WEEK 13

Date: 9/12/13

Introduction

The last thing that should be do in the FYP 1 assessment is to compile all the related documents before submitted to the project supervisor. However, each part of the project proposal that was commented by project supervisor should be do a correction before submitted according to the criteria that needed. In this, all the contents/tasks/works will be checked including a progress report in details.

Objective

• To check, combine and compile (3C's) for all related works with FYP 1
• To create a checklist for FYP 1 assessment

Problem Encountered

During do this activity, it does not give any problem because the work that should be make is only to create a checklist for FYP 1 assessment and give the status for each work that has been carried out.

Project Description

First of all, a checklist will be created according to the all FYP 1 assessment which focused on the contents of progress report and project proposal. The entire criteria of assessment will be highlighted and written by  labeling onto a checklist. Each tasks that has been carried out will be give current status (i.e. done or almost done). Below is the checklist for FYP 1 assessment that has been prepared.

Figure 1: Checklist for project proposal

Figure 2: Checklist for progress report

Project Outcome

All the assessment for FYP 1 completed perfectly and will be submitted to the project supervisor at the end of this week.   

WEEK 12

Date: 2/12/13

Introduction

This week is the last week in writing a project proposal. Student should be ensure all the task for the project proposal is completed and submitted during the due date that given. All the activities that has been made in this week will be discussed in this post.

Objective 

• To finalize all the related matter with the project proposal
• To show and submit first draft of the project proposal to the project supervisor

Problem Encountered

The problem that encountered during do this task is in terms of to state the specification for each part of materials that will be used in the project. It is because an extra research need to do for the purposes to ensure all the materials including their specifications is valid and available in Malaysia before written in the project proposal. For the other tasks, it does not give any problem. As a solution, to avoid this problem occur, all the visited webpage will be ensured from a local company and the technical specification for each part of material that they provide is applicable to used.

Project Description 

1. Do some research to obtain the technical specification for each part of materials that will be used in the entire of the proposed project.
2. Finalize and compile all the technical specification that gathered.
3. Record and write in the project proposal under material and methodology.
4. Finishing all the desired task.

Project Outcome

As the outcome for this week, all the desired task and objective is achieved which means the first draft of the project proposal is completed and will be printed out for the purpose to show this entire draft to the project supervisor. Any comments from the project supervisor related with this draft is an important thing to do correction before binding and submitted. This method is very useful in term of to grab the desired/highest grade in the marking scheme.        

WEEK 11

Date: 25/11/13

Introduction

A project proposal assessment shall be carried out on individual basis for the purpose to fulfill the requirement of FYP 1 assessment. The project proposal shall be assessed by the appointed assessors. Student shall submit complete project proposal which shall include all the recommended amendment by panel of assessors within the time period specified by campus which is on week 13. This week, the project proposal will be made until on the due date that has given.

Objective 

• To understand the assessment criteria that needed in the proposal report assessment
• To writing the project proposal according to the assessment criteria that provided

Problem Encountered

Several factor need to be considered in writing the proposal report. It is for the purpose to achieve the highest grade in the marking scheme and also to ensure all the content is well structured, clear and being written in the recommended format and of appropriate length. In this, it will not give any problem if the proposal report is written according to the assessment criteria that given and submitted on time.

Project Description 

The proposal report will be written according to the proposal report assessment that given. Each part in terms of the title, sub title and etc will be written in the recommended format and of appropriate length. Below is the proposal report assessment that will be make as a guidelines in implementing this proposal report.

Figure 1: Proposal report assessment (Page 1)

Figure 2: Proposal report assessment (Page 2)

Figure 3: Proposal report assessment (Page 3)

Figure 4: Proposal report assessment (Page 4)

All works related with the proposal report will be referred from this documents.

Project Outcome

All works done smoothly. The proposal report is already done 45% from the entire reports and will be continued on the next week together with the progress report.

      

  

    

WEEK 10

Date: 18/11/13

Introduction

This week is where a proposal presentation will be held. All the requirements that needed on this week has been prepared before. Student shall present their complete project outcome as scheduled by Campus which is at the end of this week. Failure to attend the presentation will cause student to receive the failure grade (F). The proposal presentation will be held at Gemilang Hall and start from 2.00 p.m till 5.00 p.m. Students will be assessed by two persons of invited assessor from related department with the project title.

Objective 

• To finalize a preparation that should will be made for presentation day
• To ensure all the assessment criteria is achieved perfectly
• To makes some preparation for Q&A session

Problem Encountered

All the requirement that needed in implementing a PowerPoint presentation has been made and meets all the required assessment criteria which means the first and second of the objective is achieved perfectly. However, a bit of problem occurs in makes some preparation for Q&A session. It is in terms of student did not know what questions that would be asked by supervisors in that session. As a solution, the proposal presentation assessment that prepared by FYP committee will be made as a guideline in preparation for Q&A session.

Project Description 

The entire criteria that needed in presentation day will be fulfilled by referring the proposal presentation assessment that given by FYP committee. Below is a copy of the documents that given:-

Figure 1: Guidelines for presentation day

Figure 2: Guidelines for presentation day (continued)

Figure 3: Guidelines for presentation day (continued)

All the preparation for presentation day will be referred from this documents.

Project Outcome 

Referring from the official website of UniKLBMI-FYP, under list of deg sem 1 assessors, it shows that for this project it will be assessed by (1) Sir. Abd Razak B. Ahmad and (2) Miss. Najiyah Salleh. As a conclusions, everything has been prepared and achieve all required assessment criteria. Hopefully, everything is smoothly during that presentation day.

WEEK 9

Date: 11/11/13

Introduction

Proposal presentation is one of the assessment in FYP 1 that will be made at the end of semester 6. The assessment is based on individually basis. It will be assessed by Project Supervisor and Invited Assessor. The overall mark obtained by students is the average mark given by Supervisor and second Assessor. This week, a preparation for presentation day will be made and discussed clearly.

Objective 

• To make some preparations before presentation day
• To making a PowerPoint presentation according to the assessment criteria that given

Problem Encountered

From the activity on this week, it does not have much problem because the contents that should be put into a slide is from the assignments that has been made along this semester. The things that need to be made only extract all gathered information briefly, concise and easy to understand.

Project Description

All gathered information will be extracted in a simple way to understand according to the assessment criteria that needed. Each slide also will be decorated to look more attractive because sometimes people will bored when too much of word inserted in the slide. As a solution, several information will be described by using a SmartArt graphic to visually communicate information. A background picture also will be used and inserted on each slides.

Project Outcome

The figure below is a slide that has been made for presentation day.

Figure 1: PowerPoint presentation that will be used on presentation day

Figure 2: PowerPoint presentation (continued)

Figure 3: PowerPoint presentation (continued)

All the completed slides will be shown to the project supervisors before presentation day. As a conclusions, all tasks for this week completed perfectly and a PowerPoint presentation that has been made has been approved by project supervisor. For the next progress report, the things that made before/during/after presentation day will be briefly discussed.

WEEK 8

Date: 8/11/13

Introduction

In writing a project proposal, a illustration of the proposed project also should be shown and briefly explained for the purposes to illustrate overall project that will be designed clearly. This week, all related matters about the design of proposed project that will be developed in FYP 2 will be discussed and shown clearly.

Objective 

• To illustrate overall design of the proposed project
• To explain and label each main part of the project design

Problem Encountered

The problems encountered in illustrate overall design of the proposed project is in terms of to choose a suitable software because many software that may used to create a project design but the question is how to use that software? Sometimes a good software is quite difficult to use which need extra time to explore that software. As a solution, Microsoft Office PowerPoint will be used to create the entire design of proposed project.

Project Description 

1. Launch Microsoft Office PowerPoint
2. Insert shapes into slide according to the criteria of the project design and all shapes that created need to be colored with a different colors to look nice
3. Insert text box at each part of shape and label with a suitable name
4. Save a copy of the complete drawing and snip the entire drawing by using Snipping Tool
5. Save as a reference drawing before upload in a blog

The results from this project description will be shown in the project outcome.

Project Outcome

Below is the results that obtained from this activity:-

Figure 1: Overall design of the proposed project

The figure that shown above is the overall design that will be developed in FYP 2. For more information, please refer Project Description on WEEK 3.     

WEEK 7

Date: 4/11/13

Introduction

The budget process is a collecting all costs associated with finishing a project. In the other terms, it is aggregating the estimated costs of individual activities or work projects (establishing) an authorized cost baseline which helps ensure it is completed for the cost expected. This week, overall cost of the project that has been estimated will be listed and discussed in details.

Objective

• To estimate overall cost of the project
• To list cost of the entire material that will be used in this proposed project

Problem Encountered

In budgeting a project cost, the difficulties is in term of to find the best and a cheapest products. It is because usually the best products will be sold at a high price. Several initiative will be taken for the purposes to solve this problem i.e. survey a few stores that sell the cheapest product before buying that product.

Project Description

In terms to find the best and a cheapest products, a few store that sell required materials in this project will be reviewed and listed. The method that used is by searching all related stores in various website and the another methods is by refer a persons that familiar in that matter (i.e. friends, lecturers).

Project Outcome

The result that obtained from this task is such as a table that shown below:-

Table 1: Estimation on the overall cost of the project

Table 2: Total cost

Overall cost to develop this project is about RM 534.40. It is quite expensive. However, this is the best and the lowest price that obtained from the survey. In the next progress report, a illustration of overall proposed project will be shown and discussed. 

WEEK 6

Date: 21/10/13

Introduction

Project design is the one of the phase that should had in develop a project. The purpose of design phase is to achieving project criteria with specific goals, specific tasks, and specific outcomes. The more specific, the better; the more closely aligned with traditional instructional objectives, the better. In this entire tasks for this week, it also including with some of the investigation for the components/equipments that will be used in this project.

Objective

• To design a project coincide with the main objective of project.
• To investigate the materials/components/equipments that will be used in the entire project.
• To combine all the materials that obtained suitable with the project designed.

Problem Encountered

Designing an efficient project need some of the experience in certain fields and basic knowledge in other matters related to the arts is highly needed. Without this criteria it would become quite difficult to design a project. However, by referring from several website it also may give some ideas that very helpful to designing a project according to the required design. In term of to find the materials that will be used, types of the material, product specification in term of the current/voltage rate that required in the project is highly encouraged to known for the purpose to avoid the material from damaged during test and build/assemble the material/circuit. However, this problem can solved by do some survey/research that required and record the important data for use in the future.

Project Description

Several important elements should be taken to design a project. Below is some question that taken into consideration in design a project.

1. What is the concept/theme of the project that want to designed?
2. What is the type of material that suitable to used? (i.e plastic, alloy, steel and etc).
3. Project size - how large project size that needed accordance with the project criteria.
4. What is the type of controller that want to used? (i.e u-controller - PIC16F877A, u-controller - 8051, Arduino Uno - Main Board and etc).
5. What is the materials that needed for I/O?
6. How much the amount of voltage/current needed for each electrical/electronics materials?
7. Is it additional material need to added to enable all electronics/electrical circuit functional perfectly? (i.e current/voltage stabilizer, pull-up resistor, filter circuit, variable resistor and etc).

From the list of questions above, the concept that will be used is simple and compact which is no need much space between the existing energy meter. Type of material that will be used to shielding the circuit is from plastic material. Size of project is more smallest than the energy meter. In term of their controller, Arduino Uno - Main Board will be used as circuit controller. Why Arduino Uno become first choice to make it as circuit controller in this project? It is because the Arduino Uno is one of the easy way to control the circuit including their program code. The materials that will be used for I/O and the additional materials including with the specifications for each materials will be listed such below:-

List of materials: 
Hardware 

1. Arduino Uno Rev3 - Main Board
2. Adapter power supply - 240VAC/5VDC
3. 2 lines x 16 characters LCD panel
4. LED
5. Buzzer
6. GSM module
7. Electronics Energy Meter (if any)
8. USB2.0 AM/BM
9. Casing
10. Wireless data transmitter and receiver
11. Various size of cable
12. Soldering tool kit
13. Potential transformer
14. Current transformer

Software 

1. Arduino IDE

Project Outcome 

As the outcomes in this project, the concept/theme of project design that will be used is simple and compact design which is coincide with the main objective of project. The materials/equipments/components that will be used in the entire project is such as list of materials above. Below is the illustrations, pin configurations and the summary of the specification of the micro-controller board:-

Figure 1: Arduino Uno board surfaces

Figure 2: Pin configurations

Figure 3: Summary of the specification

Figure 4: Main board reference design

As the conclusion, even have some problem in select a suitable material and an efficient project design, the main objective of project for this week is achieved perfectly. For next progress report, the budget of project will be discussed from broad to narrow. 

         

WEEK 5

Date: 14/10/13

Introduction

A flow chart is a graphical or symbolic representation of a process. Each step in the process is represented by a different symbol and contains a short description of the process step. The flow chart symbols are linked together with arrows showing the process flow direction. In this week, the process flow chart will be discussed and created according the project that will developed.

Objective

• To define some of the important element that should be used in flow chart design.
• To discuss some of the important part in the flow chart design and create the flow chart.

Problem Encountered

A flow chart is the one of the important part that should be known and provided when develop a project. The difficulties that come when create a flow chart is in term of to decide a suitable flow chart symbol that will be used exactly with the project process. However, it is not become a big problem because the problem encountered has been solved by do some research in website and other sources (i.e experienced persons, lecturers, friends and etc).

Project Description

The important information of a flow chart symbol is gathered from several source for the purpose to create exact symbol of flow chart that will be created for this project. The information that obtained will be inspired into an actual flow chart. The illustration of the flow chart that has been created will be shown on the next titles below.

Project Outcome

The result that obtained from this task are such as a Flow Chart - Final below:-

Figure 1: Process Flow Chart

The others information in term of their materials/components/equipments will be discussed in details on next progress report.   

    

WEEK 4

Date: 30/9/13

Introduction

Project research (Final) is the last method that used in this project for finishing good. It consists of the combination with all the problem encountered and the information that obtained from the research with the best solution for the purpose to create the block diagram that will be used in this project. Block diagram is a diagram of a system in which the principal parts or functions are represented by blocks connected by lines that show the relationships of the blocks. At the end of this section, a complete block diagram will be shown.

Objective 

• To compress all the information that obtained from research to make it as best solution for the good project.
• To design the block diagram that exactly with the required specifications for this project.

Problem Encountered

From this activity, it is not have much problem because the information that used to make as best solution is from the previous gathered data and it will not give any problem to develop block diagram.

Project Description

The information's that gathered from previous research is compressed to achieving the main objective of project which is a simple and effective way to detect an electrical power theft without any human interface. The details about it is as in the project description on the previous weekly report (WEEK 3).

Project Outcome 

Block diagram is created based on the solution that performed and the block diagram is such as below:-

Figure 1: Block Diagram

The concept that will be used in Electricity Theft Detection Metering System is such as block diagram above. Others progress will be continued on next week.

WEEK 3

Date: 24/9/13

Introduction

Nowadays, various technologies growing rapidly and not exception for the technologies that used in the energy meter where it is always upgraded over time. However, the trick/method that used to stealing the electricity is also upgraded together with the newest technology that used in the energy meter. Knowing the trick that usually used to stealing the electricity is the important part to known to provide a simple and effective way to detect an electrical power theft. This week, several methods of the electricity stealing trick will be discussed together with the principle that will be used in the Electricity Theft Detection Metering System.

Objective

• To gathering the information of electricity stealing trick in real time.
• To provide a simple and effective way to detect an electrical power theft without any human interface.

Problem Encountered

From the researching that were performed, four common methods that usually used was found and it is as listed below:-

1. Stealing electricity by under voltage technology.
2. Stealing electricity by undercurrent technology.
3. Stealing electricity by phase-shifted technology.
4. Stealing electricity by difference expansion (DE) technology.

Below is the illustrations of the tampering methods of energy meter:-

For more information about this, please click here.

However, this problem actually has been solved by upgraded the energy meter such as that has been discussed in the previous section but some of the new problem come out from that solution which is one of that problem is it will give health risks and proliferation of electromagnetic fields posed by RF-EMR.

Project Description

One of the solution which is by using existing energy meter called Electronic Energy Meter (EEM) but the concept to distribute electricity from the distribution pole to the consumer energy meter will be modified by adding another one energy meter on the pole side. It consists of Wireless data receiver, Micro-controller and GSM module to allow both energy meter communicate each other for the purpose to compare the amount of energy at sending and receiving part is similar or not. When the meter is tampered, the value at sending and receiving part will become different and not synchronize. At the certain point, Micro-controller will give the signal to the GSM module and it will directly to the utility company personnel. The system also will cut-off the supply that through along to the problem line and restart with the stored value. The figure below show the conceptual diagram.

Figure: Conceptual diagram

Project Outcome

As the project outcomes, the principal of Electricity Theft Detection Metering System will be developed/designed as the conceptual diagram above. From this concept hopefully it can solve the problem that occurs especially in term of health risks and the major problem in the electricity arena.

WEEK 2

Date: 16/9/13

Introduction

Project research is the important part to dig out the information about the project that has been existing in the market. From research, some of the newest technology or encountered problem that has solved can be founded easily and also may give new ideas to build up other project from the problem analysis that will be performed. Time period to do this research is about 2 weeks.

Objective

• To gathering the information that needed in this project.
• To solve encountered problems in the existing project.
• To develop new project/idea from the problem encountered.

Problem Encountered

From the research that has been performed along this week, many methods that was founded related with this project. Some of the method that has be used which are by upgrading the Electromechanical Energy Meter to the Electronic Energy Meter and the latest one is the Smart Meters. However, it also have several problems especially the Smart Meters. Below is the lists of the problem encountered from the Smart Meters that obtained from several websites:-

1. Health risks posed by Radio Frequency (RF) - Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR).
2. Proliferation of the electromagnetic fields.

Effect from the problem listed to human:-

• Affect gene and protein expression (Transcriptomic and Proteomic Research)
• Have genotoxic effects -- DNA damage 
• Induce stress response (Stress Proteins)
• Affect immune function
• Affect Neurology and behavior
• Cause childhood cancers (Leukemia) 
• Impact melatonin production; Alzheimer’s Disease; Breast Cancer 
• Promote breast cancer (Melatonin links in laboratory and cell studies) 

 

Figure 1: Several energy meter that existing in the market 

Project Description

Referring from the information and problems encountered that obtained, an additional equipment will be developed and added to the energy meter that called Electricity Theft Detection Metering System to solve some of the problems that occurs. However, this equipment only suitable to used and focused to the Electronic Energy Meter (EEM) for the purpose to reduce electricity theft and also to reduce health risks that come up from the wireless radiation that always used and upgraded over time.

Project Outcome

Even many energy meter has upgraded over time, power theft still occurs especially in China and India. Based on the information that has obtained, the Electricity Theft Detection Metering System will be developed to solve some of the problem. Details of the project will be discussed on the next weekly report.

Summary of the Project Outcome

Working principle of EEM and Smart Meter:- 

EEM

Figure 2: Working principle of EEM

Smart Meter

Figure 3: Working principle of Smart Meter

Benefits and disadvantages of EEM and Smart Meter:-

Figure 4: Comparison between EEM and Smart Meter

Additional Information:-
Traditional Meters vs. Smart Meters 

Figure 5: Comparison between Traditional Meters with Smart Meters

Note:-
Traditional Meters is a oldest energy meter that have mechanical moving part. The concept/technology that used in Traditional Meters is not similar with the Electronic Energy Meters.


    

    

WEEK 1

Date: 11/9/13

Title of activity

1. Find supervisor for final year project 1.
2. Discussion with the supervisor about the title of the project that will developed.

Objective

• To make sure student have one important person that will supervise student in their project until at the end of this subject.
• To make sure the project that has been discussed is approved by supervisor.

Content/Procedure

In the first week of semester, student should find project supervisor to monitor the project together with a student. However, it is limited depend on work scope of this subject that has given by his/her subject leader. When project supervisor has be found/selected, several titles of project will be proposed by student to the supervisor and his/her will select one of the several titles of project that has been proposed to registered officially in this subject.

Result/Outcomes

As a result for this week, Miss Fatimah Zaharah Binti Hamidon from electrical section has been selected as a project supervisor. She has select one of the several project that was proposed and name it as Electricity Theft Detection Metering System and this project was approved and registered successfully in UniKLBMI-FYP official website.                

Conclusion

The activity in this week carried out successfully. Since project supervisor was approve and register the project title, student should be able to proceed for the next step/procedure in their project as soon as possible and meet project supervisor periodically for the purpose to update progress project.

Date: 12/9/13
Title of activity

1. FYP 1 briefing.

Objective

• To make sure student understand the procedure and the important date that should be taken in this subject.
• To show the official webpage for this subject and several important thing that should be highlighted in the UniKLBMI-FYP website.

Content/Procedure

As the objectives that listed above, students are given the important information about what a students should do and some of the procedure that they should be follow such as find project supervisor, register project title and etc. This briefing presented by Mdm. Nor Khairiah Bt Ibrahim, Sir Mohd Syazwan Md Yid and Mdm. Nulida Abd Aziz.

Result/Outcomes

From this activity, students know what they should do to achieve the main objective of final year project before they go through to the next procedures which is to prepare log book/blog, presentation and final report.

Conclusion

Final year project briefing is the important program that a students should attend. It is because from here, students will know the procedures that they should be follow and some of the important date that they should be remind to complete all the tasks perfectly. Since the activity for today is finished, student can proceed for their first task as soon as possible.   

Date: 13/9/13
Title of activity

1. Project scheduling

Objective

• To manage weekly activities that will be performed systematically
• To ensure all task are completed on time

Content/Procedure

In developing a project, all the activities that will be performed must be managed systematically. It is to ensure each tasks complete on time. In order to fulfill project requirement in this week, a gantt chart will be created according each activities that will be performed by using Microsoft Excel.

Result/Outcomes 

Below is the result that obtained from this activity:-

Figure 1: Gantt Chart

Conclusion

A gantt chart is a tool that used to illustrates a project schedule. It will become as a guideline in developing a project. All activities in this FYP 1 will be referred through this gantt chart for the purpose to ensure all task complete and submitted on time. For the next progress report, result from the investigation that has accomplished will be shown and discussed.