UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - COLUMBIA
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
MAE 3800 Instrumentation and Measurements Laboratory
Due: Thursday, April 30
The problem:
You are approached by the US Border Patrol to develop a low-cost sensor system that detects persons hidden in
container trucks crossing the US borders.
You may work in groups (a maximum of three students in each group)
Report format
The Lab 7 experiment together with other measurement tools you learned in class and in previous lab experiments
provide a few solution options for you to consider. The Lab 7 experiment was intended to give you direct
experiences using piezoelectric sensors. Please read this lab module and watch the videos in Lab 7 demonstration
videos. You are not required to report any procedures or results of the experiment. Instead, this assignment asks you
to design an experiment and document your design.
You are required to prepare a technical report and submit it online as a group. Each group only submits one report
for the group. The report must include the following:
1. (3 pts) A cover page including the project report title, names of the group members and an abstract of the report
(less than 50 words). Next to each group member name, place in parenthesis the percent of effort by each group
member. The total of the percent of effort must add to 100%.
2. (3 pts) Proposed design of your instrument setup. This should include the schematic diagrams and narratives
explaining how your system works. For example, where do you place the sensor in relation to the container truck?
What is the anticipated maximum force acting on the sensor?
3. (3 pts) Considerations that led to the proposed design. Have you considered other options? What are the pros and
cons of the proposed design compared with one alternative design.
4. (3 pts) Issues to be addressed in the implementation of the detection system. Does the truck have to be parked on
the load cell with engines shut down? Does the driver have to get off the truck? What are the constraints that can
limit the use of your proposed system? Address any constraint you deem relevant such as
a. economic (cost of your system, potential impact to the local and US economy);
b. environmental (impact on the environment if any, and impact by the environment). For example, is it possible
that the ground vibration will overwhelm the signal from human activities inside the truck? What additional
investigation do you have to conduct in order to resolve this issue?
c. social; political; ethical; health and safety; manufacturability; sustainability; and others that you deem
important or relevant.
5. (3 pts) Adherence to formatting conventions of a technical report. Specifically, a table must be listed under its
heading. A figure caption is placed at the bottom of the figure. A list of references follows the main body of the
report.