- Project Logistics
Project Logistics
This page is a brief summary of the project logistics for the course. Please read through the full project spec document at least once for a lot of very important information omitted here.
Grading
Refer to the bCourses “Grading Breakdown” for grading details.
Project Groups (Due 2/21/25 11:59pm)
We recommend you work in groups of 3-4 people. Other group sizes may be allowed at instructor discretion. If you are having trouble finding a group, fill out our group search form to be matched with other students: Group Search Form.
Once you’ve formed your group, please fill out the following form: Project Group Form.
We expect all group members to contribute fairly to the project.
For any group or project issues, it is always better to reach out to the instructors early. (Please do not hesitate to make a public or private post on Ed, or email us!)
Submit your project group via Google Forms once per group.
Once you’ve formed your group, we suggest you set up a group chat to communicate and a Github repository to share your project files. We have a guide here that shows how to set up a repository specifically for KiCad, and a brief introduction to Github Desktop.
Project Proposal (Due 2/28/25 11:59pm)
Your project will need to demonstrate some feature from at least three of the following categories:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Compute | Microcontroller, FPGA, discrete computation |
| Power | Switching regulator, LDOs, battery management |
| Sensing | Digital (e.g. I2C, SPI), resistance, current, voltage, HID |
| Actuation | Motors, servos, solenoids, lights, screens, sound, radio |
| Other | Multiple boards, purposeful mechanical design, analog processing |
By the nature of the project, the Compute and Power categories are required, so you just have to choose at least one from the remaining three categories.
Refer to slides from Weeks 1 and 3 for inspiration and ideas!
Please ask if you have questions about your project’s scope. The lists above are not exhaustive!
A note on plagiarism: Egregious copying of a schematic and/or layout is not acceptable.
- An example of egregious copying would be simply duplicating an open-source KiCad (or other PCB ECAD) project available online and moving/relabeling components.
- If you are using an online project as inspiration, please include a reference to it.
- When in doubt, ask the instructors!
Submit your proposal via Google Forms once per group.
Project Checkpoints
There will be two major checkpoints for your project to be submitted on bCourses that your two mentors will review and provide feedback on:
Draft BOM, Schematic (Due 3/14/25 11:59pm)
This submission will contain a draft Bill of Materials (BOM) following the standard HOPE template, PDF exports of your schematic, and your project files. See the bCourses assignment for more details.
Your project should be within the budget of $100 for two copies of your PCB. If you are over budget, you will need to justify the cost, at which point it may or may not be approved.
Draft Layout (Due 3/28/25 11:59pm)
See the bCourses assignment for details on what to submit. Your layout should be mostly complete at this point.
In-class Design Review (Slides due the night before your lecture)
This will be your chance to get your design reviewed by all the instructors and your peers!
Each group will (tentatively) get about 5 minutes to present and 2 minutes for questions.
Create a set of slides with this template and submit the link to them on bCourses the night before the lecture your are scheduled to present in.
Be ready to take notes on feedback as it will be valuable for your final submission!
Obviously incomplete layouts will not be considered.
Final Submission (Due 4/10/25 11:59pm)
If your final submission is late, your board will not be sent for fabrication
Showcase (5/4/25 - 5/9/25)
The final showcase will be held during RRR week. Details will be provided closer to the date.
Key Dates and Deadlines
| Date | Task |
|---|---|
| 2/21/25 | Project groups due |
| 2/28/25 | Project proposal due |
| 3/14/25 | Draft BOM and schematic due |
| 4/2/25 - 4/3/25 | In-class design review |
| 4/4/25 | Draft layout due |
| 4/10/25 | Final project due - HARD DEADLINE |
| 4/23/25 - 4/24/25 | Expected board arrival and distribution |
| 5/4/25 - 5/9/25 | Final showcase during RRR week |