Developing a New Astrophysical Temperature Control Tool

Planets within our own solar system are encompassed by a range of strange extraterrestrial environments. In order to understand them, researchers a Lowell Observitory have developed tools to simulate, and study the effects of the incredibly cold environments of distant worlds.

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About Us

Astrophysical Temperature Control

Team TITAN is operating on the core data-collection system for Lowell Observatory’s Astrophysical Ice Lab on NAU campus. Led by Dr. Will Grundy and Dr. Jennifer Hanley, researchers at the Ice Lab make use of a custom-engineered cryochamber which simulates the unbelievably cold temperatures found only in the harshest regions of space, while studying its effects on elements and chemical compounds.

The Problem

The problem with the current implementation is that it’s operating on recently deprecated software libraries. It’s also a homebuilt solution, contained in a single python file, that lacks additional “nice-to-have” functions, like optimized data visualizations, and plug-n-play lab hardware connections. It has the essential functionality and meets short-term goals, but it still leaves much room for improvements.

Our Purpose

Team Titan will first provide a refreshed version of the old system; providing a solid base to allow continued research, while the team works to further implement new features. The goal is to provide a totally up-to-date base product, built with a clean, modular structure that will allow users, whether it be the Ice Lab team or TITAN, to add and remove features without sacrificing the integrity of the code’s core functionality.

Learn More About Lowell Ice Lab and What They Do!

Our Team

Quinton Jasper

Quinton Jasper

Project Lead

My favorite pastime is learning how to do new things. Over time I’ve learned, and am still learning Graphic Design, Video & Audio Production, 3D rendering, Linux (Administration & Desktop customization), UI/UX Design, Circuit Board Repair, Electrical Engineering, Foreign Languages & Linguistics, and understanding computing terminology. My latest learning endeavor is Public Speaking and Communication.

Hao Liu

Hao Liu

Developer

I am interested in learning new languages I have never used before. I think the process of it can give a huge sense of achievement when you are able to use it to create something useful or meaningful to yourself. Also, I like playing PC games like Overwatch, WatchDog and FarCry…

Hui Wan

Hui Wan

Developer

Mostly, when I have free time, I like to hang out with friends and play multiplayer games such as League of Legends and CSGO.

Elijah Anakalea-Buckley

Elijah Anakalea-Buckley

Developer

Born and raised in a small town in Hawaii, naturally my interest includes anything and everything outdoors. The beach, waterfalls and hikes are what constantly fills my time while visiting home. While in the mainland and away from nature, I find myself interested tinkering with technology and learning new things about the possibilities of computing. As of recent I have taken an interest in buying cheap, old and broken tech to take apart and reassemble to understand its “guts”.

Technologies

Python

Python

Programming Language

A wonderful little, yet powerful, programming language that is as powerful as it is legible. Our clients are already familiar with its syntax, so it was the right choice for us when considering the project’s long-term maintenance. In addition, its built-in package manager, pip, will allow the team to easily incorporate external libraries, and further extend the functionality of our software solution

Qt5 with PyQt

Qt5 with PyQt

GUI Framework

Qt is an enterprise-tested GUI framework that offers its own interface design suite, as well as incredible premade widgets. This, tied with the Python module ‘PyQt5’ will allow us and our client to develop and maintain an entirely Python-based codebase.

Fedora Linux

Fedora Linux

Operating System & Development Environment

Our clients' lab computer operates on Fedora Linux. As such, we will develop in an identical environment. From our testing, Fedora provides more up-to-date package versions, while also operating on a ‘versioned’ major release cycle. Ergo, packages will not be changed until a manual intervention is made.

MariaDB

MariaDB

Database Management System

MariaDB is the anticipated database management system for saving and accessing experimental data. Our clients are already familiar, as it has been used in unrelated projects. As a fork from MySQL, it uses the same familiar SQL syntax and implements well with Python, utilizing official MariaDB bindings.

Further Reading

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Deliverables

Design Review 1

For this project, team TITAN is operating on the core data-collection system for Lowell Observatory’s Astrophysical Ice Lab on NAU campus.

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Tech Feasibility

Introduction …Though these steps are done in effort to solidify the solution methods, it is still valuable to keep the iterative process in mind, as the image of the final product could change radically as the project progresses.

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Mini Intro

Hello from Team Titan! I’m Quinton Jasper, our team lead. Titan consists of 4 developers: myself, Elijah Anakalea-Buckley, Hao Liu and Hui Wan.

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Schedule (2020-2021)

Schedule (2020-2021)