AME - Load-Cell Data Acquisition: Updating Charge-Pump

The overall goal is to redesign the bipolar power-supply stage of the Open-Source Leg (OSL) Data Acquisition Board to reduce energy consumption by replacing the current charge-pump approach with independently regulated positive and negative supply sources, while preserving the ±2.5 V load-cell excitation and the DAQ’s measurement quality.

The off-the-shelf OSL DAQ: 

  • Is a 24-bit, six-channel delta-sigma acquisition board based on the TI ADS131M06. 
  • It currently generates bipolar supply voltages from a single input with a charge pump. 

The student will determine whether a different supply architecture can lower energy use and  perform with acceptable noise, ripple, regulation, size, and complexity.

Name of research group, project, or lab
Wearable Robotics Laboratory
Website
https://werolab.nd.edu/
Logistics Information:
Project categories
Electrical Engineering
Student ranks applicable
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

The project is best suited for an Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering student with circuits and electronics experience. Soldering, PCB design, embedded systems, and laboratory instrumentation experience are helpful but not required.

Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours
3 credits / 12+ hours
Compensation
Research for Credit
Number of openings
1
Techniques learned
  • PCB Design and Manufacturing
Project start
Fall 2026
Contact Information:
Mentor
Edgar Bolívar-Nieto
ebolivar@nd.edu
Assistant Professor
Name of project director or principal investigator
Edgar Bolívar-Nieto
Email address of project director or principal investigator
ebolivar@nd.edu
1 sp. | 1 appl.
Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours (+1)
2 credits / 6-12 hours3 credits / 12+ hours
Project categories
Electrical Engineering