2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The senior design project is a capstone project course taken in the final year of the Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) program at _________________University. Introduction of renewable energy applications to engineering technology curriculum at ___________________University has impacted students, faculty, and university community very positively and promoted feasibility and adoption of eco-friendly energy technologies. As number of recent graduates employed on various positions in the solar energy related companies increase steadily, student interest to renewable energy courses, clean energy student associations, and hands-on project applications has increased as well.
The objective of this project is to design and implement an automated solar powered chicken coop that aims to provide a sustainable and efficient solution for chicken housing. With a focus on renewable energy, this project will utilize photovoltaic panels to convert the solar energy into electricity, which will then be used to power various control systems and components within the coop. The automation aspect of the design will simplify the caretaking process and provide a more comfortable living environment for the chickens. The combination of solar power and automation will create a self-sufficient and eco-friendly solution, reducing the dependence on traditional energy sources and promoting sustainability. The project will not only provide a functional chicken coop but also demonstrate the potential for renewable energy in other areas of agriculture and beyond.
The design and implementation of a solar powered automated chicken coop requires a combination of technical and practical skills. Some of these skills include circuits, analog and digital electronics, automation and control systems, and chicken keeping. Knowledge of electrical energy systems and components, such as photovoltaic panels, batteries, and controllers are essential for this project. Knowledge of automation and control systems, including microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators, is paramount in the design and implementation of an automated chicken coop. Also, understanding chicken behavior, nutrition, and health is also an important aspect in designing an effective automation system for a chicken coop. This allows the ability to provide a comfortable and safe environment for the chickens. This paper will report overall project design and implementation with functional block diagrams, design sketches, and circuit diagrams, bill of materials and Gantt charts.