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Departmental Projects
AR Environment Visualization
OVERVIEW
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The project aims improve functionality and visual experience for operators and observers, as programmed autonomous drones navigate a virtual obstacle course in the BU Robotics Lab.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Steve Chomyszak
TEAM MEMBERS
Arnab Vijayakar Berkely Wachtmann Kyle Karr
THE PROBLEM
Researchers in the BU Robotics Lab face an issue when presenting work to external observers due to a lack of clear visualization tools. The current method is unable to communicate necessary details effectively. This creates a disconnect in communication because individuals not privy to project details are not able to understand the shape, location, and dimensionality of the obstacles.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The lab requested a visualization of static obstacles in the space as well as a display containing relevant information.
■ The project will utilize augmented reality (AR) and IOT software from
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) to represent 3D rendering of the static obstacles, and to display a dashboard of necessary information. Moreover, establishing a connection between PTC’s platforms and the workspace in the lab.
THE SOLUTION
This project seeks to utilize PTC’s Vuforia (AR) and ThingWorx (IOT) software’s to solve the stated problems. Vuforia allows for the rendering and placement of 3D obstacles and ThingWorx aids in the development in the dashboard to display necessary information. Moreover, ThingWorx will be further employed to create a connection between the current lab workspace and Vuforia.
THE RESULTS
A system that displays static 3D obstacles in the environment as well as a dashboard displaying necessary information has been created. In addition, to this multiple reach goals have been met, including dynamic obstacles, a robot proximity-based color warning system, and a tracking system integrated into the lab—with documented code for future work.
Augmented Reality Training for Machine Shop Processes
OVERVIEW
The Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) supports students in learning simple manufacturing processes; however, the staff have a high workload that does not support consistent individual training: therefore, to support EPIC staff, the team created documentation on how to create self-paced augmented reality (AR) tutorials for the basic manufacturing processes in EPIC.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Steve Chomyszak
TEAM MEMBERS
Samara Fair Dagny Read Yifan Yang Iyana White
THE PROBLEM
Training students in simple tasks in EPIC is time consuming and often takes more time than the instructor doing that task themselves, while also adding to instructor workload. For instance, an instructor changing the drill bit in a drill press and then drilling a hole takes less time than teaching a student how to do this same task. Students’ dependence on the instructors’ knowledge minimizes overall student learning, since instructors are unable to devote the time to teach students how to do tasks. This knowledge gap then creates more work for instructors, generating a continuous feedback loop.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The customer, Professor Thornton, tasked the team with creating AR tutorials to model two simple manufacturing processes in EPIC, and also requested that the team assess the potential use and efficacy of AR tutorials as a teaching mode within EPIC.
The primary constraints encountered in this project were ■ EPIC’s availability, necessary for using the tutorials and
■ The learning curve associated with utilizing both the Microsoft HoloLens and AR software.
THE SOLUTION
The team used elements of PTC’s Vuforia suite of software to create the AR tutorials for the Epilog laser cutter and a Wilton manual drill press, hosted first on a smartphone and then on the Microsoft HoloLens. The team employed Vuforia Insights, a component of the Vuforia suite, in conjunction with student feedback gathered via Google Forms, to analyze the tutorials’ impact on students with a broad range of backgrounds and the possibility for its further use as a learning tool in EPIC.
THE RESULTS
The first result of this project is the two AR tutorials discussed. The second, larger outcome of this project is documentation of the team’s overarching process and analysis in the form of an instruction manual written for EPIC staff. This manual can be used by EPIC staff to further develop and implement AR tutorials in EPIC.
P&G Gillette Robot Crash Detection
OVERVIEW
This project creates a prototype hardware/software platform that simulates a highspeed part placement process for Gillette razor cartridges and detects and notifies excessive assembly forces.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Steve Chomyszak
TEAM MEMBERS
Bangjie Xue Haoyu Wang Edward Jia-Wei Hong Chia-Shen Lin Shen Gao
THE PROBLEM
Due to misalignments, the robot may crash the razor into the cap, causing damage to the blade. We are asked to design a system that can detect and prevent the potentially damaged razors to be sent to the customers.
THE REQUIREMENTS
Our goal is to ■ Provide a prototype that can simulate the end cap placement process
■ Characterize the correct output signals using sensors
■ Use it to detect a crash event.
THE SOLUTION
A single axial linear drive system is driven with a stepper motor to simulate the insertion process. The insertion force characteristics are captured by a dynamic force sensor. The microcontroller compares the signal with a stored correct insertion signal to determine Pass/ Fail, which then communicates the result to the user by illuminating the corresponding LED.
THE RESULTS
Our interdisciplinary team leveraged mechanical, electrical and software skills to create a prototype hardware platform that simulates the end cap placement process, measures the insertion force, evaluates the force against an acceptance threshold to detect a crash event, and issues a Pass/Fail signal to the operator.
P&G Gillette Benchtop Razor Inspection System
OVERVIEW
This project should develop a prototype of an offline, universal, and self-contained Benchtop Razor Inspection System, allowing engineers at Gillette to implement less wasteful assembly line inspection processes.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Unmol Gil Olivia Hanna Anvesh G. Jhuboo Kayan Kalthia Emma Ly
THE PROBLEM
Razor cartridges sold by P&G Gillette contain three to five disposable razor heads in a casing meant to be interchanged between razor handles. Current inspection methods waste time and resources—samples are invasively taken offline to be inspected manually. However, once these dispensers are opened during inspection, they can no longer be sold and must be immediately discarded.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ P&G requires that the prototype maintains existing capabilities but improves flexibility by being universal, self-contained, and offline.
■ A universal system must be able to inspect dispensers with various materials, blade angles, and defects.
■ By being self-contained, the system will limit effects of external lighting, be user-safe, and fit on a benchtop. An offline system allows
P&G to inspect dispensers manually without damaging them, and test inspection methods.
THE SOLUTION
First, an inspection system provided by P&G was used to understand system requirements and initial challenges. Using this knowledge, we iterated through designs with varying degrees and methods of freedom. Ultimately, a tilting camera design with a moving platform (provided by a 3D printer frame) was chosen, and the team split work between hardware and software. The final stage was integrating the hardware and software.
THE RESULTS
Concerning hardware, the Cognex camera was fitted to a goniometer, and a dispenser clamping system was installed. Accordingly, a 3D printer was modified to provide vertical movement for the goniometer and horizontal movement for the dispenser. Software achievements included altering 3D printer firmware & G-code, improving the user interface, and writing inspection code; calibration methods were also established. Ultimately, tests integrating the hardware and software led to successful basic inspections.
Centerless Grinding Fluid Removal
OVERVIEW
Industrial machine that cleans tubing up to 12 feet long with diameters as small as 1/16”.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Athanasios Batgidis William Armstrong Sean Richich Panagiotis Varsamis
THE PROBLEM
Vita Needle conducts a centerless grinding manufacturing process on their tubing as the last step before finishing their products. This process, along with those that precede it, leaves various debris and lubricants. Their current solution involves hand-wiping down each tube with 99% Isopropyl alcohol. We have developed an automated solution that not only speeds up their cleaning process, but also releases vital man-power to be used elsewhere in the facility.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The solution has to be able to handle a principal amount of Vita Needle’s line of products, specifically tubes up to 12 feet, with an outer diameter down to 1/16 of an inch.
■ In order to have a positive impact on current operations, the solution has to clean tubes at a rate faster than the current hand-wiping process; around 28.5 ft/min.
THE SOLUTION
Our solution is a machine that automatically picks up loaded tubes and takes them through the cleaning process. The machine has four subassemblies: an auto-feed mechanism, a linear drive that translates and rotates tubing, a cleaning rig which features a rotating nylon brush and microfiber belt, and an isopropyl alcohol dispensing system that saturates the surface of the tube.
THE RESULTS
A proof of concept for the major systems has already been achieved, including the autofeed system, linear drive, and cleaning solution. We anticipate delivering a halfscale prototype by June first, along with documentation for Vita Needle to complete a full scale version.
L.I.I.S.: Lift and Installer for Incubator Subassemblies
OVERVIEW
Our project is a lift and installation mechanism for facilitating the assembly of automated incubator components.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Ben Braun Rachel Castaldi James Escarrilla Michael Farrugia Ming Lian
THE PROBLEM
The current assembly process for incubator subassemblies is awkward, overly strenuous, and potentially hazardous to technicians. It uses a hydraulic scissor-lift cart that is functionally lacking, failing to meet certain assembly requirements such as a flipping operation and rising to the necessary installation height.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The new prototype must execute a flipping operation on a scaled load of 50 lb. The rest of the mechanism must support a load capacity of 200 lb with a safety factor of 2.
■ Touchpoints on the subassembly are limited to only its outer frame.
■ The project required the team to become familiar with new mechanisms and to adapt existing lifting strategies to the specific needs of the subassembly.
THE SOLUTION
Our new design is a lift and installation mechanism consisting of three major subsystems. The first is a flipping mechanism that safely executes a controlled flipping operation for a load-scaled subassembly. The second is a conveyor system that assists in a more precise installation of the subassembly. The third is the existing lifting cart with modified safety features.
THE RESULTS
We conducted functionality tests on a prototype with scaled load capacity to prove the feasibility of our new mechanism. The test results and direct client feedback confirm the success of the new mechanism as safer and more effective. Materials enabling the future development of the prototype for full scale design implementation were also provided to the client.
Shazamboni— Backyard Ice Rink Resurfacing Machine
OVERVIEW
Our goal is to create a portable, lightweight system that easily and efficiently resurfaces our client’s backyard ice rink.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Marianna Natale Mei Singer Beau Walsh
THE PROBLEM
Many homeowners install and build artificial ice rinks during the winter months for skating practice and leisure. However, backyard ice rinks are subject to outdoor weather that can make it difficult to maintain skateable conditions. Homeowners need a device for resurfacing and smoothing the ice in an efficient way. Currently no professional and affordable ice resurfacing machines for backyard use exist on the market, leading people to make homemade ice resurfacers. Current homemade designs are manual, tedious, and often suboptimal.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The size and weight of the product must allow for it to be easily maneuverable in and out of the rink by a single person.
■ The operation time should not exceed 20–30 minutes to resurface an approximately 600 square foot ice rink.
■ The product should remove minimal thickness of the ice and create a smooth, fresh, skateable surface.
■ The water tank should be removable and easily refilled.
■ The product should be at least semi-autonomous and capable of being remotely controlled by the user.
THE SOLUTION
Our device consists of three sub-systems: ice scraping system, water storage and dispensing system, and drive system. For scraping the ice, we decided to use brushes to rough the surface and prepare for water application. For the water dispensing system, we used a water tank and PVC pipes with dispensing holes, and a towel dragging along for smoothing. For the drive system, we decided to adapt a push cart and use a chain driven rear wheel drive with steering via differential wheel speed.
THE RESULTS
We learned from our feasibility demonstration of the water dispensing system that hole count and size reduction was needed. The push cart has been motorized and the chain driven rear wheel drive has been created. The brush system has also been motorized but has not yet been attached to the push cart. The water dispensing system needs to be permanently attached but all components are ready to be permanently installed.
Robot Street Artist
OVERVIEW
This autonomous, robotic street artists paints chalk murals on the sidewalks outside cafes and resturants.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Helena Gil Alvaro Mendoza Ben Steinfeld David Sudit Emily Wilczewski
THE PROBLEM
Restaurants and cafes are always looking for unique ways to advertise their small businesses. This portable, autonomous, robot’s primary function is to turn normal sidewalks into advertising opportunities by drawing pre-programmed images. What makes the robotic street artist so uncommon is that both the final product, the drawing, and the process, the robot’s path and motion, will gain attention from potential customers. This also lends the robotic street artist to be used in STEM outreach activities, especially with children.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The primary goal of the robotic street artist is to produce an accurate, medium density chalk drawings spanning 1m x 1m within an hour time frame.
■ Accuracy is a significant requirement, and the robotic street artist should be able to draw a 1m straight line with less than 1cm deviation.
■ The robot’s motion should be completely autonomous, and maintenance such as changing the chalk medium or uploading a new image should be simple and straightforward for the user.
THE SOLUTION
The first design challenge tackled was the chalk medium and application method. The team began by experimenting with different chalk mediums, and decided to move forward with a liquid-chalk mixture because of its precision and bold color. This led into a coarse toothbrush to be chosen as the application method. For controlled application, two servos are used: one to activate a valve to release the chalk medium from its reservoir to the toothbrush, and a second to place the toothbrush on the pavement while drawing, and lift when no sketches should be made. Lastly, a combination of pre-programmed functions and C++ code were used to coordinate the path planned motion and dispensing of the chalk as the robot paints its drawings.
THE RESULTS
The primary objectives of the robot street artist, including accurate, controlled dispensing and drawing were met. However, there is still much room for improvement on this project, particularly on the electrical and software side. Additions such as closed looped control and algorithms to generate a drawing path from an image would be fanatics additions to the robotic street artist.
Terrier Motorsports Battery Jacking System
OVERVIEW
The Terrier Motorsport battery jacking system is a custom designed battery jack made to safely lift the team’s battery into the car.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Shreyas Ahuja Jett Curley Kio Murayama Zachary Tetreault
THE PROBLEM
The Terrier Motorsport battery jacking system is a custom designed battery jack made for the university’s formula hybrid team. Their new car involves a custom $3000 battery which must be lifted into the chassis from underneath. Previous to this car, the way in which the team installed batteries was dangerous and did not comply with Formula Hybrid rule guidelines.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ Our project requires the jacking system to safely lift the battery and insert it into its position in the chassis.
■ The project requires a default locking mechanism in order to ensure that the battery doesn’t move if no one is operating it.
■ Since the competition requires that the team travel across the country with all of their equipment, the system has to be portable and compact.
THE SOLUTION
The system involves a scissor lift activated by means of a self-locking lead screw with the option of powering it with either an impact driver or a hand-crank. In addition, the system utilizes a default-active braking mechanism to ensure that the battery jack will not roll away under operating conditions.
THE RESULTS
The anticipated result to be finished within the remainder of the semester is a fully functioning battery jacking system, custom designed to the specifications of the team. It will be robust, compact, and capable of safely lifting the team’s battery into their car.
Manufacture of Polymeric Films for Control of Radiation Transmission
OVERVIEW
Our project automates the manual process of spreading polymeric films onto a flat and smooth surface.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Saud Alshubaibi Ryan Austin Thomas Kim Chengcong Xu Zhendong Yan
THE PROBLEM
Our client is conducting research into polymeric films that reduce the damaging effects of radiation. Their method of spreading films is done manually by hand using a notched stainless steel die. This does not ensure a spread with constant speed, which causes the formation of bubbles that reduces the effectiveness of the films. This consequently compromises the accuracy of the film dimensions while using more time than an automated process.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The goal of this project was to design and test a device capable of spreading films with a viscosity similar to honey over a smooth, flat substrate that is resistant to solvents such as toluene or chloroform.
■ The dimensions of the films are approximately 100mm x 80mm with a thickness of 20±1_m.
■ The device should also be able to move at a constant speed and allow for interchangeable dies.
THE SOLUTION
The solution strategy was to automate the current process used to make the films. This involved holding a die with a notch by hand, pouring the solution onto a piece of glass, then spreading the die over the solution to create the film. By using a stepper motor and guide rails to drive the die, the process became repeatable and adaptable for films of different thicknesses.
THE RESULTS
In the “manual” tests, in which the polymer substitute is spread with the die by hand, the film contained bubbles and the micrometer tests varied greatly measuring thickness. In the tests using our product, we observed little to no bubbles in the film and a lower degree of variability. The achieved design also has the ability to adjust to different spreading speeds while accounting for varying glass thicknesses.
OVERVIEW
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Bai Xin Chen Charles Liang Dan Chunhavajira Nadir Timerbaev Ryann Regan
THE PROBLEM
Current microalgae bioreactors are prohibitively expensive for many labs and algae farmers worldwide. In addition, this equipment is designed for much larger volumes of testing than is often required. Affordable methods of growing algae do not offer sufficient environmental control which is required for testing different methods of algae production.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The design was biased towards the low budget and open source path in order to maximize its accessibility.
■ By mitigating the preventing factors of expense and space, entry laboratories and farmers are provided with easier methods of conducting experiments and measurements.
■ Portability is also a point of interest as a lack of space is sometimes a preventing factor as well.
THE SOLUTION
Using commonly obtained goods such as 2 liter bottles, a styrofoam box, some tubing and some household chemicals, the physical components of the system are all but built. The coding and circuits necessary for monitoring the system will be open source materials so users can use them at any time.
THE RESULTS
The system will report numerical entries for the specified variables such as light intensity, humidity, and algae concentration while recalibrating itself to the algae’s ideal growth conditions if the measured variables are higher or lower than the ideal conditions.
Improved Design and Manufacture of Filtering Media for Water Treatment Systems
OVERVIEW
Developing a new design of floating media for water filtration to address issues of nanoplastic pollution and improve performance.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Enrique S. Gutierrez Wing
TEAM MEMBERS
Luisa Mesa-Uruena Tyler Smith Vincent Cheung Julianna Hill
THE PROBLEM
AST’s current beads are 1/8" diameter with a specific gravity of 0.9–0.93. When the beads are under heavy load, the beads can sink and pass through the grate in the filtration system and escape with the waste contributing to nanoplastic pollution. A lighter bead would help combat this issue, while also improving the packing density and thus the overall performance.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ End product should be larger than 1/4" and have a specific gravity less than 0.95, preferably in the 0.8-0.85 range.
■ Design should also have high porosity and sufficient protected surface area to promote and maintain biofilm growth for water clarification.
■ A scalable manufacturing process should be developed which can produce hundreds of cubic feet of beads per order, and cost less than $1.50/lb of beads.
THE SOLUTION
Solidworks simulations and 3D printing with foaming PLA were used to rapidly prototype bead designs and estimate their performance. Biofilm growth on prototype beads was facilitated and observed using a smallscale filter. Suggested designs were developed with the intent of using an extrusion process as the basis of manufacturing. An extruder setup and custom nozzles were manufactured along with 3D printed rollers to produce 200-300 beads of two promising designs out of LDPE.
THE RESULTS
Two bead designs with the desired characteristics were produced, and prototyped using 3D printing and the extrusion process. An extruder and roller setup was assembled as a proofof-concept for the manufacturing process. Additionally, a cost analysis of the production process was performed ensuring the designs were economically feasible.
Marine-Life-Friendly Boat Propulsion System
OVERVIEW
The goal of this project is to develop an alternative marinefriendly boat propulsion system that has a low noise level, does not injure marine life, and is energy efficient.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Badin Piriyapaiboon Haoyu Zhang Kangbo Li Vivian Reeder Ho Hoang Yen Vo
THE PROBLEM
The most popular boat propulsion systems pose threats to marine animals. They generate noise during navigation that attracts these creatures, drawing them close and injuring them. Specifically, large ships generate noise similar to biological sonar. Furthermore, the noise from propellers can disrupt migration patterns. Additionally, rotary propellers are energy inefficient and harm the environment with harmful byproducts. Therefore, the conventional propulsion systems can be of great danger against marine life.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The solution is bounded by its energy conservation, safety to animals, and low noise generation.
■ The goal speed is walking speed, which is about 3 miles per hour.
■ The goal battery life is 30 minutes, and a total weight of the propulsion system is 6 kg.
THE SOLUTION
In order to satisfy all the requirements and principal constraints, two sets of flutter kick propulsion systems will be attached to the stern of a boat model. The fins will move in opposite phases of each other: when one is at the upper position, the other one is at the bottom. The motor will be placed above water and is connected to the mechanisms through a gear or a shaft system. The green plates indicate connector pieces between the crank-rocker mechanisms and the motor shaft. The force generated by the fins will move the boat forward.
THE RESULTS
It is anticipated that with our motor of choice, we can comfortably achieve a frequency of 60 RPM for the flutter kick propulsion system based on a solidworks motion study, which is anticipated to achieve a speed of 3 mph. We also expect that the final weight of our system is 6.1 kg based on our model.
True 3D Printing of Lattice Structures
OVERVIEW
Testing the feasibility to print freely in three dimensions without the need for support structures while keeping costs minimal.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Mariah Mansoor Isabella Reyes
THE PROBLEM
Standard 3D printers create tangible structures by extruding each layer of filament in a two-dimensional manner. These prints utilize auto-generated support structures to hold their own weight during the process. These solid prints are filament heavy and time consuming. Companies achieving a method of “true 3D printing,” that is printing without layering the material or using support structures, are doing so with expensive, custommade mechanisms.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ We wanted to see if we could create similar structures, at a smaller scale (4x4x4), using an inexpensive and readily available 3D printer; curating a process that would result in minor altercations to the mechanism itself.
■ Emulating the work of certain brands and companies, we utilized lattice patterns throughout our structures, as a means to maintain strength and integrity keeping prints lightweight and durable.
THE SOLUTION
To know whether or not we could truly print in three dimensions, we needed to test the capabilities of an inexpensive, desktop 3D printer, communicate directly to the mechanism without a CAD software, and see if fresh prints could hold their own weight. In the fall, we began by examining each component of a lattice structure. In the spring, we’ve created full-scale designs based off of our past findings.
THE RESULTS
Culminating these design factors—inexpensive equipment, lattice patterns, extruding freely in three dimensions—alongside GCode communication, we’ve been able to provide a baseline method to accomplish small-scale, truly 3D printed designs. With further improvements and investing in an automation process, our work will aid in rapid prototyping and enable others to truly print in three dimensions.
Additive Manufacturing for Improved Strength Aerospace Components
OVERVIEW
We developed a large scale 3D printer to print aerospace parts cylindrically around a mandrel, which allows for a nonplanar layer direction that improves part strength by reducing anisotropy.
PROJECT ADVISOR
THE PROBLEM
Although 3D printing could be a powerful tool in the aerospace prototyping process, the planar layer direction created by traditional FDM 3D printers compromises the strength of parts printed. When subjected to the great variety of forces experienced in different directions during flight, the layers in these parts would delaminate. While the potential is great, this issue makes 3D printing unsuitable for aerospace applications.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ We were tasked with creating a large scale rotational 3D printer capable of printing stronger fuselages and wings.
■ Constrained by the time available to us in two semesters and a budget of $500.
TEAM MEMBERS
Katie Beck Leif Williams Grinnell Ashlyn Carroll Lance Tamchin Justin Chung
THE SOLUTION
In order to solve the problem of anisotropy, we have developed a 3D printer that prints around a rotating mandrel rather than on a flat print bed. This printing orientation allows the layers to be crosshatched and built up concentrically, creating stronger parts than traditional 3D printing.
THE RESULTS
We have fully assembled a functional prototype, and developed software to adapt the CAD models of printed parts to allow them to be printed on our rotational printer. Testing of our nonplanar parts revealed that they are much stronger than traditional FDM parts, and by the end of the semester we anticipate that we will be able to print wings and fuselages with nonplanar layers on our prototype.
Open Hardware Determination of the Concentration of Liquid Samples for Cryogenic Processes
OVERVIEW
A device available for open hardware that is able to find the concentration of a 5 microliter sample of fish sperm.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Enrique S. Gutierrez Wing
TEAM MEMBERS
Ashar Kamal Herman Sokiran Dixon Rand
THE PROBLEM
The conservation of aquatic species has become more and more of a pressing issue as global waters have started warming up over the history of our planet. The fish industry supports the livelihoods of billions of people in the world. The goal of the device is to encourage more researchers to take the time to measure the concentration using a cheaper and easier method. Measuring the concentration of a sample of fish sperm is extremely important for the cryogenic processes necessary to freeze and preserve the genetic material of the species which is crucial for conservation efforts.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The device must be able to work with samples of 5 microliters or less.
■ The device must also be available for open hardware, so parts of the device that are not readily available or cannot be printed must be at a minimum.
■ The device must also cost less than 50 dollars to produce.
THE SOLUTION
The device utilizes a photodiode in conjunction with a photoresistor to measure the concentration of a sample using absorbance measurements. It also utilizes an Arduino UNO Wifi to export the data wirelessly to your computer. Our team successfully designed an apparatus that consistently be used for taking measurements using CAD software. This allows for the product to be shared through the CAD files in order for people to print the device on their own 3D printers with the exception of the electronics and instrumentation necessary to hold the sample.
THE RESULTS
We have been able to create a device that can accurately measure changes in concentration based on absorbance values. The next step we expect to achieve is to create a calibration based on results from known concentrations to e able to find concentration from absorbance values. We also hope to be able to have our customers at LSU to download and recreate our product there to exemplify the open hardware aspect.
Painted Court Lines
OVERVIEW
We have constructed a robot that will be able to paint the lines of a basketball court.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Manuel Sobol Haoran Li Max Doughty Yiming Li Assad Alam
THE PROBLEM
Project Backboard is a nonprofit organization that takes old worn down basketball courts and renovates them with the help of the community in order for it to be a welcoming environment. Our job is to make a device that can aid in painting the lines of the basketball court to help reduce the overall labor of this renovation process.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ For this project, our requirements are to create a robot that is able to paint the lines of the basketball court.
■ We are building the robot in order to help reduce the overall time needed to complete the process of renovating a basketball court. ■ The main constraint that we are facing is the budget of $500.00 to complete this task
THE SOLUTION
We used an Arduino board to control a linear actuator, which operates a spray can. Two motors, a photoelectric sensor and receiver, a gyroscope, and an ultrasonic sensor are used to keep the robot in a straight line and locate its surroundings to assist the robot in stopping and getting a desired painted length. The two and three point lines will be done with the an attachable mechanical arm.
THE RESULTS
We anticipate the robot to consistently complete painting the lines on a scaled down basketball court. We also anticipate the accuracy of the robot to have approximately one to two degrees of propagation error.
Non-Layer-Based 3D Printing Mechanism
OVERVIEW
A 3D printing nozzle that will allow for printing of parts with steep inclines without the need for layers.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Enrique S. Gutierrez Wing
TEAM MEMBER
Deshan Jayawardane
THE PROBLEM
Current 3D printers have very wide nozzles that have geometry that will not allow for continuous printing for steep angles. This limits the types of structures that can be printed and this project aims to fix that.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ This nozzle needs to be able to maintain a constant temperature that is enough to be able to melt the material and also needs to be thin enough to allow for the nozzle to move diagonally upwards or downwards at a steep angle without colliding with the printed part.
THE SOLUTION
I have decided that the heating element would instead be a long and narrow cylinder of metal instead of a wide box. It also comes with a thermistor built in to keep a constant temperature and a nichrome heating element.
THE RESULTS
The expected result is a nozzle that can print more complex structures such as lattices that would not be able to be made with the traditional layer style method of 3D printing.
Soft Robotic for Injury Prevention
OVERVIEW
A prototype built for everyday easy use that can detect falls and prevent major injury to joints and limbs, all without causing more injury to the user.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Sheila Russo
TEAM MEMBERS
Brigid McGovern Chirasmita Kompella Caio Pretti Debarshi Basak Melissa Gibble
THE PROBLEM
At present, there are no FDA approved wearable soft robotics that can prevent injury through inflation. Injury during physical activity is extremely common, especially amongst more elderly people. A prototype must be delivered that is wearable, built for everyday easy use, while detecting falls and preventing major injury to joints and limbs, all without causing more injury to the user.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ This device needs to be able to sense falls and subsequently nitiate actuation for injury prevention.
■ The device must sense and inflate quick enough to protect before impact, be as wearable as possible, and not cause more injury to the user.
THE SOLUTION
Our design was broken down into three main categories: fall detection, actuation, and wearability. Initially, each branches’ research, design, and development was tackled separately. Later, the main priority became the design and integration of the full assembly. Here, the focus shifted from isolated concerns to broader integration considerations with the main goal in mind: a wearable soft robotic that can initiate pneumatic actuation prior to a detected fall.
THE RESULTS
The end result will be a soft robot which accurately detects a fall, initiates pneumatic actuation, and stops actuation and ensures full inflation/ protection before the user hits the ground. The design will be mostly wearable, and in a comfortable and sleek design.
Soft Robotic Neurosurgical Brain Retraction
OVERVIEW
An origami retractor that’s made of soft and biocompatible materials in order to prevent damage to the brain and can retract small enough to be used in MIS.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Sheila Russo
TEAM MEMBERS
Carter Berlind Cindy Chen Turki Al Rubaya Abdulaziz Al Humam Aizik Rangel
THE PROBLEM
Current brain retractors are made of metal materials that damage surrounding tissues. The current retractors cannot inform the surgeon in real time of the damage and are not easily used in minimally invasive surgery.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ Retract the brain in a manner which minimizes damage.
■ Capable for use in MIS.
■ Implement sensing to monitor the patients state.
THE SOLUTION
We will use a linear syringe pump to automate the actuation process and use template designs to bring uniformity into the design. All while making sure the retractor is able to carry out its task and fit inside a burr hole.
THE RESULTS
We have achieved the requirement of fitting the retractor into a burr hole and at the same time retract into a large expanded state in the brain all while being controlled by the linear syringe pump.
Soft Robot Automatic Femoral Artery Closure
OVERVIEW
The project revolves around creating a medical device that is used after catheterization procedures to prevent loss loss from the femoral artery and seal the hole.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Sheila Russo
TEAM MEMBERS
Abdul Majid Kalo Yixuan Lu Elena Villanueva Nieto
THE PROBLEM
Due to the progress in technology, software and biomaterials, the 21st century represents a new age where medical devices can be as reliable as doctors and nurses undergoing repetitive tasks. For the last 200 years, procedures regarding the femoral artery were done by manual compression until the emergence of intravascular and extravascular devices. It is important to note that these devices are new to the market and not much research has been in order to weigh the pros and cons of such devices (bruising, long-term effects and discomfort).
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ Our team focused on the challenge of designing a medical device that is used to close the perforation of the femoral artery after catherization procedures to prevent blood loss from the patient’s leg.
■ The main purpose of the device is to apply cyclical pressure of different time intervals to achieve hemostasis while still being comfortable, easy to use with a fast response time. We came up with the idea of creating a compression sleeve device named CloZe, that acts based on real time data received at the perforation site via a pressure sensor.
THE SOLUTION
In terms of actuation, we investigated a pneumatic actuation paired with an electro-pneumatic circuit and a textile actuation system where a soft textile wraps around a rotating bar to provide pressure at the surface of the textile. Moreover, we used different FSR pressure sensors that are sowed to the inner layer and compared the results of the feedback operation provided by each one. In terms of manufacturing, 3D printing and specifically Formlabs was crucial to the success of the prototype in terms of assembling the different components and considering tolerances.
THE RESULTS
The validation and success of Cloze depends on it’s performance of stopping a leakage in a pressurized piping system mimicking the leg after catherization procedures. We anticipate the success of the device over a pressurized system and prevent leakage.
Drug Drone Delivery
OVERVIEW
We are proposing accelerated access to medication through an autonomous network of drones that deliver supplies directly to homes in rural communities.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Sergi Noailles Haya Ghandour Branden Applewhite Arnav Gupta
THE PROBLEM
Many homes in rural areas have difficult access to pharmacy deliveries because of pharmacy closures as well as a lack of delivery routes.
THE REQUIREMENTS
The drone needs to be able to: ■ Take off and land within 100 feet of platform length.
■ Fly autonomously to the destination and back.
■ Drop a payload with a maximum weight of five pounds.
THE SOLUTION
We took on mechanical, computer, and electrical engineering approaches to this project. These aspects include a paper design of the fixed wing drone with the help of sheets referenced from the Aircraft Performance and Design class (ME408). Additionally, we will demonstrate the ability to map terrain data, specifically being able to identify the drop off location within the destination residence.
THE RESULTS
We will complete the paper and CAD design for our fixed-wing aircraft, having analyzed optimal configurations for gross weight, range, and propulsion method. We also plan on testing multiple deep learning networks to accurately identify drop off locations and will choose the optimal method based on accuracy, speed, and time taken to identify.
NASA Aeronautics Design Challenge: Aerial Firefighter
OVERVIEW
Design of an aerial firefighting system to operate from small, municipal airports.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Edward Luka Sebastian Diaz Michael Avila
THE PROBLEM
Wildfires are enormously destructive every year, especially in the American West, and their threat will only grow in the future due to climate change and as development encroaches on wilderness. Aerial firefighting provides the rapid response capability needed to contain wildfires before they spread. A short-range firefighting system designed from the ground up to operate from the many small airports around the country could maximize response speed while minimizing costs.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ NASA defined a scenario with an airport and fire at certain locations, and set the challenge of maximizing the water delivered over 24 hours, while also minimizing takeoff and landing distances and keeping costs comparable to existing systems.
Hard requirements given ■ Each aircraft must be operated by a single pilot or remotely;
■ It must reach a minimum service ceiling
■ A fleet must collectively deliver at least 3,000 gallons of water in one pass.
THE SOLUTION
The broad nature of these requirements meant that a wide variety of possible solutions had to be considered. Ultimately a manned, fixed-wing concept was selected, and a small, single-engine design was chosen based on a lifetime cost analysis. Design cruise speed and payload were optimized by varying them together against a figure of merit, and the aircraft was then developed in detail using the Corke analytical method and competitor research.
THE RESULTS
Through this process a preliminary design has been produced for a firefighting aircraft which not only satisfies the major criteria laid out by NASA, but is commercially competitive. The gold standard for aerial firefighters is Air Tractor’s AT-802, which has utterly dominated the market for decades. By leveraging modern technology and aggressively optimizing for the short-range rapid-response firefighting mission, this new design outperforms the AT-802 for approximately the same cost.
Responsive Aerial Firefighting Aircraft
OVERVIEW
The NEFA (New Era Firefighting Aircraft) is a wide-body aircraft built to extinguish fires in remote locations throughout the world.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Shane McLeod Dylan Lavoie
THE PROBLEM
The world’s continuously changing climate poses a serious threat, paving the way for more natural disasters, climate issues, and wildfires. With the rise in temperatures, high-intensity wildfires in dry, rural areas become more frequent. Firefighting aircraft prove to be important in the continuing effort to extinguish these wildfires. Converted firefighting aircraft have all of the necessary firefighting equipment installed but there are inefficiencies associated with these new conversions.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The requirements and constraints are given by AIAA which involve capacity, range, balanced field length, multi-drop capability, drop speed, and drop altitude.
■ Essentially, the aircraft must have a payload capacity of 4000-–8000 gallons and fly at least 200–400 nautical miles to the site of the fire.
■ The NEFA must also meet applicable FAA certificate requirements, be able to fly in known icing conditions, and be capable of VFR and IFR flight with autopilot.
THE SOLUTION
The strategy behind the NEFA is to design an optimized aircraft that finds a balance between performance parameters and cost. An optimized design consists of a low cost with a capacity and range that falls between the threshold and objective ranges given per AIAA. To optimize this design requires the use of the most current technology to limit increased cost but incorporates some updated technology to add increased benefits.
THE RESULTS
The NEFA has either met or exceeded all requirements set by the AIAA for the competition. Being a simple conceptual design, many different variations were modeled to attempt to find the best outcome. The result chosen for the NEFA is the best design according to the specified Figureof-Merit and outlined objectives. The NEFA currently has a larger fire retardant capacity than any of its closest competitors.
Car Top Luggage Carrier Aerodynamics
OVERVIEW
The effect of re-orienting a hard, roof-top carrier on vehicle drag is investigated through computer simulations and road tests to determine the most aerodynamic and therefore most cost effective orientation.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. Enrique S. Gutierrez Wing Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
ShuLan Holmes-Farley Mateo Norkus Matthew Castillo
THE PROBLEM
To reduce fuel consumption, it is critical to reduce flow separation since pressure drag dominates over friction drag for bluff bodies. With the goal of minimizing drag, reversing the orientation of a roof box so the blunt end faces forwards seems a reasonable solution from the aerodynamics perspective, since this orientation more closely resembles an air foil; but this needs to be confirmed as no academic papers discuss this.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The primary constraints of this project were time and resources.
■ Less realistic simulations were traded for faster computing times; and these simplifications had to be validated with more simulations.
■ Road testing was limited by the sensors supported by the vehicles available to us for testing. Without access to a full-scale wind tunnel, all drag measurements for the road tests had to be found by proxy.
THE SOLUTION
The problem was broken into simulation and road tests to give idealized, theoretical results to compare against more complicated, but more relevant experimental results. Both are then compared against the reported results of the Aero Loader, a newly developed hard top cargo carrier designed by Calix to be mounted in the reverse orientation.
THE RESULTS
Simulations find roughly a 15% decrease in drag from re-orientation, which the automobile research center correlates with around 7% decrease in fuel consumption; Our road tests find between 2–5% decrease in fuel consumption; Calix reports a 5–7% decrease in fuel consumption with their product. Taken together, everything points to the benefice of re-orientation! Further road tests are being planned to confirm that car shape does not vastly affect these results.
Prandtl-D Wing Design
OVERVIEW
This project studies how aircraft wing parameters can create a Prandtl-D inboard vortex effect which can induce thrust and reduce drag for increased flight efficiency.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Ryan Duffy Tyler Ramsarran David Warfield
THE PROBLEM
Wing designs on aircraft today share no resemblance to the wings of birds. However, NASA identified that when a wing more closely mimics a bird, it can achieve an 11% decrease in wing drag. This is called a Prandtl-D wing. This project answers which wing parameters best contribute to this decrease in drag and specifies how to optimize to reduce drag.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The team must show proof that the induced thrust effect is repeatable. If so, the team must also provide recommendations for three wing parameters values to maximize the effects of the Prandtl-D induced thrust.
Constraints include: ■ Wind tunnel instrumentation
■ Computational analysis skills ■ Budget of $300
THE SOLUTION
The team applied experimental and computational methods to prove and calculate induced thrust. This included using wind tunnel testing and a 3D vortex lattice method solver. The team created multiple wing designs to test different aspect ratios, taper ratios, and total geometric twists. Statistical analysis of the results provided optimal parameters for induced thrust.
THE RESULTS
A conventional wing and a Prandtl-D wing were manufactured and tested in the wind tunnel. Results are provided for 27 virtual wing designs with varied taper ratios, aspect ratios, and total geometric twists. The results prove that the induced thrust effect exists and can be optimized. Analysis examining different twist schemes has begun. Optimal parameters are anticipated.
Design, Build, Fly: Long Range Glider
OVERVIEW
Our goal is to design and build a long-range, catapultlaunched glider from foam, balsa wood, and cardboard.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Michael Nejaime Jack Reynolds Vincent Didomenica
THE PROBLEM
The goal of this project is to design a catapult launched glider capable of reaching ranges of 75–125 feet. The range of the glider is prioritized over the duration of flight. The gliders must also be able to withstand multiple tests. In addition, the gliders must have a solidified manufacturing method established so that multiple copies of the glider can be produced.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ There is a restriction on allowed building materials; it may only be constructed with foam, cardboard, and balsa wood.
■ Secondly, there is a requirement that specifies that the launch surface is between 12 inches and 36 inches above the ground, that the launch surface is horizontal, and that the pullback distance of any rubber bands launching the glider must be between 12 inches and 36 inches.
THE SOLUTION
We researched basic glider designs and analytically determined the best design for the airfoil, main wing, fuselage, and empennage. After the rough designs were selected, we moved on to determine the best materials and corresponding manufacturing methods for each aircraft component. Utilizing hot wire cutting and laser cutting, we have assembled a prototype.
THE RESULTS
We were able to assemble a glider prototype based upon researched aerodynamic principles, as well as a catapult to launch it. We have also developed new manufacturing methods in order to create the glider. Our initial flight tests have shown that our developed design is viable. Future flight tests will soon demonstrate the maximum range of the glider.
Raw Egg Glider
OVERVIEW
A glider must transport a raw egg between 50-100ft through the air with no damage to the egg throughout the entire mission.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. James Geiger
TEAM MEMBERS
Oliver Jalbert Daniel Mirman Hannah Rafferty
THE PROBLEM
The difficulties of designing a stable glider are amplified when carrying an egg which only weighs down the glider and increases overall drag. Furthermore, maintaining the egg’s safety proves to be a unique challenge as the design must be robust while staying aerodynamic. Lastly, a glider that self-sacrifices to save the egg is not acceptable. Therefore, the glider must be designed for maintainability, survivability, ease of manufacture, and performance repeatability with all modular components.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The glider must use no form of propulsion other than the initial launching force which may be a hand launch or catapult/slingshot.
■ Given the problem of keeping the egg safe, an indoor flight with a hard landing is objective while a grassy outdoor landing is threshold.
■ Materials for the glider are limited to balsawood, foam, cardboard, paper, and adhesive.
■ The egg payload weight anges from 1.25oz to an objective 2.5oz egg.
THE SOLUTION
The problem was addressed in two different stages: first the egg capsule mechanism, followed by designing a glider for stable flight. To ensure the safety of the egg many existing solutions were benchmarked to determine strengths and weaknesses. The final design consists of a cardboard shipping tube lined with memory foam as it fits within the material restrictions while demonstrating desirable aerodynamic properties. To ensure stable flight, computer simulation tools were used to model the aircraft with its respective material properties.
THE RESULTS
The final glider design consistently achieves flights between 50 to 100 feet while keeping the egg completely protected and undamaged. The glider features a modular design that allows for ease of manufacturing and part replacement if need be.
Device to Facilitate Beaded Jewelry Manufacture
OVERVIEW
A device that can automate the process of feeding 2.5-mm and 4-mm beads onto a needle in a specific sequence for bracelet design.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Brandon Valera Gokai Wami Kamin Palkawong Na Ayuddhaya Thanakorn Phattharaboorapha Warich Ngamkanjanarat
THE PROBLEM
In the traditional jewelry production setting, creating beaded jewelry that follows specific patterns would require manual labor and dexterity to string the beads that is tedious, expensive, and time-consuming. This is preventing businesses like our client, Dovera Designs, from expanding. Team #26 is solving this problem by creating a device that is able to automate the bead stringing in particular patterns and with different sizes.
THE REQUIREMENTS
The customer requirements given: ■ To first ensure that the device operated overnight without the need of manual labor.
■ To have the device sequence the beads in a specific pattern. ■ A budget constraint was set to a $500 limit.
■ The group had a time constraint of two semesters to finish this prototype.
THE SOLUTION
Dispensing system ensures beads with different size and color are sent in the right order to the orienting system that rotates beads until the holes align exactly with the needle and fall down, while a photoreceptor checks whether the bead falls down. Holding system keeps the needle straight and allows beads to fall down when needed. Finally, transfering beads over the needle’s knot and onto the string
THE RESULTS
As of April 11th, we have proven that each individual system works reliably. Currently, we are in the process of assembling all pieces of the systems onto a stable chassis. The next step is to fine tune and make sure all systems work well together. We expect that by the end of the semester, we will have a fully functioning machine that can reliably perform all the tasks given.
Electric Skis
OVERVIEW
This project is focused on the development of a motorized system that can be mounted to cross country skis as a means of propulsion.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Ryan Marie Gurnoor Sooch Singh Soham Dey Waleed Khan
THE PROBLEM
Travel through snow in the winter is often very slow and taxing on the human body. Solutions to this problem are often extremely bulky and expensive or they are only marginally faster and do not provide adequate relief. Our solution aims to find the happy medium between the two extremes.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The design requirements are that it must have a minimum battery life of two miles per charge and be able to reach speeds of over 20 mph when traveling across snow
■ The major constraints for the project were the budget, timeframe for completion, insulation of electrical components, and access to areas for testing.
THE SOLUTION
The solution strategy is focused on a motorized tread system, similar to that of a snowmobile but significantly smaller. The tread system is designed to mount to the back of a cross-country ski behind the boot and propel the user forward when activated via remote control.
THE RESULTS
Thus far, the group has designed a functioning tread system that is capable of propelling the user forward, but has been unable to mount it to a ski and test on snow. To compensate for this the group has tested on tile and plans to continue testing on a variety of surfaces.
Film Casting Apparatus
OVERVIEW
Our goal is to build a film casting apparatus for sub-millimeter phase inversion membranes used in battery research.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Khalid Isahak Aaron Pan Ángel Sánchez-Cantalejo Hevia
THE PROBLEM
Some batteries require film to be casted onto electrodes. These films called “phase inversion membranes” are subject to inconsistencies in structure when cast by hand. Manual casting introduces inconsistent casting speeds and stability which correlate to variability in membranes thickness.
THE REQUIREMENTS
The Werner lab requires the device to feature ■ constant casting speeds
■ a range of casting thicknesses
■ variable resting time before solidification.
THE SOLUTION
Our solution is to create a tight tolerance film casting apparatus with varying thicknesses. A push bar, driven by a stepper motor, sweeps the casting blade across a glass stage at a constant speed to cast the film. After allowing the film to dry, the apparatus reverses the push bar to slide the glass stage into a water bath where it is solidified through a phase inversion process.
THE RESULTS
Tests in the Werner lab reveal that our apparatus is able to cast films with consistent results at all film thicknesses.
3D Print Recycling System
OVERVIEW
Our project is a 3D print recycling system that intakes PLA prints, grinds them down, melts them, and then extrudes and spools a new filament.
PROJECT ADVISOR
TEAM MEMBERS
Taylor Janke Harsh Hemlani Jason Woodruff Calvin Pedroli
THE PROBLEM
3D printed parts create large amounts of plastic waste due to failed prints, support materials, or rapid prototyping resulting in large quantities of unused parts. In the current market, there are some machines that grind down 3D printed parts in hope of making them into a usable filament, but they are expensive and usually take up a lot of space.
THE REQUIREMENTS
Our requirements were given to us by our customer Professor Gutierrez.
■ The most important one is that the product is safe for anyone who interacts with it.
■ The rest of the requirements are that the device should be small enough to fit on a desktop, remain within our $400 budget, focus on
PLA regardless of the extruded color, and not cost more than $2500 for the final product.
THE SOLUTION
In order to achieve our goal of making a cheaper alternative to the options on the market, we split the prototype into separate parts of grinding, melting and extruding, cooling, and spooling. We wanted to ensure that each element could be developed and finalized before they were combined into one continuous system.
THE RESULTS
Our system can successfully grind down PLA supports, rafts, and parts and extrude them into a filament that is then spooled into a new roll.
Air to Drinking Water
OVERVIEW
The purpose of this project is to build a low-cost, lowenergy water harvesting system that is capable of producing potable water from moisture in air in remote, arid environments.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Trevor Melsheimer Gayatri Sundar Rajan Tess Ravick Carla Sheridan
THE PROBLEM
1 in 6 people lack adequate water for drinking, sanitation, or hygiene. Individuals most affected live in remote, dry, arid locations lacking consistent access to rainfall and bodies of water. Although water can be purified centrally and piped or desalinated locally, such operations are complex, energy-intensive, and cost-prohibitive. There is demand for a device built from accessible materials, capable of producing potable water passively, and requiring minimal maintenance and operation.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The water harvesting system must operate with only sunlight as an external energy source in order to decouple water production from the availability of electricity.
■ The system needs to absorb at least one liter of water per day in a low humidity environment of less than 30% relative humidity.
■ It must be capable of operating for at least 1000 cycles with minimal components to be replaced within that time frame.
THE SOLUTION
The device is capable of producing potable water from moisture in air through a desiccant, a water-absorbing salt. At night, the desiccant absorbs water from humidity in the air. During the day, a passive solar heating system evaporates and condenses the captured water to produce drinkable water. The heating system then regenerates the desiccant preparing it to restart its absorption cycle the next day.
THE RESULTS
The system is projected to absorb 1.5 liters of water from the atmosphere via a desiccant mixture apparatus. The passive solar oven has been proven to reach at least 100 degrees Celsius, causing rapid water evaporation from the desiccant solution. The device will then condense at least one liter of water vapor into a collection vessel. The integration of such processes demonstrates the holistic functionality of the water harvester.
Safety Glasses Sterilizer
OVERVIEW
A UVC sterilization system designed to sanitize safety glasses after use within the Boston University’s Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC).
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Charles Ellis Nils Maag Sean McMorrow Andrew Baker Matthew Nadeau
THE PROBLEM
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston University’s Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) recognized the need for change in how communal safety glasses were utilized on the shop floor. Rather than allowing students to freely borrow and return the safety glasses within the shop, EPIC sought out a long-term solution that could efficiently sterilize safety glasses with minimal user interaction.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ The first and most obvious objective of the device is to effectively and quickly sterilize safety glasses.
■ The next major requirement is that user interaction with the device is minimal so that no germs pass from user to user.
■ The last major requirement is that the device must be able to fit in the entrance area of EPIC where it will be implemented.
THE SOLUTION
Our solution strategy was to design and fabricate a robust cleaning system that safely and effectively sterilizes the existing safety glasses in EPIC. The final design features an enclosed box with an inner chamber that exposes the glasses to the UVC light. Once inserted, a conveyor chain escorts the glasses through the system at a speed that ensures the UVC dosage necessary to achieve sterilization.
THE RESULTS
Our safety glasses sanitation device is currently mounted near the entrance of EPIC and continues to sterilize glasses as they are used on a daily basis by students and tours coming into the facility.
Helium Assisted Drone
OVERVIEW
An attachable harness meant to increase the battery life of a commercially available drone with the aid and lifting force of a helium balloon.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Andrei Gabor Curtis Kim Dean Hu Mahith Sandi
THE PROBLEM
Drone’s have far too short a battery life coupled with a long charging time. The source of the problem is the expenditure of energy required to generate lift. While it is difficult to increase the rate at which a drone’s battery can charge, it is reasonable to decrease the amount of energy needed for a drone to hover in the same place if a helium balloon is supporting a portion of its weight.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ A successful result is defined by an increase of battery life without compromising maneuverability.
■ Principal constraints include but are not limited to: a minimal number of test runs due to the cost of helium, sourcing balloons of the right material or size, and the need to adapt both balloons and inflation systems that are intended for different purposes.
THE SOLUTION
Our solution strategy was split into three key components: ■ Proving that a buoyant lifting force can extend the flight time of a drone by simulating a balloon’s buoyant force by using a weight and pulley.
■ Researching and developing a means to inflate a suitable balloon.
■ Testing the resulting assembly of balloon, harness, and drone.
THE RESULTS
As of the first week of April, our team has built a helium drone harness that can double the battery life of a drone at the unfortunate cost of maneuverability. While the system can spin, hover, and change altitude effortlessly, it is unable to make quick and responsive horizontal movements. Future plans include a change to the design of the harness to allow for better maneuverability.
OVERVIEW
The goal of this project is to analyze the feasibility of using secondary fluid injection (SFI) as a method of thrust vector control (TVC) for aerospike rocket nozzles.
PROJECT ADVISOR
Prof. William M. Hauser
TEAM MEMBERS
Joshua Bender G. Forrest Dawe IV Jayden Ma Liam Ward
THE PROBLEM
The aerospike rocket nozzle presents significant performance benefits over conventional converging-diverging (CD), or bell, nozzles. Despite these advantages, aerospikes are almost never selected for use in industry projects, owing to inherent challenges with their implementation and use in flight. One of these key challenges is controlling the thrust vector to maneuver the rocket. Thrust vector control is usually achieved by gimballing the rocket engines. Gimballing, or mechanically moving the engine and nozzle assembly to point the thrust in a desired direction, becomes structurally inefficient in the case of aerospikes.
THE REQUIREMENTS
■ N/A
THE SOLUTION
The aim of this project is to address this controllability problem by proving out thrust vector control via secondary fluid injection as a viable solution. Secondary fluid injection produces asymmetric thrust via the lateral injection of a fluid (gas or liquid) into a portion of the supersonic exhaust. A test stand was built to serve as a testbed for studying smallscale aerospike nozzles in the form of nitrogen cold gas thrusters. Next, an aerospike geometry was calculated and designed using Solidworks CAD software and modeled via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using the Ansys Fluent software. 3D-printing was selected as the primary manufacturing method for simplicity and rapid iteration.
THE RESULTS
The first testing campaign served to establish the test stand functionality and the nozzle’s primary functionality of accelerating exhaust gasses to supersonic velocities, thus these first test articles did not include SFI capability. Having proven the architecture, the second testing campaign proved the functionality of SFI in providing TVC capability. Results from recorded force data showed that a significant lateral thrust to primary thrust fraction was achieved. These results provide evidence that SFI presents a viable solution to the inherent controllability challenge of aerospikes.
