1. art and entertainment
2. visual art and design
3. design

ENGINEERING DESIGN DAY
MAY 5, 2015 – FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY
Showcasing innovative, real-world senior projects by UA engineering
student teams working directly with professional sponsors and mentors
engineeringclinic.arizona.edu
INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING DESIGN PROGRAM | AN INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP
ENGINEERING DESIGN DAY 2015
Sponsored by the University of Arizona College of Engineering
Sign on Now for a Design Project Sponsorship
UA Engineering Design Project sponsorships provide low-cost, low-risk opportunities to:
Explore new technologies
Bring back-burner projects to life
Try out potential employees
Take advantage of faculty expertise
Access University resources
Help students experience the world of engineering
Design or manufacturing projects are
1,000 hours in scope and occur over an
academic year (August 2015-May 2016).
Contact us by June 30, 2015 to work out
the details for project sponsorship.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Senior Design team and I am impressed by the quantity and quality of the
details in modeling as well as the analysis. The team showed a good understanding of how a design/development
project works — requirements, design and risks are all accounted for.”
— Randy Firor, Senior Principal Systems Engineer, Raytheon
Be a Part of Something Big... Sponsor Design Day 2016, Where It All Comes Together!
Supporting events and awards for Design Day, the best Engineering event of the year, expands your
company’s visibility and helps increase the pool of qualified engineers.
Contact Ara Arabyan at 520.621.2116 or arabyan@email.arizona.edu today for more information.
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College of Engineering
Office of the Dean
Civil Engineering Building #72
P. O. Box 210072
Tucson, AZ 85721-0072
(520) 621-6594
FAX: (520) 621-2232
May 5, 2015
Welcome to the 13th Annual Engineering Design Day!
This is the best day of the academic year! This is the day when we show the world how engineers
design solutions to societal problems and improve the quality of life.
In the Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program at the University of Arizona, multidisciplinary
teams of Engineering seniors work to solve design problems identified by industry partners, faculty
and student clubs.
This event only exists because of the hard work of students, mentors, faculty and, importantly, the many individuals
and organizations who sponsor projects and help mentor and guide our student teams. On behalf of our students
and faculty, thank you to all of our sponsors and industry partners. It is because of you the program continues to get
bigger and better every year.
This year we have more than 400 students majoring in various engineering disciplines demonstrating nearly
80 completely original engineering projects, some of which will go on to be commercial products. Please enjoy the
day and ask design teams about their projects. Our students are enthusiastic about their designs and appreciate
opportunities to explain how they intend to help change the world for the better.
Sincerely,
2
Jeffrey B. Goldberg
Dean, College of Engineering
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Engineering Design Day 2015
Dean’s Welcome ___________________________________ page 2
Event Schedule _____________________________________ page 4
Event Map _________________________________________ page 5
List of Projects Displayed _________________________ pages 6-9
Awards ________________________________________
pages 10-18
Project Descriptions _____________________________ pages 19-95
All contents ©2015 Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. The University of Arizona is an EEO/AA - M/W/D/V Employer.
3
ENGINEERING DESIGN DAY EVENT SCHEDULE
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
1 – 3 p.m.
3 – 4 p.m.
4 – 4:30 p.m.
4
MAY 5, 2015
Senior Engineering Design Day Project Demos
Project Demonstrations for Judges
Judging for Awards
Judges Meet to Finalize Awards
Awards Ceremony
Projects will be in the Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom and on the UA Mall south of the Student Union.
Awards ceremony will be held in the Student Union Ballroom.
ENGINEERING
DESIGN DAY 2015
Inside the Student Union Memorial
Center Grand Ballroom and
outside on the UA Mall.
See pages 6-9 to identify projects.
5
2015 LIST OF PROJECTS DISPLAYED
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Page
6
Team# Project Title
19
1401
20
1402
21
1403
22
1404
23 1405
24 1406
25
1407
26
1408
27
1409
28 1410
29
1411
30
1412
31
1413
32
1414
33
1415
34
1416
35
1418
36
1419
37
1420
38
1421
39
1422
40
1423
41
1424
Silent Crossbow
Compound Bow Assembly Process Cost Reduction
Mainstream-Disk Cavity Flow Overlap Resistance Factor
Under Pulsating Mainstream
Building a Smarter Grid
Design and Demonstration of a Head-Up Display
Exergy Efficiency of High-Performing Office Buildings
Wildlife Tracking and Geolocation System
Variable-Pitch Propeller for UAVs
Classroom Nephelometer to Teach Engineering for Sustainability
Mobile Watchtower for Volcano Remote Sensing
Boeing Teammate Awareness Device
Autonomous Mapping
Software for 3-D Imaging
Advanced Farrier System
Robotic Ordnance Neutralizer (RON)
Remote Imaging System Acquisition (RISA) Project
Aircraft Smart Table Deployment Mechanism
Super First-Class Mini Sink
Electromechanical Shaft Disconnect for Generators
Composite Autotransformer Thermal Improvement
Remote Water Surface and Velocity Measurement
Hypersonic Wing Deployment
The Firebird UAV
See map on page 5 to locate project tables
2015 LIST OF PROJECTS DISPLAYED
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Page
(continued)
See map on page 5 to locate project tables
Team# Project Title
42
1425
43
1426
44
1427
45
1428
46
1429
47
1430
48
1431
49
1432
50
1433
51
1434
52
1435
53
1436
54
1437
55
1438
56
1439
57
1440
58
1441
59
1442
60
1443
61
1444
62
1445
63
1446
Optical Fabrication of Light-Weighted 3-D Printed Mirrors
Design and Demonstration of a Low-Cost Head Tracking System
Super-Stainer Precision Thermal Control
On-Slide Fluid Volume Measurement Device
Delivery of an Endovascular Device for a Bifurcating Vascular Anatomy
Design of Cyclic Variations in Adaptive Conditioning System
for Small Animals
Air Quality Sensor System
Ergonomic Microtome with Sensory Feedback
Automated Whole Body Imaging Integrated with Dermoscopy Imaging
X-Ray Interface Board
Strain Gauge Based Cycling Power Meter
Lightweight Rocket Sensor Payload and Testbed
Automated Optical Surface Defect Detection Tool
Automated Paint/Coating Process
Mobile Terrain Scanning
Optical Time-of-Flight Rangefinder
Aerodynamic Modeling, Measurements and Simulation
Wireless Flow Sensor for Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts
3-D Printed Antennas for Wireless Communication
Smartphone Integrated Gun Lock
Connected Lighting System Using Power over Ethernet
Knife Gate Valve Portable Hydraulic Testing Station
7
2015 LIST OF PROJECTS DISPLAYED
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Page
Team# Project Title
64
1447
65
1448
66
1449
67
1450
68
1451
69
1453
70
1454
71
1455
72
1456
73
1457
74
1458
75
1459
Android Platform Hearing Assist Device Refinement
and Form Factor & Usability Assessment
Fireproof Design for APU Inlet Plenum Split Line Joint
Redesign of a Turbine's Flange Joint into a Composite Shear Joint
Robotic Technologies in Naval Applications
Handheld Ophthalmic Examination Device
Smart Wrist-Worn Sensor for Emotion Assessment and Intervention
Design of an Active Knee Extension Simulator
Smart Foot: A Pressure-Responsive Insole to
Reduce Ischemia and Muscle Fatigue
Point-of-Care Microfluidic Thrombosis Monitor
Three-Color Animated Holographic Projector
Spherical Superfinishing Machine
905 Laser Weapons Mounted Rangefinder
Aerospace Engineering
Page
8
Team# Project Title
76
1460
77
1461
78
1462
79
1463
80
1464
81
1465
X-56 Modular Aircraft with Dynamic Scaling (XMADS)
X-56A DART: Dynamically Scaled Aircraft for Research and Testing
A Method for the Morphing Actuation of
Continuous Control Surfaces
Sabino Canyon VTOL UAV
Dynamic Soaring of UAVs
Clipper Spirit Wing Classification
(continued)
See map on page 5 to locate project tables
2015 LIST OF PROJECTS DISPLAYED
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Page
82
83
84
85
(continued)
See map on page 5 to locate project tables
Team# Project Title
1466
1467
1468
1469
Recycling Lettuce Wash Water with Ozone-Injected Microbubbles
Dewatering Algae
The Smart Hoop House
Gray Water Recycling System
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Page
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
Team# Project Title
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
1477
1478
Industrial Scale-Up of Copper Nanoparticle Coated Paper
Propane-Based Fuel Cells
Production of Feed from Microalgae
Sunshine Distillers: Design of a Bourbon Distillery
Utilization of Waste Heat from Power Generation to Purify Water
Minimizing Acid Generating Potential on Sulfide Mine Tailing
Production of Ultrapure Nitrogen
Plastics Recycling Plant
Gasoline Blending Via Alkylation
Civil Engineering
Page
95
Team# Project Title
1479
Design of Multistory Historical LEED Building
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
Raytheon Sensintel Award
for Best Overall Design
(1st prize $1,000; 2nd prize $750)
While several designs may meet the judging criteria, this award is given to the designs that do so
the most effectively. The projects that receive this award excel in many ways. The design is well
thought out and its implementation is of high quality. It accomplishes all key design requirements
and is supported by rigorous analysis and testing. Its poster and presentation are professional and
easy to understand.
Bly Family Award for Innovation
in Energy Production, Supply or Use
(1st prize $1,500; 2nd prize $500)
This award recognizes the best project related to sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally
friendly energy production, distribution or use. Winning projects could focus on developing
new energy sources, reducing energy costs, improving efficiency or reducing cost of energy
distribution, adapting existing energy distribution methods to better integrate new energy
sources, and increasing efficiency of energy use.
Thorlabs Photonics Is the Future Award ($250 per person up to $1,750)
This award recognizes the most innovative use of optoelectronics and optomechanics in a design.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
Rincon Research Award for Best Presentation
($1,000)
This award reflects the quality of the overall verbal and poster presentations. Verbal presentations
should be well structured to describe efficiently the overall problem being solved and the
specifics of how the team accomplished its design. Answers to questions should be direct and
demonstrate mastery of the project. Presenters should speak in a clear and easily audible voice,
making good eye contact with the judging pod. The poster board should be visually interesting
and graphically well organized to tell a standalone story of the project.
Texas Instruments Analog Design Contest Award ($1,000)
Regardless of whether a design project is sponsored, who is sponsoring it, or what is being
designed, analog integrated circuits are often required. Teams using three or more TI analog
ICs in their designs are invited to enter the TI Analog Design Contest. Projects are judged on
originality of design, quality of design, creativity of design, level of engineering analysis, and a
written description of how each TI analog chip benefited the design.
Ventana Award for Innovation in Engineering
($1,000)
Innovation may include the novel use of existing components or the creation of entirely new
components to meet customer requirements. The most innovative design will not only be a
creative solution to a problem but also an effective solution that is well implemented. This award
recognizes the team that has created or made use of components in the most innovative way,
or demonstrated excellence in the implementation of innovative design in its project, or both.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
ACSS/L-3 Communications Award for
Most Robust Systems Engineering ($750)
This award goes to the team that most robustly addresses all aspects of the project from the
systems perspective. Criteria include requirements capture and flow down, technical risk
identification and mitigation, manufacturability, integration and test plan. Judges will look
holistically at the program to determine overall effectiveness of the systems process.
CAID Industries Award for Innovation in Manufacturing
($750)
This award is given to the team that displays the most innovative new or modified manufacturing
method. Projects could include introducing a new technique for manufacturing, an innovative use
of an existing technique, or new techniques that significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing
and improve the quality of the product.
Edmund Optics Award for Perseverance and Recovery
($750)
Issues and roadblocks always occur during the engineering design process. Although they cause
panic and distress, they also represent great opportunities to learn and often lead to designs that
would otherwise be impossible to conceive. This award recognizes a team’s ability to learn and
to overcome issues or roadblocks encountered during the design process. The award is judged
based on the ingenuity of solutions to problems caused by issues or roadblocks and the features
in the final design that contribute to recovery from them.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
W.L. Gore and Associates Award for Most Creative Solution
($750)
This award honors the student team that has implemented a unique and creative solution
within its project. It recognizes outside-the-box thinking that pushes boundaries and handson approaches to creative solutions. Projects are judged on the elegance and creativity of the
technical solutions and their implementation. Teams should be able to communicate effectively
their design and the processes they use for creativity.
Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies (PADT)
Award for Best Use of Prototyping
($750)
This award goes to the team that best uses a physical prototype model to understand and
study the fit, form and function of the device or system designed. Teams are judged on the
appropriateness of the prototyping technology used, how effectively prototyping is used to
improve design, and how effectively the use of prototyping is communicated. Prototypes can be
made using rapid fabrication technology, traditional manufacturing, or can be hand built.
Raytheon Award for Best Engineering Analysis
($750)
This award recognizes the team with the strongest strategy, implementation and documentation
of analyses supporting its design. Analyses vary from project to project, but may include market
research and analysis, analysis of prior solutions to the design problem posed, trade studies that
justify the final design selected from alternatives considered, system modeling to demonstrate
that the final design is sound and should perform as desired, analysis of potential reasons for
failure and a mitigation plan, and economic or other analysis of the benefits of the final design
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
in its intended application. Criteria for judging include the completeness of the project analysis
based on the above categories, thoroughness of the analyses, application of sound engineering
principles and practice, a demonstrated understanding by team members of any tools or models
used, reasonableness of all assumptions, and the quality of the documentation of the analyses.
Sargent Aerospace & Defense Voltaire Design Award
($750)
The French philosopher Voltaire is credited with the saying “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien,”
which means “the best is the enemy of the good.” Similarly, Leonardo da Vinci is credited with
the saying “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” This award recognizes the design team that
best emulates these ideals and resists the temptation to overly complicate the design to yield a
clean, simple, elegant, lowest-cost design that simply works well.
Technical Documentation Consultants of
Arizona Award for Best Design Documentation
($750)
Successful implementation of any innovative design requires that all members of the design
and production team communicate effectively. Design intent must be communicated from the
design activity to the rest of the team using design documentation with a clear map for others
to reproduce the design based on documentation only. The mechanical portion of the design is
evaluated on the use of drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, solids models,
illustrations and presentations that can be used to manufacture and inspect design hardware.
Software and other systems are evaluated on the use of documentation that clearly and fully
describes the system.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
TRAX International Award for
Best Implementation of Agile Methodology
($750)
The design project is executed using a flexible and incremental approach. Final project outcome
is achieved through several test and evaluation iterations in collaboration with the customer. The
project team should continuously review and assess results, and quickly adapt to any changes or
problems encountered.
Arizona Center for Innovation Award for Most Marketable Design
($500)
This award is for the engineering design that meets a pressing customer need with a product that
is ready for market. The winning team will demonstrate how it translated the customer’s problem
into a simple and elegant – and marketable – solution.
Dataforth Corporation Award for
Best Design Using a Data Acquisition and Control System
($500)
This award recognizes the design team that best implements a modern data acquisition and
control system. Recognition is given for the use of the system to collect data that characterizes
project performance and assists in project optimization and, ideally, uses the same data
acquisition system to perform feedback and control operations.
Honeywell Award for Team Leadership
(two individuals at $250 each)
This award recognizes students who best exemplify teamwork skills, including the ability to work
cooperatively with others to produce high-quality work, to take the initiative, to support and
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
respect the opinions of fellow team members, to give and receive feedback, to demonstrate
effective leadership, to keep their team focused, and to elevate the work of their fellow team
members. Nominees for this award are selected by their teammates.
II-VI Optical Systems Award for
Best Use of Optical Design and Technology ($500)
This award is given to the team that demonstrates the most thorough approach to the design
and engineering of its optical system. This award recognizes complete understandings of the
optical design, system requirements, tolerance analysis, and optical component usage. Important
criteria are integration of optics into the overall system, novel use of optical components, creative
use of commercial off-the-shelf items, verification of optical components, meeting system
requirements, use of standard optical design software, and manufacturability of optical design
and components.
Latitude Engineering Award for
Best Physical Implementation of Analytically Driven Design ($500)
Some engineering problems are straightforward: Optimal solutions are found through the
application of engineering best practices. Sometimes, however, the best design choices are
not obvious, and only reveal themselves after a thorough analysis of the underlying physical
principles. This award recognizes a design that could only have been arrived at after careful study
and creative application of physics.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
Prototron Circuits Award for Best Printed Circuit Design
($500)
This award recognizes the team that has designed or used the most elegant and efficient
electronic circuits in its project. Priority is given to best PCB designs or applications. Originality
and manufacturability of the design are key criteria in selecting the winning team. Any team that
has used circuitry in its project is eligible for consideration. In the absence of any original designs,
the originality of the use of off-the-shelf products and the manufacturability of the overall design
are used as selection criteria.
Universal Avionics Award for Best Integration and Test Philosophy
($500)
Many products consist of multiple subsystems that need to be integrated and tested as an end
product. Designers have to consider the architecture philosophy early in the design, and consider
ease of integration, interface protocols, grounding, harnessing, and so on. The test philosophy
at the subsystem and system levels also needs to be architected early. This award recognizes the
team that best embraces an integration and test philosophy in the design of its product.
UA Center on Aging: Arizona Center on Gerimetrics Award ($500)
This award recognizes the engineering team that best promotes the independence and quality of
life of older adults through innovative yet practical bioengineering tools. The award is judged by
the successful completion of the bioengineering application, and the relevance of the approach.
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AWARDS
Engineering Design Day 2015
Honeywell Award for Excellence in
Aerospace Electronic System Design
($400)
This award recognizes excellence in overall system design in a project that has an aerospace
emphasis. Verbal presentations should be well structured to describe effectively the overall
system and the specifics of how the team implemented its design project. A key feature of the
presentation must be representative data that demonstrate how the system was thoroughly
tested. Answers to questions should be direct and demonstrate a high level of team competency
about the details of the electronic system for the project. The presentation should be shared
among all members, displaying core values of teamwork and gracious professionalism.
Kristy Pearson Fish Out of Water Award (1st prize $250; 2nd prize $150)
The Fish Out of Water award congratulates students for successfully accomplishing a task that
was not in their realm of expertise. The projects for senior design require skills from many
disciplines, and students must sometimes learn a new subject or skill in an area outside of their
major to help the team succeed. A student who not only learns this new subject or skill, but also
uses it to effectively help the team thrive, shows dedication and initiative, traits that will continue
to help in an engineering career.
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SILENT CROSSBOW
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1401
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Precision Shooting Equipment
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Aaron Abril
Project Mentor
Gary Redford
Team Members
Brent Carper
Jan Melendez
Brielle Munsch
Luis Sanchez
Bryant Shontz
Lukas Sultan
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
(EM)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EM = Engineering Management
The Silent Crossbow project
has two main objectives. For
the first deliverable, the team
was tasked with improving
Precision Shooting Equipment’s
(PSE’s) TAC Elite crossbow's
noise levels caused by its firing
and reloading mechanisms.
Through sound testing and
analysis, the team determined that the reloading mechanism was the critical subsystem for
noise reduction. While the reloading cycle did not produce the greatest sound level reading, it
produced it over a greater period of time when compared to the short impulse noise of firing
the crossbow. To solve this problem the team modified the TAC Elite barrel to provide room for
a neoprene insert to dampen the sound when the release lever hits the side. This design meets
noise-reduction goals and all technical and nontechnical requirements. The second objective of
the project, equally as important as the first, was to create a standardized method for testing
crossbow performance and sound in order to determine the bolt speed and sound generated
by a crossbow. This standardized method has been thoroughly documented so that it can be
implemented for PSE’s future use. The team tested all of PSE's production crossbows, as well as
the leading competitor's crossbows.
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COMPOUND BOW ASSEMBLY PROCESS COST REDUCTION
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1402
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Precision Shooting Equipment
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Aaron Abril
Daniel Dittmar
Project Mentor
Gregory Ogden
Team Members
Clark Pederson
Ryan Saunders
Chris Carry
Robert McLean
Bryan Krause
Michael Miramontez
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(ME)
(IE)
(EE)
(ME)
(SE)
(SE)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
Precision Shooting Equipment
(PSE) is the largest privately owned
archery equipment manufacturing
company in the United States. All
compound bows built by PSE are
assembled by hand at its facility in
Tucson, Arizona. To meet weekly
quotas, dozens of employees are
required to work overtime, which
elevates manufacturing costs. The
main objective of this project is to increase the number of bows produced per week without
increasing the number of employees on the assembly line. The scope of the project is limited
to assembly line operations. Time studies were conducted to track the cycle times for each
operation along the assembly line and the total time the bow spends in the entire system. Lean
principles were used to evaluate sources of waste and opportunities for improvement. A target
for the number of bows manufactured per day was set to establish a task time for the assembly
line operations. Line balancing was used to ensure all operational times were balanced along
the assembly line and under the calculated task time to meet production demands. The large
batch sizes have been reduced to promote single-piece flow and prevent buildup of inventory.
Movement of the bow and resources, such as people, were tracked, resulting in an improved
layout design and conveyor belt system. A conveyor belt was constructed to automate the
existing conveyor belt at minimal cost, improving efficiency of the entire system.
MAINSTREAM-DISK CAVITY FLOW OVERLAP RESISTANCE FACTOR
UNDER PULSATING MAINSTREAM Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1403
PROJECT SUMMARY
The objective of this project is to
experimentally derive the optimal axialHoneywell Engines
radial overlap frictional resistance factor
within a rotor-stator turbine disk cavity
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
under a pulsating mainstream. The geometric
Alexander MirzaMoghadam
overlap resistance and the vane-blade system
Jacob Harding
influences the amount of gas diverted into
Project Mentor
a rotor-stator cavity from the mainstream
Jyoti Mukherjee
flow in a turbine engine. The performance
of these engines is limited by thermally
Team Members
sensitive components within this cavity. In
Liliana Saldana
(ME)
order to maintain safe operating temperatures, unheated flow from the compressor is diverted
Hong Zhang
(ME)
into the cavity. However, this reduces the available work to the turbine, which reduces the
Daniel Weiss
(SE)
overall efficiency of the engine. An optimal resistance factor will allow for the least amount of
Christopher McIntyre
(CE)
unheated flow from the compressor while maintaining the rotor-stator cavity at a safe operating
Mohammad Alhasan
(MSE)
temperature. This leads to a higher overall efficiency of the turbine engine. The project aims to
achieve this objective by providing data on the cavity ingestion flow rate versus axial-to-radial
ME = Mechanical Engineering
platform overlap ratios. The geometry of the designed test apparatus, the vane-blade system
SE = Systems Engineering
and the rotational speed simulate the rotor-stator cavity of a real turbine engine. Test variables
CE = Computer Engineering
include various radial and axial gaps, purge flow rates, rotational speeds, thermal conditions and
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering angle adjustable vanes. The system measures temperatures, pressures and mass flow rates at
critical locations in order to determine the optimal axial-radial overlap resistance factor.
Sponsor
21
BUILDING A SMARTER GRID
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1404
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Tucson Electric Power
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Chris Lynn
Project Mentor
Doug May
Team Members
Jacob Chess
Peter Lankisch
Viviana Llano
Daniel McLeod
Alex Moser
Eric Sahr
(ME)
(CE)
(OSE)
(EE)
(EE)
(SE)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
22
Tucson Electric Power (TEP),
like all power utilities, must
regularly inspect the electric
grid for abnormalities due
to ordinary wear and tear,
weather, and other root causes.
Currently, TEP's power lines
are inspected by qualified
workers. These operations
are expensive, sometimes
requiring the use of helicopters
and specially trained pilots. A
prototype unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was designed, built and tested to demonstrate to
TEP the feasibility and usefulness of autonomous power line inspection. Commercial off-theshelf components and custom image-processing software were incorporated into the design.
Overall, the UAV is designed to inspect up to 17 miles of power lines in one hour during a
single flight. During the flight, onboard sensors (such as an infrared camera and magnetic field
sensors) check the power line for anomalies. After the flight, this information is downloaded by
the operator onto a computer. The image-processing software then examines the data from the
flight, identifies potential abnormalities on the power line, and flags this data for further review.
Photo courtesy of TEP/David Sanders
DESIGN AND DEMONSTRATION OF A HEAD-UP DISPLAY
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1405
PROJECT SUMMARY
A head-up display (HUD) is an
augmented reality that displays
Honeywell Aerospace
pertinent real-time information
to an aircraft pilot. The goal of
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
this project is to redesign and
Kalluri Sarma
build a HUD with improved
Project Mentor
optical performance while
Mike Nofziger
decreasing weight, size, cost,
and heat emission. The design
Team Members
uses a digital light projector as
Adam Blumer
(OSE)
the image source, producing an
Erick Leon
(SE)
intermediate image a throw distance away. This image is projected onto a spatial light diffuser
Matthew Hart
(ME)
so that it can be fully relayed by collimating optics located a focal length away. The collimated
Michael Green
(SE)
image then travels into a waveguide (plane parallel plate) and hits the rear surface, where a
Nick Paco
(EE)
reflective hologram is placed. The waveguide diffracts the light so that the angle of reflection
Stephania Vasilieva
(SE)
is greater than the critical angle and allows the image to travel down the waveguide through
total internal reflection. The image is then extracted from the waveguide by a second reflective
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
hologram on the opposing side, allowing the image to remain collimated at infinity so the pilot
SE = Systems Engineering
may view it with a relaxed eye. This prevents accommodation and, consequently, eye fatigue.
ME = Mechanical Engineering
The team's design is a step forward in the commercial development of a compact head-up
EE = Electrical Engineering
display using holographic waveguide technology to further improve safety in low visibility or
degraded weather conditions during aircraft take-offs and landings.
Sponsor
23
EXERGY EFFICIENCY OF HIGH-PERFORMING OFFICE BUILDINGS
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1406
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Lincus Inc.
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Jorj Nofal
Yeshpal Gupta
Project Mentor
Gerald Pine
Team Members
Victor Lopez-Hilburn
Xinyi Xu
Mirna Vega
Yisun Se
Zachary Tucker
(IE)
(IE)
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
IE = Industrial Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
24
The goal of this project is
to the create and test a tool
capable of analyzing exergy
considerations in building
design. Exergy is the measure
of the ability of a system to
do work. Energy usage in
commercial and residential
buildings accounts for
about half of all energy use
worldwide. Seventy percent
of the total energy consumed
is electricity, which is 100 percent exergy. Standard analysis tools do not consider the source
of the energy used. In order to measure the sustainability of building design, Lincus needed a
tool that calculated the first law (energy) usage and second law (exergy) requirements. Using
energy in a way that minimizes exergy destruction has sustainability implications. Lincus
wants to influence energy policymakers to use an exergy approach rather than a conventional
energy analysis. The tool was built in Microsoft Excel using English units and an hour-by-hour
analysis of a hypothetical one-story, 50,000-square-foot office building in Phoenix. With the
working tool, the team undertook a design of experiments to see if exergy considerations lead
designers to make nontrivial changes to building design. The exergy tool is unique in the U.S.
and will be the baseline model for Lincus and future second law analysis projects to come.
WILDLIFE TRACKING AND GEOLOCATION SYSTEM
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1407
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Michael Marcellin
Kathleen Melde
Project Mentor
Ivar Sanders
Team Members
Kayla Niu
James Ringle
Asif Shahidullah
Michaelina Sorrell Andrea Vilarasau Luke Zurmehly
(CE)
(EE)
(EE)
(EE)
(IE)
(ME)
CE = Computer Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
The ultimate goal of this multiyear project
is to research, develop and design a
small-mammal tracker prototype. This
design is particular to a specific mammal,
the golden lion tamarin. These monkeys
were on the verge of extinction in their
native habitat, the lowland Serra do
Mar coastal forests of Brazil. They are
currently classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation
of Nature. The wild population is now managed by the Save The Golden Lion Tamarin
organization. This project's main challenge is to design a low-cost tracking system suitable
for these 10-inch, 1.5-pound monkeys that also accommodates the operational limitations of
their native environment, such as power constraints, packaging considerations, and poor GPS
availability. The proposed design is a proof-of-concept that is capable of tracking multiple
collars in a fixed geographic location over an extended period of time using a method that
moves complexity from the collars to fixed receiver stations. To gauge the location of the
collars, the design employs a rolling power loss model that relates signal power with distance.
Trilateration is then used to determine the relative location of the emitted signal using the
geometry of circles. The implementation of this design will minimize human interaction with
the tamarins and yield tracking data that is more representative of their way of life. It is hoped
that a better understanding of their behavior and migration patterns will benefit breeding and
reintroduction programs and contribute to an increased population.
25
VARIABLE-PITCH PROPELLER FOR UAVs
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1408
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Northrop Grumman
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Daniel Schoon
Project Mentor
Doug May
Team Members
Kym Beeston
Grant Province
Zane Sheets
Zach Spaulding
Chris Van Cleave
Jeff Williams
(EE)
(SE)
(CE)
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
EE = Electrical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
26
Unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) are remotely operated
aircraft often used in high-risk
environments where efficiency
is key. Current UAVs are built
with inefficient fixed-pitch
propeller systems that are
optimized for a specific mode
of flight: cruise or takeoff.
Larger propeller-driven aircraft
use variable-pitch propeller systems that allow for maximum efficiency for all modes of flight.
This is accomplished by integrating the propeller system with the aircraft. Northrop Grumman
needs a modular variable-pitch propeller system that is self-contained and can be attached
to any of several UAVs without modification. This project uses centrifugal forces exerted on a
mechanical mechanism to cause a change in pitch of the propeller blades. Depending on the
engine speed, the centrifugal force causes the mechanical mechanism to alter its position,
dictating the pitch of the propeller blade. The mechanical mechanism is made up of two
weights mounted symmetrically around the axis of rotation. Increased centrifugal force caused
by higher engine speed moves the weights outward. This linear motion acting outward from
the axis of rotation is then translated to the pitch-changing motion of the propeller blades
through a linear actuator. The completion of this project will result in a fully functioning
variable-pitch propeller hub assembly that is completely modular and ready to be mounted on
a UAV with a standard threaded shaft.
CLASSROOM NEPHELOMETER TO TEACH ENGINEERING FOR
SUSTAINABILITY Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1409
PROJECT SUMMARY
A nephelometer is an instrument
for measuring concentration
National Science Foundation
of suspended particulates in a
gas sample. A nephelometer
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
measures suspended particulates
Meredith Kupinski
using a light beam (source
Project Mentor
beam) and a light detector set to
Mike Nofziger
one side of the source beam. Particle density is a function of the light reflected into the detector
from the particles. To some extent, how much light reflects for a given density of particles is
Team Members
dependent upon properties of the particles, such as their shape, color and reflectivity. The goal
Dalia Abdulkareem
(EE)
of the NSF-supported classroom nephelometer is for high school students and teachers to have
Christopher Housman
(EE)
a realistic scientific experience: making optical scattering measurements, interpreting numerical
Ariel Schwartz
(ME)
data, and designing air-quality experiments to teach sustainability. The basic nephelometer
Courtney Solleveld
(OSE)
system consists of light source, detector, light-control servo, thermal sensor, temperature
Ryota Kimura
(OSE)
controller, and user interface. The light source, such as an LED or laser diode, emits light into
Kyle Larson
(EE)
the chamber. In the chamber, light is scattered by the gas sample and the detector measures
the intensity of the scattered light. Because the detector measures low energy, it should be well
EE = Electrical Engineering
stabilized. The thermal sensor and the temperature controller create stable conditions for the
ME = Mechanical Engineering
detector. The light-control servo changes measurement conditions such as measurement angle.
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
Data is acquired and processed in the CPU and displayed on a user interface. Some measurement
parameters are controlled via the user interface. The high school students’ assignment will be to
analyze the nephelometer measurements and assemble a report of their findings.
Sponsor
27
MOBILE WATCHTOWER FOR VOLCANO REMOTE SENSING
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1410
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Department of
Planetary Sciences,
Lunar & Planetary Laboratory
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Christopher Hamilton
Project Mentor
David Gilblom
Team Members
Chirag Agarwal
Kenneth Barnett
Eugene Balaguer
Walker Bowman
Lejla Prijic
Jason Yob
28
(EE)
(SE)
(EE)
(ME)
(CE)
(EE)
EE = Electrical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
The objective of this project
is to design, build and test
a mobile watchtower for
volcano remote sensing. The
design consists of assembling
a UAV that will be tethered
to a ground power source
(generator) and data-transfer
system. Using the Hexacopter
from Vulcan, a power-system
design was developed that
allows continuous flight and
image acquisition for the
duration of a flight. The UAV needs approximately 4,000 watts of power for a 24-hour flight,
so a 4,000-watt generator is used to supply AC voltage to a step-up/step-down circuit. Once
the voltage is transformed to 25V, it is sent to a power-distribution board that distributes
power to the gigabit switch, electronic speed controllers, and motors. The UAV has two
cameras: a FLIR A65 for infrared images and a CMOS wide-view camera with autoexposure.
These cameras are powered via Ethernet through the gigabit switch. Images are transferred
through the Ethernet cables to the gigabit switch and on to a 7 TB server via fiber-optic cable.
This design will enable volcanologists to gather more information about eruptions and to
better predict volcanic behavior during eruptions.
BOEING TEAMMATE AWARENESS DEVICE
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1411
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Boeing Mesa Helicopter Company
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Nathan Adams
Jim Kuchan
Danielle Craig
Project Mentor
Gary Redford
Team Members
Amanda Coldren
Vincent Cordasco Anthony Giang
David Schwartz Xue Meng
Matthew Ware
(BME)
(ME)
(CE)
(CE)
(SE)
(EE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
The purpose of this project
is to design, fabricate
and demonstrate an
affordable, dependable
and easy-to-use device
to alert team members
to the locations of their
teammates. This device can
be used to prevent injuries
and improve situational
awareness. Military systems
with this capability are
not readily availible on the
commercial market, but
this project aims to make such systems available to militaries, police forces, and the public.
To meet these requirements, a device was designed with a smartphone-based interface that
shows users the locations of all their teammates. In order to work without cellular networks,
the backpack device uses a radio frequency system to broadcast and receive locations of
others using the system. For ease of use, the team integrated a universal mounting system
for both the phone and the backpack system.
29
AUTONOMOUS MAPPING
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project is to develop an
unmanned autonomous aircraft that can map
UA Department of Electrical
desert areas as part of a campaign to protect
and Computer Engineering
native ecosystems. Buffelgrass is an invasive
International Foundation
species that threatens native wildlife in the
for Telemetering
Tucson, Arizona, area. The Southern Arizona
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Buffelgrass Coordination Center is a community
Michael Marcellin
organization that works to remove the plant.
Its current removal methods are expensive and
Project Mentor
physically demanding. This project makes it
Ivar Sanders
easy for a nonspecialist to input a GPS region for the quadcopter UAV to map autonomously.
Team Members
The user can then take the quadcopter to the search location, establish the ground station,
Jeremy Hibbs
(EE)
and launch the mission. From the ground station laptop, the user can initiate the mission
(SE)
Travis Kibler
by communicating with the autopilot. The quadcopter will then search the selected region
Jesse Odle
(OSE)
autonomously using the GPS waypoints. During the mission, a single-board computer will
Rachel Powers
(EE)
trigger a down-facing camera, which will capture the landscape below. These images will be
Thomas Schucker
(CE)
stored on a secure digital card in the computer. In the event of a problem or error in flight,
Alex Warren (CE)
the user can take control of the platform using a safety controller. If the UAV encounters
any unplanned physical obstacles during the mission, it will reroute in an attempt to avoid a
EE = Electrical Engineering
collision and continue the mission. Otherwise, it will fulfill the assigned tasks and land back at
SE = Systems Engineering
the starting point. The photos will be uploaded and stitched into a large mosaic and displayed
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
to the user. This mosaic will then be used in an attempt to identify buffelgrass.
CE = Computer Engineering
Sponsor
30
TEAM 1412
PROJECT SUMMARY
SOFTWARE FOR 3-D IMAGING
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1413
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Raytheon
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Eric Fest
Project Mentor
Gary Redford
Team Members
Andrew Byron
Ben Lacy
Eric Nusbaum
Norman Miller
Zachary Montoya EE = Electrical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
(EE)
(CE)
(SE)
(CE)
(CE)
Polarimetry is a passive
process that takes advantage
of the polarization of light,
which is a naturally occurring
phenomenon. Data collected
through polarimetry can be
converted into 3-D images
via surface reconstruction
algorithms, such as the
Frankot-Chellappa algorithm (FCA). Raytheon is interested in developing and using software
for creating 3-D images using polarimetry due to its potential for the consumer marketplace
and its numerous advantages over other 3-D imaging methods. The team was given the task of
converting FCA to the C++ programming language and incorporating it in a software program.
The team's software program reads needle map data contained in a text file that has been
created from polarimetry. A needle map is an array of pixels defined by their (x, y) position
and a normal vector. The normal vector is orthogonal to the surface of the 3-D image at pixel’s
(x, y) location. Once this data is organized for use by the FCA, it is processed by the algorithm
to generate the position of the pixels’ z coordinates in 3-dimensional space. The z coordinates
are paired with the x and y coordinates, and the completed surface array is rendered and
displayed in three dimensions through the use of the OpenGL libraries. For ease of use, the
software will provide the user with a graphical user interface and the ability to adjust the data
that defines the normal vector if the image appears to have been rendered incorrectly.
31
ADVANCED FARRIER SYSTEM
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Many logistical challenges
are involved in large-animal
Brethren Systems
healthcare, from transportation
and finite availability of experts
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
to a lack of empirical data to
Quinn McIntosh
diagnose and choose the best
Project Mentor
path for proper health care. The
David Gilblom
goal of the Advanced Farrier
System (AFS) is to bridge this
Team Members
gap in healthcare for horses.
Lindsay Bahureksa
(BME)
Hoof health plays a major role
Lindsey Conklin
(BME)
in overall equine health. By
Matt Ellison
(SE)
analyzing sensor data, the AFS will identify possible medical issues for individualized hoof
Jacob Landsiedel
(OSE)
care, and provide dimensional guidelines for horseshoeing, depending on the horse’s specific
Quinn McIntosh
(ME)
needs. After this analysis, the AFS will provide a user-level healthcare summary based on hoof
Jovan Vance (CE)
pressure, dimensions, and visual and behavioral cues. The AFS will also enable users to identify
and track changes in hoof health over time. AFS will not replace regularly scheduled health
BME = Biomedical Engineering
care appointments, but will augment current treatments and provide valuable information
SE = Systems Engineering
to horse owners and health care professionals. The system has the potential to detect health
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
problems before the horse shows any visual or behavioral changes, which will allow early
ME = Mechanical Engineering
detection and treatment, making the AFS a critical tool for preventative care and treatment of
CE = Computer Engineering
disease and lameness.
Sponsor
32
TEAM 1414
PROJECT SUMMARY
ROBOTIC ORDNANCE NEUTRALIZER (RON)
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1415
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Raytheon Missile Systems
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Scott Thomas
Richard Beaman
Carlos Garcia
Project Mentor
Doug May
Team Members
Elisa Duarte
Jeremy Gin
Cassie Kammerman
Mark Roche
Greg Stanford
Jaime Lara Martinez
(IE)
(EE)
(ME)
(CE)
(ME)
(EE)
IE = Industrial Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
When clearing buildings in urban
environments, military personnel often
come across pressure-sensitive improvised
explosive devices (IEDs) known as "toe
poppers." These antipersonnel mines are
small and hard to find. The goal of this project
is to design and build an unmanned ground
vehicle system that creates a safe path
by which military personnel can traverse an urban environment and trigger in advance any
hidden "toe popper" IEDs. The team had to design and integrate three subsystems: controls,
drive and neutralization. The controls subsystem allows the user to remotely control the speed,
steering and neutralization mechanism of the robotic ordnance neutralizer, or RON, from a
safe minimum distance of 15 feet. The drive subsystem consists of the motors and wheels that
allow RON to traverse urban terrain at varying speeds. The neutralization subsystem consists
of the mechanisms used to apply a minimum of 5 PSI to the ground to trigger and neutralize
"toe popper" IEDs. To cover the required path width, the team designed arm assemblies of
spring steel rake teeth that extend from and retract into the vehicle body to neutralize paths
of varying widths. The retraction of the rake arms also allows the vehicle to travel through a
standard-width door. To consistently apply the minimum required pressure onto the ground,
the vehicle redirects its weight onto the rake assembly with a lever arm. The overall goal of
this project was to develop a solution that is smaller, more adaptable, and less expensive than
existing ordnance neutralization systems.
33
REMOTE IMAGING SYSTEM ACQUISITION (RISA) PROJECT
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The overall goal of this multiyear
project is to research, develop,
National Aeronautics and
design, implement and test a
Space Administration (NASA)
handheld multipurpose imaging
Johnson Space Center
system for NASA. The system will
be used on the exterior of space
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
vehicles, in the crew cabin, and on
S. Douglas Holland
planetary or lunar surfaces. The
Project Mentor
final design must function untethered for 12 hours, receive commands and transmit images
David Gilblom
wirelessly, and record still images using an autofocus feature or with user-specified focus.
The camera must use a removable single liquid lens assembly and be able to record geometric
Team Members
measurements and images in multispectral regions. The system must also use components
Luis Ballesteros
(ME)
that have commercially available radiation-hardened equivalents and the case must protect
Nicole Sheesley
(SE)
the internal electronic components from electromagnetic interference and other hazards of the
Braden Smith
(OSE)
space environment. The specfic goals of the 2015 RISA team include developing and executing
Joseph Tang
(OSE)
a complete optical test plan to characterize the optical aberrations and optical parameters
Yusuke Watanabe
(MSE)
that exist in the liquid lens assembly created by the 2014 RISA team and compare them to the
theoretical ZEMAX model. The optical aberrations tested include spherical aberration, coma,
ME = Mechanical Engineering
astigmatism, distortion, field curvature, and chromatic aberration. The optical parameters
SE = Systems Engineering
tested include contrast transfer function, near focus, focal length, focal ratio, vignetting, and
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering strehl ratio. In response to new project requirements, the team also redesigned the camera's
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering mechanical housing to decrease the size and weight of the housing designed by the 2014 team.
Sponsor
34
TEAM 1416
PROJECT SUMMARY
AIRCRAFT SMART TABLE DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1418
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
B/E Aerospace
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
John Kuyper
Ian Frost
Project Mentor
Gerald Pine
Team Members
Hassan Alhashimi
Weston Keller
Haibo Shen
Vincent Van Ness Tai Xu
Charles Young
(IE)
(ME)
(EE)
(ME)
(EE)
(EM)
IE = Industrial Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
EM = Engineering Management
The objective of this project
was to redesign and modify
a deployable table for luxury
airplane cabins. When not in
use, the table must fit in a
compact storage envelope using
the same mounting points as
the previous design. Reuse of
some of the previous design
concepts was permitted as
long as the new requirements were met and problems with the previous design were fixed.
One desired requirement was to include the ability to provide table position feedback to
flight attendants, enabling them to easily look at a display monitor to see the status of all
cabin tables without having to walk around the airplane to check before takeoff and landing.
Another modification to the original design was to have the table deploy in the center of the
envelope and allow table to move toward and away from the seated passenger. Previously,
the deployed position only allowed the table to slide away from the passenger. One design
challenge was to eliminate "racking," unwanted motion during table deployment and sliding.
Racking was fixed by adding high-precision linear rails on the sides and back of the envelope
for table deployment and sliding. The chosen design with precision linear rails also provides
B/E Aerospace the ability to scale the design for different applications with many sizes of
tables and envelopes.
35
SUPER FIRST-CLASS MINI SINK
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
B/E Aerospace
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Joe Warren
Project Mentor
Gerald Pine
Team Members
Abdulaziz Alameeri
(ME)
Carlos Gonzalez
(ME)
Jose Gonzalez
(EM)
William Minch
(EE)
Vincent Jiang
(CE)
Nicholas Valverde (ME/Math)
36
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EM = Engineering Management
EE = Electrical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
Math = Mathematics
TEAM 1419
PROJECT SUMMARY
Comfort and a high-quality
personal experience in regards
to amenities are critical when
considering first class seating
solutions in an aircraft. In
current first class seating
arrangements, users must
make use of a communal
bathroom to take care of their
personal hygienic needs. The
main goal of this project was
to design and build a miniature
sink and faucet that are
stowable within the passenger's
super first class seating space. This sink must be small, because space in a first class cabin is
limited, while providing a comfortable and inviting user experience. Furthermore, the device
must have bottled water as its source. As a secondary objective, the system must have elegant
logistical support, limiting the downtime of the plane and making servicing very simple. All of
these elements need to be melded into a simple and visually appealing system that matches a
similar style found in the luxurious interiors provided in B/E Aerospace's Super First Class VIP
interior environments.
ELECTROMECHANICAL SHAFT DISCONNECT FOR GENERATORS
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1420
PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this project was
to review, improve, and
Honeywell
analyze the electromechanical
shaft disconnect for an
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
aircraft generator. The
Reed Guthrie
electromechanical disconnect
Jens Gehrke
device is used to disconnect
Balwinder Birdi
the generator shaft from
Project Mentor
the engine shaft in response
Jyoti Mukherjee
to an abnormality in the
generator. The design allows
Team Members
the engine to continue
Jose Luttmann
(ME)
providing power to the aircraft
Isaiah Bruno
(ME)
without further damaging the generator and gearbox. After analyzing last year’s design, it
Michel Mora
(ME)
was concluded that it would not meet certain requirements, such as being able to operate
Ivy Hasman
(MSE)
at the maximum required 28,000 rpm, and it contained no mechanism to keep the shaft
engaged or disengaged. Proper modifications were made to the design to meet the functional
ME = Mechanical Engineering
requirements. Mechanical stress analysis was used in the redesign process, which vastly
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering
improved the load and speed capabilities of the shaft to function as required. Test fixtures
were designed and manufactured to demonstrate the capabilities of the design. The improved
design went through a series of static and dynamic tests to prove that it met all requirements.
Sponsor
37
COMPOSITE AUTOTRANSFORMER THERMAL IMPROVEMENT
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project is to
evaluate and improve the
Honeywell Aerospace
thermal performance of a
composite power converter for
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
commercial aircraft use. The
Keming Chen
composite converter consists of a
Jens Gehrke
rectifier and an autotransformer
Project Mentor
that converts alternating current
Jyoti Mukherjee
to direct current and decreases
voltage from the generator on
Team Members
the aircraft to power smaller electronic devices. The current Honeywell autotransformer design
Ji Ma
(EE)
overheats beyond safety standards before reaching a steady state temperature. The maximum
Michael McCabe
(ME)
operational temperature is 200 degrees Celsius. The specific objective of this project is to
John McKearney
(ME)
design a heat-rejection method to reduce the steady state temperature to under 200 degrees
Zachary Prince (ME)
Celsius while minimizing weight increase. The redesign improves performance by creating
Erik Wise
(MSE)
a larger area on an existing component for heat flow while minimizing added weight. The
increased area takes into account geometries as well as contact pressure and smoothness to
EE = Electrical Engineering
optimize the heat dissipated. A full 3x3 factorial experiment was conducted to validate results
ME = Mechanical Engineering
produced by finite element simulation, indicating improved thermal performance with the
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering
modification. Temperature data during operation of the autotransformer, as well as system
weight data, were used to develop a normalized thermal performance score for all tested
cases. The optimal configuration was selected and recommended for use.
Sponsor
38
TEAM 1421
PROJECT SUMMARY
REMOTE WATER SURFACE AND VELOCITY MEASUREMENT
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1422
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
USDA, Agricultural Research
Service, Southwest Watershed
Research Center
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Mary Nichols
Project Mentor
Michael Nofziger
Team Members
Kjel Gudvangen
Frank Holler
Youra Jun
Jason Leuer
Connor Shea
Craig Thompson
(ME)
(EE)
(ME)
(ME)
(IE)
(ME)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
The goal of the project is to
design and build a camerabased system for remotely
measuring water depth and
velocity to be deployed on
Flume 6 of the Walnut Gulch
Experimental Watershed.
Currently, water level during
flows is measured using a
potentiometer attached to a
float in a stilling well that is
hydraulically connected to the
floor of the flume. Although the
measurement is automated,
heavy sediment loads clog the intake channels requiring labor-intensive maintenance after
every flow. The team designed a remote measurement system consisting of a trigger to
initiate data collection, a ruggedized housing to protect against gunfire and extreme weather
conditions, a power system consisting of a solar panel connected to a 12-volt car battery, a
remote depth-measurement system using Fluke 414D laser rangefinders, and a data collection,
logging and storage system controlled by a Raspberry Pi computer.
39
HYPERSONIC WING DEPLOYMENT
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project was
to design, build and test a
Raytheon Missile Systems
mechanism that deploys the
wings of a hypersonic glide
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
vehicle (HGV) from a stored
Randall Firor
position to a fully deployed
Steve Larimore
position. This mechanism will
Project Mentor
be used in tandem with a
Doug May
conventional booster rocket
to propel the HGV into the
Team Members
air and then to hypersonic
Jake Greivenkamp
(ME)
speeds. This system serves as
Mackenzie Maddock
(ME)
a proof of concept that a hypersonic vehicle can be stored with undeployed wings in a launch
Michael McCormick
(IE)
vehicle and have the wings deploy during flight, allowing the vehicle to glide to its destination.
Christopher Tursi
(MSE)
This improves both range and accuracy of the vehicle while allowing it to be launched from
Forrest Wicke
(IE)
the current standard platforms. The final design must be deployable at any altitude as well
Anthony Wurtz
(EM)
as deploy in two seconds or less, lock into place, and tighten the wing to the body within
the allowed tolerances. After the mechanism locks, it must be able to withstand all weather
ME = Mechanical Engineering
conditions and the extreme heat and pressure experienced during hypersonic flight. The
IE = Industrial Engineering
mechanism must also have a feature that notifies the user if the deployment was a success or
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering failure. There is no external power source involved in this system, so the mechanism must run
EM = Engineering Management
off the HGV's onbord power supply.
Sponsor
40
TEAM 1423
PROJECT SUMMARY
THE FIREBIRD UAV
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Honeywell Aerospace
& Advanced Technology
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
John Ihlein & John Linert
Project Mentor
Jyoti Mukherjee
Team Members
Elizabeth Greene
(SE)
Fabian De La Peña Montero(CE)
Zachary Petruska
(CE)
Kyle Smith (ME)
Michael Bramer
(ME)
Claira Safi
(EE)
SE = Systems Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
TEAM 1424
PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this project is to
improve upon a basic multi-purpose
quadrotor unmanned aircraft
designed last year with additional
features added specifically for
firefighter use. The "Firebird"
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
project is a continuation of a series
of previous UAV projects initiated by
Honeywell. The team has been working closely with Honeywell and Chief Joseph DeWolf of the
Sonoita Fire Department to create a tool that will best complement and extend the capabilities
of the fire crews’ information-gathering abilities while still being efficient, reliable, and durable
enough to handle the same harsh conditions the firefighters must face. In particular, it will
give the fire crew access to otherwise difficult to get visual perspectives and environmental
measurements of conditions at the scene to ensure that the responders are well-informed
about exactly what they are up against at all times, and do not expose themselves to
unnecessary dangers. It is equipped with a motor-stabilized camera assembly incorporating a
telephoto lens and an infrared temperature detector. This sensor suite is capable of measuring
ambient temperature, pressure, and the concentrations of a large range of gases. Flight control
of the vehicle is handled through a wireless setup consisting of a remote control with an
integrated video display, and a laptop running customized ground station software. In addition
to manual control, the on-board systems include a set of autonomous flight modes.
41
OPTICAL FABRICATION OF LIGHT-WEIGHTED 3-D PRINTED
MIRRORS Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
This project aims to evaluate
the feasibility of performing
Lockheed Martin Advanced
optical manufacturing
Technology Center
processes on 3-D printed metal
substrates, and to determine
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
if the benefits of the 3-D
Joni Mici
printing process outweigh
David Stubbs
the drawbacks. Direct metal
Project Mentor
laser sintering and electron
Mike Nofziger
beam melting 3-D printing
technologies are being used at
Team Members
UA to create lightweight, optical grade mirrors out of AlSi10Mg aluminum and Ti6Al4V titanium
Richard Bates
(ME)
alloys. The mirror prototypes are polished to meet the λ/20 RMS and λ/4 P-V visible optical
Jacob Calis (ME)
requirements. The objective of this project is use Altair Inspire software to design a mirror that
Alyssa De La Torre
(SE)
is fully optimized for low mass and maximum stiffness. The mirror must endure the polishing
Harrison Herzog
(ME)
process with the necessary stiffness to eliminate print-through. The challenge for the team is
Jacob Segal
(OSE)
to reduce porosity within the 3-D printed mirror and determine the best polishing methods
Jeremy Smith (ME)
to meet the optical requirements. The prototypes will undergo hot isostatic press and heat
treatment to improve density, eliminate porosity, and relieve stress. Metal 3-D printing allows
ME = Mechanical Engineering
for nearly unlimited constraints on design and eliminates the need for a machine shop when
SE = Systems Engineering
creating an optical mirror. This research can lead to an increase in mirror mounting support
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering complexity in the manufacturing of lightweight mirrors and improve overall process efficiency.
Sponsor
42
TEAM 1425
PROJECT SUMMARY
DESIGN AND DEMONSTRATION OF A LOW-COST
HEAD TRACKING SYSTEM Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1426
PROJECT SUMMARY
The objective of this project
was to develop a low-cost six
Honeywell Advanced Technology
degrees of freedom (6-DOF)
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
head tracker, which senses
Ken Leiphon
and reports the position
Steve Martinez
and orientation of a headup display (HUD), for use
Project Mentor
in commercial aviation. The
Dave Gilblom
selected design consists of a
Team Members
pair of glasses with a small
Adrian Basurto
(EM)
camera mounted to the
Dustin Landis
(ME)
side, aligned with the wearer's view. A reference image is taken when the system initializes.
Grant West
(OSE)
With the help of the OpenCV computer vision library, images from the live camera feed
Jordan Brock
(CE)
are compared to the reference image, and the position and orientation of the camera are
Rafael Jimenez Jr. (EE)
computed. Implementation began with the software. MATLAB was chosen as the development
Taylor Turnidge (CE)
platform because of its quick prototyping capability and ability to incorporate OpenCV
functions. Simulations were run in MATLAB to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.
EM = Engineering Management
After computer simulations proved the proper functionality of the algorithm, physical tests
ME = Mechanical Engineering
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering began. The testing apparatus consisted of a gimbal table to accurately control the three axes of
rotation of the camera, and a wooden base to control the three translational axes. The camera
CE = Computer Engineering
faced a poster of a cockpit on a white wall. Images were taken at various 6-DOF configurations
EE = Electrical Engineering
and run through the algorithm to determine the accuracy and precision of the system.
Sponsor
43
SUPER-STAINER PRECISION THERMAL CONTROL
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1427
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Ventana Medical Systems Inc.
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kenyon Kehl
Chris Donat
Steven Lei
Project Mentor
Gregory Ogden
Team Members
Marissa Lopez-Pier
Amy Vaughn
Ziad Alrayes
Cody Kalmick
Koriel Lambson Chris Sanford 44
(BME)
(BME)
(IE)
(ME)
(ME)
(EE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
The aim of this project is to
research, develop, design,
implement and test a system
for Ventana Medical Systems
Inc. that can hold a standard
25x75 mm microscope slide
and generate a controlled
temperature field that is either
uniform or programmable to
a user's desired temperature
gradient. The unit is designed
to operate in the range of
27-105 degrees Celsius, with
three temperature zones
varying by 3 degrees Celsius.
The system must also have a
noncontaminating slide area, receive commands from a user interface, and maintain user's
initial conditions. The system must have a transparent window for the user to observe the
process. The system must also use commercial off-the-shelf components. The specific goals
of the project include designing, developing and building a system with a functional thermal
gradient, gradient controller, and effective user interface, then implementing system test plans
to verify that the device functions properly. The team's device is safe and fits on a work bench.
ON-SLIDE FLUID VOLUME MEASUREMENT DEVICE
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1428
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Ventana Medical Systems Inc.
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Robert Cisneroz
Christopher Kovatch
Jeff Calhoun
Project Mentor
Greg Ogden
Team Members
Jeff Garcia
Bradley Kasberg
Frank Sodari
Vince Ippolito
Jamison Phelps
Samuel Dunn
(SE)
(ME)
(EE)
(BME)
(BME)
(BME)
SE = Systems Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
BME = Biomedical Engineering
The purpose of this project
is to develop a device for
measuring a dispensed fluid
volume in microliters on a
standard microscope slide.
Ventana Medical Systems
wants a system to confirm that
their automated staining device
is dispensing the appropriate
volume of reagents onto a
tissue sample. The system
designed by the team operates
by taking an image of the slide
and using image processing
to determine the area of the
fluid's footprint on the slide. In
addition, the image-processing
algorithms determine the center point of the dispensed liquid. A laser sensor is then placed
directly over the center point and a height measurement is taken. The height and area are then
used to determine the volume. Multiple measurments can be taken to detect volume changes
over time.
45
DELIVERY OF AN ENDOVASCULAR DEVICE FOR A BIFURCATING
VASCULAR ANATOMY Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of the project is to
develop a delivery system for
UA Soft Tissue
an endovascular device capable
Biomechanics Laboratory
of treating complex bifurcating
aneurysmal anatomies.
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Abdominal aortic aneurysms
Jonathan Vande Geest
(AAA) are asymptomatic and
Project Mentor
affect 5 percent of the elderly
Gerald Pine
population. AAA consists of
a thinning of the aortic wall
Team Members
and an increase in aortic
Andrea Acuna
(BME)
diameter. Aortic rupture has a
Carmelo Moraila
(ME)
mortality rate of 90 percent.
Marysol Luna (BME)
Current devices used to treat
Matthew Davis
(BME)
this disease are unsuitable for 30 percent of patients because of their complex aneurysmal
Matthew Kirk
(EM)
geometry. The proposed delivery system includes a polymeric device able to absorb light at
Sean Ashley
(OSE)
a specific wavelength, a light source, a light diffuser and a balloon catheter. The polymeric
device thermoforms, or changes its shape in the presence of heat, and paves to the aortic wall,
BME = Biomedical Engineering
reducing the pressure on the aneurysmal wall. The polymeric device treats AAA by reducing
ME = Mechanical Engineering
the aneurysmal sac pressure and decreasing the rupture potential. Delivery of the polymeric
EM = Engineering Management
device is performed in a Donovan flow loop connected to a mock aneurysm composed of
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering porcine tissue.
Sponsor
46
TEAM 1429
PROJECT SUMMARY
DESIGN OF CYCLIC VARIATIONS IN ADAPTIVE CONDITIONING
SYSTEM FOR SMALL ANIMALS Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1430
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
UA College of Medicine
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Dr. Karen Herbst
Project Mentor
Greg Ogden
Team Members
Daniella Espiritu
Jessica Honea
Sergio Mendez
CJ Weinmann
Sepideh Zakikhani Jackie Zozaya
(BME)
(ME)
(EE)
(BME)
(BME)
(SE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
The purpose of this project is
to build and optimize a cycling
hypobaric pressure system for
small-animal research, capable
of running the cyclic variations
in adaptive conditioning
(CVAC) process. The aim of the
Pressure Health System device
is to provide an ideal model of
a hypobaric pressure system,
suitable for laboratory research
and small-animal testing.
The human-size model is not currently used for research applications because of limitations
such as size, cost and transportability. Pressure Health System's device gives scientists and
researchers a better understanding of the effects of varying hypobaric pressure on the body.
Pressure Health System uses the CVAC process to dynamically change pressure inside the
system according to the program. The device consists of a pressure vessel, a control unit,
and components to ensure safety of test subjects. The pressure vessel is capable of enduring
constant changes in pressure, ranging from 6.08 pounds per square inch absolute to ambient
pressure. Safety features include multiple failsafe components such as CO2 and O2 sensors
that automatically shut off the system, and return the system back to ambient pressure if CO2
or O2 levels reach a dangerous level.
47
AIR QUALITY SENSOR SYSTEM
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1431
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Honeywell Aerospace
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Richard Fox
Deanna Chase
Project Mentor
Gerald Pine
Team Members
Rodrigo Toler
Mary Coffelt
Wellington Lee Toshifumi Tanabe
Edward Baumann
(IE)
(BME)
(CE)
(ME)
(ME)
IE = Industrial Engineering
BME = Biomedical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
48
The goal of this project is to design a safe,
long-term mounting system for a sensor
with a computer interface that notifies
maintenance when the auxiliary power unit
(APU) air quality does not meet standards.
For optimal health and comfort, filtering and
cleaning air is of utmost importance when
flying an aircraft. Air acquires contaminants
from both the engine and the cabin during
flight. Because contamination levels vary at
both sources throughout the flight, the most
efficient fuel design strategically levels bleed
air versus cabin air. Bleed air comes directly
from the engine before the compressor and turbine stage, which means that the engine must
work harder to provide the cabin bleed air, which is not always needed. Honeywell's ultimate
goal is to create an environment control system (ECS) that reduces bleed airflow from the
jet engines by proving recirculated air meets the requirements for cleanliness. Current FAA
regulations require 0.55 lb/min of bleed air per passenger to constantly flow into the cabin.
The first step of creating the ECS is mounting and integrating a sensor to test the air quality
of the APU, which is the focus of this design project. The sensor integrated in this project is a
broadband volatile organic compound gas monitor and datalogger that will sense when there
are high or low levels of VOC in the air; the ECS will then modify the intake of bleed air.
ERGONOMIC MICROTOME WITH SENSORY FEEDBACK
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1432
PROJECT SUMMARY
Histopathology is essential to
the diagnosis and treatment
Ventana Medical Systems Inc.
of many diseases. Sectioning
tissue embedded in paraffin
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
wax into micron-thick slices is
Dianne Pistone
a necessary step in providing
Project Mentor
biopsied slides to pathologists
Jyoti Mukherjee
for diagnosis. Traditionally,
to create these slides, a
Team Members
histotechnologist operates
Alexander Alvarez
(BME)
a microtome with a rotary action that provides feedback to the hand of the operator. LongTyler Foo
(ME)
term repeated operation of the microtome is known to cause injury to histotechnologists'
Daniel Martin
(BME)
shoulders and wrists. This project modified the mechanism of this rotary action so that injury
Caleb Myers (ME)
could be reduced while the feedback from the original system could be maintained. To achieve
Alexander Pagano
(MSE)
this the team designed four components: a new drive mechanism, a sensing subsystem, a
Cody Pederson (EE)
feedback subsystem and a control box to integrate the actions of these components. The drive
mechanism controls the stepper motor using a 3-D printed joystick with ergonomic handholds
BME = Biomedical Engineering
and a lock to maintain the safety of the system. The sensing subsystem uses piezo sensors that
ME = Mechanical Engineering
detect vibrations from the microtome blade. The feedback subsystem uses information from
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering
these piezo sensors to vibrate piezo actuators in the handholds of the joystick. All of these
EE = Electrical Engineering
components are electronically controlled by an Arduino Uno. The combined actions of these
systems allows histotechnologists to achieve the same cut quality with a reduced risk of injury.
Sponsor
49
AUTOMATED WHOLE BODY IMAGING INTEGRATED WITH
DERMOSCOPY IMAGING Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
DermSpectra's Automated
Total Body Imaging System
DermSpectra LLC
takes high-resolution images
of 85 percent of a patient's
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
body, giving physicians and
Karleen Seybold
patients vital photographic
Jarrod Winters
documentation to track
Project Mentor
critical skin and body changes.
David Gilblom
The goal of this project is
to integrate a dermoscopy
Team Members
function into the total body
Nathaniel Santana
(ME)
imaging system. A dermoscopy
Noah Krietsch
(ME)
system is an up-close imaging
David Maestas
(BME)
technique to diagnose and track harmful skin conditions. This integration included testing
Alexan Gomez (BME)
dermoscopy imaging technologies to determine a suitable imaging device; the design of an
Breanna Duffy (BME)
iPad application to properly tag locations of dermoscopy images to the currently existing total
Linda Allee (OSE)
body image, tag image type settings, and include physician's notes; and a training video for the
application. In addition, using CAD software the team converted the current composite panels
ME = Mechanical Engineering
of the Total Body Imaging System into thermoplastic material to reduce the overall weight of
BME = Biomedical Engineering
the booth, increase manufacturability, and reduce recurring cost. A quarter-scale model was
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering developed using CAD software for demonstration purposes on Design Day, and as a marketing
tool for DermSpectra during trade shows.
Sponsor
50
TEAM 1433
PROJECT SUMMARY
X-RAY INTERFACE BOARD
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1434
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Faxitron Bioptics LLC
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Paul Hess
Chuck Wiswall
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Gabriel Barragan Jason Blomquist
Michelle Cihy
Aigerim Mukusheva
Setareh Zakikhani (CE)
(CE)
(IE)
(CE)
(BME)
CE = Computer Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
BME = Biomedical Engineering
The goal of this project is to
redesign the main controller
board of the Faxitron X-ray
machine. Faxitron Bioptics
specializes in manufacturing
cabinet-style X-ray machines,
but its current main controller
board, the E-Engine-L, is built
by an external company. The
team was given the task of
designing and assembling a
controller board with newer
technology that had the same
core functionality as the existing controller board. The board should be able to display correct
X-ray kV and time on a color LCD and simultaneously interface with multiple other printed
circuit boards currently implemented in the company's X-ray systems. The main rationale
for the redesign of this controller board is to get away from a single-source supplier and to
give Faxitron control over the design. Additionally, the E-Engine-L controller board was not
designed specifically for Faxitron's application, so it has superfluous hardware components
that could be excluded from the new design. The control over the new board's design and
the use of newer, more powerful technology will also give Faxitron the ability to improve its
current system and potentially add more functionality in the future.
51
STRAIN GAUGE BASED CYCLING POWER METER
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1435
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Texas Instruments
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Ravi Raghavendra
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Tasia Nash Vincent Carknard Adam Osman Vincent Hunt Cameron Clementson (IE)
(EE)
(EE)
(ME)
(BME)
IE = Industrial Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
BME = Biomedical Engineering
52
Power, a desirable measurement for
athletic performance analysis, is produced
as a cyclist pedals. The goal of this project
is to develop, design, and implement a
power meter that accurately measures the
cyclist’s power output and continuously
displays the data in a user-friendly
smartphone application. An essential
requirement of this project is to showcase
Texas Instruments technology. The team's
design operates by first detecting, with strategically placed strain gauges, the amount of
deflection in the crank arm of the bicycle. After that, the strain gauges analog signal output
becomes the input to an analog-to-digital convertor (ADC). Then, the digital output of the ADC
is processed by a microcontroller (MCU) and transmitted to a smartphone using Bluetooth
Low Energy (BLE) technology. Finally, the power data is displayed on the smartphone
application's graphical user interface (GUI) for the user to observe. The GUI allows the cyclist
to continuously view power-related data as well as control top-level functions for the device
such as calibration and activation. Four of the components in the design use Texas Instruments
technology, including an MCU, ADC, BLE controller, and a battery management chip. The
design of the power meter allows for convenient operation, low weight, easy installation, high
accuracy, and ease of calibration. Due to its added convenience, the inclusion of a compatible
smartphone application is the most significant improvement to existing power meters.
LIGHTWEIGHT ROCKET SENSOR PAYLOAD AND TESTBED
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1436
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Texas Instruments
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Paul Frost
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Matthew Cichon
Ryan Hoefferle Eric Moser
Mark Bedoya Turki Alturki (EE)
(CE)
(SE)
(EE)
(ME)
EE = Electrical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
The Lightweight Rocket Sensor Payload
and Testbed is a complete system for
data acquisition and analysis. It consists
of an easy-to-use and easy-to-install
feature-packed electronics payload
stored within a drop-in nosecone
replacement for amateur rockets.
The nosecone replacement consists
of a single inner electronics board
and a protective and aerodynamic
outer fairing. The electronics board
is mechanically coupled to the outer
fairing using shock-reducing contacts for
noise reduction, and is equipped to collect common data types such as motion, temperature,
and pressure. A Texas Instruments MSP-430 platform is used as the microcontroller unit.
Logged data can be retrieved wirelessly via Wi-Fi or by removing the storage device from the
payload. Parachute deployment is controlled by the electronics using a powder charge that
separates the nosecone assembly from the rocket at apogee. The nosecone can be produced
using common 3-D printers. A testbed based in LabVIEW is used for system testing, debugging,
and data analysis. A system like this allows hobbyists and emerging scientists to explore
science and engineering with off-the-shelf amateur rockets. All of this is achieved using robust
electronic components provided by Texas Instruments.
53
AUTOMATED OPTICAL SURFACE DEFECT DETECTION TOOL
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project is to design
and fabricate a system that automates
Edmund Optics
the task of inspecting the surface
quality of optical flats. This project is
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
concerned with counting and measuring
Kurt Abdelmaseh
the scratches and digs on flat optical
Jeremy Govier
surfaces that significantly affect the
Project Mentor
performance of an optical system.
Mike Nofziger
Current surface quality inspection
practices call for cosmetic defects on
Team Members
optical flats to be inspected by hand.
Shabeeb Shah
(CE)
This process is a time-consuming step in
Benjamin Cromey
(OSE)
the manufacturing process. Automating
Lisa Li
(OSE)
the surface defect inspection task contributes to a more efficient manufacturing process that
Nicholas Smith
(OSE)
could set a new industry standard. The system must be able to accurately report the number of
Rafael Haro
(ME)
scratches and digs present on the test surface of a 10 mm right-angle prism. Dimensions of the
Michael McDermott
(ME)
defects, excluding depth, should be reported alongside the defect count for each of the three
optical surfaces of the prism. The team has designed the Automated Reflection Measurement
CE = Computer Engineering
System (ARMS) as a solution to these requirements. The ARMS system employs a collimated
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
white light source that illuminates the 10 mm right-angle prism for the imaging system.
ME = Mechanical Engineering
Images captured by the system are processed by an algorithm to automatically detect defects
and report their sizes to the user through a graphical user interface.
Sponsor
54
TEAM 1437
PROJECT SUMMARY
AUTOMATED PAINT/COATING PROCESS
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1438
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Precision Shooting Equipment
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Aaron Abril
Project Mentor
Gary Redford
Team Members
Colin Bell
Moslin Cruz
Patrick Mitchell
Teague Peters
Tayla Simmons
(ME)
(EE)
(ME)
(ME)
(SE)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
The goal of this project is to
design an automated painting
system for applying paint to
Precision Shooting Equipment's
crossbows. The company
currently uses mechanical and
manual machining, painting
and assembly for all products.
PSE uses skilled painters to
base coat most of its crossbow
handles and limbs, at a rate
of 35 handles per hour. The automated painting machine is designed to reduce labor costs
while increasing overall production. This was accomplished by designing and implementing a
machine that uses automation control systems. The operation of the machine only requires an
operator to load and unload several handles and limbs per painting cycle while the machine
completes the base-coating process at the push of a button.
55
MOBILE TERRAIN SCANNING
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project is
to design a mobile terrainCaterpillar Inc.
mapping system for mining
operations. The Mobile Terrain
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Scanning System (MTSS) will
Justin Mamer
produce a detailed terrain
Jesse Farmer
map by driving a vehicle over
Matt Holmes
the desired surface. MTSS can
Project Mentor
output a three-dimensional
Ivar Sanders
surface file with 25 mm
accuracy with respect to true
Team Members
dimensions and location. This
Alex Hoobler
(ME)
file contains a representation
Alex Porter
(ME)
of terrain that can be viewed
Connor Magness
(OSE)
in CAD software. This project
Christian Magallanes
(SE)
focuses on providing a digital
Wesley Folz
(EE)
representation of terrain on which mining equipment can be virtually simulated. Significant
Jesus Sanchez
(EE)
challenges included designing an adjustable mounting structure, synchronizing data collection
between LIDAR and IMU, developing software to mesh IMU data with captured LIDAR points,
ME = Mechanical Engineering
and developing software to convert points to a virtual surface. Additionally, this adaptable
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering mounting system allows integration with a variety of vehicles.
SE = Systems Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
Sponsor
56
TEAM 1439
PROJECT SUMMARY
OPTICAL TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGEFINDER
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1440
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Texas Instruments
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Jacob Freet
Samir Cherian
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Nicole Chan
Steven Ho
Christopher Rumsey Robert Ramos Nathanael Rezer
Michael Vogel
(EE)
(EE)
(CE)
(EE)
(OSE)
(EM)
EE = Electrical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
EM = Engineering Management
The goal of this project
is to design and build an
optical time-of-flight laser
rangefinder. The design uses
high-performance, highspeed electrical and optical
components to determine
an accurate distance
measurement, using time-offlight principles. The system
consists of a laser driver that
controls the pulses output
by a visible wavelength laser
aimed at the target object. A
sensitive photodiode receives
the reflections of the optical signal from the target object. Texas Instruments' high-gain
transimpedance amplifier then strengthens and translates this input signal for capture by
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The high-speed ADC digitizes a voltage signal so that
it can be represented, stored and analyzed on a computer. A computer is used to trigger
measurements, analyze data, and display distance measurement, along with relevant plots.
57
AERODYNAMIC MODELING, MEASUREMENTS AND
SIMULATION Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1441
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Raytheon Sensintel
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Aaron Farber
Jacob Estabrook
Project Mentor
Doug May
Team Members
Steven Goodyke Daniel Simmons Rolland Prempeh Austin Taylor Chris Drawert (ME)
(ME)
(AE)
(SE)
(ME)
ME = Mechanical Engineering
AE = Aerospace Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
58
The goal of this project is to validate
computational fluid dynamic (CFD)
analysis with wind tunnel data for
a small unmanned aircraft. In order
to complete wind tunnel testing,
the team used the large AME wind
tunnel's five-component balance.
Wind tunnel testing determined the
forces acting in the six spatial and
rotational dimensions. The main
challenge presented was to design
and build a wind tunnel mount
that allows six spatial dimensions
to be collected while using a balance designed to collect only five spatial dimensions. The
secondary objectives were to improve the aerodynamics of the unmanned aircraft, fabricate a
suitable wind tunnel test model using the new aerodynamic design, and conduct and validate
a CFD analysis with the wind tunnel data. The forces measured during wind tunnel testing will
enable Sensintel to determine the aircraft's flying capabilities, particularly in extreme weather
conditions. Project results could also be used by a future design team to develop a control
simulation model of the unmanned aircraft. After completion of the project, the mount will
be donated to the University of Arizona AME department for future research projects and the
overall expansion of the wind tunnel's capabilities.
WIRELESS FLOW SENSOR FOR CEREBROSPINAL FLUID SHUNTS
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1442
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Texas Instruments
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Mark Irwin
Project Mentor
Gary Redford
Team Members
Brianna Moon
Han Zhao
Jessica Mergener LaRay Graner
Lyndsay Batman
Megan Cornman
(BME)
(CE)
(BME)
(EE)
(ME)
(SE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
The goal of this project is to
design and build a prototype
system capable of displaying
flow rate data of cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) flowing through
a CSF shunt catheter.
Hydrocephalus is an abnormal
accumulation of CSF within the
brain that can lead to increased
pressure on the brain and be
fatal if not treated. A common
treatment method is to use
a CSF shunt, which allows
drainage of fluids from the
brain into another region of the body, relieving the pressure on the brain. CSF flow needs to be
monitored to measure how much fluid is drained from the brain over time. A CSF shunt flow
sensor will support quantitative research on shunt lifespan, malfunctions and improvements.
The proposed system includes a nickel cantilever, magnetic sensor, custom-printed circuit
board assembly, and a housing made from a biocompatible material. The product must reliably
transmit flow rate data to a display or computer. A resolution of one milliliter per hour is ideal
to monitor the low flow rate of CSF drainage. The primary deliverable is a prototype of a future
medical device for implantation.
59
3-D PRINTED ANTENNAS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Additive manufacturing
involves the layer-by-layer
UA Department of Electrical
deposition of material to
and Computer Engineering
construct a three-dimensional
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
object. Extrusion deposition,
Michael Marcellin
one of numerous methods
Hao Xin
of additive manufacturing,
consists of depositing small
Project Mentor
amounts of material that
Ivar Sanders
harden to form layers. The goal
Team Members
of this project is to develop a
Brent Johnson
(SE)
process to deposit conductive
Chengxi Li
(ME)
material without melting the
Colin Madrid
(MSE)
surrounding dielectric substrate in order to 3-D print a functional antenna. The project uses an
Xizhi Tan (ME)
unmodified Makerbot Replicator 2X, which has two separate extrusion heads. One extrusion
Hanwen Wang (CE)
head will deposit the dielectric substrate. The second extrusion head will deposit tin-lead
Kevin Yiin
(EE)
solder to form the conductive path within the insulating material. The conductivity of the
path must meet or exceed 10 percent of the conductivity of copper (10^6 Siemens per meter)
SE = Systems Engineering
in order to effectively transmit and receive radio frequency signals. The effectiveness of the
ME = Mechanical Engineering
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering process will be tested using the S11 protocol to determine the antenna's efficiency in receiving
RF signals.
CE = Computer Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
Sponsor
60
TEAM 1443
PROJECT SUMMARY
SMARTPHONE INTEGRATED GUN LOCK
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1444
PROJECT SUMMARY
The "Internet of Things" will
allow consumers to interact
Christopher J. Downs & Associates with their products in novel
ways. The goal of this project
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
is to investigate the feasibility
Christopher Downs
of building a firearm-locking
Project Mentor
mechanism that can interface
Gary Redford
with a smartphone app
to provide safety features
Team Members
currently unavailable on any
Ariel Austin
(EE)
relevant consumer product.
Aaron Clark (ME)
These features include biometric unlocking, GPS monitoring, and displacement notifications.
Christopher Downs
(OSE)
These capabilities will enable consumers to ensure that no unwanted users have access
Edward Enhelder (EM)
to their firearms. Additionally, attempting to unlock the weapon using brute force or even
Aaron Grabowska
(EE)
moving it from its resting position alerts the owner immediately. In addition to preventing
Simon Noudelman (EE)
theft, this product could help avert child shooting accidents and school shootings. Particular
care was taken in designing the electrical circuit and mechanical housing to enable the desired
EE = Electrical Engineering
functionality while maintaining a tamper-proof locking mechanism. The novel, pseudo-unibody
ME = Mechanical Engineering
approach to casing design allows for a device with no external fasteners that is virtually
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
impenetrable without the use of power tools. The circuitry and locking mechanism encased
EM = Engineering Management
within are controlled by a Bluetooth-enabled Arduino board and powered by a battery that
recharges using the same micro-USB port found on current smartphones.
Sponsor
61
CONNECTED LIGHTING SYSTEM USING POWER OVER
ETHERNET Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1445
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Texas Instruments
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kartik Sinha
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Mark Palomer Daniel Papajohn Chris Quevedo Peter Seid
Allison Sheesley Jon Stephens 62
(CE)
(CE)
(EE)
(ME)
(IE)
(CE)
CE = Computer Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
The most common lighting system is an
alternating electrical current that powers
incandescent light bulbs. This system can be
costly because of its high power consumption, so
Texas Instruments has proposed to create a cost
and energy efficient smart lighting system that
uses Power over Ethernet to power light-emitting
diodes (LEDs) in a commercial or residential
setting. The goal of this project is to create a
cost and energy efficient lighting system that
allows users to control lights via a smartphone.
The team created a smartphone application that
communicates with the lighting system and
allows users to perform basic actions, such as
turning the lights on and off, as well as more
advanced features, such as dimming the lights or changing their color. Additional capabilities
of the device include recording user habits to form a specialized schedule to turn the lights on
automatically. The system also includes a motion detector that senses when the user is not in
the area and turns off the lights to conserve energy. Major components of the system include
power sourcing equipment to provide power to the entire system over an Ethernet cable, a
powered device to route the power, a microcontroller with integrated Bluetooth to handle
communication to and control of the system, and multicolored LEDs to provide the light.
KNIFE GATE VALVE PORTABLE HYDRAULIC TESTING STATION
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1446
PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall goal of this
multidisciplinary project is to
FLSmidth Krebs
design, develop and test a portable
hydraulic testing station to evaluate
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
the performance of the FLSmidth
Daniel Soria
Krebs knife gate valve. The objective
Project Mentor
of the testing station is to collect
Gregory Ogden
operational data for a range of
knife gate valve sizes and testing scenarios. The system must be capable of measuring
Team Members
torque and thrust data as a function of pressure and gate position. The system must also
Meera Alshehhi
(MSE)
allow for collection of the total volumetric discharge from the knife gate valve during one
Matt Campbell
(ME)
valve actuation cycle as a function of pressure and gate speed. The system design must be
Sam Hudson
(MSE)
compatible with both current and projected FLSmidth Krebs research and design projects, and
Christian Malena (ME)
interface with the company's existing testing facilities. To address these requirements, the
Weibin Wu (ME)
team designed a closed-loop system capable of regulating and maintaining the pressure across
Wangtan Yuan (SE)
the knife gate valve by use of a hydraulically operated bypass valve. The team also designed
and implemented a connection method to attach a tension/compression load cell to the stem
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering
of the knife gate valve to monitor thrust during valve actuation. The team used a data-logging
ME = Mechanical Engineering
system to collect the thrust and pressure data during the systems operations for later analysis.
SE = Systems Engineering
The team was able to collect the data requested by FLSmidth Krebs for their 2-inch, 3-inch and
4-inch knife gate valves. Due to the need to be applicable for future testing scenarios, the final
systems design is capable of handling knife gate valve sizes as large as 10 inches.
Sponsor
63
ANDROID PLATFORM HEARING ASSIST DEVICE REFINEMENT and FORM
FACTOR & USABILITY ASSESSMENT Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Arizona Center on Aging
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Jane Mohler
Project Mentor
Ivar Sanders
Team Members
Temesgen Fesahazion
(CE)
Richard Gonzales (CE)
Alexandra Hoeger
(BME)
Saradadevi Thanikachalam(BME)
Jill Wynne
(SE)
Jue Zhang (CE)
Michael Ziccarelli (CE)
CE = Computer Engineering
BME = Biomedical Engineering
SE = Systems Engineering
64
TEAM 1447
PROJECT SUMMARY
Approximately 36 million adults
in the United States suffer from
varying degrees of hearing
loss, but only 20 percent of
them use hearing aids. Hearing
aids provide a solution to
this problem, but they are
expensive (about $5,000) and
have high operational costs:
batteries cost about $10 a week. Smartphones can provide users with an inexpensive alternate
hearing-assistive technology. Current smartphone applications on the market are specific to
iOS, and do not adhere to FDA Regulatory Requirements for Hearing Aid Devices and Personal
Sound Amplification. CyberEar, a hearing-assistant application for Android smartphones, was
developed last year to meet the need for a low-cost alternative to hearing aids. The goal of
this project is to further develop the CyberEar application for Android devices while improving
performance issues, such as significant background noise and high latency. The main goals for
this project are to introduce background noise attenuation and to lower latency of the system.
To achieve these requirements, the team implemented a different audio engine, PureData, in
the application and introduced biquad filters to reduce background noise. Another goal was
to make the application easier to use, which was accomplished by a redesigned user interface
that is much simpler than the previous version without sacrificing functionality.
FIREPROOF DESIGN FOR APU INLET PLENUM SPLIT LINE JOINT
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1448
PROJECT SUMMARY
An auxiliary power unit, or APU,
is a small turbine engine used as
Honeywell
an intermediate power source for
an aircraft's initial and emergency
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
electrical startup power for all major
Patrick Mulloy
aircraft systems, including the air for
Project Mentor
the environmental control system
Jyoti Mukherjee
(ECS). The inlet plenum is an air intake
chamber for the APU, where air is
Team Members
distributed between the turbine and
Crispyn Aldridge
(MSE)
the ECS. To aid in manufacturing,
Nicole Ortiz
(ME)
the plenum chamber is split into two
Marcos Quiros
(SE)
halves that are joined together at
Johnathan Burnett (SE)
the split line joint. FAA regulations
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering require this area to be fireproof so that
in an emergency fire cannot penetrate the plenum to disrupt emergency power operations.
ME = Mechanical Engineering
Specialized testing of the split line joint must be conducted to determine that all materials
SE = Systems Engineering
and joint geometries used will withstand a 2,000 degree Fahrenheit kerosene flame for 15
minutes. This exploratory project focused on producing and testing two differently styled joint
geometries with three different seal materials to produce a high-performance fireproof barrier
at the split line joint. The joint and seal combination that meets or exceeds the requirements
for the smallest total cost is considered a high performer.
Sponsor
65
REDESIGN OF A TURBINE'S FLANGE JOINT INTO A COMPOSITE
SHEAR JOINT Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Traditionally the casings of
turbine engines are joined
Honeywell Engines
by a flange joint using
tensioned bolts to secure
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
the forward and aft sections.
Rob Murray
The goal of this project is
Justin Mickelsen
to redesign this joint into
Project Mentor
an overlapping joint in
Gerald Pine
which the fastening bolts
experience shear forces. A
Team Members
carbon fiber material was
Connor Owen (ME)
used that aligned with the
Luis Del Valle (ME)
axial direction of the turbine
Kerbie Henry (SE)
(the same direction as the shear forces). Carbon fiber is ideal for this application because of
Morgan Sierra
(ME)
its very high yield strength along the direction in which the fibers are laid. One of the major
Dan Tuttle (MSE)
motivations for changing from a flange joint is to save space outside the turbine casing for other
components. The overlapping joint's reduction in height helps with this objective. Due to time
ME = Mechanical Engineering
and resource constraints, the full 44-inch diameter turbine could not be made. Several scaled
SE = Systems Engineering
test specimens were constructed and subjected to tensile tests to confirm their load-bearing
MSE = Materials Science & Engineering
capabilities. Other inspections were made to ensure the joint met aerospace specifications.
Some key features of the design are mating tabs for ease of maintenance, a gasket to ensure a
good seal, and honeycomb aluminum impregnated into the core for weight reduction.
Sponsor
66
TEAM 1449
PROJECT SUMMARY
ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGIES IN NAVAL APPLICATIONS
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1450
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Raytheon Missile Systems
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Mark Szlemko
Project Mentor
Gregory Ogden
Team Members
Shien Hong Huy Le
Ben Subeck Will Titus
Wil Westholm
(CE)
(EE)
(ME)
(ME)
(IE)
CE = Computer Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
Robots have historically
been applied to tasks that
fall into the "3-D" categories:
dirty, dull and dangerous.
Recent advances in robotic
technologies, coupled with
industry trends in adopting
these technologies for use
in factory automation, have
increased the presence of robots in many previously untapped markets. However, robots have
yet to make an appearance in one application that is dirty, dull and dangerous: a naval ship at
sea. The team researched the technologies and their recent advancements to determine their
feasibility in naval applications. Emphasis was placed on determining why robotic technologies
are not currently installed on naval ships. The team also investigated whether commercial offthe-shelf technologies could meet military specifications for performance and seaworthiness,
and made recommendations for necessary improvements. To conduct and test the research,
the team developed a theoretical shipwide networked system of firefighting robot arms
coupled with infrared technologies alongside robotic tracked firefighting vehicles for early
detection and suppression of shipboard fires. This system could detect and report a fire, and
it would allow a remote operator to position the robot arm and deploy a firefighting agent.
This would reduce the time required to detect a fire, increase the accuracy of locating the fire,
reduce the time required to initially attack the fire, and minimize personnel exposure to the fire.
67
HANDHELD OPHTHALMIC EXAMINATION DEVICE
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
The goal of this project is
to create a smartphoneUA Department of Electrical
based handheld ophthalmic
and Computer Engineering
examination device able to
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
perform standard ophthalmic
Wolfgang Fink
examinations in broad
daylight setting. Ophthalmic
Project Mentor
examinations are important
Wolfgang Fink
for many aspects of ocular
Team Members
and nervous system health,
Tembong Fonji
(EE)
including detection of
Jerri-Lynn Kincade
(BME)
degenerative diseases and
Steven Monroe (EE)
neurological damage. However, performing these examinations typically requires a tightly
Anthony Rodriguez (CE)
controlled indoor darkroom environment and large, expensive measurement equipment
Gunnar Scott (OSE)
usually located at a doctor's office or clinic. These restrictions make providing eye healthcare
Michelle Walker (ME)
difficult in mobile settings such as remote areas, austere environments, and third world
countries. A smartphone-based ophthalmic examination device was developed that is
EE = Electrical Engineering
handheld, mobile, inexpensive, and able to perform ophthalmic examinations in a bright
BME = Biomedical Engineering
outdoor environment. An ophthalmic examination platform that is simple and accessible
CE = Computer Engineering
while retaining enough accuracy and functionality to be deployed as part of a professional
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
examination has been created by exploiting modern technological advances in embedded
ME = Mechanical Engineering
electronics and telemedicine.
Sponsor
68
TEAM 1451
PROJECT SUMMARY
SMART WRIST-WORN SENSOR FOR EMOTION ASSESSMENT
AND INTERVENTION Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1453
PROJECT SUMMARY
Stress plays an important role
in mood, productivity and
Arizona Center on Aging
overall health. High stress
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
can lead to negative effects
in all of these categories.
Jane Mohler
Simple interventions such as
Project Mentor
breathing exercises have been
Doug May
shown to reduce stress. Stress
Team Members
can be measured through
Michelle Heusser (BME)
physiological parameters such as heart rate variability and galvanic skin response. Currently
Christopher Curti (CE)
there are no devices that specifically track stress level and alert the user of high stress in real(CE/EM)
James Fagan time. The goal of this project is to design and develop a prototype wrist-worn biofeedback
Ali Khan (OSE)
device that monitors stress level and alerts users when their stress is high, and guides them
(SE)
Ashley Montague
through a stress-reducing exercise. The wrist-worn sensor detects stress using an optical heart
Ashley O'Neal (ME)
rate sensor and noninvasive electrodes encased in the sensor body. When the device detects
a high stress level, it alerts the user by vibration and gives the user the option of connecting
to a smartphone and taking a guided breathing exercise. This accompanying smartphone
BME = Biomedical Engineering
application also logs a history of high stress occurrences and allows the user to adjust settings.
CE = Computer Engineering
The device has been tested for functionality and usability. Although the scope of this project is
EM = Engineering Management
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering limited to a functioning prototype, the goal is that the device can be ultimately scaled for mass
production and sold to consumers to track and reduce stress, anxiety, anger control issues, and
SE = Systems Engineering
conduct disorders.
ME = Mechanical Engineering
Sponsor
69
DESIGN OF AN ACTIVE KNEE EXTENSION SIMULATOR
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1454
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Departments of
Orthopaedic Surgery and
Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Dr. Daniel Latt
John A. Szivek
Project Mentor
Ivar Sanders
Team Members
Tianna Benson
Gary Bruening Scott Harrison
Joe Montes
Andrew Sikorsky
Ruben Teran
70
(BME)
(BME)
(ME)
(BME)
(BME)
(CE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
The goal of this project is to
design and build an instrument
that allows a cadaveric leg
to be mounted in a materials
testing system (MTS) and
to be actively extended via
the action of the quadriceps
tendon. While knee simulators
do exist in other labs at various universities and hospitals, each is uniquely designed to fit
the budget and needs of its host facility. The UA Orthopaedic Research Laboratory will be
able to use this device to study the motion, stresses and rotation in the knee joint under
various loading patterns. The dynamic qualities of the system allow for an in-depth and
physiologically accurate research analysis that will be used to study surgical techniques to
treat conditions of the knee joint, such as trochlear dysplasia. The machine has been designed
to fit limbs of various sizes, so that tests are repeatable for distinct individual specimens. The
entire simulator consists of several integrated pieces that use the MTS as a mounting stand
and hydraulic pulley system. The main features of the simulator include an aluminum tibial
attachment that is fixed on the base of the MTS, and a similar femoral attachment that is
fixed to slide rails to allow for the motion of the limb. The simulator accounts for six degrees
of freedom in motion and mirrors the exact extension and flexion patterns of a human knee
under a body weight load. The system can also obtain the measure of the angle of flexion in
real time, as well as automatically control the movement of the pulley system.
SMART FOOT: A PRESSURE-RESPONSIVE INSOLE TO REDUCE
ISCHEMIA AND MUSCLE FATIGUE Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1455
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Departments of
Orthopaedic Surgery and
Biomedical Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Dr. Marvin J. Slepian
Project Mentor
Clayton Grantham
Team Members
Mackenzie Carter
Matthew Fritzie
Brian Johannesmeyer
Justin Pretzlaff Matthew Sherwood
Eric Westerband
(BME)
(BME)
(EE/CE)
(BME)
(IE)
(ME)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
CE = Computer Engineering
IE = Industrial Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
Improper foot distribution
when standing or applying
pressure to the foot can cause
local pressure, ischemia (lack
of blood flow), nerve pain
and muscle fatigue. Athletes,
endurance runners and cyclists,
and patients with peripheral
vascular disease and diabetic
vascular disease are all at risk
for permanent damage to their
feet. Current insole products
are static over the time they
are worn by the user. As an
alternative to static insoles and to reduce the risk of pain and damage to the foot, the team
has designed, built and tested a proof-of-concept shoe insole that will expand and contract to
offload pressure in the foot. An array of pressure sensors on the base of the 3-D printed insole
analyzes the foot's distribution of pressure, and the insole determines what sector to expand
or contract using a pneumatic system of two bladders within the insole to correct the improper
distribution. The bladders are inflated using carbon dioxide from a cartridge connected to an
injector and controlled by a driver. The team hopes in the future this system can be reduced in
size to fit inside a normal shoe and be used as an insole.
71
POINT-OF-CARE MICROFLUIDIC THROMBOSIS MONITOR
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1456
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Dr. Marvin J. Slepian
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Phat Tran
Project Mentor
Dave Gilblom
Team Members
John Raffles Durbin Micah Lee
Michael Seall Taryn Sisserson
Mackenzie Steinbach
Matthew Watson (BME)
(ME)
(BME)
(BME)
(BME)
(EE)
BME = Biomedical Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
EE = Electrical Engineering
72
Patients suffering from
cardiovascular disease are
prescribed anticoagulants
to reduce the chance of
thrombosis and subsequent
thromboembolism as platelets
are exposed to mechanical
shear by implanted circulatory
assist devices. The Microfluidic
Thrombosis Monitor tests
the level of platelet activation and alerts the patient if they are at a higher risk of clotting.
The device consists of a microfluidic chip in which platelets are sheared, mixed and analyzed.
The chip's enclosing structure maintains a constant temperature and houses the chip and the
optical detection sensors. The platelets are exposed to constant shear in the chip and reagents
are added to begin the detection process. The team uses a modified prothrombinase assay
developed by Dr. Slepian's lab to determine the extent of platelet activation. Once all the
reagents are added, the reaction is incubated for 20 minutes and optical detection is performed
on the resulting solution in the well of the chip. Photodiodes sense the absorbance value of the
solution and correlate the value to the amount of platelets that have been activated. An LCD
screen on the front of the housing chamber displays the detection results, which can inform
the decision whether or not the patient needs more anticoagulants. This is a proof-of-concept
project that Dr. Slepian hopes to translate into an at-home point-of-care device in the future.
THREE-COLOR ANIMATED HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTOR
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1457
PROJECT SUMMARY
Transmissive projection
holograms are individually used
Raytheon Missile Systems
to create a single-color static
image at nearly 100 percent
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
efficiency. The goal of this
Rigel Woida-O'Brien
project is to create a dynamic
Tom Milster
laser projection system
Project Mentor
incorporating these holograms
Michael Nofziger
that allows projection of fullcolor animations. The fullTeam Members
color frames are created by
Tyler Hashimoto
(OSE)
overlapping the far-field projections of each of the respective holograms tuned individually to
Brandon Hellman
(OSE)
the red, green and blue lasers. To create the animation, multiple sets of RGB holograms were
Loren Jones (OSE)
fabricated on a single circular glass substrate. The substrate is rotated about the central axis to
Max Ross
(EE)
pass each hologram sequentially across its respective laser beam. The final result is a full-color
Dean Shute (ME)
projected laser animation from the compact device. The holograms are fabricated using the
Matt Trouard (SE)
maskless lithography tool, which prints micro-etches onto the glass substrate. The pattern of
each etching is the Fourier transform of the projected image with an applied optimal phase
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. An Arduino Uno development board is used to control the
EE = Electrical Engineering
laser outputs and the rotational motor that advances the frames. This prototype offers a new
ME = Mechanical Engineering
technique to the projection industry, using a method of image formation well beyond the
SE = Systems Engineering
efficiency of current projection systems.
Sponsor
73
SPHERICAL SUPERFINISHING MACHINE
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
TEAM 1458
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ENGR 498A/B
Sponsor
Sargent Aerospace & Defense
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Todd Peterson
Paul Vinson
Tom North
Project Mentor
Jyoti Mukherjee
Team Members
Daniel Martin
Bradley Esquibel
Vianre Nocos Oscar Escarcega
(SE)
(ME)
(ME)
(ME)
SE = Systems Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
74
The goal of this project is to
design and build an apparatus
and accompanying process
that would take a hard-coated
(high-velocity oxygen fuel
chrome coating) spherical ball
with a bore through the center
from the as-ground finish to
a superfinished state. Sargent
intends to use the machine for
the production of rotorcraft
parts. This project has very
tight controls on roundness
(sphericity), size and surface
finish that need to be met.
Safety, repeatability, and
production cycle time are also critical. The project requires the team to develop the overall
machine design; select materials; conduct mechanical design and analysis, 3-D modeling, and
machining of parts; and design a control system.
905 LASER WEAPONS MOUNTED RANGEFINDER
Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Program
Class
ENGR 498A/B
TEAM 1459
PROJECT SUMMARY
How far away is a given target? The
answer to this question is the most
Nightforce Optics Inc.
crucial piece of data required for
the precision long-range shooter
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
and is the focus of this design
Chad Beauregard
project. The design of a laser
Project Mentor
illuminated detection and ranging
Gary Redford
(LIDAR) system capable of 2,000
meter accuracy, while operating
Team Members
within the boundaries imposed by
Brian Bellah
(OSE)
the International Traffic in Arms
Matthew Dieterich (ME)
Regulations (ITAR) for nonmilitary
Alec Dollarhide (SE)
use, is a technical engineering challenge that many commercial manufacturers have not been
Sergio Morones (OSE)
able to meet. The use of a 905 nanometer operational wavelength successfully meets ITAR
Mark Sellers (EE)
requirements but creates physical difficulties with absorption and beam divergence when
Jonathan Snavely (CE)
propagating through the atmosphere. The laser is pulsed on a nanosecond interval that clocks
the time of flight to perform the required calculation of the distance. Isolation of the reflected
OSE = Optical Sciences & Engineering
signal from the target location, in the presence of environmental noise, is performed by optical
ME = Mechanical Engineering
filtering and digital modulation of the outgoing laser pulses. Keeping the signal-to-noise ratio
SE = Systems Engineering
as high as possible, the laser operation at 19 milliwatts is outside the unprotected eye-safe
EE = Electrical Engineering
levels for a nonvisible laser. With a required tolerance of less than 2.5 arcseconds between them,
CE = Computer Engineering
the precision alignment of the two independent optical system paths is crucial for operation.
Sponsor
75
X-56 MODULAR AIRCRAFT WITH DYNAMIC SCALING (XMADS)
Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1460
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
UA Department of Aerospace
and Mechanical Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Hermann F. Fasel
Project Mentor
Hermann F. Fasel
Team Members
Jake Reckinger Joshua Smith Anjuly Pino
Will Carlisle Ricardo Guidolim Renato Sartori (AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
AE = Aerospace Engineering
76
The objective of this project
is to design and build a onethird-scale X-56A test aircraft
with two sets of wings, one
stiff and one flexible, to study
the aerodynamic effects of
wing motion. The X-56A is an
experimental aircraft built by
Lockheed Martin and NASA to
test wing flutter. The team used
dynamic scaling to make its
1/3-scale plane behave like the
full-scale X-56A in flight, which
is a critical design component. Another important component of the design is the modularity
built into the XMADS so that different sets and configurations of wings can be easily attached.
The team modified the 1/3-scale plane built by last year’s MACO senior design team that
incorporated a stiff wing. In addition to designing and building a flexible wing, the team
redesigned a set of conventional wings with a conventional tail. The wings and fuselage were
built using composite materials, including carbon fiber and fiberglass, from molds designed
in SolidWorks, and the XMADS uses two electric ducted fans to increase the thrust from last
year’s design. This plane can be used in future university-level research for wing flutter testing
and study on the behavior of composite materials in flight.
X-56A DART: DYNAMICALLY SCALED AIRCRAFT FOR RESEARCH
AND TESTING Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1461
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
NASA
Lockheed Martin
Air Force Office of Scientific
Research
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Hermann Fasel
Project Mentor
Hermann Fasel
Josh Alexander
Jeff Gluck
Team Members
Phillip Greenberg Brianna Grembowski Harry Powell
Rosanna Bether Kristofer Drozd AE = Aerospace Engineering
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
Lockheed Martin developed
the X-56 Multi-Utility
Technological Testbed (MUTT),
a 28-foot, unmanned flying
wing, as a means to test
flutter suppression and gust
alleviation. The goal of this
project is to design and build
a 50 percent scale model of
the X-56A called Dynamically
Scaled Aircraft for Research
and Testing (DART). The team
scaled the original sweptwing design and designed a modified version of the aircraft with straight wings and a tail
that would produce the same amount of lift as the swept wing. The fuselage is modular and
can accommodate the swept wings or the straight wings and the tail. The original MUTT has
flexible swept wings, whereas the DART has rigid straight wings. The purpose of this scale
model is to serve as a vehicle for future testing and analysis. From the pilot perspective, the
straight-winged configuration is easier to fly than the swept-winged configuration. Future
researchers will be able to construct swept wings for the aircraft based on this team's designs.
Additionally, the modular design will accommodate the addition of flexible wings for testing
flutter.
77
A METHOD FOR THE MORPHING ACTUATION OF CONTINUOUS
CONTROL SURFACES Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1462
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
UA Student Chapter of
American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Austin Smith
Project Mentor
Jesse Little
Team Members
Austin Smith
Ruben Adkins
Josef Merki Zachary Miller
David Springer Wen Quan Tan (AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(ME)
AE = Aerospace Engineering
ME = Mechanical Engineering
78
The stringent requirements of
small-scale unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) flight make it difficult to
include mechanical wing actuators
or any aerodynamic performance
enhancers beyond the nominal
geometry. Conventional actuators
are infeasible because UAVs of this
size almost always employ thin
airfoils. The goal of this project is
to develop and test a method to actuate control surfaces without intruding on any of a UAV’s
core design constraints. This was achieved using the macro fiber composite (MFC), which acts
as a control surface membrane capable of dynamic manipulation. Voltage applied to a MFC
causes it to elongate and alter the curvature of a surface it is bonded to. Changing the surface
curvature alters the aerodynamic characteristics of that surface. By using MFCs, wing thickness
is no longer an obstruction to aerodynamic manipulation, while system power consumption
is still comparable to that of a traditional actuator. The overall design is simple with only a
few base components: the main spar, the MFC, the composite shell, and the electronic driving
controls. Electronics are operated with the assistance of a force-feedback controller to mitigate
aerodynamic disturbances and hysteresis of the structure. This simplicity of design makes
it powerful, lightweight and compact, while still competing with the performance of readily
available technology.
SABINO CANYON VTOL UAV
Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1463
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
Rincon Research Corp.
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Jordan Odle
Project Mentor
Sergey Shkareyev
Anatoli Tumin
Team Members
Rita Ezeugwu Nestor Franco Nicolle Hervey Youra Jun Sean Parker Steven Rishor Yiming Zhang AE = Aerospace Engineering
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
The objective of this project is
to design, build and test fly an
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
with vertical takeoff and landing
(VTOL) capabilities with the
purpose of providing surveillance
information for Sabino Canyon.
The aircraft will be able to take
off from a set ground station and,
with a mounted camera, be able to survey the area. The mission involves vertically taking off and
flying to a location 4 miles away and loitering in a target area that is 0.5 x 0.5 miles at an altitude
of 500 feet. The aircraft then returns and lands vertically, all in a total time of 30 minutes. The
design that was chosen incorporates an H-frame quadcopter merged with a fixed wing and tail.
Five motors and propellers are incorporated into the design, with a flight controller in charge
of the transitioning between three modes of flight: hover, slow forward flight, and fast forward
flight. The plane body is composed of a fiberglass skin with balsa wood ribs and carbon fiber
spars. The wing and fuselage are modeled in SolidWorks and converted to a mold that CAD
software further converts into code that can be read by a CNC machine. A mold is then formed
that allows the team to create the composite skin. The power for the mission is provided by two
batteries wired in parallel. The benefits of this hybrid setup are that it takes advantage of the
VTOL capabilities of a quadcopter and blends them with the flight characteristics of a fixed-wing
aircraft, which makes it easier for the UAV to reach and maneuver through difficult terrain.
79
DYNAMIC SOARING OF UAVS
Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1464
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
UA Department of Aerospace
and Mechanical Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Hermann Fasel
Jeffrey Koessler
Project Mentor
Hermann Fasel
Jeffrey Koessler
Team Members
Katherine Borg
Elizabeth Yakoob Brent Reichert Aaron Woodard AE = Aerospace Engineering
80
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
Dynamic soaring is a flying
technique used to gain energy
by repeatedly crossing the
boundary between air masses
of significantly different
velocity (wind gradient).
Dynamic soaring data is
available from extensive flight
pattern research of large birds such as the albatross. The objective of this project is to generate
a simulation that shows it is possible for a glider to extract energy from a wind gradient and
achieve a state of dynamic soaring flight. Upon completion of the simulation, flight testing
in sufficient winds with a hotliner demonstrated this capability over level terrain, which in
turn illustrated conservation of energy. The challenge for this project is to perform a circular
hover trajectory that depends upon the aircraft characteristics and does not place the glider
under undesirable conditions. Throughout the flight, airspeed, wind speed and altitude data
are critical in the success of this project. It is required that the wind sources are greater than
20 mph and that maneuvers are performed where the wind gradient changes most rapidly.
A successful implementation of the tested theory would allow an autopilot system in an
unmanned aerial vehicle to increase endurance without relying on an electrical or gas energy
source. By using a natural energy source for thrust production, several desirable design
objectives may be achieved. Most notably, an aircraft that could exploit wind gradient energy
could decrease its overall weight and fuel expenses.
CLIPPER SPIRIT WING CLASSIFICATION
Aerospace Engineering
TEAM 1465
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
AME 420A/422A
Sponsor
New Nose Company (NNC)
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Charles Simpson
Edward Kerschen
Project Mentor
Charles Simpson
Team Members
Daniel Gorin Gabrielle Debbins
Daniel Lusher Ben Silvertooth Henrique Muniz Alves AE = Aerospace Engineering
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
(AE)
The goal of this project was to
analyze and test the wing of
New Nose Company's seaplane,
the Clipper Spirit. Testing
included assessing the viability
of an aileron droop on the wing
design. The aileron droop was
tested at multiple angles of
attack to gather a wide data
set. The wing was scaled down
to a model that would fit in
a wind tunnel. The model was tested in the AME subsonic student wind tunnel and analyzed
to find the engineering constants of the wing. The model was tested under conditions and
circumstances that matched as closely as possible the actual flight conditions experienced by
the full-scale wing. The team built the model using rough material and applied boundary layer
trips to induce turbulent flow around the airfoil. The turbulent flow was induced to artificially
create the conditions of the high Reynolds number expected during flight conditions. The
Reynolds number was simulated because the wind tunnel does not achieve actual flight speeds
and a constant air density. This allowed the team to gather and analyze data that represented
an actual flight of the wing, and to determine the engineering constants of the wing, such as
the coefficients of drag, lift, and pitching moment.
81
RECYCLING LETTUCE WASH WATER WITH OZONE-INJECTED
MICROBUBBLES Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
TEAM 1466
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ABE 498A/B
Sponsor
GreenGate Fresh LLLP
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Peter Livingston
Project Mentor
Sara Kuwahara
Isaac Hung
Team Members
Todd Crouthamel Kody Huey Chathurangi Wijeratne Bryan Torres (BE)
(BE)
(BE)
(BE)
BE = Biosystems Engineering
82
The companies that supply fresh
produce to American consumers
know the continued success of their
business depends upon maintaining
unblemished food safety records,
which results in thousands of
gallons of used wash water being
wasted every day. This places a large
economic burden on these companies
and raises sustainability issues
because of the inefficient use of limited water resources. The team believes that by employing
new technology it can reduce these negative effects while maintaining high standards of food
safety. This project is focused on creating a more efficient way to reduce the water and energy
waste at GreenGate Fresh LLLP, a cut lettuce facility that uses approximately 300,000 gallons
of wash water per day, which has to be disposed of after one use. The team's pilot-scale
system attempts to show that a large-scale system capable of treating one-half to two-thirds of
that volume in real time with an emerging technology is possible. The proposed system uses
ozone-injected microbubbles to remove biological material from the water and return it to a
potable condition, which means it can be returned directly to the wash cycle thus reducing the use
of large amounts of city water. Ideally, this pilot system will prove to be scalable so that a future
team could design a larger system made to accommodate the plant's high water usage, recycle up
to two-thirds of its waste water, and preserve the company’s high quality control standards.
DEWATERING ALGAE
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
TEAM 1467
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ABE 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Department of Agricultural
and Biosystems Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Peter Livingston
Project Mentor
Charles De Fe
Dr. Murat Kacira
Peter Livingston
Team Members
Qi Li Elizabeth De Vogelaere
Charlotte Meador
Kirstie Birmingham (BE)
(BE)
(BE)
(BE)
The goal is to design and
construct an apparatus that
more effectively and efficiently
dehydrates liquid algal solution
into a dried, solid form. The
team constructed a falling
evaporator prototype based
on design models currently
being used in the dairy and
pharmaceutical industries.
Liquid algal solution is pumped
through a standard-use paint
sprayer connected to an eightfoot aluminized steel pipe. The inside of the pipe is heated by a forced air heater. As the algal
solution is sprayed into the pipe, the heat source causes the solution to atomize, evaporating
the water from the solution and leaving a dried algal biomass. This biomass can then be used
for applications such as fish feed, cosmetic industry purposes, and biodiesel research.
BE = Biosystems Engineering
83
THE SMART HOOP HOUSE
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
TEAM 1468
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ABE 498A/B
Sponsor
UA Department of Agriculture
and Biosystems Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Murat Kacira
Peter Livingston
Project Mentor
Peter Livingston
Team Members
Ellen Dunn Kayla Bertsch Reynaldo Mendoza (BE)
(BE)
(BE)
BE = Biosystems Engineering
84
The goal of this project is to
design an automated growing
environment for optimized
plant health. Increasing
numbers of people want to
grow their own food, but
cannot find time to care for a
garden. The Smart Hoop House
is an automated system with
sensors that are programmed
to specific set points for
optimal plant growth. These
sensors actuate irrigation, cooling, and light systems. A soil moisture sensor automates the
irrigation system for efficient water use. A temperature sensor automates a fan to extract
ambient hot air from the top of the hoop house and initiates the mechanical rolling up of the
sides for ventilation when the temperature increases. A light sensor determines if the light is
optimum for plant growth and turns on an energy-efficient LED if needed. As the environment
changes, the system will adapt to care for the plants and ensures protection no matter where
the user is. This design will help the horticulturalists and gardeners by providing greater
control and ultimately more peace of mind. By promoting local food production this system
supports the movement for food sustainability and security. This design keeps quality and
production high without disturbing the daily lives of users.
GRAY WATER RECYCLING SYSTEM
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
TEAM 1469
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
ABE 498A/B
Sponsor
Bosque Engineering
UA Department of Agricultural
and Biosystems Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Peter Livingston
Kitt Farrell-Poe
Project Mentor
Peter Livingston
Kitt Farrell-Poe
Team Members
Caitlyn Hall Gina Harris Devon Schmieder
(BE)
(BE)
(BE)
BE = Biosystems Engineering
The goal of this project is to
design a low-cost residential
gray water system. Since 2010
Tucson homes have been built
with dual plumbing systems to
separate gray water and black
water. The gray water may be
used for irrigation in Tucson,
and Tucson Water reimburses a
significant amount of installation
and material costs for these
systems. No commercial system
is available, and this low-cost solar-powered irrigation system design will meet a need for
residential gray water reuse systems. The system will reduce the use of potable water by
thousands of gallons a year in every home in which the it is implemented, saving a valuable
resource and reducing Tucson homeowners’ water bills. To gain entrepreneurship experience,
project progression has been guided as if creating a startup business with potential for small
business licensing. A website and marketing aspect has been integrated to introduce the gray
water system for public promotion.
85
INDUSTRIAL SCALE-UP OF COPPER NANOPARTICLE COATED
PAPER Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1470
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kimberly Ogden
Project Mentor
Anthony Muscat
Lance Hubbard
Team Members
Rachel Braun Allison DeKatch Jerad Dunevant Daniel Witter (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
86
The goal of this project is
an industrial scale-up of a
process to coat paper with a
thin uniform layer of copper
nanoparticles. A lab-scale
version of this patent-pending
process was developed at
the University of Arizona by
researchers in the department
of chemical and environmental
engineering. Other common
metallic nanoparticle coating
technologies require the use of a vacuum chamber or application of voltage to the substrate.
This newly developed process eliminates these steps and many of the other requirements
of older coating processes, making the process more cost effective and more applicable to
a wider variety of substrates, such as paper, plastic and metals. The chosen application is
the coating of paper for use in flexible electronics and organic solar cells. The plant design
includes the creation of copper nanoparticles from bulk copper that are then sprayed onto
rolls of paper.
PROPANE-BASED FUEL CELLS
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1471
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Greg Ogden
Project Mentor
Greg Ogden
Team Members
Julie Bui Brian Gerwe Samantha Henry
Paul Nakazato (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
Fuel cells that convert chemical
energy from a fuel into
electricity have been around
since 1838. Methanol has been
the primary fuel source for these
cells. The goal of this project
is to change the fuel source to
propane. The primary challenges
with using propane are removing
sulfur compounds from
commercial grade propane, and
reforming the fuel into hydrogen
to be delivered to the anode. The propane fuel cell uses sol-gel-synthesized yttria-stabilizedzirconia (YSZ), nickel-doped YSZ (Ni-YSZ), and lanthanum strontium manganese doped YSZ (LSMYSZ) for the electrolyte, anode and cathode, respectively. This approach offers improved porosity
and surface area to mass ratio than the traditional powder-mixing and sintering processes that
are typically used for making the anode, cathode and electrolyte. With the target audience being
recreational vehicle (RV) users, a propane fuel cell allows users to purchase and store only one
fuel source on their RVs. Each fuel cell will generate 4500 watts of power, allowing the user to
power air conditioning and other appliances (refrigerator, microwave, etc.). The propane fuel cell
not only allows customers to take advantage of propane already available for cooking, but also
produces less noise and emissions compared to traditional diesel generators.
87
PRODUCTION OF FEED FROM MICROALGAE
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1472
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kimberly Ogden
Project Mentor
Peter Waller
Team Members
Caleb Rugel Joel Hyde
Nick Mata Thomas Rosales (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
88
The goal of this project is to
compare different types of algae
raceways and design nutrientdelivery systems to optimize the
large-scale production of fish
feed from microalgae. The Algae
Raceway Integrated Design (ARID)
is a serpentine path with a deep
canal for overnight storage of the
reactor contents. The traditional
paddlewheel raceway consists of a
large oval tub with a paddlewheel
motor. The two designs were
compared to see which was the
most cost effective. Areas of analysis
included the cost of materials and
equipment, cost of labor, utilities
requirements and production
capability. The CO2 delivery systems
compared were direct pumping through a diffusion stone or by the introduction of water
supersaturated with CO2. A nutrient-delivery system was designed for use in both raceways.
Methods considered for separation included flocculation, filtration and centrifugation.
SUNSHINE DISTILLERS: DESIGN OF A BOURBON DISTILLERY
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1473
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kim Ogden
Project Mentor
David Denuyl
Team Members
Sara Gallagher Kari Hernandez Kate Li Christian Montoya (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
The goal of this project is
to design a facility that will
produce large bourbon volumes
to be sold on the public
market. Sunshine Distillers is a
hypothetical bourbon distillery
located in Tucson, Arizona.
By deciding upon a mediumsized yearly output of 50,000
750 milliliter bottles of
bourbon, the team calculated
the amounts of materials that must pass through every stage of the process, from the initial
corn and wheat in the mash, through the yeast added in the fermenter, and finally to the
amount of alcohol exiting the distillation apparatus to produce bottled bourbon at 45 percent
alcohol by volume (90 proof). The team quantified the cell growth during fermentation using
a modified Monod kinetic expression. Size and cost of the equipment were simulated using
ChemCAD software.
89
UTILIZATION OF WASTE HEAT FROM POWER GENERATION TO
PURIFY WATER Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1474
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kimberly Ogden
Project Mentor
Kimberly Ogden
Team Members
Kaitlyn Mensing Elyse Redford Lily Walsh Daniel Wilcox (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
90
Energy and water are both
essential commodities but
most of our planet's water
is not potable, and most of
the heat produced during
conventional power generation
isn't used. The goal of this
project is to design systems
to capture heat from a solar
concentrator and excess
heat from a nuclear reactor,
and to use this waste heat
to purify seawater. Nuclear
reactors generate an immense
amount of heat, most of
which is wasted, while
solar concentrators focus the sun's heat. Harnessing these sources of heat is a low-cost and
sustainable way to purify water. Two common methods were used in the design to desalinate
seawater: membrane distillation and vacuum distillation, both of which were interchanged
with the two sources of heat to find the best combination of efficiency and cost. By pairing
water purification with power generation, two of the world's greatest needs can be met more
efficiently, more sustainably, and at a lower cost.
MINIMIZING ACID GENERATING POTENTIAL ON SULFIDE MINE
TAILING Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1475
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Superfund Research Program
Jon Chorover's Lab
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Jon Chorover
Robert Root
Project Mentor
Robert Root
Kim Ogden
Team Members
Juan Cristobal Mariscal Sara Feijoo Moreira Yadi Wang
Richard Weng (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
Mine tailings are byproducts and waste materials
from the mining process. Sulfide-dominated mine
tailings, especially on the surface, can generate acid
due to prolonged oxygen exposure. This weathering
process can create tailings lacking nutrients that
prevent vegetation growth. The bare tailing surface
can elevate the health risk to the surrounding
populations due to wind and water erosion. The goal
of this project is to design a neutralization plant
for sulfide-dominated mine tailings. The plant will use limestone-amended tailing products to
overlay and stabilize the surface of an older tailing body. To determine the amount of limestone
needed during the neutralization step, an analysis of reduced inorganic sulfur that has acidgenerating potential was assessed using an inexpensive chromium-reducible sulfur laboratory
method. Various known pyrite concentrations were examined to quantify sulfur recovery form
each source. Mathematical models were transformed from the experimental results and used to
predict acid-generating potential from the mine tailings, from which a quantity of limestone can
be estimated to treat mine tailings. In comparison with other mine tailing covering methods,
this plant can immediately cover old tailings with amended new tailings. In addition, the plant
process can minimize weathering of tailing pile surfaces. The cost of this capping scheme with
products from the neutralization plant is also lower than treating weathered old tailing surfaces
directly. This neutralization plant concept will significantly address sulfide acid remediation
problems and reduce long-term public health risk near mining sites.
91
PRODUCTION OF ULTRAPURE NITROGEN
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1476
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Kimberly Ogden
Project Mentor
Harry Patton
Team Members
Mohamed Alkhamis Jessica Amposta Rohit Uprety Manuel Vasquez
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
92
The goal of this project is to
design a plant to produce 200
tons of ultrapure nitrogen
per day that has impurities,
excluding noble gases, of less
than 10 parts per billion by
volume without using nitrogen
product compressors. The
plant manufactures liquefied
nitrogen from ambient air
through cryogenic distillation.
The location of the plant
was chosen to be in Tucson,
Arizona, south of Irvington
between Kolb and Houghton.
The return on investment for
this plant was not ideal because of high capital costs and competition with well-established
vendors of ultrapure nitrogen, such as Air Liquide and Linde. To improve cost effectiveness,
a second plant was designed using the same purification process but with purchased
concentrated nitrogen that was 95 to 99 percent pure. The reduction in capital costs for
equipment to obtain the initial purification upstream of the distillation column made the
second design more economically feasible.
PLASTICS RECYCLING PLANT
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1477
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Chris Dahl
Project Mentor
Kimberly Ogden
Team Members
Dustin Groff Andrew Jimenez Kyle Rodriguez Jeff Tsay (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
The ability to sustainably recycle widely
used plastics, especially numbers 3-7,
cannot keep pace with demand. The
goal of this project is design a plastics
recycling plant to efficiently handle all
types of plastics. Through novel research
methods developed over the past few
decades, in conjunction with current
recycling methods in popular use, this
plant design will enable more efficient
large-scale recycling of plastics. After
the initial washing and separating of
the bulk waste, a selective dissolution
and reprecipitation technique with a
variety of solvents is able to take in a
large amount of the waste and isolate
the individual polymers. This is done by
selectively dissolving each polymer in a specified solution at a temperature that limits the
solubility of unwanted materials, which can be filtered out. Adding an antisolvent precipitates
out the desired product. The solvents used in the process can be separated out and recycled
throughout the operation. The polymers can finally be extruded into marketable pellets at
specified level of purities.
93
GASOLINE BLENDING VIA ALKYLATION
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
TEAM 1478
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CHEE 442/443
Sponsor
UA Department of Chemical
and Environmental Engineering
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Fred Brinker
Kimberly Ogden
Project Mentor
Fred Brinker
Kimberly Ogden
Team Members
J. Federico Diez Huirong Ning Yuyan Zhu
Dillon Manzanares (CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
(CHE)
CHE = Chemical Engineering
94
The objective of this project is to
design a plant to produce high-octane
gasoline (regular and premium) using
an alkylation process. Alkylation is
the transfer of an alkyl group from
one molecule to another. In the past,
methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE)
was used to formulate high-octane
gasoline, but environmental and
health concerns have led to calls for
finding different methods to upgrade
gasoline. The envisioned plant would be an add-on to an existing plant. The process consists of
combining an isobutane stream and a light olefin stream, containing C3s and C4s, to produce
C7s and C8s via alkylation. The process will contain two splitters: one to remove n-butane
from a refinery butane stream to leave mainly isobutane; the other to remove propane
and propylene from a refinery light olefin stream so that the light olefin can be used more
efficiently. The isobutane stream and the light olefin stream will be used in the production
of the different gasolines, whereas the n-butane stream and the propane/polypropylene
streams can be sold at market price. The gasoline will be mixed in compliance with relevant
regulations. The gasoline capacity of the system will be around 130,000 barrels per day, with
premium and regular gasoline produced in a ratio that maximizes profits. There will also be
two different products for each kind of gasoline: one for summer and one for winter.
DESIGN OF MULTISTORY HISTORICAL LEED BUILDING
Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
TEAM 1479
PROJECT SUMMARY
Class
CE 408A/B
Sponsor
UA Department of
Civil Engineering and
Engineering Mechanics
Sponsor Mentor/Advisor
Mick Mathieu
Project Mentor
Mick Mathieu
Team Members
Mireya Moleres
Joel Amarillas Haley Koesters Nawar Sadeq
Gabriela Brambila Blake Brennan CV = Civil Engineering
(CV)
(CV)
(CV)
(CV)
(CV)
(CV)
The goal of this project is to design
a multipurpose three-story building
that creates a new hub for businesses
and student housing. Located in the
West University Historic District,
the building blends into the historic
neighborhood's architectural
features. The project encompasses a
complete transportation, hydrological,
structural, and geotechnical design
of the building and site while adhering to all applicable building codes. Based on calculations
for expected daily trips, turning movements, and Highway Capacity Software traffic-flow
analysis, the new site plan is designed to optimize parking spaces, landscaped areas, and
access. Along with a newly designed grading plan, hydrological flood analysis for varying storm
events is used to design rainwater harvesting cisterns and a stormwater infiltration system to
recharge the groundwater aquifer and irrigate the site's native landscaping. The building itself
is a steel-braced moment frame designed to support gravity, wind, and seismic loading per
the Load Resistance Factor Design procedure. Given the applied loading and data from soil
profiles, the site's soil-bearing capacity is calculated to design isolated concrete foundations
with reinforcing tensile rebar. During the design process, decisions to use recycled materials,
environmentally conservative methods, and energy and water efficient systems were used to
achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation.
95
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Our thanks to all sponsors of design projects and
for all the support we receive for interdisciplinary
engineering design at the University of Arizona.
2015 SPONSORS
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Lincus Energy Lockheed Martin NASA National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
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Grumman II-VI Optical Systems PADT Kristy D. Pearson Precision Shooting Equipment Prototron Circuits
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