Kama Azura Othman

Implementation of GPS for location tracking

Stand alone global positioning system receivers are widely used nowadays to accurately locating ones position. By using stand alone GPS receivers the distance between two locations on earth can also be measured. This project is aim to design and implement a low cost Global Positioning System suitable to be used for hiking, climbing and sailing activities. The function of the GPS is to locate the position of user. The effects of line of sights in relation to different experimented locations are also studied. In this project, the hardware used is PIC18F4520 integrated with GPS receiver typed FV-M8. The GPS modules will generate the coordinates of latitude and longitude as well as the bearing angles between two positions. The algorithm to calculate the distance between two positions was developed by using PIC C Compiler. The written algorithm extracted the data from the GPS receiver via the RS232 communication. Microcontroller is used to parse the NMEA data sentences and execute the algorithm. Finally, the output is displayed to a LCD display unit. System testing conducted showed that for a few chosen different locations, geographical view and weather conditions, overall results give an average of 10 % different compared with ideal theoretical calculated results.

Analysis of performance for multiple signal classification (MUSIC) in estimating direction of arrival

Array processing involves manipulation of signals induced on various antenna elements. Its capabilities of steering nulls to reduce co channel interferences and pointing independent beams toward various mobiles, as well as its ability to provide estimates of directions of radiating sources, make it attractive to a mobile communication system designer. In this paper MUSIC algorithm was implemented in Matlab to optimize the number of samples and number of elements with the presence of noise. The optimization was conducted in different configurations to improve the performance of the algorithm in estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) of the incident signals. The data captured was analysed in order to obtain the real performance of the algorithm by using statistical analysis.

Incorporating VHDL in teaching combinational logic circuit

Digital System Fundamentals is an elementary course offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for semester 1 undergraduate students of the Electrical Engineering programs specializing in computer, electronics, communication and instrumentation. As this course is focusing more on designing circuit rather than only knowing the theoretical part of the circuit, students are introduced with a tool which is widely used in the industry known as Very High Speed Integrated Circuits Hardware Description Language or better known as VHDL. This is also to ensure that these students are already exposed and equipped with updated technology and skills that would meet the industry requirement as well as for accreditation purposes. This paper outlines how the VHDL is incorporated in teaching combinational logic circuit of this course.

Multilayer dual-mode dual-band bandpass filter

This paper presents a single ring resonator using multilayer technique for dual-band bandpass filter. The resonator is composed of two resonators with each one having a quarter-wavelength coupled-line connected in series to a transmission line. The two resonators are arranged in parallel to form a single ring dual-band bandpass filter topology. The controlling impedance parameters of this ring are Zr for the transmission line and even- and odd-mode characteristic impedances i.e. Zoe and Zoo for the coupled-lines. Observations on the controlling parameters are conducted to investigate the effect of each parameters in terms of bandwidth, matching level and the transmission zeros. For validation, the filter is realized using multilayer technique, designed at 2 GHz on FR-4 microstrip substrate. The results exhibited good isolation between the two passbands with centered transmission zero attenuated above 40 dB while the centered frequencies were found at 1.59 GHz in the first passband and 2.41 GHz in the second passband. The simulated and measured result is presented throughout this paper to validate the concept.

The jigsaw cooperative method amongst electrical engineering students

In this study, the jigsaw cooperative (COOP) method is evaluated in one of the courses registered by Electrical Engineering Students and the effectiveness of the jigsaw technique is verified via Statistical analysis. Quantitative analysis is implemented too on both groups based on their course work and final examination marks respectively. Results attained proven that the jigsaw COOP technique contributed to significant or positive achievement in students performances.

Analysis on Radar Cross Section of different target specifications for Forward Scatter Radar (FSR)

This paper discuss on Forward Scatter Radar Cross Section (FS-RCS) of different target specifications. A simulation analysis on target with different specifications to Radar Cross Section (RCS) for Forward Scatter Radar was conducted. Materials used for the target are based on the features of the actual car. It is observed that the side lobe spectrum is more visible as the frequency is higher for the different characteristic of a target. Slight changes were made on the target which resulted in different readings of RCS.

Vehicles classification using Z-score and modelling neural network for forward scattering radar

This paper presents the improvement of vehicle classification in forward scattering radar (FSR) using a new classification technique. The technique is a combination between two methods which are Z-score and neural network (NN). The Z-score is used to extract the features of target signature while neural network is used as a classifier to classify the size of vehicles. The results of vehicle classification for three different frequencies in this case 64, 151 and 434 MHz are presented and discussed. The results reveal that the proposed technique is effective to perform ground target classification.

Wireless System for Temperature Monitoring in Oil Palm Bio-laboratory

Malaysia is known as the main producer of palm oil in the world. In order to maintain a good quality of palm oil product, the tissue culture process that carried out in the laboratory must be maintained at certain temperature values. Temperature is one of the important parameters that could affect the oil palm growth. A good temperature monitoring environment is necessary in order to produce the good quality products. Nowadays, the wireless sensor technology has grows in many areas of research and development as an alternative for the wired connection method that have been using previously. This project described the application of the wireless devices for the purpose of temperature data collection and storage using digital computer. The information gathered is performed by using the LM35 temperature sensor. This system used the Zigbee transceivers for the communication protocol to transmit and receive the temperature data. The data is send to the computer through the interface of Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) to a personal computer (PC) via USB port. This system will help to minimize the need for wire connections, cost, power consumption and manpower to promote stable environment in order to produce good quality products.

Evaluation of an engineering program: A survey to assess fullfillment of industry requirements

This paper presents the results of a research that was conducted to evaluate whether the curriculum and syllabus of a new engineering program will produce graduates that will fulfill the needs of the industry in Malaysia. The new four year Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Instrumentation) degree program (EE230) that was evaluated in a survey presented herewith is offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University Teknologi Mara (UiTM). The results of the survey indicated that the program offers courses that are relevant to the Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Instrumentation and that the design of the curriculum and syllabus will produce engineering graduates as required by the industry.

Intelligent Management System for Home Appliances A conceptual approach using Hardware Description Language

IoT (Internet of Things) is an emerging trend in the market and smart appliances are a subset of IoT. The IoT helps integrate digital and wireless technologies in home or kitchen appliances. Furthermore, M2M (Machine to Machine) communication is likely to create a key opportunity in the smart appliances market. Smart appliances are the next generation of home appliances that have the ability to receive, interpret, and act on a signal received from a user. This paper is a demonstration of designing a multipurpose remotely controlled system for electrical household appliances. The project simulation design is carried out by Hardware Description Language (HDL) programming.