Senior Design Team 20 • Intermediate Frequency Data Acquisition Device (IF_DAD)

Project Overview

The project goal is to built the Intermediate Frequency (IF) circuit of of a millimeter wave (mm-wave) imaging radar. This IF circuit needs to digitally generate a sinusoidal signal with a frequency in the range of 5 to 60 MHz and output it through a DAC. This signal will be fed to the mm-wave radar and then the output of the mm-wave radar (5 to 60 MHz) will be sampled using an ADC. An FPGA will be used to generate the signal and sample the received signal. The FPGA will also be used to control the mm-wave radar through an SPI channel. The FPGA will send the data to a PC using USB. The group will design and build the FPGA/DAC/ADC circuit. Furthermore, the students will program the FPGA to perform the function needed in generating the signal, performing data acquisition and communicating the data to the PC. The group also will program an application on the PC to interface to the FPGA. Upon completion of the hardware and the software, the group will use the system to conduct radar imaging experiments in the microwave lab at CNDE.

Team Members

Nathan Ayers

Interface Lead

Nathan Ayers is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has a focus of VLSI. Many of my hobbies lie outside of engineering, they include gardening, homebrewing, and fixing cars.

Matthew Caron

Lead Hardware Designer

Matthew Caron is an Electrial Engineering major with a focus on Microwaves and Semiconductors. Outside of his career he enjoys everthing outdoors including: rock climbing snowboarding and running

Michael Levin

Lead DSP Engineer

My name is Michael Levin. I am an electrical engineering major from Chicago, Illinois. I enjoy playing guitar and discussing philosophy which is my minor. I will be assisting in microwave research and testing at CNDE laboratory. I’m most interested in robotics, circuitry, and nanotechnology.

Rodrigo Romero

Lead SPI (FPGA) Engineer

Rodrigo Romero is a Senior Electrical Engineering student originally from El Salvador. He is a critical thinker, a thorough observer, and is employing these skills in a laboratory environment. He conducts research projects to make the CNDE a productive and educational workplace. He enjoys outdoor activities such as, camping and hiking, as well as traveling around the country. Rodrigo has a deep passion for learning. After achieving a Bachelor’s in Science, he is planning to attend graduate school and pursue a master’s degree with a research area focused on millimeter wave imaging and diagnoses of human skin.




EE 492 (Fall 2023)

Bi-Weekly Reports

Report 1
Report 2
Report 3
Report 4
Report 5
Report 6

Design Documents

Peer and Instructor Review 1
Peer and Instructor Reivew 2
Final Poster
Final Design Document, semester 2
Final Presentation, semester 2

Design Resources

GIT LAB Repo

EE 491 (Spring 2023)

Weekly Reports

Report 1
Report 2
Report 3
Report 4
Report 5
Report 6
Report 7
Report 8
Report 9

Design Documents

Lightning Talk 1 - Requirements, Constraints, and Engineering Standards
Lightning Talk 2 - Project Plan
Lightning Talk 3 - Design
Lightning Talk 4 - Testing
Final Design Document
Final Presentation