Satellite CCRMA Extra Credit

You can earn extra credit in the class by solving specific problems so that we can incorporate them into new releases! Let both Wendy and Edgar know if you are working on one of these, so that multiple people don't work unbeknownst on the same problem. When you are finished, document your solution using a CCRMA Wiki.

• Find out how to control a mini (or even pico!) projector with the Beagleboard.

• Make a nice library of physical models for haptic interaction using the formalism from lab 5.

• Find a way to power the Beagleboard using solar cells. What is the minimum number of solar cells required?

• Do a study to determine how great the risk of corrupting the file system actually is if the Beagleboard is improperly halted. If it is worrisome, then
  • Make the USR0 or USR1 light do something to indicate that the Beagleboard has finished halting and is safe to turn off.
  • Extra Extra Credit: Find a convenient and compact way to wire up a button to the Beagleboard expansion port, and configure the Beagleboard so that when the button is pressed, the Beagleboard automatically runs the command sudo halt.

• Find a way to improve the performance of audio on the Beagleboard. In particular, you should find a way to significantly reduce the audio latency without affecting the reliability. To this end you would probably try things like
  • Recompiling jack on the Beagleboard using some different switches to try to improve efficiency.
  • Recompiling pd extended on the Beagleboard using some different switches to try to improve efficiency.
  • In the worst case, it may be necessary to modify the audio drivers. To work on them, you would need to
    • successfully recompile the Ubuntu 10.04 kernel. Probably you would want to cross-compile.
    • recompile the kernel multiple times subject to changes in the audio drivers to improve performance. It should be possible for you to reduce the four periods per buffer to one period per buffer.
    • If you have to go this far, you will get an A+ in the class as long as you still carry out the deliverables required for your group project.