Talk:Finding Fëanor

Proposal Evaluation

Objectives could be more concrete

How will the photoresistors help the solar panel find the optimal angle? Will they be installed at particular angles, or side-by-side the panel?

What is considered to be a scale-able (sic) design? What specific parts of the project will be scaled and how?

No solar panel

It is a bit puzzling to realize that your proposal does not include a solar panel. How will you measure the efficiency increase after moving the panel if no panel is actually attached to the motors? Moreover, how will you implement a panel-to-motor control loop without a panel?

One of the challenges is to consume less energy than what the panel generates. This challenge is impossible to solve without a panel. Also, the goal should be to achieve an efficiency higher than 24% (as mentioned in the overview), rather than a positive efficiency (as mentioned in the challenges).

Gantt chart is unsatisfactory

The diagram in the proposal is not an actual Gantt chart. First, it should have actual dates, rather than numbered weeks. Second, the sequence of tasks is not consistent with what is likely to be your actual activities. For example, it is unlikely that the design and assembly will be ready in two weeks, but that it will take you three weeks to improve a control algorithm considering that stepper motors are extremely easy to control. You can base your Gantt chart of previous projects' charts.

Budget must be concrete

The link to stepper motors in EBay shows a long list of options, rather than the actual motors you need to buy. Also, listing "Ldr photoresistors" and "Resistors 10 kohm" (sic), but not listing cables, connectors, metal joints, or other accessories you will surely have to use, is misleading. Finally, in the lab we do not have "Ldr photoresistors", hence you need to quote them from a provider.

Overall the proposal is good, but it needs improvement, which must be completed before Friday September 23 at 5pm.

-- Humberto 23:28, 18 September 2016 (CDT)