Harvesting rambutan using long pole trimmer

This photo was taken on the evening of 24 January 2025, after I helped harvest ripe red rambutan fruits. My colleague had been talking about it for the past two weeks, and it was a rewarding experience after completing all the tasks below. The sweetness of the fruits made it worth enduring the bites from the angry weaver ants (kerengga) that swarmed me.

The students in the PCB Lab are seen here wrapping up their SDK V4 boards for the Microprocessor class assignment, right after the Jumaat prayer.

Later, students came to the Vecad Lab to show their progress on the SDK V4 boards and to collect extra components to replace those damaged by incorrect soldering techniques. They also picked up their marked Test 2 papers for the Microprocessor subject, after 5.20 pm.

A quick photography session was held to document that all students had taken their Test 2 papers and completed their soldered SDK V4 boards.

Until next time, enjoy the work and the full day's schedule!

The look of fully assembled SDK V4 board

This document details the SDK (System Development Kit) V4 board for the Microprocessor class, finalized and fully assembled as of noon on 20 January 2025. Below are the features and development process for the board:

Overview of the SDK V4 Board

Front View: The board features key interfaces for microprocessor learning.

Back View: Shows the compact and well-designed component layout.

Components:

• IC socket configured for the Black Pill STM32 microcontroller.
• LEDs, 7-segment displays, keypads, and DIP switches are provided on the SDK V4 board for students to program and observe output functionality.

Development and Contributions

The SDK V4 board was designed and developed by the UTM Johor Bahru team, led by:

1. Dr. Zulfakar Aspar, FKE, UTM : Primary contributor for concept and design.
2. Ryan, 3rd year, Electronic Undergraduate : Responsible for hardware design and PCB assembly.
3. Me : Focused on software testing, documentation, and manual creation.

The collaboration among team members was crucial for the successful development of this board.

Assembly Challenges

• Component Type: The SDK V4 uses SMD (Surface-Mount Device) components, which are small, fragile, and densely packed. This increases the complexity of soldering and assembly.
• Best Practices: Assembling components incrementally and testing each stage is essential. For example, Group 10 successfully tested and assembled one 7-segment display at a time before completing all four units, ensuring proper connections and functionality [1].

Programming Support

The SDK V4 board is compatible with the following development environments:

1. STM32CubeIDE
2. Keil uVision
3. Arduino IDE

For the Microprocessor class final exam, Keil uVision is the primary platform for questions involving assembly language programming. However, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with STM32CubeIDE for broader programming capabilities.

Conclusion

The SDK V4 board offers a practical learning platform for programming STM32 microcontrollers. It equips students with hands-on experience in both hardware and software development. 

Enjoy exploring the capabilities of the SDK V4 board and mastering the STM32 microcontroller!

Reference:

[1] Assembly Tip: Incrementally assemble and test components, such as connecting and testing individual 7-segment units, before proceeding to full assembly. This ensures connection accuracy and simplifies troubleshooting. Example done by Group 10, SKEE 3223: Microprocessors (Section 9 & 10), Semester 1-2024/2025.

https://youtube.com/shorts/FCHz6SIEJvg?si=8EWaoYNWsFDQHyCz

The look of quiet Microprocessor class

This photo was taken at noon on 8 January 2025, during the Microprocessor class. The students were unusually quiet, as they typically only exhibit this level of silence during test sessions.

That day, I was giving a briefing on the SDK V4 board, which was the first design using the STM32 microprocessor. The lecturer had asked me to brief the students before distributing the SDK V4 PCB boards and components. However, I requested to hand out the hardware first, and this sequence worked well. One group even noticed that I had forgotten to include a voltage regulator in their set, indicating they were paying close attention to the briefing and thoroughly inspecting their hardware.

I had divided the components into nine sets, and on that day, I only distributed three of them.

Overall, it was a productive class, and I hope the students enjoyed learning about PCB assembly.

Reference:

[1] Sorting components for SDK V4 board with ARM  Microprocessor https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2025/01/sorting-components-for-sdk-v4-pcb-board.html

The pretty look of blooming melur jawa@jambak flowers

This is taken on the noon of 8 January 2025. After microprocessor class. I managed to harvest 4 stalks of melur jawa@jambak flowers. After last week harvest 2 stalks of them. As yesterday,  I counted there is more than 22 blooming stalks of melur jawa@jambak flowers.

The pretty 4 stalks of blooming melur jawa@jambak flowers.

The initial 2 stalks of melur jawa@jambak flowers.

I have informed few friends to self harvest the melur jawa@jambak flowers. Since this month it is 2 times output than normal.

For this one, I put it inside vecad lab pantry. So it will have good fragrant melur jawa@jambak flower smell.

Until then, have fun in harvesting melur jawa@jambak flowers.

First harvest for year 2025=pisang raja (banana) fruits

This was taken on the morning of 12 January 2025. When I successfully harvested my ripe, yellowing pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

First layer/comb (sisir/sikat) = 12 pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

Second layer/comb (sisir/sikat) = 10 pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

Third layer/comb (sisir/sikat) = 10 pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

Fourth layer/comb (sisir/sikat) = 12 pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

Fifth layer/comb (sisir/sikat) = 12 pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

I used only three tools for the process: a serrated steak knife, a 12-inch saw, and a hoe (tajak). It took me 45 minutes to complete the harvest and clean up afterward. Just as I finished, the rain began to drizzle.

In the evening, I have to reply to questions from student of Microprocessor class. As they was eager to finished up the given components to be assembled on SDK V4 board. Basically my weekend is more like working from home. 

Until then, stay safe while harvesting your pisang raja (banana) fruits. 

Sorting components for SDK V4 PCB board

This was taken at noon on 7 January 2025, when I received help from a group of students from the Microprocessor class to sort the components for the SDK V4 PCB board. The task took 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete due to my detailed and meticulous sorting method. I prefer organizing the components thoroughly to ensure students don’t need to ask me which parts are for specific soldering tasks. For example, I have grouped the needed components for power supply part on the SDK V4 PCB board. Which I have also make the presentation slide on its assembly. 

I had to adopt this approach as I am currently tied up with finalizing my thesis corrections and managing other work and tasks. I am truly grateful for the assistance from these three students—it made a significant difference.

Close up on the components arranged by group. This is for Group 2 (power supply). For Group 1 is the Black Pill STM32F411 board set.

Until then, have fun in sorting components for your PCB board assembly.

Meaning of oni word

This issue was resolved on the evening of 29 December 2024. One student had used the word "oni" as the initial for his work. Coincidentally, I had just watched Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (TV series) [1], and the word "oni" immediately triggered its meaning in Japanese—"demon" [2]. I explained this to the student and advised him to use appropriate and professional initials and symbols for his work. I also shared the Japanese meaning of "oni" to ensure he was fully aware of its implications [2].

I understand that, from a young student's perspective, the word "oni" might carry a positive or neutral connotation. However, as an experienced engineer, I must consider the worst-case scenarios. This is a formal piece of work with potential market value, so it needs to reflect professionalism. Additionally, this approach helps prepare the student for the professional world.

Until then, enjoy asking questions and engaging in clarification discussions.

Reference:

[1] Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (TV series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_Slayer:_Kimetsu_no_Yaiba_(TV_series)

[2] What is an Oni? Understanding Japanese Demons | Japanese Mythology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9wFcpSxYJI

Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

I solved this on December 18, 2024, after spending nearly a year searching for it. Since it is an organ composition [1], it was harder to find because it’s an instrumental piece. I was finally able to locate it after hearing it in the 90s TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I managed to play the piece using an app, but it took two tries to get the correct version. It was well worth the time spent, as the piece sounds lovely [2]. I enjoyed it a lot through my Bluetooth earbuds, Baseus BowieWM02 [3].

I noticed that this piece was often used in classic horror stories on TV when I was little, such as in the Dracula story.

Until then, enjoy listening to beautiful instrumental music with your precious Bluetooth earbuds!

References:

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toccata_and_Fugue_in_D_minor,_BWV_565

[2] The favorite version that I love to listen https://youtu.be/ho9rZjlsyYY?si=qTyY9024-hKOWUQ4

[3] My Bluetooth earbuds, Baseus BowieWM02 https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2024/05/my-review-on-baseus-bowie-wm02.html

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

I was able to recall this instrumental piece piano play after watching the film Red One on December 17, 2024 [1]. As soon as I heard the piece around 1:29:26 onwards in the film [2], my brain immediately recognized it as "The Nutcracker". After some searching, I finally found the version I liked [3]. It sounds even better when I listen with my Bluetooth earbuds, the Baseus Bowie WM02 [4]. This piece is also associated with classic horror TV stories.

Until then, enjoy listening to this beautiful instrumental piece!

References:

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_One_(film)

[2] https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS6Y4MdYn/

[3] https://youtu.be/sdduPpnqre4?si=sNJiiANOF4wjXOKQ

[4] https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2024/05/my-review-on-baseus-bowie-wm02.html

Compiling errors and solutions from Module 8 and 9 of Microprocessor class

This was taken at noon on 19 December 2024 while I was compiling the errors and solutions from the assembly code that students encountered during the Microprocessor class the day before.

This serves as a diagnostic report after allowing the students to use their own laptops to compile the assembly code from Modules 8 and 9. I had provided the necessary steps to the students in class and encouraged them to work on it within their respective groups. Initially, I was instructed to demonstrate the process in class, but I felt it would be more beneficial for the students to try it themselves—and this decision proved to be correct.

From the diagnostic report, it became clear that 98% of the students made the same basic mistake: failing to save the project file in a newly created folder. Despite this, 9 groups were able to successfully resolve their errors, 1 group is still struggling, and another 6 groups have yet to provide any updates on their progress. Failure to submit updates will, unfortunately, result in no marks for the class exercise.

Preparing this kind of report is tedious and time-consuming. However, if it’s not done promptly after the class, it’s easy to forget the details by the following week. That said, documenting these errors and solutions is a great practice for self-improvement and professional development. Of course, this approach may not work for everyone, as individuals have their own methods of handling such tasks.

Until next time, have fun creating diagnostic reports after each session!

Reference:

[1] Tested assembly code from slides Module 8 of Microprocessor class https://serinurulbeauty.blogspot.com/2024/12/tested-assembly-code-from-slides-in.html