91抖阴

Dominik Boller’s ‘UFO Detector’ analyses the sky for anomalies and uses computer vision algorithms to record videos.

The Software Engineering BSc(Hons) student’s design will be on show along with other final year undergraduate projects at the Computing Project Exhibition 2017 in the university’s Cockcroft Building in Lewes Road, Moulsecoomb, 91抖阴, on 17 May.

Dominik said: “Through history there have been numerous reports of people seeing unidentifiable objects in the sky. However, there is little good video evidence of those kinds of sightings. Many videos today show a scene that is too unclear to make any reliable conclusions or they show something that is obviously a fabricated hoax. My aim was to create a software that continuously analyses the sky for anomalies and automatically records anything out of the ordinary.

“The software connects to a camera and uses various computer vision algorithms to record videos of unknown objects and present them to the user. Through this it can capture meteoroids, aerial phenomenon and unknown objects in the skies.

The night sky, picture by Ryan Hutton

“The focus of my final year project was to enhance the detection algorithm of the program by improving the computer vision aspects of it and by adding new features to filter out specific objects such as airplanes.”

Among other inventions is Adam Worley’s Chrono-lux, an alarm that banishes the wake-up blues and makes mornings more enjoyable by simulating a sunrise using a smart-bulb.

The Computer Science (Games) BSc(Hons) student said: “My project is to develop a connected Android alarm application with integration with smart devices. For many, the mornings can be a struggle as they find it difficult to wake to their alarms. By developing Chrono-lux people will be able to configure smart-alarms, these alarms will be able to trigger smart-devices and other Internet of things (IoT) devices.

“Currently there is a boom of connected devices coming to market from smart-bulbs to connected kettles and fridges; these devices allow for a level of automation and intelligent features that can be useful in day to day use. Chrono-lux intends to bring these devices together to allow for a more enjoyable morning, by simulating a sunrise using a smart-bulb. It has been shown that mimicking aspects of the day/night cycle can help to improve alertness and bring your body gradually to more natural sleep cycles.

“There are multiple uses of lighting in use today such as morning alarm clocks that have built in lighting to simulate the sunrise or the use of mood lighting on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, intended to tune the passengers to their destination time-zone to reduce jet-lag and fatigue. However currently there are very few Android apps that utilise these smart-devices. Initially my application will work with Philips Hue bulbs, with the ability to be extended for use with other smart-bulbs and devices such as kettles, coffee machines and even toasters.”

Rupert Agnew, studying Computer Science BSc(Hons), has designed ‘Home Automation using Raspberry Pi’, which, among a multitude of uses, will feed your cat when you are away from home.

The system uses the Internet of Things to link hardware and software devices in people’s homes.

He said: “Nowadays almost everybody has a smart phone and almost everybody has a wifi connection in their home – but how many can control home devices securely from their phone? My project takes advantage of the low cost Pi but shields people from the complexity of programming and piecing it together.

“All peripherals connected to the Pi can be remotely controlled from a mobile, tablet or desktop computer from anywhere in the world. After logging onto the website using their credentials, the user is presented with a dashboard which allows them to interact with their home appliances – door locks, view a webcam stream, control lights, control AC mains plug.

“You can automate your kettle to turn on as you open the front door after a long day at work. When you hear the doorbell, you can view who is at your door, and let them in, all from your phone/tablet. When the temperature drops or reaches a certain temperature, you can control the boiler to meet your needs – you could even open or close a door to let a pet in or out of the house and automatically feed your pet based on a time schedule when you are away from the home.”

For more details and to book a visit, contact r.tonge@ brighton.ac.uk.