To follow is the fourth in series of blogs on the value of participating in the TI Innovation Challenge Design Contest.
While placing in the 2011 TI Innovation Challenge Design Contest helped Don Darga land a great job at Diagnostic Photonics after graduating from the University of Illinois, it was the overall experience that he credits for changing his destiny. Along with a teammate, he took 2nd place for his “Hyperfocal Distance Meter” project, which aids photographers in achieving maximum depth of field, a key requirement for achieving sharp landscape photographs.
Image testing setup for Don’s hyperfocal distance meter
His faculty advisor, a cofounder of Diagnostic Photonics, said he was so impressed with the quality of Don’s work and his enthusiasm, he offered him an internship after the semester was over and, upon completion of his degree, a full-time position.
“The skills, talent and drive that served Don so well in the TI design contest have also made him a great engineer for us,” said P. Scott Carney, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois.
At the heart of the hyperfocal distance meter is the microcontroller (MCU), tying together all the sensors and outputs used to calculate the focal plane, which allows the sharpest focus to be attained. In looking for a MCU with the necessary capabilities to handle all of these tasks, Don selected the MSP430 MCU family, including the MSP430F2272. The ultra-low-power MCUs were necessary to make the projects’ power supply portable. Don also used two TI voltage regulators, including the TLV1117, because of the wide range of accepted input voltages and his previous experience working with them.
In Don’s current job, he utilizes many of the same skills and methods he relied on when developing his winning project. He encourages any engineering student who has a capstone project as a requirement for their degree to enter.
“It runs very parallel to the requirements for most projects so the amount of extra work needed is very minimal,” Don said.
Students like Don who take part in the TI Innovation Challenge Design Content get access to free TI components, which can be ordered through ti.com, to defray costs when assembling a project within a budget and the chance to win a significant cash prize (1st is $10,000; 2nd, $7500; and, 3rd, $5000).
Participants are also given vouchers for the TI eStore, which can be used to pay for development boards students would otherwise be unable to afford for complicated projects.
Don said the fun of winning the TI Innovation Design Contest really began when the winners were flown to TI’s Dallas campus for the awards ceremony. Not only did it give them the opportunity to visit and tour a leading high-tech company, but they were able to meet like-minded individuals from across the nation who eventually would become their peers.
Developing his project for the contest also encouraged a high level of creativity, dedication and balance. And, competing against other students provided an opportunity to complete and showcase an ambitious project that, while appropriate to the skill level, was cleanly and completely executed.
“For me, these are things that follow you through life,” Don said. “Having the opportunity to use your skills and see how other groups interpret the work is important to developing yourself and your career.”
Already working on that capstone project? Have great design ideas you want to share? To make your design ideas come to life, get started with our MCU LaunchPad rapid prototyping kits by visiting www.ti.com/launchpad today and enter the TI Innovation Challenge Design Contest! Submit your design project using two or more TI analog ICs and a TI Processor by May 24, 2015 for your chance to win! Register here.