Lisa Rightmire is enrolled at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo through the National Student Exchange Program. She is from the University of Memphis, where she is a double major in Electrical Engineering and Physics. Her passion for Physics and Astronomy and brought her to Hawai’i to experience first-hand the assets that only the telescopes on Mauna Kea have to offer. Expected to complete her undergraduate work in the Fall of 2007, she will go on to pursue her masters degree. An adventurer at heart, she enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling. She would like to thank her family for giving her the inspiration and support to pursue all of her dreams.

Institution when acceptedUniversity of Hawai’i at Hilo

Akamai Project: Creating an Adaptive Optics Control Interface

Project Site:  W.M. Keck Observatory

MentorsMarcos Van Dam

Project Abstract:

MAORI is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) used by the telescope operator to monitor and control the Adaptive Optics (AO) systems at the W.M. Keck Observatory. Prior to MAORI, there were several GUIs used simultaneously to control each of subsystems of the Keck AO systems. The goal of this project was to use the Python programming language to create a GUI that would allow the user to view and control the status of each subsystem. The GUI includes the following features: a very compact design; logic to configure the GUI based on what telescope and instruments are in use; the ability to bring up other tools as needed. MAORI was made compact by including a tabbed interface allowing the operator to easily switch between displays. The Keck telescope operators tested MAORI before it officially went online at the end of July of 2006. Scheduled to be used by the Keck observatory for the next five to ten years, MAORI will provide the telescope operator with clear and concise information while taking up as little of the screen as possible.

 

Link to a PDF of Lisa’s project presentation.