Ramon Duarte de Melo, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Henrique de Souza Magnago, Federal University of Santa Maria
Science without Borders has brought two Brazilian students to ECE to help develop a sensor network for UBC’s Tall Wooden Building. Ramon and Henrique are working with Jason Khuu, a recent graduate of ECE and Professors Edmond Certu and Sudip Shekhar during their year-long internship.
BC’s wood sector industries are coming up with new materials such as Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) to make wooden structures taller and larger. This work will ultimately change building techniques in British Columbia and open up a new value added industry. Henrique, Ramon and Jason are developing a complex network of sensors powered by an Ethernet connection for a wooden building designed to be 18 storeys tall. Their proof of concept demonstrates that an astonishing array of building devices can be controlled and powered through a wireless communications network. By providing power as well as a communication link to sensors, switches and low power devices replaces batteries and wireless connections that are typically used today and which require extensive monitoring and maintenance. A phone, camera, or ventilation panel, in fact, any device that could benefit from data communication and requiring low power, could be controlled by the network; making this project one of many applications of the Internet of Everything movement. Incorporating digital sensors into the tall wooden building while also providing power will help to monitor the long term stresses on this new style of building and will help to shape future building codes.
In the first phase of the project the students focused on developing a number of ways of communicating with and powering LED light panels. Henrique and Jason, with their electrical engineering background, worked on hardware, building the controller for the light panel and the sensor network. Ramon, with his background in computer science, worked on the networking and setting up the “power over Ethernet” switch that can provide up to 60 Watts over standard Ethernet cable.
They succeeded in getting an LED light connected to DC power over the Ethernet system and then moved on to controlling ambient lighting levels with a sensor to create a feedback loop. They added preferred set points for different locations so individuals can set lighting levels at their desk or office. At first all of these functions were controlled through hard
wired circuits. In subsequent stages of the project Ramon and Henrique controlled the ambient light with sensors connected via Ethernet cable and finally with wireless communication. The system is now ready to be scaled up to include more devices.
One of the biggest drivers for increasing the number of devices controlled through a network is the desire to manage energy consumption. By refining our awareness of power use, by, for example, determining which devices are drawing the most energy at particular times of the day, we can better control and reduce our energy use.
When asked to compare their experiences at UBC to Brazilian universities Ramon and Henrique had very different impressions, perhaps because Ramon studied computer science in Brazil while Henrique studied control and automation engineering. For Henrique, there has been more theoretical work to do on his own at home, for Ramon, he has done more hands on work and tutorials here at UBC than during his program in Brazil. Both Ramon and Henrique agree that it is helpful to experience a different balance between theory and hands-on work early in their career. They strongly recommend internship to other students. “We are living in a totally different environment than what we are used to and discovering unexpected things about this place and about our own culture,” says Henrique.
Ramon is eager to use what he has learned at UBC and in Brazil to fight for freedom. “Web technology is quite empowering because they allow people to express themselves to the entire world”. He would like to teach people how to use these technologies.
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Funded primarily by the Brazilian Government, the SwB scholarship program was launched in July 2011.The program aims to send 101,000 Brazilian students to study internationally in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects by 2015.The Government of Brazil is funding 75,000 scholarships and a further 26,000 are being funded by the private sector.
Brazil is a priority country for Canada’s international engagement. In recent years, the Canada-Brazil relationship has matured and deepened. Collaboration between Brazil and Canada is flourishing, sparked by enduring people-to-people ties. These ties manifest themselves in a variety of ways, including through expanding trade and investment, enhanced research partnerships and an increase in educational exchanges.
Tall Wood Building
UBC proposes to build a new facility for SALA that is envisioned as a 16-18 storey “tall wood” building incorporating the SALA program, approximately 250 student residence beds and various supporting amenities. The development would be the first phase of the planned 690-bed Armoury Commons mixed-use student housing development.
Going with the grain and building with wood, Globe and Mail, Lisa Rochon