The thing is that we would be having a mock proposal presentation, just to practice ourselves in front of a “panel” so that we wouldn’t have stage fright and freeze. Now, this mock presentation would be happening by the weekend and that meant that today, I have to finish my RRL since it still has to be reviewed by our thesis adviser (and maybe I would still have to revise it after).

So, I got to finish my first draft of the RRL and I am not all too confident about it. I believe it is all wrong and not exactly what is wanted. I am not even able to convince myself that I have done the right job.

Sigh. I’ll just have to wait for our adviser’s feedback.

The sad news about our thesis was that the CE masteral people decided to change their project at the last minute. They sort of left us alone and we now had to worry about the installation of our project on the river, aside from the many problems we had already determined. But, as they say, “never say die”, and I never really had doubts with my team (although I think I should have, at least a bit) or any worries about us not making it.

I’ll probably post a few pictures of us visiting the river once I get a copy of it. The river was full of trash and it was definitely a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In fact, after the entire journey (we sort-of had a river trekking going upstream), we found ourselves having an itch or two on our legs.

It was quite hard to find a good place to set up our proposed water level sensor as well since not all parts of the river had the same level. In some places, the water was shallow and even if there was heavy flooding, it seemed like the water never really rose to a dangerous level. Some areas were already deep too. In fact, we saw many kids enjoying themselves while they bathed and swam on the river.

Fortunately, we did find a good place, one that the CE people suggested. They said it was best to place the sensor under a bridge, just behind one of its supports (although the one we found was not big and long enough to have such). Still, we decided it was a good place as the water also rose more than waist-deep during heavy rains. Plus, there was a “dike” where we could have the sensor mounted and possibly welded, so it would not be carried away by strong water current.

For now, part of our problem is solved. We’ll still meet problems on the way but we’ll manage somehow. Till the next.

We sat down in their office, the four of us (me, Irvin, Ralph and Regina – Kirby was late), Jonah and Karen (the ones preparing for their thesis in the CE Master’s Program) and Engr. Nestor Sy, our CE “adviser”. He actually just explained how the water level sensor would go and what he would want us to do and we just keep on discussing things and laughing casually as well.

I won’t be able to say much in detail because I’ve mentioned it in the previous entry. However, after we went out of the office, I just felt like I went into a brainstorming meeting for a project in a big company. I felt pretty much like a working girl already, a part of the technical team of a company. I mean, I’ve had a job in a real company before but I’ve never felt this way. It’s probably because the task at hand is more related to my course and it makes me giddy because I feel that my knowledge and skills is not yet enough for the job. I have so much to learn and it’s the first time I could really say I’m not prepared for the job.

So, anyway, I will try to make up for my lack of subjects and have self-study instead. I hope I could get to learn as much in a very limited time.

Til the next!

One of our team members had talked to our adviser about this and for by some twist of fate, the Computer Engineering Department chair had now become a co-adviser.

Initially, our group had proposed the Autocart, which is much like the regular pushcart you see in supermarkets only this time, you do not need to push or pull the thing. Instead, you will just have to wear a belt that contains a sensor and the cart will automatically detect wherever its master is. There had been problems for this proposal perhaps because of the scope and limitation of the project so our Department Chair decided to suggest two other projects.

The first one involved the detection of water level in a river, which would be part of a flood mitigation project by the Civil Engineering Department of the school. It sounds neat, right? Anyway, technology is already present to help determine the water level easily but the problem is sending real-time data from the river, where the device is located, to the school, where the main computer would be stationed. If possible, we would also have to publish the data on a website so that it is readily available to every Internet user all over the world.

The second proposal was like a mobot (mobile robot), which would be able to move within a certain range using GPRS and the Google Maps application. Initially, we could test it out in our schools’ soccer field or any other plain surface.

The problem with the first one is that there were many things to learn. The data would be transmitted from the water level detector to cellphone to another cellphone, which would then be uploaded to the computer and to the website. With the second one, we will be having problems with obtaining the GPRS device because they were too expensive – not practical for us undergraduate students.

In the end, we chose to go for the first proposal. My choice had been such because I believe the downside of the project is also an added advantage. I am an irregular student who is behind many subjects and doing this project would give me a chance to learn a lot more, beyond what the school offers.

Anyway, that would be it for now. I hope that I would be an asset to my team, even if I have very limited knowledge for now. Perhaps I should take the advice of my teacher to read at least 50 pages of a book each day. I’m off to the library now.

She is actually a computer engineering student and is trying to find a place for herself in the world.

Join her in her journey as a computer engineering student – eventually a computer engineer – and many more, wherever the roads will take her.

Enjoy!