Research usage

• Simulate the precipitation-reducing effect that climate change may cause in the Sierra Foothills and quantify the change in forage yield

Personal involvement

• Research prior rainout shelter designs for automated movement method
• Design a tracked wheel assembly that prevents lift-up in windy conditions using Solidworks
• Design a rack-and-pinion style, electric drivetrain to move rainout shelter up and down a slope with chain and wire cable
• Program a Campbell Scientific datalogger (CR300) to trigger a subroutine in a separate, primary PLC during precipitation event
• Program a primary/secondary PLC network over 4-20mA analog signal to issue deploy/retract commands to an array of 16 rainout shelters
• Program secondary PLC logic for safe deployment of rainout shelter
• Plan radio network for remote data collection and datalogger control over hilly terrain using LOGGERNET
• Suggest best practices for integration of hydraulic motor and PLC automation
• Order building material from local vendors