code.

What I learnt:

1. working in a project with different people.
2. How hard is to get different devices work with each other.
3. How much time it will take to get enough correct information.

Final documentation

Analysis

The client wanted a fully functional system, or a toolset for race sailing performance analysis. With this Instrument trainers and analysts want to calculate new courses and provide assistance to the Estonian Olympic race sailing team. Also the client desired a marine sensor measurement visualization, and a minimalistic GUI design with a map, that means that they can use a simple portable device to overview the course. Also they required some physical buttons that they will let the trainers to collect and show the necessary information. During the collection of the data, difficult conditions such as bad weather and full wind speed, will not allow the trainers to use a touchscreen tablet device, that is why the client desired the physical buttons.

Solution

We are creating a system for sailing purposes that consist three parts. Nexus Marine sensors, Arduino micro-controller, android tablet application. The marine sensors are especially made for sailing purpose to gather information about boatspeed, gps coordinates, wind direction and wind speed. After collecting the information, we are forwarding them to arduino and from there to an android tablet with an android application. The marine sensors are wireless connected, the connection between the nexus and arduino is done by serial port RS-232 and the final connection from the arduino (android shield) to the tablet is made via usb cable. We have Big Physical buttons to control data since our client doesn't want to interact with the tablets touchscreen, this tool will be used on-boat thats why the physical buttons are needed, also the tablet will be in a special waterproof case, so it will be protected from the harsh conditions. The Graphical User interface will be simple, using Google-android API v.2 the background will be a map, the controls will be easy also, and simple to improvise for the use of trainers and analysts.

IP Feed-back

Kristjan feedback

Everything was very well organized. My team was very cool and it was nice to meet new people. Experience what we got from here was very good.

Stefanos feedback

During this IP seminar I learnt the importance of working in groups with other foreign students. Communication is essential for understanding what the client needs and wants, and how to work together. The lectures were impressive and interesting. Lectures that had to do with security testing, network protocol analysis, data mining were irrelevant with the IPs subject. The whole IP experience was amazing, and the IP coordinators were professional with their work. It was well organized, a perfect timetable and responsibilities. Keep up the good work! And good luck with your next Intensive Program, because you deserve to have another.

Mikko feedback

Everything was well organized so thanks. Special thanks to my team and everyone i met.

Tommi feedback

Everything was organized well, food, events, everything. Even though the course was pretty intensive, had we a great time with my new friends. I wish that our mentor would have been more with our team and could have been helping us more with our problems. Thanks for this experience

Jesse feedback

it was great to be involved in a project and working with completely strangers. I got a lot of valuable experience from working in a project and what to do when a problem occurs. In our project i would liked more guidance, because there was so many different things to learn and those different things what should have been learned were too wide for this program schedule to completing project.

Konstantinos feedback

I liked: The planning of the IP was excellent. The lectures and the activities were beyond my expectations. I met students and made friends with people from different countries. I drunk "a lot" of beer. The project was very challenging, interesting and motivating. I gained new skills like, arduino programming, ADK programming, NMEA parsing, team building, task managment, time managment(failed miserably on that one) and socializing. :D

I didn't like: We didn't finish our project. We have to leave.