Sci-Eng
Fair
2000
guidelines and rules
guidelines
and rules
sample abstract
Note 1: You must place a copy of your abstract in the front of your project binder.Note 2: Your abstract must by PRINTED IN INK or TYPED.
Project Title: The Automatic Greenhouse
What is the purpose of your project?
The purpose of the project is to construct an electronic control system that facilitates the regulation of a greenhouse environment.
Give a brief summary of the procedure that you followed:
The control system is a network of linked mini-computers that integrate the diversity of both information and functions necessary to operate a greenhouse. Each mini-computer handles a different category of information or function. For example, one computer deals with the water sprayer, another deals with humidity levels and another deals with temperature control. This series of computers is linked to a central computer, that receives messages from the mini-computers and sends back commands as necessary. The system operates at a speed of 4800 baud. Because each mini-computer is a dedicated system, it can be used to analyze and interpret information at the source, before information is transmitted to the central computer. This has the effect of diminishing the workload for the central computer.
The system is based on information "tokens". Only one mini-computer can transmit information at any one time, when it has received the information token from the central computer. The system cannot transmit information any faster than 4800 baud.
Simply state the results:
In summary, the system functions well in spite of its relatively slow speed. But as the tasks are distributed among several mini-computers, the amount of information that has to be transmitted at any one time is never very great. The speed of the system is adequate for this application.
The principle advantage of the system is its capacity for expansion. More mini-computers handling more functions can be added with very little modification. This gives the user a great deal of flexibility. The disadvantage is that the system's costs are high at start-up. But each time a peripheral computer is added, the cost relative to the performance is lowered.
