Comprehensive Modeling of Beam Propagation in Multimode Fiber and Experimental Validation (Year 2)

Team 23044

Project Goal

Develop a graphical user interface (GUI)-enabled, experimentally verified optical fiber beam propagation software package that accurately models how fiber bending, twisting and ambient temperature impact performance.

Optical fibers are waveguide conduits that transport light. Due to their unique optical confinement mechanisms, optical fibers can only carry a finite number of modes, or electromagnetic (EM) field distributions. Although the physics of straight fibers is well understood, many applications require the waveguides to perform in more complex environments, which significantly alter the behavior of the modes and, therefore, the guided field.

Engineers can compensate for these environmental perturbations, but only with accurate computational modeling. This team based its approach on the software simulation package from last year’s Team 22041, improving the package usability and fiber bending accuracy with verification through a rigorous experimental study.

The simulation can be accessed through a fully functioning GUI that allows the user to propagate Gaussian, flat top, annular and custom EM fields through step index or photonic crystal fibers with arbitrary bending/twisting geometries and ambient temperatures. During the simulation, the GUI displays the fiber layout, propagation loss, and real-time updates of the EM field as it propagates through the fiber, providing the user with enhanced analysis and streamlined fiber-based optical design.

Vision-Based Agricultural Implement Awareness

Team 23046

Project Goal

Using various sensors, identify and track the position of any implement attached to an autonomous tractor.

Adding the capabilities of implement recognition and positioning to a tractor dramatically increases the scope of what tasks its autonomous system can perform. This design serves as a cost-saving alternative to adding automation equipment to each of the several implements that a single tractor pulls.

The system, which is completely powered by the tractor itself and can withstand agricultural conditions, sits on top of the tractor cab to visually recognize and track the towed implement. It uses an OAK-D-PoE camera with machine learning models to perform implement detection and identification and a Livox Mid-40 sensor with lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging, and traditional algorithms to accomplish positioning relative to the tractor. All of the visual information is compiled and calculated on an NVIDIA Jetson in conjunction with the OAK-D, with on-board processing capabilities. The Oak-D performs the Neural Network computing on the camera itself, while the NVIDIA Jetson processes the outputs from the neural network and lidar data as well as the overall system code.

The result is a complex network of embedded software and hardware integrated to accurately identify and locate implements, effectively advancing the future of automation in agriculture.

TEAM MEMBERS

Francisco Javier Flowers, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Oscar Hsueh, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Atkin David Hyatt, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Lauren McCaffrey, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Oliver Wu, Optical Sciences & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Mike Nofziger

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Tao Chen

TEAM MEMBERS

Gavin M Caldwell, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Jessica S Grove, Industrial Engineering

Brett Miller, Biosystems Engineering

Kees Passon, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Everett Schafer, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Howard James Yawit, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

James Sweetman

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Darcy Cook

TEAM MEMBERS

Omar Al Hilal, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Young Cho, Mechanical Engineering

Dan S Darnell, Mechanical Engineering

Shane Henry Jordan, Optical Sciences & Engineering

AJ James Sterner, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Jake Timothy Wern, Systems Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Steve Larimore

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Dan Latt

Cyclesafe: An Automobile Proximity Sensing, Warning and Reporting Device for Bicycles

Team 23047

PROJECT GOAL

Design and create an automobile proximity sensor for cyclists to ensure safety on the road and provide potential traffic violation information.

Every year in the United States nearly 1,000 cyclists die, and more than 130,000 cyclists are injured in road accidents. Regulations such as ARS 28-278 guarantee cyclists 3 feet of space on the road, but these laws are often ignored because there isn’t a clear way to determine this traffic violation.

The Cyclesafe, a lightweight device mounted inside the handlebar of a bicycle, employs LEDs to alert drivers of the cyclists’ location and uses a microcontroller and an ultrasonic proximity sensor to detect within milliseconds a driver crossing into the 3-foot boundary of the cyclist.

If an intrusion is detected, the device captures a picture of the offending driver’s license plate as well as the location of the incident using GPS. The photograph and location are stored to an onboard SD card, where the user can later collect the data and report violators to the authorities.

Broadband Tunable Fabry-Perot Spectrometer for Remote Sensing

Team 23049

TEAM MEMBERS

Carolina Corella, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Jason Dylla, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Adam G Lane, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Allen Miller, Engineering Management, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Justin Alexander Scott, Optical Sciences & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Doug May

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Casey Streuber

Project Goal

Develop a low-cost spectrometer that applies a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) –replacing a diffraction grating to perform hyperspectral imaging.

Objects on the Earth’s surface contain different chemical compositions from mineral deposits, wildfires and industrial emissions. Each chemical composition emits light at a unique color, or wavelength of light.

A system with a spectrometer that takes 2D images of Earth’s surface at specified wavelengths can characterize and identify objects by their spectral emissions. Such a system can also work with Lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging.

The team’s design has two mirrors facing each other in a configuration known as an FPI, or cavity. Light passing through the cavity interferes constructively or destructively depending on the wavelength, as determined by the spacing of the cavity’s mirrors. Filtration of sunlight and accurate wavelength distinction of the light is achieved by adjusting the mirror spacing digitally with a piezoelectric actuator.

Collection and imaging optics around the FPI help form a monochromatic image. Software then coordinates the actuator and camera for data collection.

Rotating Detonation Engine Heat Management System

Team 23050

Project Goal

Implement a heat management system within Nobel’s Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) and collect data to allow for improved design.

The global energy crisis is one of today’s biggest problems. RDEs are a new type of engine that could increase fuel efficiency up to 15% over conventional combustion, a huge improvement for energy and aerospace industries. However, heat management challenges must first be overcome.

An RDE supersonically combusts fuel, rapidly increasing the pressure and temperatures within the combustion chamber. A mixture of fuel is injected into the bottom of the RDE combustion chamber, where it meets a single detonation from the ignitor. The detonation creates a shockwave that continuously propagates around the annular combustor. Resulting high temperatures and pressures generate thrust or drive the turbine. But long exposure to the high temperatures is detrimental to the internal components of the RDE itself.

To help Nobel advance its RDE, the team designed a heat management system for a split path fluid flow within the walls of the combustion chamber. The system cools the RDE while it runs, allowing Nobel to run the engine for longer and collect data to optimize its design.

Spin Balance Mechanism

Team 23051

Project Goal

Design a novel mass properties measurement system for calculating the center of gravity of various payloads.

Mass properties are crucial when designing hypersonic rockets because unexpected deviations in balance can lead to flight failure. Theoretical mass properties data, often derived from naturally idealistic CAD models, must be refined with real measurements.

Using the principle of the conservation of angular momentum, this team designed a low-cost system to calculate the center of gravity for varying payloads. Imagine how figure skaters move their arms closer to or away from their bodies to change rotational velocity.

In this design, a system of three nested shafts moves two translation plates to shift the payload and maintain the system’s center of gravity. DC motors drive the system, and an electrical suite controls the motion. The system measures the current being drawn by the rotation motor as the plates are moved in two axes. The point at which minimum power consumption maintains rotational speed determines when the system’s center of gravity is in the rotational axis. Calculations determine how far the plates must shift the payload to establish its center of gravity.

TEAM MEMBERS

Nicolas Gross, Mechanical Engineering

Nathan Grossman, Aerospace Engineering

Sean Brian Harkins, Aerospace Engineering

Briannah Herman, Aerospace Engineering

Joseph Reid, Mechanical Engineering

Richie Ruicheng Ye, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Pat Caldwell

SPONSOR ADVISOR

James Villarreal

TEAM MEMBERS

Hammad Al Hinai, Mechanical Engineering

Cameron Crowley, Aerospace Engineering

Aaron B Folkerts, Aerospace Engineering

Nicholas Gullo, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Casey J Kozlowski, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Wyatt Prentice, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Doug May

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Sierra Rose

TEAM MEMBERS

Abdullah Almansour, Industrial Engineering

Blake Daniel Haines, Materials Science & Engineering

Rod mazda, Mechanical Engineering

Tania Ruiz, Mechanical Engineering

Brandon Robert St.Pierre, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Michael Madjerec

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Brian Baughman, Jason Floor, Jalen Harrington, Clay Sutter

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) Repair With Integrated Machining

Team 23052

TEAM MEMBERS

Riley Cowling, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Victor P Frank, Biomedical Engineering

James Mark Gregory, Biomedical Engineering

Sebastian Alexander Oviedo, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Abi Swalander, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Bob Messenger

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Dan Schlager

PROJECT GOAL

Evaluate the effects of parameters in the wire-fed DED process on the produced material properties in relation to a repair.

In the aerospace industry, many parts are made from super alloys, such as Inconel 718, to withstand the extreme temperatures of turbine engines and other commercial applications. Over time these parts wear out and have to be replaced. Honeywell is interested in performing a repair on these parts to return them to service with the original material properties.

This process uses a DED engine from Meltio, integrated with a Haas VF-2 CNC machine for hybrid manufacturing. The University of Arizona acquired this machine combination to evaluate this process. However, technical difficulties occurred during installation, rendering the equipment unavailable to the design team. Thus, the team had a third party prepare DED printed test specimens and used a factorial design of experiment to analyze grain structure and porosity in relation to specified printing parameters.

The team has cut the samples using a wire electrical discharge machine and is currently polishing and etching the samples for microscopic inspection and analysis.

Lightning Protection Garments for Injury Prevention

Team 23055

Project Goal

Test and measure the protection provided by specially designed Lightning Protection Garments.

Globally, approximately 24,000 people per year are fatally struck by lightning. This team’s system measures the voltage across the chest wall and to the heart to determine the efficacy of the Lightning Protection Garments Zolt developed to minimize the risk of death from a lightning strike.

The design uses a mannequin to model the human physique. A circuit is created from head to toe to mimic the human body. The mannequin has a resistance approximately equal to the human body. A surge protection subcircuit and measurement subcircuits are placed in the chest cavity to measure the voltage and current within the system while also protecting the electronics.

A high-speed FPGA, or Field Programmable Gate Array, device, acting as an oscilloscope, is used to measure the voltage within the system at a rate of 100 samples per microsecond. This data is stored locally and downloaded for evaluation after the lightning tests.

At DNB Lightning Lab in Anaheim, the team struck the system with thousands of amps – in a variety of configurations. Measured values stored on a micro SD card were compiled to generate a graphical visualization of the voltage, current and energy values to determine the efficacy of the garment design.

Smart Medical Drainage Catheter

Team 23056

Project Goal

Develop a functional prototype of a smart medical drainage catheter for improved analytics and diagnostics.

Becton Dickinson Peripheral Intervention is looking to improve medical drainage catheters. This prototype to integrate sensors is expected to benefit future products.

This team was tasked with prototyping a smart implantable medical drainage catheter to collect and safely dispose of excess fluid from a bodily cavity. In addition, the prototype automatically measures, records and wirelessly communicates parameters during the process of fluid inline removal. The parameters to be evaluated included the total quantity of fluid drained over time, time and duration of drainage procedures, detection of clogs, and the standard biometric measurements of fluid (pH and temperature).

The system collects the data and transmits the information in real time to physicians. Specified data can also be made available to patients, who currently must drain their catheters up to seven times a week and manually track drainages. The smart medical drainage catheter reduces patient responsibility, improves shared data reliability, and provides significant feedback – flow rate and time, clog detection, pH and temperature of the fluid.

Design of Remote-Controlled Automation of the Transformer Bioreactor (T-Bioreactor)

Team 23057

Project Goal

Design and fabricate a remotely automated prototype T-Bioreactor capable of producing a range of hydrodynamic mixing patterns to facilitate growth of living organisms.

Bioreactors facilitate growth of living organisms that produce a wide range of food, pharmaceutical and energy alternatives. Stirred-tank bioreactors on the market contain a static impeller for mixing that provides one hydrodynamic mixing pattern. These types of bioreactors, when scaled to higher volumes, produce nonuniform distribution of nutrients and gases, which can reduce yields.

This team’s prototype T-Bioreactor adds an automated variable-pitch impeller. A linear actuator and mechanical linkage that provides varying amounts of axial flow drives the impeller transformation. Additionally, the bioreactor contains a variable speed motor to alter the impeller’s rotational speed. An Arduino Mega connected to a Raspberry Pi 4b with a touchscreen LCD display controls the system’s motors. A graphical user interface (GUI) allows easy control of the mixing speed and T-impeller angle. This GUI also has a section to import mixing profiles, changing speeds and angles at user-set times and enabling the system to work autonomously. With the wireless capabilities of the Raspberry Pi 4b, users can remotely access and control the T-Bioreactor via simple Virtual Network Computing, or VNC, software.

Results show the system’s variable-pitch impeller and variable-speed motor have the potential to improve hydrodynamic mixing patterns for larger-volume bioreactors.

TEAM MEMBERS

Mohammed Al Dallal, Mechanical Engineering

Karis Juliette Brackpool, Biomedical Engineering

Cynthia Ge, Biomedical Engineering

Kathryn T Hoang, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Bianca Rodriguez, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Hasina Shir, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Chad Van Liere

TEAM MEMBERS

Greg R Burke, Biosystems Engineering

Alex Cantor, Biosystems Engineering

Angelo Mauro, Mechanical Engineering

Xingye Peng, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Yoni Wulf, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jeff Scott Wolske

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Joel L Cuello

TEAM MEMBERS

Reem Alruwaih, Mechanical Engineering

Karen Jicel Bermudez Valdez, Engineering Management

Caroline Ann Humphreys, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Cameron James Sexton, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Clayton T Smith, Optical Sciences & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Justin James Hyatt

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Nitin Patel

Mirror Distortion Measurement

Team 23058

TEAM MEMBERS

Alejandro Lopez, Aerospace Engineering

Simon Quang Minh Ly, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Renatto Miguel Ramos, Aerospace Engineering

Zachary Thach, Mechanical Engineering

Sheehab Zaman, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Doug May

SPONSOR ADVISOR

David Margolis

Design an efficient and repeatable device that quantitatively measures the distortion in mirrors with spherical radius.

Convex mirrors on heavy equipment in the construction industry are extremely important to safely operate vehicles. Therefore, it is crucial to have a mirror with acceptable levels of image distortion.

This project deliverable is an efficient and repeatable testing system that examines the mirror’s spherical radius distortion.

The design uses a machine vision camera to capture the reflection of concentric circles. These concentric circles are manufactured into a cone shape, which sits above the mirror. The camera sits at the top of the cone and can image the entire mirror. The team created a custom baseplate to hold the mirror to prevent movement, and the outer frame of the system is made out of extruded aluminum. The camera takes an image of the mirror, and this image is passed through an image processing algorithm. The algorithm is coded using the Python language and its associated image-processing libraries. The algorithm detects the edges of the image and from those edges calculates the circularity of each circle in the image. If the circles are misshapen, distortion is present. The algorithm determines if the distortion is above or below the accepted level.

Airplane Controls for Armless Pilots

Team 23060

PROJECT GOAL

Develop a control system that allows an armless pilot to safely operate a plane with rudder pedals.

Jessica Cox, the world’s first armless pilot, is building a foot-controlled airplane. Presently, she flies an Ercoupe that she can fly with her feet alone, but it has limitations. She intends to modify and fly a Van’s RV-10, a faster airplane better suited to her needs. However, in its current design, rudder pedals and the yoke are required making it unsafe for her to pilot. Team 23060 developed, prototyped and tested a system for six-axis control by feet alone of the RV-10 while also allowing Jessica to control the navigation and communication radios.

The team designed two identical pedals to replace the control stick. A mechanism directly connects to the elevator pushrods such that tilting the pedals controls airplane pitch. Another mechanism connects to the ailerons to control roll by rotating the pedals left and right. For yaw control, a link connects to the existing system such that pushing the pedals fore and aft moves the rudder. An added linkage directly connects to the existing brake system so squeezing the thighs controls braking. All these linkages were designed and tested to ensure that Cox has the strength to apply the necessary force to control the airplane.

Pressure Sensing Self-Regaining Retractors

Team 23061

Project Goal

Create a pressure-sensing and recording device to measure the tissue-retractor interface in surgery.

When surgeons use self-retaining retractors, the feedback of the tissue pressing on the retractors is lost once they are set. If the pressure is too high for too long, the retractors can cause permanent nerve damage to the patient.

This project created a user-friendly and sterilizable product for real-time pressure measurement during such operations.

The design incorporates two separate systems: one sterile and one nonsterile. The sterile system includes the retractor, to which two high-temperature force sensors are adhered. Siliconeinsulated wires connect the sensors to a ceramic connector plugged into the nonsterile system. The nonsterile system includes the analog signal processing, Arduino board, and graphical user interface tablet. The Arduino board calculates the pressure from the force exerted over the sensor area at the tissue-retractor interface then sends the data to the tablet via Bluetooth. The tablet uses a simple application the team created to simultaneously display the duration of retractor use and pressure data, allowing for control of thresholding and recording.

An IoT-Based System for At-Home Behavioral and Physiological Health Interventions

Team 23062

Project Goal

Create an IoT system integrating an Alexa and Fitbit device to improve patient compliance in at-home clinical trials and provide a physiological intervention system.

The results of clinical trials are sometimes compromised when participants do not comply with requirements. And, redoing trials can be time-consuming and costly. This team’s design allows researchers to remotely send participants surveys through an Alexa device and capture their responses. This smart speaker system streamlines the data collection process, increasing survey completion and improving data quality.

Surveys are sent out on a regular schedule or when triggered by certain physiological data obtained passively through wearable devices. The system sends reminders to complete any pending or unfinished surveys and compiles responses for analysis.

The team developed an Alexa Skill, a webserver, a front-end to back-end communications architecture and a database infrastructure to support these functionalities. The team also integrated existing entities, such as MyDataHelps for participant enrollment, REDCap for survey generation, and sensor fabric for processing wearable device data.

TEAM MEMBERS

McKenzie Leigh Bieg, Biomedical Engineering

Mark Andrew Bosset, Biomedical Engineering

Dania Laura Perez, Biomedical Engineering

Timor Shahin, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Evan Smith, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Justin James Hyatt

SPONSOR ADVISOR

David Margolis

TEAM MEMBERS

Khaled Abdullah, Industrial Engineering

Wesley Chiu, Systems Engineering

Son Mac, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Darianne Sanchez, Biomedical Engineering

Julianne Chania Setiadi, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Bob Messenger

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Shravan Guruprasad Aras

TEAM MEMBERS

Konner A Curtis, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Corey Hadley, Mechanical Engineering

Adam Hauck, Industrial Engineering

Rohit D Kalluri, Mechanical Engineering

Stafford Lorenzo Lewis, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Ariadna Michelle Rivera Gutierrez, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

James Sweetman

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Sabrina Huaraque

Atto-Grid

Team 23065

TEAM MEMBERS

Alvaro Ballesteros Romero, Mechanical Engineering

Cora M Davy, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Ruben Diego Fuentes Gutierrez, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Duncan Henry Robbins-Gennerich, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Julian Tellez Osuna, Mechanical Engineering

Kevin Lee Wolfe, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Mike Nofziger

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Matthias Whitney

Project Goal

Design and build an interactive model of the Tucson power grid to educate children about the generation, storage and distribution of power.

The power grid is essential to everyday life. Compared to a century ago, electric power is a major necessity today. The main distributor of electricity in town is Tucson Electric Power (TEP). Through renewable and nonrenewable sources, TEP generates, stores and distributes power to various facilities all around Tucson.

This project illustrates the various methods and strategies TEP has implemented in recent years and highlights future goals. The outcome is a straightforward interactive, educational experience for children.

The team used CAD to design major components of the model. LEDs, representing location and motion of power transmission, are controlled by users interacting with buttons, cranks and a pump. Accuracy is measured with encoders and a multimeter.

SIPhTR: Small Item Photographing Triage Robot

Team 23066

Project Goal

Design an open-frame implementation of an automated system capable of sorting small objects by color, shape and size, or optical character recognition (OCR).

The Small Item Photographing Triage Robot (SIPhTR) is an automatic sorting mechanism that physically and electronically sorts small items according to user-defined characteristics, such as color, size and shape, or OCR. SIPhTR, which contains its own electrical hardware, lighting and outlet connections, is useful in several industries that rely on engineering processes.

This team designed and developed a system to intake a large sample of small items and organize them efficiently and accurately into separate storage units.

The device uses object recognition algorithms to identify characteristics such as color and shape. Once an object enters the field of view of the internal camera, an on-board computer analyzes the video output, and the software identifies the object by the chosen characteristic. The software then controls a mechanical system to isolate and store the object in its corresponding storage bin.

REDIEM 2.0 – Renal Extremity Device to Measure Impedance, Edema and Movement

Team 23067

Project Goal

Develop a wearable device to quantitatively track and analyze edema, water content and leg movement for management of kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease often results in comorbid conditions, which commonly include edema (excess swelling of the extremities) and restless leg syndrome (RLS). These conditions vary in severity throughout the day, sometimes preventing in-office medical providers from accurately monitoring their progression.

This team designed a wearable device to quantitatively track edema and RLS in a home setting.

The design integrates biosensors into a flexible stocking that records and transmits data to a smartphone for graphical interpretation by a clinician. Edema is quantified by two markers: 1) the isolated water content of the extremity measured using impedance biosensors, and 2) the circumference change due to swelling measured using flex sensors. Electromyography biosensors and accelerometry are used to identify and differentiate RLS-specific movements to determine their frequency. This data is sent to a smartphone application where it is analyzed and displayed graphically for easy interpretation by the patient as well as the clinician.

Sustainable Building Materials Using Mine Tailings

Team 23069

Auxilium Technology Group

Project Goal

Create a prototype gantry system that moves a concrete 3D printer and acts as a proof of concept for a larger version.

This project aims to move around a concrete printer to produce cement-like material made of mine tailings, the leftover rocks and metals. The prototype has a small printing area, but it is designed to be replicated at a larger scale, including to print house-sized buildings.

The design is a gantry system that moves that 3D printer back and forth in the X-, Y-, and Z- directions. It uses 1-inch x 1-inch and 1-inch x 2-inch aluminum T-slot framing rails to make up the main body of the system. These rails can be assembled without welding, allowing for strong and adjustable formations. The main body is separated into truss beams that slide back and forth in a certain direction. This motion is controlled by stepper motors that connect to each truss and move them via roller chains or wheels.

Directions for how the system will move are given in G-code to Duet Web control, an online interface built specifically for this project’s 3D printer. A stepper motor controller from the same brand is used to translate the G-code to stepper motors. After inputting the building code to the system and receiving the mixture, the printer produces the structure with no further instructions needed.

TEAM MEMBERS

Haley R Alden, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Levi Jekabs Kerns, Systems Engineering

Emma Katelyn Mason, Biomedical Engineering

William Harrison McKay, Biomedical Engineering

Andrew Michael Nelson, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Bijin Thajudeen, Marvin J Slepian

TEAM MEMBERS

Angel Aguilar, Engineering Management

Cody S Butler, Industrial Engineering

Cassidy LiMing Hodge, Mechanical Engineering

Tyler J Kral, Mechanical Engineering

Joel Harrison Trexler, Materials Science & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Justin James Hyatt

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Abraham Jalbout

TEAM MEMBERS

Ally Baker, Systems Engineering

Kali Elise Jasso-DeMontigny, Systems Engineering

Bryce Johnson, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Jake Michael Klonsinski, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Zachary Schawelson, Optical Sciences & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Elmer Grubbs

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Daniel O’Connor

Miniature Animal Health Status Tracker (MAHST)

Team 23070

Microentities Worldwide

Project Goal

Using sensors and products already on the market, create a small, inexpensive, disposable way to track an animal’s heart rate, location and velocity.

Millions of people around the world own some kind of animal, whether it’s a pet owner who has cats and dogs or a farmer with cattle and horses.

This team produced a simple and affordable way to track an animal’s well-being. A small device, the MAHST, is attached to any animal’s collar to track its location, speed and heart rate, then output the data to a simple mobile app for the animal’s owner.

The ultimate design uses two sensors: a GPS, or Global Positioning System, to track location and speed and a pulse sensor to monitor heart rate of the animal. An Arduino microcontroller collects and transfers the data to the app. The MAHST uses velcro to attach to the outside of an animal’s collar. The device is small, affordable, comfortable and easily removable.

The Wired Room - Automated Digital Sound, Image and Motion Analysis for Enhanced Medical Diagnostics From a Patient Encounter

Team 23071

TEAM MEMBERS

Youssif Abdelkader, Biomedical Engineering

Ben James Albright, Biomedical Engineering

Sophia Ippolito, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Michael Lauria, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Madeline A Procter, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Bijin Thajudeen, Marvin J Slepian

Project Goal

Develop a clinical data capture-and-analysis system for enhanced in-person health care encounters.

As digital modern medicine continues, physicians are spending less and less time interacting directly with their patients. This can lead to a loss of information as the medical provider cannot observe every physical symptom. Therefore, the Wired Room serves to collect and analyze visual and auditory patient inputs and supplement conclusions made by the provider.

The Wired Room consists of a set of microphones and cameras to record actual sound and video during a clinical visit. A newly developed graphical user interface, or GUI, controls the equipment. Additionally, Google MediaPipe with neural networks analyzes limb angles and acceleration to identify symptoms of interest. Sound can also be analyzed for correlation to various medical symptoms.

After the appointment, the GUI presents this data, along with normal video and audio of the visit, to the physician. The system is easy to transport and assemble in a multitude of settings such that out-of-clinic visits are also possible. The system will help guide a more informed and personalized health care plan in a digitally dominated environment.

Ultra-Low Power RF Communication for Industrial IoT Sensors

Team 23072

Project Goal

Redesign and prototype a new radio frequency (RF) communication protocol for an IoT sensor system to lower power consumption and increase throughput and transmission distance.

Ridgetop Group’s Sentinel Motion suite employs accelerometers on bearing housings to capture, measure and process vibration signals, enabling condition-based maintenance in the railroad industry.

This project redesigns Ridgetop’s RotoSense circuitry, implementing a new RF protocol and new electrical components to decrease the power consumption, increase the throughput, and increase transmission distance.

The team designed a multilayer printed circuit board that integrates last year’s capstone project, an Energy Harvesting System. A new Nordic dual-core System on a Chip (nRF5340) is featured in the design to run the RF protocol, Bluetooth Low Energy. The microcontroller uses a serial peripheral interface and I2C to communicate with an accelerometer, gyroscope, analog-to-digital converter, and memory modules. The team wrote firmware that integrates RotoSense’s four different operating modes.

Row, Row, Row Your Trike Gently Down the Street

Team 23075

Microentities Worldwide

Project Goal

Design and develop a trike powered by rowing mechanics and maneuvered by leaning side-to-side.

Most recreational human powered vehicles primarily target the lower body in terms of physical conditioning. Rowing machines target nine different muscle groups throughout the body, accounting for more than 80% of the total muscles in the human body.

This Land Rower takes heavy inspiration from common rowing machines, like in a gym. It has a similar internal pulley system to reset the stroke of the user. Since there is no handlebar connected to a rigid fork like on a regular bicycle, the team developed a system that allows the user to steer by leaning. The steering system operates by pushing and pulling on separate tie rods that connect to each front wheel’s control arms as the user leans. Ackermann steering geometry is implemented in the design to prevent the leading wheels from scrubbing as they turn about different radii.

Typical bicycles and recumbent bicycles do not come in a-one-size-fits-all configuration. The Land Rower, in contrast, accommodates riders ranging from 5 feet to 6 feet 6 inches and up to 300 lbs.

TEAM MEMBERS

Nicolas Blanchard, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Quentin Johnson, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Harrison Kominski, Mechanical Engineering

Lucca Magalhaes, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Chris Westerhoff, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

James Sweetman

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Arsh Rudra Nadkarni, Wyatt Pena

TEAM MEMBERS

Chase Anthony Finney, Mechanical Engineering

Diego Gonzalez, Mechanical Engineering

Jeremy Duane Heath, Mechanical Engineering

Calvin Keedi-Rodriguez, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Bryan Sprouse, Mechanical Engineering

Kassi Sreerama, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Justin James Hyatt

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Ben Blehm

TEAM MEMBERS

Christian Niels Enevoldsen, Biomedical Engineering

Chris Hedgecoke, Biomedical Engineering

Cameron Matsumoto, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Joy Niu, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Abigail Prescott, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Bijin Thajudeen, Marvin J Slepian

Perio-Dx: Bad Gums = Bad Kidneys + Bad Heart

Team 23076

PROJECT GOAL

Develop a paper microfluidic wick enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system to analyze gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) for the presence of six different biomarkers, plus a companion app to interpret test results.

Inflammation within the body is a known driver of chronic kidney and heart disease. Presently no rapid testing method exists to readily diagnose systemic inflammation. The team designed and developed an inexpensive, at-home testing kit that uses a paper microfluidic device for immunodetection and a cell phone app for colorimetric detection and readout of the microfluidic device. This system determines relative amounts of inflammation markers present in a GCF sample.

The design uses a paper microfluidic lateral flow assay system composed of a laminated card, a nitrocellulose (NC) membrane, and cellulose fiber pads to capture and collect GCF. Capillary action carries the sample to the conjugate pad, where binding occurs between inflammation biomarkers present in the sample and pre-loaded gold nanoparticle tagged corresponding antibodies. Further capillary action carries the antigen-antibody complex to the test line of the device located on the NC membrane. Secondary binding between the tagged complex and untagged antibodies incites a color change within the test line, the intensity of which depends on the amount of antigen present in the sample. This intensity is read by a color detection algorithm on the app utilizing the cell phone camera. Based on the intensity of the color, the app classifies the risk level for heart and kidney disease and displays the results on a live dashboard.

AQUABOT C3 - Aquatic Drone Coordination, Communication and Control

Team 23077

TEAM MEMBERS

Cristian Daniel De Gante Hernandez, Mechanical Engineering

LD Dukes, Mechanical Engineering

Garrett Austin Fenderson, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Austin Greif, Systems Engineering

Sidhant Gulati, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Siwen Wang, Systems Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

James Sweetman

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Joellen L Russell, Eddy Stocker

PROJECT GOAL

Create a communication, coordination and control system for a swarm of aquatic drones. This project presents a proof-of-concept (C3) system for a swarm of aquatic drones. The drones’ purpose is to monitor the state of oceans and recover plastic and other contaminants. To increase the devices’ efficiency, they will operate in a swarm or fleet mode.

The team designed and built eight drones with a central control unit and user interface. These drones are capable of autonomous navigation; individual and swarm movement patterns such as grid searches; collision avoidance with other system drones; monitoring water temperature, pH, and salinity; and communicating commands and data with the central control unit via a proprietary mesh radio frequency network.

The control system for a real-world ocean drone swarm with the ability to monitor ocean health metrics and remove plastics from the ocean will be built upon the C3 system from this project.

Snorpheus

Team 23078

Project Goal

Detect and record patient snoring audio during an overnight sleep study, then analyze the audio in conjunction with sleep position for sleep apnea management.

One in five U.S. adults has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that can lead to many serious medical issues. Snoring and its effects are a key indicator of OSA development. The Snorpheus is a wearable device that records snoring audio and position data and facilitates the transfer of data to the physician and patient.

The Snorpheus system has two components: 1) a wearable device to accurately detect and record patients’ snoring audio and correlated body position over a night’s sleep and 2) data processing software that indicates when patients snore and in what body position it occurs, while remaining compliant with health and privacy laws.

The design uses a Raspberry Pi as the core microcontroller to prompt data collection from an attached lavalier microphone when audio within the snoring frequencies of 100-600 Hz are detected. An external inertial measurement unit constantly records time-stamped data on a 180-degree axis. A micro SD card records data and transfers it to a clinic computer for data processing. External software uses a convolutional neural network to process audio and identify snoring events. Processed audio and body position data are synced using time stamps and exported to clinician and patient interfaces for data visualization.

Automated PVC Tube Winding

Team 23080

Project Goal

Design a low-cost, tabletop automatic tube coiling machine that intakes pre-cut 7-inch long tubes and coils them into individual 4.5-inch diameter spools.

The current manual process of winding a PVC medical tube is tedious and repetitive. Operators must individually coil each tube, then complete bonding and final assembly. Automation can improve this process, eliminating the repetitive operation action while also decreasing build time, thereby increasing the production of medical products to hospitals, clinics and infirmaries across the world.

The tabletop mounted automated PVC tube winding machine intakes pre-cut PVC tubes into a hopper assembly. Two subsystems perform in unison to feed one tube at a time into the mainframe of the system to begin the coiling process. An Arduino Uno microcontroller controls stepper motors and actuators moving each tube through the coiling process. The total cycle time to move one tube from the hopper to coil to the position ready for operator retrieval is 10 seconds. The only operator labor required is refilling the hopper with pre-cut 7-inch long PVC tubes and retrieving the completed coiled tube from the machine. The operator interface uses three buttons: an emergency stop button, a start button that initiates the process, and a reset button that resets all systems to the starting point.

TEAM MEMBERS

Noah Butler, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Christine M Carlson, Biomedical Engineering

Logan Deane, Biomedical Engineering

Evan Bradley Rains, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Nisha Anjali Rajakrishna, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Mike Nofziger

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Nirav Merchant

TEAM MEMBERS

Hector Francisco Castro Martinez, Industrial Engineering

Salman Marafie, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Joseph Nimrod, Industrial Engineering

Miguel Sebastian Quintero-Cardenas, Industrial Engineering

Nick Williams, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Steve Larimore

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Rick Lopez

TEAM MEMBERS

Ethan Alexander Cowsky, Mechanical Engineering

Brian James Glaser, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Abby Renee Gookin, Systems Engineering

Benjamin Kopiec, Engineering Management

Adam Kosinski, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Evan Wright, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

James Sweetman

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Scott Fiore, Milan Patel

Smart Rocks - A Network of Covert Smart Sensors (Joint UArizona UMass Project)

Team 23081

PROJECT GOAL

Provide covert data collection in a variety of environments to monitor for human and vehicular activity.

The University of Arizona and University of Massachusetts Lowell partnered with Raytheon Technologies to deliver a low-risk and cost-effective mesh network of Smart Rocks for surveillance data collection in remote areas like state borders and hiking trails.

Each Smart Rock node uses a combination of auditory and seismic sensors to analyze the environment for human and vehicular activity, with the collected data being shared across the network via long-range communication protocols. With the Smart Rock graphical user interface, users can locate individual nodes and extract crucial data seamlessly. Each node has the capability to be modified with a variety of different seismic and auditory sensors to satisfy the user’s individual needs and budget.

The ESP32 microcontroller is responsible for managing all subsystems including each individual sensor, batteries, GPS and both communication protocols. The system is designed for a variety of remote areas and can withstand harsh climates for a minimum of two weeks without user maintenance. The Smart Rock system hosts the state-of-the-art technology necessary to meet all the demands of many critical areas of surveillance and security.

Basketball Shooting Robot

Team 23082

TEAM MEMBERS

Adrian Cruz, Mechanical Engineering

Zaid Darwish, Systems Engineering

James Ryan Fulton, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Finnley Hartz, Applied Physics

Tanner Moore, Mechanical Engineering

Tylor Dale White, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Bob Messenger

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Jim Bakarich, Luke Baer

Project Goal

Build a robot, BALL-E, that can consistently launch a basketball into a standard hoop from the free-throw line and inspire interest in STEM among youth.

As the older generation of STEM professionals leaves the workforce, the new generation must take their place, and demand is expected to soon surpass the amount of workers available. The team designed a robot to intrigue and enrich the minds of middle school and high school students and demonstrate the possibilities of an exciting career in the STEM field.

BALL-E is a robot that uses a tire-drive mechanism to launch a basketball from the desired position to consistently make shots. BALL-E was designed from the ground up using 3D modeling software such as Fusion 360. BALL-E can autonomously determine the distance from the hoop and adjust the launching force and angle using cameras, computer vision algorithms, and software that is run on a PC. The team designed BALL-E to display its internal mechanisms while shooting a basketball in real time so that students may easily follow how the robot operates. Students will also have a chance to control Ball-E using a gaming controller.

Mixed Reality (MR) Diagnostic and Treatment System

Team 23083

Project Goal

Develop an MR application capable of diagnosing vertigo in a patient and directing them through vertigo treatment maneuvers to relieve adverse symptoms.

Vertigo, a vestibular balance disorder most commonly caused by a disruption to the inner ear, affects roughly 40% of all American adults. Common symptoms include dizziness, spinning, and nystagmus, the involuntary rhythmic movement of the eye. Traditional diagnostic and treatment methods require a patient to travel for professional assistance. This system provides a more accessible and affordable option for those with mild to intermediate symptoms.

The team developed an MR program in Unity using the onboard accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, and infrared camera of the HoloLens 2 augmented reality headset to emulate traditional vertigo diagnostic and treatment procedures. A multi-point input system accompanies the MR overlay within the headset to record, calculate and archive the patient’s head orientation and eye movement in real time. Control thresholds from a healthy model are used to determine whether the patient is afflicted with vertigo. Afterward, the patient is prompted to follow a healthcare-backed treatment process. The healthcare professional and patient can access the patient’s data via a website.

Lunar Surface Transporter Vehicle (L.V.S.T.) - Team 1

Team 23084

Project Goal

Develop a concept for a lunar surface transporter and extend the exploration capabilities to offload habitats at various locations on the south pole of the moon.

NASA has ambitious plans to return humans to the moon through the Artemis Program. A future human mission will set the stage for permanent colonization, but it will require extraction and utilization of lunar resources to be feasible. This year’s NASA RASCAL Competition calls for a lunar surface transporter vehicle that would extend astronaut exploration capabilities and perform a variety of functions. The project request was for two competing teams.

Team L.E.T.O. (Lunar Explorer and Transportation Off-loader) developed a model version of an L.V.S.T. for the assistance of space operations, recognizing the mass, power, volume and costs for all elements. The team documented the total mass launched from the Earth, as well as the accompanying risks from its structural design. The team was also tasked with identifying various contingency strategies for failure upon each system that would impose an early end to the crewed surface mission.

TEAM MEMBERS

David Adkins, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Shaylan R Bera, Biomedical Engineering

Hayden Kim, Optical Sciences & Engineering

David Chibuikem Mazi, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Jason Zhang, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Elmer Grubbs

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Ian Jackson

TEAM MEMBERS

Brandon Carpenter, Aerospace Engineering

Connor M Dobbins, Aerospace Engineering

Abraham E Ochoa, Aerospace Engineering

Gustavo Edwin Sodari, Aerospace Engineering

Nick Tiffany, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jekan Thangavelauthum

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Harshad Kalynaka

TEAM MEMBERS

Javier Alday, Aerospace Engineering

Quinn P Lamey, Aerospace Engineering

Hilliard Wegner Paige III, Systems Engineering

Jared Pavek, Aerospace Engineering

Matthew Christopher Walton, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jekan Thangavelauthum

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Adrien Bouskela

Evaluation of Tensegrity Telescopes for Small Satellites on Asteroid Recon Missions

Team 23085

PROJECT GOAL

Design, develop, manufacture and test a small spacecraft formfactor 2 mirror deployable tensegrity telescope for Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) detection.

Detection of NEAs is important for scientific and planetary defense applications. Currently, most NEA detection is conducted with ground-based telescopes due to cost and logistical constraints. However, these stations can be limiting due to atmospheric disturbances, light pollution and increasing amounts of space debris in orbit.

The team fabricated an orbiting deployable telescope for asteroid reconnaissance, enabling the use of lower-cost CubeSat spacecraft for NEA detection. The project’s objective is to demonstrate the capability to detect NEAs approximately 0.3 astronomical units from Earth with very low albedos, a measurement of the fraction of light that a surface reflects, for scientific and planetary defense applications.

ElectroDose: Wearable Sensor for Quantitation of Pulsed Electromagnetic Therapy (PEMF)

Team 23086

TEAM MEMBERS

Hassan AlRabia, Biomedical Engineering

Xiangnan Huang, Biomedical Engineering

Guransh Mann, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Julio E Trejo, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Zhehao Zhang, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jeff Scott Wolske

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Erica Tassone, Marvin J Slepian

Project Goal

Design and build a wearable sensor system that detects and reports the frequency and duration of a patient’s PEMF therapy treatments.

PEMF therapy has been shown to produce significant therapeutic benefits for a variety of biological and physiological responses, especially increased wound healing and chronic pain reduction. The ElectroDose complements Regenesis’ existing therapeutic technologies by adding diagnostics and treatment monitoring. This allows for real-time data processing, which reduces follow-up times for patient reevaluations and leads to optimization of further treatment.

This wearable system consists of several key assemblies. The PEMF sensor assembly registers the raw PEMF signal and digitally converts it for processing. The circuit assembly forms the sensor system’s foundation via basic electrical components such as resistors.

The system also contains a state-of-the-art Infineon programmable system-on-chip microcontroller and a Bluetooth radio. The microcontroller processes and measures the PEMF treatment. The radio communicates the frequency and durations of treatments to Regenesis for future patient check-ins. The 3D printed polylactic acid mechanical assembly protects the circuitry and makes the device comfortable, light and durable. Testing results show the ElectroDose measures administered treatments within 2-3% of the specified treatments.

Supplement Recommending Mobile App with Handheld Measuring Device for Saliva pH and Calcium Levels

Team 23088

Project Goal

Develop a mobile app for interpreting blood test results, a website for administering a health quiz, and a device for analyzing saliva samples to prepare for the launch of the student startup Gesund Me.

Many people in the United States are deficient in their diets and dependent upon big pharmaceutical companies to suppress their ailments with targeted treatments. Holistic methods and nutritional supplements offer a preventive method to treat illnesses, heal deficiencies, and potentially cure diseases, but require adequate knowledge to use properly and effectively. The purpose of this team’s consumer products and services is to provide individuals with the tools they need to interpret their own lab results and biometric data in order to develop an intimate understanding of their personal nutritional needs, thus allowing them to take advantage of this alternative approach to healthcare.

The team built an iOS mobile application with an original blood value interpretation algorithm that was modeled on techniques from established medical books. They also developed a website with a low-barrier-to-entry health quiz and a back end with full support for machine learning. Lastly, the team succeeded in designing and building a saliva testing device that uses modern ion selective electrodes for a fast and convenient user experience.

Understanding the Normal Aging Brain So That the Puzzle of Alzheimer’s Can Be Solved

Team 23089

MCDONALD/WATT PROJECTS

Project Goal

Improve the Instantaneous Cue Rotation (ICR) arena by adding a uniform food distributor, designing and building a new open platform arena for rats to traverse, and improving the food reward robot – all to enable the mapping of brain cells.

The Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute uses the ICR arena as an experimental system to collect highdensity cellular recordings directly from the brains of lab rats. The rats navigate around a ring-shaped testing environment, and the data collected is used to advance the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and how it degrades organisms’ ability to maintain spatial orientation.

The team modified the ICR to allow researchers to collect a more robust data set by requiring rats to navigate the new open arena. The uniform food distributor is a critical component, including a pair of mechanisms to drop sprinkles onto the platform randomly and uniformly across the full area to incentivize rats to explore the entire space. The food distributor software was built using an Arduino and the pre-existing reflective photo microsensor. This is crucial for collecting data on the rats’ navigation in all directions and enables the identification and mapping of grid brain cells, as this is not accomplished in the current arena.

Additionally, the food reward robot used in the existing setup was redesigned, making it lighter, more compact, and with wheels that have a higher coefficient of friction, allowing it to stop and respond faster to the rats’ positional data. The redesign also reduced the likelihood of the robot colliding with a rat during testing.

TEAM MEMBERS

Anett Marian Garcia, Biomedical Engineering

Keegan Daniel Godfrey, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Nathan Herling, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Raphael Lepercq, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Elliot Zuercher, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Elmer Grubbs

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Raphael Lepercq

TEAM MEMBERS

Elizabeth M Connacher, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Gerry Flores, Mechanical Engineering

Gabriel Marquez, Systems Engineering

Alec Mitchell, Optical Sciences & Engineering

Claire Pedersen, Biosystems Engineering

Efrain Torres, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Don McDonald

TEAM MEMBERS

Nico Cornejo-Lopez, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Leon Farhaj, Engineering Management

Malcolm Neifeld, Mechanical Engineering

Ezra Depineda, Mechanical Engineering

Ryan Prather, Electrical & Computer Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Elmer Grubbs

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Jonathan Schwab

Autonomous Robotic Racecars

Team 23090

Tucson Embedded Systems

PROJECT GOAL

Design and build two high-speed robotic racecars, with the sensing and processing electronics packaged in a sub-chassis called the Removable Autonomous Control Electronics (RACE) package.

Autonomous vehicles are becoming increasingly more common, and the technology is creating safer driving conditions. Similarly, small-scale autonomous vehicles can perform numerous tasks including cleaning, moving heavy objects, and performing dangerous tasks. The team demonstrated the possibility of developing a small-scale autonomous racecar from readily available, off-the-shelf parts.

The two designs use a sensor and computer to scan surroundings and navigate through a track autonomously. The team also developed the RACE package that houses all components necessary for autonomous driving. The computer uses a lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging, sensor, to collect data and runs an algorithm, which then controls the steering and drive motors. Simulation and testing demonstrated the differences between the theoretical fastest track speed, manual driving speed, and various autonomous driving algorithms. The two cars serve to show the iterative process – the first car served as an initial proof of concept, which the team then upgraded using a more powerful computer, optimized autonomous algorithms, and an optimized RACE unit to house all the parts.

PODBot Print on Demand Robots

Team 23091

TEAM MEMBERS

Buddy Bacheller, Systems Engineering

Robert Jeffrey Dyer, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering

Joe Manas, Mechanical Engineering

Nick Alexander Miller, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Brian John Sanderson, Mechanical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jeff Scott Wolske

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Jim Bakarich

Project Goal

Develop and prove out a user-specified system that produces on-demand, low-cost, configurable and durable air/ground remote-controlled bot vehicles that are customconfigured for end users such as SWAT teams, border patrol officers, and first responders.

Urban and desert reconnaissance has become invaluable to first responders and those who work in such fields as search and rescue and border patrol. These professionals could benefit from a low-cost, configurable, durable, airborne and/or ground-borne reconnaissance solution that is printable on demand, on site just prior to mission.

The team was tasked with developing the blueprints for a basic, scalable quad copter or rugged ground bot design that can be 3D printed, assembled, programmed and operated the next day. They proved out this system with the production of a working aerial-bot prototype and a working ground-bot prototype.

In use, the end user opens the PODBot application on a computer or tablet, then selects the mission type, vehicle scale and vehicle functionality through a series of interview questions. The graphical user interface provides a list of pre-purchased components, a list of parts to 3D print, and tailored assembly instructions. The user then launches a 3D printing application. The user waits no more than 12 hours for the vehicle frame of the vehicle to be printed, or in the case of urgent missions, chooses a pre-printed frame. The user then assembles the structural and electrical components according to the instructions. Each scenario produces a remote-controlled vehicle to provide reconnaissance, small supply transport or emergency communication to overcome real-world challenges.

STAR - Short Term Aerial Recognizance

Team 23092

Project Goal

Prove the feasibility and performance of five critical components to a tube-launched aerial reconnaissance drone that provides first responders and government agencies with rapid situational awareness for safe and effective response.

STAR is an aerial drone pneumatically launched from a tube that hovers over an area and streams video to a user device. The team developed and proved out the five main subsystems of the drone for future integration by follow-on engineering capstone teams.

The system is made up of these subsystems: camera, durability, autopilot, arm deployment and power distribution. The camera subsystem employs a high-resolution analog camera, transmitter and receiver that displays video on the user’s device. The durability subsystem demonstrates a drone mock that is able to withstand launch loads. This “slug prototype” is made of durable 3D printed CarbonX Nylon 12 and machined aluminum parts. The autopilot subsystem demonstrates stable flight through an altitude-hold feature for user-controlled information-gathering. The arm deployment subsystem demonstrates the transition from launched “slug” configuration to the deployed quadcopter configuration. This subsystem employs microswitches and a flight controller to demonstrate power delivery to the four brushless motors as the arms are deployed and locked. Finally, the power distribution subsystem relays enough power for a minimum of five minutes of operation.

Results independently show the feasibility and performance of each of the five critical subsystems. This gives confidence for future integration work to ensure the system is durable, stable and able to provide valuable information to the user.

Desktop Automated Powder Processing Station

Team 23093

Project Goal

Automate the media blasting process for selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printed parts.

The product printed with an SLS 3D printer and recovered from a hardened Nylon 12 shell takes hours of manual labor to remove. The team automated the SLS finishing process by designing and fabricating an automated desktop powder processing station that removes at least 98% of the excess SLS powder.

The autonomous system effectively removes excess Nylon 12 powder from the printed parts by combining a tumbling mechanism with traditional media blasting. A motor attached to a basket tumbles the part in the enclosed cabinet, while the blasting process is automated by replacing manual valves with electrical solenoid valves. The finishing cycles are performed automatically based on the user’s input via the graphical user interface. A Raspberry Pi controller allows the system to execute the processes for a desired user-specified time.

TEAM MEMBERS

Cesar Armando Bours, Aerospace Engineering

Caleb William Eubanks, Biosystems Engineering

Josh Ray Forrest, Systems Engineering

Tyler Stephen Monlux, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Gabby Parks, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jeff Scott Wolske

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Dmitry Knyazev

TEAM MEMBERS

Khalid Al-Suleimani, Mechanical Engineering

Blake Davis Ashton, Mechanical Engineering

Tim Le, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Tyler Moldovan, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Dalal Ben Nakhee, Industrial Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Pat Caldwell

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Michael Futch

TEAM MEMBERS

Barbara Bruno, Biosystems Engineering

Margaret Erin Gile, Biomedical Engineering

Tony Koulong, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Diana Picon, Biosystems Engineering

Rylie Watson, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Elmer Grubbs

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Urs Utzinger

Biomedical Sensor Board

Team 23094

TEAM MEMBERS

Casey Cash, Aerospace Engineering

Nicholas Cooley, Aerospace Engineering

Alexander Jaquith, Aerospace Engineering

Shane Jones, Aerospace Engineering

Spencer Shedd LaFoley, Aerospace Engineering

Sean Martin Fearhgus Simila, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Sergey Shkarayev

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Sergey Shkarayev

Project Goal

Develop a Raspberry Pi hat that integrates five biomedical sensors for educational learning.

The University of Arizona Department of Biomedical Engineering tasked the team with developing a sensor hat compatible with a Raspberry Pi 4. The board integrates sensors for skin impedance, electrocardiogram, blood oxygenation, sound and temperature and applies these sensors to clinical settings.

College students within the medical fields will use the cost-effective biosensor package for in-class experimental purposes. The board interfaces with a Raspberry Pi’s general purpose input output pins and integrates the sensors cohesively with software, within the connection capacity of the device. The fully integrated board can depict signals and measurements to the user intuitively.

The team has designed and built an all-in-one package that makes use of these sensors with the Raspberry Pi in a simple and intuitive way, allowing for easy data collection, visualization, and analysis of physiological signals.

Spacecraft Platform at L1 for Future Space Development - Team 1

Team 23095

Project Goal

Conceptualize, design and prototype key subsystems of a space refueling platform at the Earth-moon L1 Lagrange point.

In the next 30 years, cislunar space – the area between Earth and the moon – will become crowded with debris and diverse space development activities. Next-generation platforms that provide services such as refueling, repair, cislunar observation and communication capabilities are needed. Two student teams are competing in this year’s NASA RASCAL Competition to conceptualize, design and prototype critical elements of the L1 space platform envisioned at the Earth-moon first Lagrange point.

The Lagrange Area Refueling Station (LARS) is this team’s answer to NASA’s question of how to get spacecraft from Earth to the lunar surface and back again with heavier useful payloads to put humanity’s colonization of the moon on the fast track. LARS can autonomously refuel incoming spacecraft with a novel fuel source, liquid water, using advanced robotics and AI technology. Situated at the Earth-moon L1 Lagrange point, LARS provides water to incoming client craft so that they may convert it to superheated steam and propel themselves to their destination, be that the lunar surface or back home to Earth.

The team created a tech demonstration of the robotic arm refueling system, showcasing the ability for the arm to autonomously locate and refuel customer spacecraft while also demonstrating the ability to restock its own fuel reserves to extend its mission life.

Lunar Surface Transporter Vehicle - Team 2

Team 23096

Project Goal

Design a vehicle capable of offloading, transporting and deploying various systems and equipment on the surface of the lunar south pole in support of crewed mission operations.

NASA has ambitious plans to return humans to the moon through the Artemis Program. A future human mission will set the stage for permanent colonization, but it will require extraction and utilization of lunar resources to be feasible. This year’s NASA RASCAL Competition calls for a lunar surface transporter vehicle that would extend astronaut exploration capabilities and perform a variety of functions. The project request was for two competing teams.

Building infrastructure on the moon requires transporting large and heavy equipment and other cargo from lunar landers to their intended destination. The team designed the LETO-1 (Lunar Equipment TranspOrter 1) vehicle to achieve this functionality and meet the competition requirements. LETO-1 is an expandable, remotely operated, six-wheeled surface vehicle. It uses existing and in-development space technology, including a lightweight, scalable crane system, shape memory alloy spring tires, brushless motors and a robust sensor suite.

The team scaled the prototype to 18% of the fully extended length and 0.1% of the full mass with limited functionality and sensors. The structures were made primarily of aluminum with pneumatic tires, passive shock suspension, brushed DC motors and a powered winch crane. A LiFePO4 rechargeable battery powers active components, which are remotely controlled through an Arduino Mega with custom software. Testing verified the prototype’s ability to load, transport and offload payloads effectively in relevant terrain.

Spacecraft Platform at L1 for Future Space Development - Team 2

Team 23097

Project Goal

Design and prototype key elements of an orbital refueling station concept.

In the next 30 years, cislunar space – the area between Earth and the moon – will become crowded with debris and diverse space development activities. Next-generation platforms that provide services such as refueling, repair, cislunar observation, and communication capabilities are needed. Two student teams are competing in this year’s NASA RASCAL Competition to conceptualize, design and prototype critical elements of the L1 space platform envisioned at the Earth-moon first Lagrange point.

This team created an in-depth solution for refueling spacecraft during their extended mission lifetimes. While OASIS as a whole will require a large team, budget and time frame to complete, the team made two prototypes to showcase and act as inspiration for future development.

The “Smart Tank” focuses on varying volume control. To avoid fuel sloshing in a half-empty tank in zero gravity, the tank uses a plate and rotating rod to alter the volume as fuel either enters or leaves the vessel. This allows for smooth, continuous dispensing due to the lack of empty space.

As a proposed solution to the dangers that micrometeorites present to the station, the team implemented a multi-layer solution where each layer is spaced out to provide a buffer. The layers are made of fiberglass, Kevlar and aluminum. The protection system has been thoroughly tested with various rounds fired from an AK-47, thanks to Richard Wagner.

TEAM MEMBERS

Jared Bartunek, Aerospace Engineering

Jacob F Bessette, Aerospace Engineering

Steele Lawrence, Aerospace Engineering

Kevin Michael May, Aerospace Engineering

Stephen M Phemester, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jekan Thangavelauthum

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Harshad Kalyankar

TEAM MEMBERS

Jasem Mohammad Amoudi, Aerospace Engineering

Matt Guerra, Aerospace Engineering

Ruby Lee Huie, Aerospace Engineering

Nico Austin River, Aerospace Engineering

Justin Saxon, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Jekan Thangavelauthum

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Sergey Shkarayev

TEAM MEMBERS

Rhea Carlson, Biomedical Engineering

Kellys Kerubo Morara, Biomedical Engineering

Kati Patterson, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Alex Casey Sullivan, Biomedical Engineering

Brendan Tobin, Biomedical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Don McDonald

SPONSOR ADVISORS

Erica Tassone, Marvin J Slepian

Tissue Therm: Testbed System for Analyzing Thermal Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Therapy on Tissues

Team 23098

PROJECT GOAL

Create a biocompatible test platform to analyze the effects of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) radiation and the temperature effects on different tissues in order to assist in furthering research on tissue therapy.

PEMF is a new form of therapy that aids healing of lesions and reduces soreness in human tissue by energizing the cells and influencing them to self-repair. However, the thermal effects of PEMF have not been studied to the fullest extent. This project presents a testbed for analyzing the temperature change that PEMF causes in tissues. This change is studied in a controlled environment using an array of temperature sensors, electric field (E-Field) sensors, and magnetic field (H-Field) sensors to display the relation between EMF strength and temperature change neatly in a graphical user interface.

The system test tissue uses an array in which resistance temperature detectors interface with an Arduino to send temperature data to the system computer. Two E-Field and two H-Field sensors work with an oscilloscope to process the incoming signal. Data is then sent through Python code, which in turn displays a 3D thermal map as well as an EMF field map. Finally, the data exports to an Excel file for record keeping and reporting/analysis.

The design also uses a 3D printed sample tank that submerges a tissue in saline. Inside the tissue holder, a coiled vinyl tube circulates water from an external heating bath, ensuring that the saline remains the standard temperature of the human body.

Flowing Robotic Surface - Haptic Imaging Device for Blind Scientists

Team 23099

TEAM MEMBERS

Sabrina Alexis Contreras, Mechanical Engineering

Valeria Roxana Martinez, Biosystems Engineering

Samantha Schatz, Biomedical Engineering

Ira Stokes, Mechanical Engineering

Jackson Wyatt Wood, Electrical & Computer Engineering

YiYun Wu, Optical Sciences & Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Justin James Hyatt

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Justin James Hyatt

Project Goal

Design and build a flowing robotic surface to display 3D continuous data on a physical surface for visually impaired scientists.

In the past, astronomers have included visually impaired people in their research by converting data to sound or 3D printed models of astronomical objects. These are laudable efforts, but they are slow processes and cannot present holistic 3D data. This project presents a three-dimensional surface that changes its shape to make data accessible through the sense of touch.

The team designed and constructed a working prototype that consists of a 20x20 array of independently actuated pins, a continuous surface overlaid on top of the pins, and an electronic control system. The team implemented image processing algorithms to reduce input data to the limited system resolution. This device is capable of displaying data, such as heat maps, laser beam profiles and even the astonishing black hole photo, in 3D. Blind scientists can use this device for feedback when analyzing 3D data and images. Pairing with the Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind and a visually impaired teammate allowed for reliable user feedback and future advancements for this device.

Autonomous Mine Design

Team 23100

Project Goal

Design and economically compare three case models for implementing autonomous haulage trucks into an operating mine environment.

Nevada Gold Mines tasked the team with identifying the best-fit option for implementing autonomous haulage systems into an operating mining sector. Autonomous haulage trucks are a young technology that is constantly undergoing developmental changes to best fit differing mine environments, which presents a valuable opportunity to research possible implementation methodologies.

The project encompasses three major sections: 1) identifying and compartmentalizing data obtained from three separate cases – baseline, aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer; 2) researching and theorizing the best possible implementation process for autonomous haulage trucks; and 3) economically analyzing and comparing each case model and making a final determination.

The team procured project data through given baseline parameters, as well as through researching aftermarket autonomous options, or retrofitting, and options available through original equipment manufacturers. They then conducted a risk assessment analysis for safety and economic risks associated with the implementation of autonomous haulage. The final economic model comparison allows for a determination of whether autonomous implementation is economically optimal.

Vumbula Resources - Optimizing Geological Exploration in Uganda

Team 23101

Project Goal

Design and deploy a streamlined method for identifying new mineral resources in underexplored Uganda to avoid the current pitfalls of mineral exploration.

Demand for mineral resources, metals in particular, far exceeds available and projected supplies. Mining engineers need to discover and exploit new mineral deposits to fill the demand gap. This process of mineral exploration is plagued by slowness, inefficiency and disconnection from later mineral production, along with the broader implications of mineral resource exploitation.

This team designed and piloted a new model of mineral exploration that places many of the later production concerns early in the process. Piloted in Uganda through the Next Generation Explorer Award Competition, the project uses mining engineering, mineral processing and systems engineering inputs to focus resources on the most economical and feasible mineral deposits. The team defined and prioritized three mineral deposits of high potential for further resource allocation.

TEAM MEMBERS

Daouda Berthe, Mining Engineering

David Gowan, Mining Engineering

Henry Cartright Hilliard, Mining Engineering

Rodrigo Martinez, Mining Engineering

Hunter Mattocks, Mining Engineering

Rhett Hale Sutherland, Mining Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Brad Ross

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Jonathan Jazwinski

TEAM MEMBERS

Caelen Ross Burand, Mining Engineering

Zubin S Soomar, Mining Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Brad Ross

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Herve Rezeau

TEAM MEMBERS

Alex Bullinger, Mining Engineering

Ben Dale Champie, Mining Engineering

Adolfo Sebastian Hog, Mining Engineering

James Nickels, Mining Engineering

David John Raihala, Mining Engineering

Katie Elizabeth Slaughter, Mining Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Brad Ross

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Brad Ross

SME Metallic Mine Design Competition

Team 23102

TEAM MEMBERS

Celma Olicia Antonio, Mining Engineering

Jake Jeffrey Bedlington, Mining Engineering

Jason J Ellett, Mining Engineering

Abraham Estopellan, Mining Engineering

Ana Santa Masie Masie, Mining Engineering

Juanita Joy Parkerson, Mining Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Brad Ross

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Tim Wiitanen

Project Goal

Design and propose a feasible mine design for a metallic mineral deposit based on real-world constraints provided by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration (SME) Metallic Mine Design Competition.

This team participated in SME’s international collegiate competition requiring teams to create a mine plan and evaluate its feasibility using real-world data.

In Phase 1 of the competition, the team designed a metal mine based on a given resource model, processing data and equipment restrictions. The final design considered multiple economic, environmental, equipment, processing and risk tradeoffs to determine the best mine plan. They created a report from their results and presented it to the judges. Based on their Phase 1 report, this team was selected as one of six teams internationally to participate in Phase 2.

During Phase 2, the team updated the mine plan under additional constraints and presented to a panel of judges at the MINEXCHANGE 2023 Conference in Denver, where they won second place overall.

Railveyor

Team 23103

Project Goal

Determine if Railveyor is a productive and economical alternative to traditional haulage.

This team conducted a feasibility study involving the design of an open pit mine using the Railveyor conveyance system. The goal is to determine what aspects of an open pit mine would make Railveyor an economic and productive alternative to traditional haulage, or whether a combination of Railveyor and haul trucks could be more beneficial.

Spatial Exploration with Robotic Operators (SpERO)

Team 23104

Project Goal

Design a robotic system to enter and explore Martian lava tubes for the purpose of geological survey.

There are more than 1,000 suspected lava tubes on Mars, which could someday provide shelter from the Martian environment for human inhabitants.

SpERO consists of a solar balloon that travels across the Martian surface in search of lava tubes and lowers an inflatable rover to collect photographic samples and point maps of the lava tube environment. It uses lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging, to collect 3D point maps of the lava tubes and entrances, cameras to take images of the environment, and sensors to measure temperature and radiation. An antenna relay system sends the data to Earth to be analyzed by scientists.

The prototype aims to validate this system using an autonomous octocopter drone that carries a rover on a lowering garage. A spool-motor system lowers a rover on the garage to autonomously maneuver around obstacles without the use of GPS. It navigates using lidar and inertial measurement units and collects a 2D point map and images of the environment. The data is communicated from the rover to the drone through an antenna on the garage. SpERO will demonstrate navigation capabilities, the rover lowering system and a three-antenna communication relay.

Support Aerial Incendiary Locator (SAIL)

Team 23105

Project Goal

Build a paraglider drone for thermally monitoring wildfires semi-autonomously with high endurance.

SAIL aims to assist first responders by addressing how to monitor wildfires and other large disaster areas over long durations.The ideal system would allow for visually tracking fire progression, the spread of residual embers, fire containment, and wind conditions, then using the data to predict the spread of the fire and any danger it poses. The secondary objective is supporting search and rescue operations to locate missing persons, and the tertiary objective is collecting data that can improve our understanding of wildfires and how to manage them.

Addressing this problem requires a platform that can observe vast swaths of land, enhance the detection of people and other heat signatures compared to traditional cameras, requires minimal training to operate, and is less expensive to implement than other available platforms. This team’s solution is the SAIL drone, a paraglider unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that relays live thermal video and telemetry data to a portable ground station from which the operator commands the autopilot. The drone can be launched traditionally or deployed from a high-altitude balloon for vertical launch and longer flight time.

TEAM MEMBERS

Roman Joseph Anthis, Aerospace Engineering

Anna Elizabeth Dinkel, Aerospace Engineering

Andrew Gabriel Frisch, Aerospace Engineering

Elijah West Greenfield, Aerospace Engineering

Nicholas Scott Mammana, Aerospace Engineering

Kylar Joshua Nietzel, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Sergey Shkarayev

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Harshad Kalyankar

TEAM MEMBERS

Max Chen, Aerospace Engineering

Katelyn E Hackworth, Aerospace Engineering

Maanyaa Kapur, Aerospace Engineering

Yash Vardhan Singh, Mechanical Engineering (Grad Student)

Alton Matthew Zhang, Aerospace Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Sergey Shkarayev

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Adrien Bouskela

TEAM MEMBERS

David Coulter, Systems Engineering

Ramon Garcia, Systems Engineering

Miguel Rocha Sanchez, Systems Engineering

Daniela Ruiz Cabuto, Systems Engineering

Lam Hai Tran, Systems Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Samuel Peffers

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Samuel Peffers

Irrigation Water Requirements Forecast Tool

Team 23106

PROJECT GOAL

Develop a computer program capable of predicting irrigation water requirements for Bard’s near-18,000 acre district with 90% or greater accuracy. This program shall continuously refine its forecast through machine learning.

Continuous depletion of water from the Colorado River due to chronic overuse and continuous drought necessitates more precise water management methods. Bard Water District currently runs at 73% forecast accuracy. The design team developed a Python-based program capable of forecasting the necessary amount of irrigation water for the entire district at +/- 1% accuracy. The variables were identified through a full factorial design of experiment and continuously refined with machine learning.

Project deliverables include a fully functioning irrigation water forecasting program with webbased user interface, an implemented integration plan transitioning the system into its operating environment, new operator training, a user instruction document and a technical data package.

Biofuels from Lignocellusoics

Team 23107

PROJECT GOAL

Design a process to convert wood biomass into bio-oil and upgrade the bio oil to biodiesel.

The aim of this project is to maximize biomass conversion into alternative energies by developing a process that includes a pyrolysis reactor and bio oil upgrading process. This reactor converts the wood lignocellulosic biomass into bio oil and other byproducts such as char. The bio oil can then be further refined and sold as biodiesel to power diesel combustion engines.

TEAM MEMBERS

Omar Hany Abutaleb, Chemical Engineering

Armeen Pajouyan, Chemical Engineering

Ronnie Joseph Sabatino, Chemical Engineering

Nebyate Seged, Chemical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Kimberly L Ogden

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Bob White

AZ Water Competition: Rainbow Water Reclamation Facility Expansion Project

Team 23108

Project Goal

Improve the Rainbow Valley Water Reclamation Facility by implementing new techniques for treating wastewater, in compliance with environmental regulations, in response to population growth and increased interest in environmentally safe disposal of waste.

The team designed facility upgrades for the Rainbow Valley Water Reclamation Facility to meet population growth projections while producing Class A+ effluent. The upgrade designs allow the facility to continue operation during construction, and also incorporate odor mitigation measures to improve nearby residents’ quality of life. Improved solid waste treatment is included to produce Class B sludge.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Receiving Terminal

Team 23109

Project Goal

Design an LNG receiving terminal to be sited in the Gulf Coast.

The team designed an LNG receiving terminal to be sited in the Gulf Coast. They designed the unloading and tankage to offload LNG from 125,000 m³ ships. The nominal sendout capacity of the receiving terminal will be 1,050 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCF/D) measured at the ship’s rail. After vaporization, natural gas will be delivered to the pipeline at 1,250 pounds per square in gauge (psig) and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

TEAM MEMBERS

Mojisola Adebusola Ajayi, Environmental Engineering

Claudia B. Alvarez, Environmental Engineering

Ethan Lord, Environmental Engineering

Saadia Sajjad, Environmental Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Adrianna Brush

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Thomas Olden

TEAM MEMBERS

Dana Al Marzouq, Chemical Engineering

Wahab Sami Alsharaf, Chemical Engineering

Santiago Fernandez Falcon, Chemical Engineering

Alex Charles Welch, Chemical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Adrianna Brush

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Fred Brinker

TEAM MEMBERS

Abdullah Monzer ALQallaf, Chemical Engineering

Dhari AlShammari, Chemical Engineering

Sierra Gobert, Chemical Engineering

Antonio Murrieta, Chemical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Kimberly L Ogden

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Charles Stack

Algae Photobioreactors for Carbon Dioxide Removal

Team 23110

PROJECT GOAL

1. Increase the purity of biogas.

2. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by carbon dioxide.

3. Improve the economic viability of biogas production for renewable energy.

This project centers around the use of an algae photobioreactor to upgrade biogas into high-quality biomethane. The production of biomethane offers numerous benefits, including its ability to be seamlessly integrated into existing natural gas systems and equipment. Biogas, which is produced from the decomposition of organic material, typically contains 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. However, through a cutting-edge biogas upgrading process, the team aimed to maximize the percentage of methane present in the biogas, resulting in a highly pure and valuable form of renewable natural gas.

Using an algae photobioreactor, the team efficiently and sustainably enhanced the quality of biogas through the removal of impurities such as carbon dioxide. This project aims to contribute to the expansion of renewable energy production, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Hydrogen Production and Electricity Generation

Team 23111

TEAM MEMBERS

Abraham Joaquin Arvizu, Chemical Engineering

Claire Bukowski, Chemical Engineering

Zachary Joseph Fine, Chemical Engineering

Gabriel Schirn, Chemical Engineering

COLLEGE MENTOR

Adrianna Brush

SPONSOR ADVISOR

Caitlin Schnitzer

Project Goal

Investigate hydrogen production through microbial electrolysis. Hydrogen can be stored and sold to consumers or utilized in a hydrogen fuel cell as an environmentally conscious form of electricity generation.

This project explores using a microbial electrolysis reactor in tandem with a hydrogen fuel cell in a water treatment facility to generate electricity. A microbial electrolysis reactor uses an anode and a cathode to produce hydrogen gas from microbial growth within wastewater. The hydrogen gas is then sent to a fuel cell, where it combines with oxygen to produce electricity. The team researched both hydrogen production and hydrogen fuel cells to create a system that would generate electricity from only wastewater. The generated electricity could be used for many applications, including powering different machinery in a water treatment plant or adding power to the grid. The system is optimized to be both economically and environmentally friendly.