UTSA's Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design Spring 2022 Tech Symposium took place between Thursday, April 21 at the UTSA Convocation Center. Thank you to everyone who attended and took part in this showcase by our hard working and talented students in the Klesse College. Read more about this semester's symposium and join us again in the fall!
Klesse College Tech Symposium Spring 2022
- Awards & Recognition
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- EPICS
Awards and Recognition
Excellence
Hermes | The toughest decision a coach/athletic trainer can make is when to rest athletes. When a game is ongoing, you can ask your player whether they feel tired, but no player ever wants to leave the game. However, it’s the athletes that don’t rest who are most prone to muscle injuries. Currently the issues that persist sports all around the world are the following
When is it necessary to rest athletes
Which muscles are active
How are an athletes muscle doing through fieldwork and during the game
Optimization of in game substitutions based on muscle activity
This has led to a need to develop an easy, comfortable and accurate muscle fatigue monitoring system that can display how the athlete is doing on and off the field. This has led to the development of the Hermes. An E-Textile that has 12 fabric EMG sensor along key muscles in the quadricep and the hamstrings. The EMG fabric sensors will constant collect electromyography data that will be sent through an audio amplifier to remove any potential noise between 2 sensors. Once this has been completed, the data will be sent to an application for athletic trainers and coaches to monitor. Once this data is displayed in the application, the trainers will be able to see real time color feedback on the muscle to indicate muscle fatigue. This will allow coaches to make data driven decisions when players need to rest.
Runner Commodity Ethylbenzene Process | Ethylbenzene is a valuable commodity chemical used primarily used to produce polystyrene. Runner Commodity has created a vapor liquid phase reaction that differs from the industry standard of total vapor phase. This process requires a 80K yearly output of 99.8% by mol ethylbenzene. Our process uses two plug flow reactors packed with catalysts and three distillation columns for the separation unit with a recycle steam. Currently, we are generating 58K tonnes per year of 99.9% by mol ethylbenzene at a loss and are working toward improving our profit by eliminating a distillation column, reducing feedstock, and improving our recycle stream.
Lone Star Event Venue| BXR Engineering is designing a multipurpose event venue to be developed on the corner lot of W. Hausman Rd. and Bentley Wells. In our presentation, we will provide the basic documentation and design requirements for this project. Our plan is to create a 1-story facility capable of holding weddings, live music, and private events. We will have an exterior overhang, and we will create a man-made water feature in the front of our facility. This structure will be built in order to provide a multi-purpose venue for the existing and future living accommodations that are in close proximity.
Tote Erecting Machine | The tote erecting machine is designed to reduce the footprint of modern day tote erectors and it is intended to erect plastic totes in HEB’s meat plant to reduce repetitive labor. Due to the environment and the purpose of the machine, the design must follow a set of rigorous tests and conditions. Since the product will form part of a production line that handles food, it will also have to follow certain legal requirements for food production. In addition, the meat plant undergoes a heavy cleaning process which the machine will have to withstand with its stainless steel enclosure. The production line needs a fast erection of totes, so the design must comply with the speed and efficiency demands.
Advanced Mobility Crawler (AMC) | The purpose of the Advanced Mobility Crawler project is to construct a proof-of-concept robotic crawler capable of locomotion in a confined space, navigation of small enclosures with elevated openings, and anchoring itself in said enclosures with enough force to permit high-force processes such as grit-blasting or drilling. The crawler must be able to traverse the uneven terrain within these enclosures, such as buoyancy compartments in a ship's hull, and compact enough to fit through the narrow openings separating them. Additionally, the anchoring system must be able to maintain a high stability to resist forces from the mechanical tool attached to it. As mentioned just before, this project is intended to be a prototype, demonstrating the feasibility of this system's approach to maneuverability and anchoring rigidly.
Design I - Awardees receive $1000 each
Modular Helicopter Simulation Flight Controls System | The objective of this design project is to engineer, program, and fabricate a feature rich, low-cost, modular helicopter simulator control system, composed of three major control components: collective, cyclic, and anti-torque pedals. The design of this system utilizes passive components, electromagnets, tactile buttons and switches, and microcontrollers to provide the user with a realistic experience without the high cost of currently available controllers. The three-component system will communicate with a desktop computer via USB, offering an easy plug and play option to be used with popular flight simulation programs (DCS World, Microsoft Flight Simulator).
Hubless Electric Bike | Our hubless electric bike is about reinventing the wheel and alternative forms to drive it. Bicycling was at an all time high during covid-19, and we'd like to interest more people by showing them that biking can be for everyone. Our bike would allow someone to conquer multiple terrains by adapting a manual, pedal assist, and full auto mode.
Propellant Managment Device | Our objective is to develop a Propellant Management Device (PMD) for use with a Neutral Buoyancy Test Bench (NBT) that meets the requirements delegated by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The function of the PMD is to direct the propellent within a tank, in microgravity, towards the outlet by utilizing surface tension. The NBT consists of a spherical container replicating a propellant tank on a space craft. To replicate microgravity, two immiscible fluids will be used, one to represent the propellent and other to act as a neutral fluid to suspend the propellent. Design and testing of the PMD will simulate cryogenic propellant (liquid oxygen) transfer (i.e., refueling) between satellite tanks in orbit. Our PMD, along with several others made internally at SwRI, will be tested utilizing the NBT to improve upon historical designs.
Design II
Modular Drone | To create an affordable modular drone platform that will allow a single drone to be used in multiple roles, while maintaining quick tool-less separation of drone arms and modular attachments. Which makes replacing broken parts easy and allows disassembly of our drone putting it in a compact footprint.
Multimodal Augmented Reality Approach for Determining Sports-Related Concussions | Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a medical diagnosis that is typically accompanied by a wide and inconsistent range of physical symptoms. The somewhat stochastic nature of symptom presentation and occurrence of symptoms common to other health ailments has made diagnostic methods inconsistent and incapable of being performed in a dynamic environment. The current technological landscape for SRC detection is limited by cost, size, and single modality diagnostics. The goal of this project is to leverage small-form-factor-sensing-dense packages to perform health assessments. More specifically, this research utilizes a HoloLens 2 to recreate scientifically validated health assessments. With the inherent sensing mechanisms (IMU, eye-tracking, facial recognition, hand-tracking, etc.) in the HoloLens 2, we aim to produce a product capable of data collection for use in learning algorithms. As this technology matures, we predict a strong need in both athletics and military applications.
Mag-L disc | We, the BackPack are developing a lumbar disc replacement device that utilizes magnetic repulsion as a means of treating symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease. The purpose of this device, the Mag-L disc, is to allow for certain degrees of motion post-operation without the worry of articulating surfaces that wear and tear overtime.
Biomedical Engineering Design II
Monitoring Humidity for Diabetic Foot Ulcers | Diabetics have a 25% chance of developing a diabetic foot ulcer. In unfortunate cases, the ulcer can become infected, leading to amputation. Research shows humidity is important because it can promote healing through angiogenesis and migration of epidermal cells across the wound. Clinical work has shown that a maximum relative humidity of over 70% can contribute to increased viral infection and microbial growth. To address this need, our project aims to create a smart bandage that will monitor humidity and visually alert patients when humidity reaches over a 70% humidity threshold through an LED light.
HYDROSTAT: Hydration Sensor | Hospital staff face challenges in assessing dehydration upon patient evaluation, which can lead to negative effects on physical and cognitive performance. Current methods lack a simple, effective, and accurate method to measure hydration. There is a need for a quick, inexpensive, and non-invasive method to monitor hydration. The Hydrostat, implements a negative pressure force to cause an elastic deformation of the skin, which is quantified in terms of distance and time to generate skin elasticity measurements. It is composed of a robust and lightweight shell that houses its components such as the compact electric air pump, LIDAR sensor, and microcontroller.
Monitoring Humidity for Diabetic Foot Ulcers | Sleep Apnea, more specifically Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), is a condition characterized by
blockage of the airway by soft tissue, resulting in frequent episodes of interrupted breathing
throughout the sleep cycle. Residual effects of untreated OSA are often detrimental to patient
health, with the most common being excessive daytime sleepiness, psychological and cognitive
decline, heart tissue damage, hypoxia, and death1 . The most common treatment for OSA is
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. During CPAP use, the upper respiratory
tract is ventilated with a constant pressure flow to allow continuous airway expansion necessary
for unobstructed breathing. Currently there are approximately 8 million adult CPAP users in the
US—with anticipated growth of 8-9% users annually2 . Of these consumers, 13 long and
short-term CPAP users were interviewed exclusively for the purpose of this project. With
knowledge gained through these interviews, market research, and published and personal
experiences with OSA, surveys were generated and dispersed to determine the primary
problems associated with CPAP usage. From this, a universal concern among interviewees was
determined—a lack of accurate, continuous validation of proper oxygenation with minimal
discomfort. With consumer needs and concerns in mind, SleepSound Therapeutics has created
a cost-effective, durable device which accurately tracks apneatic events using biological
measurements during sleep. Predicate devices are expensive, inaccurate and uncomfortable
solutions. Our novel device is a potential solution capable of validating the efficacy of oxygen
supplementation and/or CPAP therapy. We have developed an affordable, comfortable device
which accurately measures oxygen saturation throughout the sleep cycle and presents this data
in an easy to-interpret format.
Cuspid Cam | Dentists have a disproportionately high amount of back and neck pain. This problem is associated with poor postural patterns that become habitual over the course of a dental healthcare practitioner's career. The underlying cause of the modified postural patterns are due to the inability to gain visual feedback from a normal postural position.1 The device solves this problem by providing a magnified view of the teeth presented to an ergonomic display. This device solves the given problem better than competitors at a lower price point.
External Intubation Aid Device | Currently, 313 million endotracheal intubations are performed each year. This is a medical procedure in which a tube is placed into the trachea through the mouth or nose. 1 in 4 are misplaced due to the inability to see the patient’s airway clearly. A device that solves this issue in a pre-hospital setting is not currently available. Airmid Advancements has a mission to provide a device that can properly align the patient’s airway, giving a clear line of sight for the correct placement of endotracheal intubation tubes. This will reduce the number of misplacements and increase prehospital patient survival.
Chronic Total Occlusion Plug | Around 20-25% of the 18 million Americans living with some form of coronary heart disease will have a chronically occluded artery. The blockage of the artery compromises blood flow to the heart. However, the pathophysiology of Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) remains poorly understood and current Chronic Total Occlusion animal models have a low success rate, with an expected 50% survival rate as a result of the artery being blocked too quickly, leading to fibrillation. Our team aims to innovate a successful CTO plug that is biocompatible, resorbable and can be deployed into an animal model’s artery without causing fibrillation.
Tripolar LV Volume Sensor For Rotary Blood Pumps | The purpose of our project is the implementation of a four-electrode sensor configuration into a commercial rotary blood pump, the Abiomed Impella 5.5 Heart pump; the successful implementation of these electrodes would allow to measure instantaneous native cardiac output, a feature that would supplement a flaw in the current design: the lack of functional indicators in the implanted device. For this project, the rotary blood pump will be placed in the left ventricle.
ECOM (ELASTIC CANINE OXYGEN MASK) | A elastic canine oxygen mask to replace traditionally used counterpart in fire and natural disaster rescue.
Microneedle Patch | Microneedles are safe and effective devices for vaccination. Microneedles can deliver a wide range of drugs painlessly, including influenza vaccines, without compromising patient immunity. This device provides an innovative solution to drug delivery, acting as a potential replacement for traditional hypodermic needles due to its disposability and simplicity in utilization. More people can be vaccinated by introducing microneedles to the market due to a reduction in needle phobia, leading to increased protection from lethal pathogens.
Mag-L disc | We, the BackPack are developing a lumbar disc replacement device that utilizes magnetic repulsion as a means of treating symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease. The purpose of this device, the Mag-L disc, is to allow for certain degrees of motion post-operation without the worry of articulating surfaces that wear and tear overtime.
Hermes | The toughest decision a coach/athletic trainer can make is when to rest athletes. When a game is ongoing, you can ask your player whether they feel tired, but no player ever wants to leave the game. However, it’s the athletes that don’t rest who are most prone to muscle injuries. Currently the issues that persist sports all around the world are the following
When is it necessary to rest athletes
Which muscles are active
How are an athletes muscle doing through fieldwork and during the game
Optimization of in game substitutions based on muscle activity
This has led to a need to develop an easy, comfortable and accurate muscle fatigue monitoring system that can display how the athlete is doing on and off the field. This has led to the development of the Hermes. An E-Textile that has 12 fabric EMG sensor along key muscles in the quadricep and the hamstrings. The EMG fabric sensors will constant collect electromyography data that will be sent through an audio amplifier to remove any potential noise between 2 sensors. Once this has been completed, the data will be sent to an application for athletic trainers and coaches to monitor. Once this data is displayed in the application, the trainers will be able to see real time color feedback on the muscle to indicate muscle fatigue. This will allow coaches to make data driven decisions when players need to rest.
Chemical Engineering Design II
Designing an Ethylbenzene Plant | Our task is to create a preliminary design of an ethylbenzene (EB) plant at the SA petrochemical facility to maximize efficiency while considering various external factors. To do this we have gathered information related to the process to determine the best approach. We have also utilized a block flow diagram to construct the process and determine the appropriate temperatures, pressures and phase change operations for each step of the process. Then our team simulated the design using aspen plus followed by calculating the profitability parameters of the design including return on investment (ROI), payback period (PBP), cash flows (CF) for each year, net present value (NPV), and investor’s rate of return (IRR). Our group has also taken into consideration what the public health, safety, welfare, global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors are and how they affect the design of the plant.
Ethylbenzene Plant Production by J.E.V. | This Project showcases the designing process that goes into the makings of a production plant for ethylbenzene. Using a set amount of feed product that is ethylene and benzene at a 1:8 ratio our design goes through a series of reactors and distillation separators that gives a final mole fraction of 0.99% ethylbenzene. The goal of this plant is to not only produce the final product of ethylbenzene but also to use cost reduction by means of recycle and using economic data that shows our timeline of profitability years after the start up. This project is a simulation by using the Aspen Plus program that shows the start up of a plant, its utilities cost, and the economic path required to achieve making a fully functional plant.
Runner Commodity Ethylbenzene Process | Ethylbenzene is a valuable commodity chemical used primarily used to produce polystyrene. Runner Commodity has created a vapor liquid phase reaction that differs from the industry standard of total vapor phase. This process requires a 80K yearly output of 99.8% by mol ethylbenzene. Our process uses two plug flow reactors packed with catalysts and three distillation columns for the separation unit with a recycle steam. Currently, we are generating 58K tonnes per year of 99.9% by mol ethylbenzene at a loss and are working toward improving our profit by eliminating a distillation column, reducing feedstock, and improving our recycle stream.
Lummus-UOP Ethylbenzene Process Design | A chemical manufacturing facility was designed using the liquid phase Lummus-UOP process to produce 80,000 tonnes of ethylbenzene annually with consideration for public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
Civil Engineering Design II
The Hills Apartments | Admiral Solutions is planning on the construction of an apartment building on the south end of San Antonio. This project will consist of a three story apartment built on a 2.79 acre plot, with the proper utilities required for modern day living such as indoor plumbing, heating, cooling, electricity, and internet connection. Careful work is put on the building’s geography to ensure that damages caused by any ground movement is minimalized on the building’s structure and that excess flooding does not hamper its operations.
San Antonio Int. Airport Employee Parking Redesign | On average, about 25,000 passengers per day fly in and out of the San Antonio Airport each year and is expected to multiply within a couple of years. To accommodate this growth the San Antonio Airport System established a Strategic Development Plan to focus on the expansion of the airport in the next 50 years. Bayes Engineering will work alongside the SDP for the San Antonio International Airport Employee Parking Redesign. Our project will mainly focus on relocating the existing employee parking lot, increasing the parking capacity while providing safe and easy access to the terminals for the employees.
Lone Star Event Venue| BXR Engineering is designing a multipurpose event venue to be developed on the corner lot of W. Hausman Rd. and Bentley Wells. In our presentation, we will provide the basic documentation and design requirements for this project. Our plan is to create a 1-story facility capable of holding weddings, live music, and private events. We will have an exterior overhang, and we will create a man-made water feature in the front of our facility. This structure will be built in order to provide a multi-purpose venue for the existing and future living accommodations that are in close proximity.
Oak Tree Nature School | Oak Tree Nature School is a private learning environment for children ages 3-5, with a focus on harnessing a respect and understanding for the environment around them. The development is located on a 1.5 acre plot at the intersection of Culebra Road and Nueces Canyon on the Northwest side of San Antonio. Land development and building design highlights include paved parking, slab-on-grade foundation, one-way reinforced concrete joist floor system, and rooftop garden, complete with a rainwater harvesting system.
Bexar Sports Complex | M.C.D.C. is constructing a modern sports complex in the East side of San Antonio. The complex will include a recreational building for lifting weights for the general public to use, several fields that include a football, baseball, and multi-use fields, that will be open for the general public to use, but can also be used for scheduled school games. Our goal is to bring these neighboring communities together by providing a place where they can be active and play together outside of the school environment and enjoy a high quality facility where they can be healthy as a community.
Grandeur Apartments | Our main goal is to create a mixed use building in which will have a restaunrant, coffee shop, and a clothing store on the first floor. The next floors will consist of apartments as well as ammenities that will be spread out throughout the different levels. We will be using a green roof system that will also incorporate an accessible roof for the occupants. Using our projects name we want this to be grandeur and have a modern way of life for the young adults or professionals moving into this complex. We did move our projects location from last semester to have more space and for the potential of future development with the new property.
Electrical & Computer Engineering Design I
AneMotion| AneMotion is an electrical/computer engineering undergraduate research project. The idea of the project is to take an anemometer or wind sensor, which can only record accurate data while stationary and oriented, and create a design that records data while in motion. The goal is to be able to attach the device to a moving vehicle such as a uav/drone and be able to record real time accurate wind data at any velocity and direction. This design will provide use in many fields such as environmental data research where wind velocity and direction is recorded and studied.
AI Security | Incorporate artificial intelligence into cybersecurity to automate detection of threats. We follow the zero-trust architecture guidelines as the fundamental requirements for our system. It will collect information from the users and their device such as user credentials, device details, network and environment, application and workload updates, and any protected data to verify that the user has access to any confidential information hidden within the company. The system will then continue to collect data such as data usage and monitoring logs, administrative action, and check for security updates when the user is in the environment.
EV Carport | Electric vehicles are the future, the best way for this future to be adopted is to advertise it to shipping companies that could set a new standard. Our team was tasked with designing the battery management system for the carport, to ensure no problems can arrise.
Food Temperature Monitoring System | The main objective of the Food Temperature Monitoring System is to autonomously measure the temperature of food in restaurants for safety regulations. The temperature sensor data will go into a microprocessor, that will then send to an application through a Wi-Fi server that will allow the user to categorize the food type. The server will be accessed from the client’s computer where each measurement has a name, temperature, and time when taken. This project should automate the temperature taking process, which will allow the client to be more time efficient and save money in the long run.
Ice Regolith Rover Excavator | Deposits of ice, in high concentrations, exist in the permanently shadowed craters located at the south pole of the Moon covered by layers of regolith. Researchers are exploring different strategies to extract the ice from lunar regolith while stabilizing the sublimation rate. If water can be unsheathed, it will be utilized in sustainable space exploration and establishing permanent human habitats on the Moon. The purpose of this project is to develop a rover with optimal maneuvering capabilities that employs low-energy ice extraction processes. Our concept utilizes spectroscopy, a LiDAR navigation system, and excavating wheels to collect icy regolith.
Autonomous Delivery Drone | The Autonomous Delivery Drone is a hexacopter that will be able to deliver a payload less than or equal to five pounds without the need of a pilot. The delivery coordinates will be entered through a mobile app and the drone will deliver a package directly to location within 2.5 mile radius. The drone will have a 4G connection and be operated through a ground control station that can be used from any location with an internet connection. The GSC will take the delivery information and update the flight plans in real time. After delivery, the drone will return to a charging station to be manually charged.
Static Lint Roller | Our project the Static Lint Roller is a device that uses the properties of electromagnetic fields to produce an enhanced way to gather lint and hair from a surface. Simply turn on the device to activate the internal rotational force to spin the 3D printed rabbit fur rotor within an outer layer of PVC pipe. The pipe is stationary with a naturally negative charge while the rabbit fur’s charge is positive. Through frictional charging, a static field should produce enough magnetism to attract lint/fur.
Metabolic Training Gear II|The Metabolic Training Gear Vest functions with three inputs and two outputs in concept. The three inputs are Heartrate, Outside Force, and Selection of Mode, and the two outputs are Bluetooth and the sequencing of lights. The Metabolic Gear Vest is a product that makes a game out of boxing training. How it works is by prompting lights on a set of two training vests and having two trainees punch the correlating sensor on the section of inside the light surrounding the pressure sensor that is lit on the opponent between a limited amount of time while also monitoring the heart rate of the user with multiple difficulty modes and punch power measurements.
Playlight | Playlight is a visual aid for piano enthusiasts. It is a device that aims to display any scale on the piano keys. One of the key features being developed by the team working on Playlight is the logic and code implemented in the Arduino to operate the LEDs, LCD, and to take correct input from buttons. The other main feature is wiring all the hardware together (resistors, wires, capacitors, LEDs, controller) to work properly with the Arduino and to be able to function correctly. The Arduino will send information to the Playlight depending on what the user inputs via buttons.
Doom Array Synthesizer |The Doom Synth will function as any keyboard type synthesizer does. The user presses on keys to generate musical tone which can be filtered for different sound by way of the effect control knobs. These effects are built from scratch using circuit configurations similar to those of popular guitar pedal effects such as chorus, flanger, EQ, compression, fuzz, distortion, and other similar modifiers.
HEB Power Data Acquisiton System | A power data acquisition system utilizing installed hardware monitors that gathers data from industrial systems and sends it to local and remote monitors. System is capable of processing data collected at local hardware cabinets and then relay that data to a remote monitoring station via a programmable logic controller. The PLC monitors the incoming data for fault conditions and sends an alert and activates an alarm light when a fault state is detected in the local monitors.
Electrical & Computer Engineering Design II
5LACS | The LCW(liquid crystal window) is a window that that electrically modulates sunlight to user specifications. The LCW consists of two layers of polarized glass, that sandwich layers of conductive material, that enclose liquid crystal at the center. The user can control the amount of light entering the house using a control dial/smart phone or through an automated process based on sensor data within the LCW.
Integrated Solar Path Light | The solar powered path light is a lighting fixture that runs on solar energy which powers an integrated microcontroller within the fixture. This integrated microcontroller version of a path light is meant to outperform and outlast a standard path light operating with a photoresistor. Additionally, the current design of this solar powered path light outperforms the longevity of common solar path lights bought in bulk, as the integrated 3.7V lithium ion rechargeable battery is more efficient for the life span of the path light versus the commonly used rechargeable AAA batteries found in common path lights.
Catcher Automation Project | San Antonio’s HEB Meat Processing Plant is looking for a way to automate the packaging process for their jalapeño popper packages to minimize human error and injuries. To achieve this, we designed a product that’s capable of analyzing the packages for issues while also being able to place the packages in designated totes. The product we designed identifies two labels on the top of the packages and one on the bottom and checks for any packaging defects. After the package analysis is complete our product then places the package in its appropriate tote at a 45° angle.
SMARTair - Dyanmic HVAC System | We are building a Household air control system that is more dynamic and more accommodating than current HVAC systems. This is achieved by gathering data on each room and controlling their airflow individuality based on their desire.
Pool Buddy | A device that can test a pool's water to see what the Ph, chlorine and bromine is and what chemicals are needed to be added. Pool owners must constantly test their pool water to know if it is in the right PH level for swimming. The way it is done today is either the owner themselves drop the testing solution to see what is needed or they pay someone to do it for them every time the season changes. The device will take out the headache from both methods with a simple app on their phone.
Ranger Rover | Trails need regular monitoring to assess problematic areas that require maintenance. Our robot, the Ranger Rover, will be an autonomous mobile robot that traverses paved trails and detects litter, invasive species, graffiti, and other objects of notice along the trails through computer vision. Once an object is detected, the robot will record GPS coordinates and relay it to an outside user interface to aid people who help maintain the trail, like park rangers and volunteers, furthering the goals of parks in improving the health of ecosystems and providing denizens recreational spaces while minimizing risk to wildlife.
Analog Synthesizer | Synthesizers are musical instruments that gained popularity in the 80s and have seen a recent resurgence in modern music. The instrument can be identified as a device capable of generating a tone with built in modulation effects, with more upscale devices containing piano keys to allow for various pitches. Musicians across genres ranging from your small bedroom musician to the professionals touring the world utilize the instrument. Our design team looks to tackle to accessibility issues with the instrument as it is overwhelming and expensive for new musicians looking to learn the instrument.
Tote Erecting Machine | The tote erecting machine is designed to reduce the footprint of modern day tote erectors and it is intended to erect plastic totes in HEB’s meat plant to reduce repetitive labor. Due to the environment and the purpose of the machine, the design must follow a set of rigorous tests and conditions. Since the product will form part of a production line that handles food, it will also have to follow certain legal requirements for food production. In addition, the meat plant undergoes a heavy cleaning process which the machine will have to withstand with its stainless steel enclosure. The production line needs a fast erection of totes, so the design must comply with the speed and efficiency demands.
Internet Connected Guitar Effects Pedal | This project includes a device (a raspberry pi) which receives effect configurations from the internet, and applies them to an input guitar signal. The device also outputs the audio directly to an amplifier and also streams to a website. The device can enable and disable audio effects using a bypass feature. The project also includes a web application which allows for configuring of effects, and listening to audio stream. The configurations are stored in a database to allow for persistent storage.
Modular Drone | To create an affordable modular drone platform that will allow a single drone to be used in multiple roles, while maintaining quick tool-less separation of drone arms and modular attachments. Which makes replacing broken parts easy and allows disassembly of our drone putting it in a compact footprint.
Portable Privacy Censor | The Portable Privacy Censor provides portable security to the user with customizable instructions. It involves two devices, one a sensor and another the receiver. The sensor will send a signal to the receiver and in doing so the receiver will send the signal to the software that's part of the receiver device. Based on the instructions inputted in the GUI, it will execute those instructions which are closing and/or opening programs, and locking or turning off the PC it's connected to.
Multimodal Augmented Reality Approach for Determining Sports-Related Concussions | Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a medical diagnosis that is typically accompanied by a wide and inconsistent range of physical symptoms. The somewhat stochastic nature of symptom presentation and occurrence of symptoms common to other health ailments has made diagnostic methods inconsistent and incapable of being performed in a dynamic environment. The current technological landscape for SRC detection is limited by cost, size, and single modality diagnostics. The goal of this project is to leverage small-form-factor-sensing-dense packages to perform health assessments. More specifically, this research utilizes a HoloLens 2 to recreate scientifically validated health assessments. With the inherent sensing mechanisms (IMU, eye-tracking, facial recognition, hand-tracking, etc.) in the HoloLens 2, we aim to produce a product capable of data collection for use in learning algorithms. As this technology matures, we predict a strong need in both athletics and military applications.
Alamo City Printers | Group 20 is designing a 3 in 1 3D Printer, with the ability to laser engrave and CNC machine. A swappable head unit with be attached allowing for fast and easy access to your desired task. Whether its 3D printer, laser engraving, or usage of the CNC machine, our design will get it done. There are some options similar in the market, however, many parts for OUR design are 3D printed straight from the UTSA maker space (Saved money) and built from other parts either found or bought online.
W.W.E.S (Wearable Wireless EMG System ) | In partnership with Alt-Bionces, our team will be creating a function EMG sensor capable of reading electromyography signals. The goal of our sensor is to capture an existing hobbyist market for EMG'S, because at the moment lower end EMG's are not as efficient and medical grade EMG's are too expensive. This is where our sensor fits in an affordable and efficient EMG sensor that anyone interested in the subject could have access to and in turn a company such as Alt-Bionic could even implement in a wireless system that we are also creating for their bionic hand.
Artificial Intelligence Monitoring | A Cyber Neural Network, applied to a rover, with the capabilities of detecting stop signs and traffic lights. The rover will have a real-time camera attached and will be autonomous using a GPS system. This will layout a route it will follow. These capabilities will help to ensure safety and help to assist impaired or distracted drivers. Car accidents are the 11th leading cause of death in America. With Artificial Intelligence we can help to protect life and deter wrecks and injuries.
SMARTair Residential HVAC Vent Controller with IoT Integration | The SMARTair HVAC system is a state-of-the-art air conditioning system which uses logic-based vent commands to ensure the maximum benefit for homeowners and occupants. The vent control system can connect with its built-in sensor and wall mounted user interface, and utilizes flexible communication, computing power, and multiple-system integration capabilities of the cloud and IoT. There will be three teams designing this system. Our team will be focusing on a user interface along with network connectivity. The Horizon team will be focusing on smart vent controls and also assist with network connectivity. The Cool Room team will be focusing on the light controls and sensors.
Modular Drone | Our project is an upgrade system for a claw machine to make it a
“smart” claw machine. This has the benefits of having the ability
to be further upgraded and can provide valuable data to the
vendor. Further upgrades can include integrations with apps and
sensors to improve customer appeal and even increase some
aspects of security if desired by the owner. We will use a second
control board with various sensors and outputs to interface with
the existing control board and provide increased functionality.
The additional features will allow us to implement some elements
of game design to make the game more engaging with
customers.
Passive House Motorized Shutter System | The goal is to reduce the amount of heat transfer through the windows.
Our design uses motorized window shutters controlled by an AI. The shutters
are made with vacuum insulated panels to cover the windows when not in use.
Thus reducing the amount of conductive and radiant heat transfer.
Switching Controls and Fault Detection/Isolation/Reporting (Vault-0) | The Vault-0 is a generator that will alleviate carbon emissions by implementing an eco-friendly control system, working in conjunction with various electrical and mechanical parts. Vault-0 will lessen the carbon emissions created by existing generators used in work vehicles. In addition, the generator will also have the advantage of a universal plug-n-play design, a longer battery life, as well as less cost and easy to maintain.
the network and light for the smartair air conditioner. | SMARTair wants to design an air conditioner that can worked remotely they have gathered team from a&m and Utsa to work on this project. each of the multiple teams working on has been tasked with different parts of the project we have been tasked by SMARTair to provide both the lighting using led lights and the networking software that is used for the project. Our project will be presented with multiple teams wh have worked with us to ensure this projects success.
Harvest | According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 65% of all electricity generated in the US in 2019 was “rejected energy”. This “rejected energy” has nowhere to be stored. The greatest demand for energy is during the evening when most of the energy is produced during the day. How can this energy be stored efficiently to be of use later? Design a micro-control board that can manage the Battery Management System (BMS) and a Charge Controller (MPPT) to efficiently store energy from solar panels into batteries.
SNG | Solar powered gas detection system
Mechanical Engineering Design I
Athrombic Clothing| Developing the concept of athrombic sweatpants will help people susceptible to Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) (which includes Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE)) which is more commonly known as blood clotting. People who are immobile are more prone to blood clots leading to an increased risk of death or health complications. In less severe cases individuals may be affected when having to be stationary for extended periods of time, for instance, while traveling long distances. AMAS Engineering’s goal is to develop a treatment system that is more compact as well as aesthetically pleasing to the consumer while still effectively promoting blood flow. The proposed idea will be athrombic sweatpants that will integrate the compression system into the clothing.
Patient Lifting Mechanism | The purpose of this project is to design a liquid spraying system to treat the undercarriage of a solar panel’s frame to ensure that the turf beneath does not interfere with the operations/functionality of the panel. The sprayer takes the place of edging equipment in the solar field. The intent is to make all the vegetation management autonomous and remove the need for someone to walk around the facility with a weedwacker.
Next Generational Truck Bed Crane Lift | The purpose of the Phase I project is to design an auto-cad version of the bed frame that is to be bolted down and calculated the mass stress and strain values that the frame will be able to handle. With each lid being a minimum of 1000 lbs, there needs to be a careful consideration and design process that will balance this weight while also being sturdy enough to last years due to the amount of salt present in the air from the Gulf of Mexico.
HEB Passivation System | H-E-B is a privately-owned company based in San Antonio with more than 340 stores operating in major Texas cities like Austin and Houston as well as various locations in Mexico. The H-E-B Milk Plant was first opened in 1976 in San Antonio and is currently the largest milk plant in all of Texas. Currently, the HEB Milk Plant pasteurizes over 20,000 gallons of milk each hour as well as other dairy products. Raw milk arrives at the Milk Plant via truckloads and is pasteurized using the HTST (High Temperature/Short Time) system. Any sort of pipes or tanks within the system is required to undergo passivation. For the Milk Plant, passivation is completed using citric acids which in turn prevents corrosion and removes any contaminants on the surface of the stainless-steel pipes/tanks. Currently, to passivate a tank or pipe that has undergone repair, the whole system is required to shut down. In coordination with the client, a two-semester project has been proposed. The completion of this project will result in the delivery of a mobile passivation system capable of inline passivation of 2 in., 2 ½ in., 3 in. pipes as well as small tanks. This project will be used to passivate small pipes/tanks whenever there is a repair in the system.
Quick Release Flange | The traditional flange connection has been a laborious and time consuming process involving numerous nuts and studs when flanging up pipes and valves. The quick release flange will alleviate these issues by providing a bolt free design reducing the TAK time for flange installation and removal, and as well as eliminate operator variability and reliance on torqueing requirements. In addition to a tool-free design the quick release flange will feature a pre-set pressure distribution applying the same load requirements every time between two flanges.
MEPS (Multi-Extremity Preservation Device) | The purpose of this project is to design a lightweight, portable, cost efficient device used for minor limb preservation. Previous knowledge is being taken from experience with the design, testing, and machining of a novel versatile oxygenating perfusion system. The primary concerns of the project include the maceration of the part that is being preserved as well as getting proficient nutrients delivered to the severed portion to be reattached.
ACE Generation | Automotive Compression Energy (Energy) Generation system is a device that would use the weight of an automotive driving over a road to generate power which will then be transmitted to a power grid, allowing for infrastructure to contribute to the energy needs of an area. The device is to be designed so that it can withstand the weight of a fully loaded truck while also being able to endure in any weather conditions, including rain, snow, and ice. Only a prototype is to be constructed for initial testing, while future goals will be to build a full scale model.
Chicken Seasoner Recovery System|A 2021 Senior Design Team built a machine that dispenses seasoning onto a conveyor carrying meats such as chicken. Currently the design has no way to recycle any seasoning that does not land on the meat. Our team will improve the machine with our design for a Chicken Seasoning Recovery System. Our design recycles the seasoning by employing a vacuum that sucks seasoning from the collection bin at the bottom and returns it to the top. There the seasoning and air will be separated by a cyclone dust collector dropping the seasoning into load hopper.
Modular Helicopter Simulation Flight Controls System | The objective of this design project is to engineer, program, and fabricate a feature rich, low-cost, modular helicopter simulator control system, composed of three major control components: collective, cyclic, and anti-torque pedals. The design of this system utilizes passive components, electromagnets, tactile buttons and switches, and microcontrollers to provide the user with a realistic experience without the high cost of currently available controllers. The three-component system will communicate with a desktop computer via USB, offering an easy plug and play option to be used with popular flight simulation programs (DCS World, Microsoft Flight Simulator).
H-E-B Dairy Training System |The mass consumption of dairy products in the nation places the substantial risk of infecting a widespread population in a brief period. The client for this project is H-E-B Grocery Company LP’s Dairy Distribution Center. The project goal is to retrofit an existing “clean in place” machine to operate as a training module that will be used to assess and improve technician’s skills. The purpose of this training module is to reduce the risk of cross contamination of dairy products. The outcome of the training module will result in a decrease in liability for the company sourced from inadequate maintenance.
Formula SAE Paddle Shift System | For years, our client Roadrunner Racing has had outmoded push-pull shifting actuation. The driver would have to remove one hand from the steering wheel to change gears, like an H-pattern manual shifter. We intend to make shifting gears easier and quicker than the current push-pull system.
Dust Accumulation Monitor | Dust accumulation monitors are provided to autonomously monitor dust accumulations. The dust accumulation monitors include a casing having a translucent portion, a light sensor configured to output a sensing signal based on sensed light penetrating through the translucent portion , a controller coupled to the light sensor to receive the sensing signal and configured to output a dust alert signal based on the received sensing signal , and a communication interface coupled to the controller and configured to output an alert based on the dust alert signal output by the controller. A dust accumulation monitoring system includes a plurality of dust accumulation monitors , and a central monitor communicatively connected to each of the plurality of dust accumulation monitors and configured to receive dust sensing signals from each of the plurality of dust accumulation monitors . The dust accumulation monitors may communicate through wired or wireless links with the central monitor.
SlowStop Testing Ramp | Team CASS is designing and building a testing apparatus for the company SlowStop Guarding Systems. The testing apparatus is meant to test the company’s industrial barrier posts and guardrail systems in order for them to meet ANSI standard MH31.2-2021. The testing apparatus will be a ramp that accelerates a testing vehicle, of specific weight, to three possible velocities. The velocity that the test vehicle needs to be at point of impact is either 3, 5, or 7 MPH. The ramp needs to be modular so that it can be transported to various locations around the lot.
The football Simulator | This is project about the how much to do with improve the football sensor in Viz Lab. Also we will do proposal to research for different type for how to do kick sensor, apply to total of 5 sensor for this project.
So for now we developer find the sensor for that with kick simulator to data for improve the distance, forces, and improve the in real time in Viz lab.
Marination Conveyor Improvements Design Project| The goal of this project is to improve the protein conveyor system that is utilized by H-E-B at the San Antonio meat plant facility. Currently, the conveyor system allows a significant amount of product to be lost and a suboptimal amount of marinade to reach packaging. Additionally, conveyor redesign will address problems with existing conveyors such as liquid containment, ease of cleaning, and stability. The proposed solution consists of three design improvements: firstly, a hinge door solution installed onto the conveyor frame for liquid and protein containment; secondly, an engineered side-rail, removable system to ease cleaning; finally, a separable attachment to the dumper frame, which is bolted to the ground to decrease drift.
Hubless Electric Bike | Our hubless electric bike is about reinventing the wheel and alternative forms to drive it. Bicycling was at an all time high during covid-19, and we'd like to interest more people by showing them that biking can be for everyone. Our bike would allow someone to conquer multiple terrains by adapting a manual, pedal assist, and full auto mode.
Propellant Managment Device | Our objective is to develop a Propellant Management Device (PMD) for use with a Neutral Buoyancy Test Bench (NBT) that meets the requirements delegated by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The function of the PMD is to direct the propellent within a tank, in microgravity, towards the outlet by utilizing surface tension. The NBT consists of a spherical container replicating a propellant tank on a space craft. To replicate microgravity, two immiscible fluids will be used, one to represent the propellent and other to act as a neutral fluid to suspend the propellent. Design and testing of the PMD will simulate cryogenic propellant (liquid oxygen) transfer (i.e., refueling) between satellite tanks in orbit. Our PMD, along with several others made internally at SwRI, will be tested utilizing the NBT to improve upon historical designs.
Harvest Thermal Management | hatchTank is developing an electric vehicle charging station that utilizes solar panels to harvest energy and store it in an internal battery module mounted underneath the solar panel. This solar powered charging station is meant to function in parallel with the grid, providing clean, cost efficient and reliable energy to customers. Solar panels get very hot during operation, and the resulting radiation from the underside of the panel will cause batteries to exceed their efficient operating temperature. Our goal is to engineer the system’s battery module with a focus on heat management so that the battery temperature remains within its normal operating range.
Mechanical Engineering Design II
Advanced Mobility Crawler (AMC) | The purpose of the Advanced Mobility Crawler project is to construct a proof-of-concept robotic crawler capable of locomotion in a confined space, navigation of small enclosures with elevated openings, and anchoring itself in said enclosures with enough force to permit high-force processes such as grit-blasting or drilling. The crawler must be able to traverse the uneven terrain within these enclosures, such as buoyancy compartments in a ship's hull, and compact enough to fit through the narrow openings separating them. Additionally, the anchoring system must be able to maintain a high stability to resist forces from the mechanical tool attached to it. As mentioned just before, this project is intended to be a prototype, demonstrating the feasibility of this system's approach to maneuverability and anchoring rigidly.
Patient Lifting Mechanism | The trike lift is intended to be used to help a person of client Danny Knutson’s quadriplegic condition seated on lifted from a modified QL+ Catrike Expedition to his content. The design of this mechanism is intended to be made in such a way that does a better job at meeting Knutson's personal requests and reassuring that he is more safe, comfortable, and in balanced control for the duration of the lifting/lowering process in comparison to the lifting setup that he has now. The actual product will be installed in his garage in Dallas.
Mobility lift for recumbent bicycle | Project is a two directional lift system designed to be attached to the back of a vehicle, will feature a self supporting frame, horizontal and vertical motion. Project is designed to fit into the back of a class 3 or greater receiver to be supported when not in use and to provide a counter weight when in use
TravelPact | The TravelPact is a compact, powerless trash compacting system. It is intended for use in scenarios in which power and space are sparse and trash can pile up in large quantities such as in an RV or on a campground. The mechanism is actuated by a lever requiring a human to apply force. This force is then transferred to a compression plate through shafts, gears and a series of connecting rods in a scissor arrangement (similar to a scissor jack).
River turbine | The team will design and build a portable submerged flow river turbine generator that will contribute to the base load power requirements near suitable river locations. A cone shaped helical design is desired that rotates on a horizontal axis to permit placement in various depth river systems with a limited vertical footprint. The dimensions of the final product are expected to be approximately 3 to 5 feet in diameter and no more than 10 feet in length for the turbine. Emphasis of this project is focused on the design and testing of the components and features required to capture, channel, and convert the kinetic energy of river currents into rotating mechanical energy. A scale model prototype will be used to demonstrate the feasibility of the project's design.
Cricket Catcher | The purpose of this design is to control an overpopulation of crickets on a ranch. Rather than just exterminating crickets with pesticides, this design focuses on killing and catching the dead crickets. The dead crickets will later be pelletized to be re-used as fish feed. The device will be attached to an off road vehicle front brush guard and efficiently catch jumping crickets while in motion. The build will consists of a container, motor, lithium battery, and shields to cause the crickets to fall into a funnel.
REMA | This performance specification document is for the REMA (Radiation Elimination Mechanical Arm) project. The planned final product will be a functioning device that will act as a claw to pick up the hazardous material. It will essentially work by having four claws that come together to scoop up material and lift it to dispose of accordingly. The device will be remotely controlled to open and close as needed and be able to have enough force to lift and be able to successfully withstand the material it is working with. Currently, the industry standard for the United States of America allows for a dose equivalent of 2.5 μSv to 5 μSv for nuclear support facilities per annual year. The framework of personal protective equipment (PPE) specifically for electrorefining workers includes a separation wall of pyrex into a shadow box which allows for the elimination of radiation entirely. The REMA’s main power source will be from servo motors which will be compatible with a DC converter. By utilizing our device, the electrorefining process becomes infinitely safer for radiology employees allowing for better health as well as efficiency.
Sensor Automated Robotic Arm Attachment (SARAA)|The purpose of the project being discussed is to design and build a robotic arm attachment prototype with tracking capabilities that will align itself with an individual’s displacement. More specifically, it will be geared towards those with quadriplegia who commonly have muscle spasms and are unable to reach their necessary devices. For the user’s convenience the attachment should have at least 2 degrees of freedom and be able to accommodate multiple extensions. The final design should be lightweight and utilize facial sensors and tracking technology to keep the desired extension at constant distance from the face.
Lunar Regolith Compactor | The Lunar Regolith Compactor, or LRC for short, is a rolling compacting machine that will increase the density of the lunar regolith allowing for a solid foundation for future lunar construction projects. Sam Ximenes, founder of the WEX Foundation, has given Hot Shot Engineering the task of continuing the development of the LRC. The LRC project was originally started by a previous senior design team, and while that team was able to get the LRC to properly compact the soil, it was unable to properly maneuver the test sight. The team is focusing their scope of work on improving the traction of the LRC, while also sealing, and protecting, important components to protect them from being damaged by the lunar regolith.
3D Printer Pellet Material Feeder |Flex3D Engineering is creating a pneumatic conveying system to automate the delivery of plastic pellets to an array of 3D printers. The vacuum conveying line has been designed to feed up to 50 printers sequentially, taking pellets from a single storage silo and delivering them to receiving hoppers placed above each printer. These pellets are then gravity fed through flexible tubing into the printers. By automating the flow of pellets to a multitude of printers, we eliminate the need to manually refill every 3D printers hopper 2-3 times per print.
Suborbital Rocket Cargo | Knight Aerospace’s Luke Perkins and Lauren Graupman are working with Technovus to design a medical cargo module that can be contained in a suborbital rocket to rapidly deploy this cargo to rugged terrain in short periods of time. Developing technology to drop cargo containers from a suborbital rocket to service locations where this rocket cannot land for quick loading and unloading is sought out by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. This cargo capsule should be designed to fit a suborbital rocket, securely deliver its contents to a specified location for loading and unloading, and survive environmental and geographic conditions throughout delivery.
The project only provides a subsection of the overall project of delivering medical supplies and equipment. Focusing on a cargo container that is able to deliver its medical supplies safely is top priority.
Motorcycle Brake Emission Dynamometer | Automotive brake particulate emissions are gathering research focus as electric vehicles (EVs) reduce engine exhaust emissions. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) needs a brake testing apparatus capable of producing repeatable and accurate braking cycle runs in order to support the reliable collection of brake particulate emissions data. The Emission Commission's M.B.E.D is a self-contained
unit capable of recreating real-life motorcycle braking cycles. The M.B.E.D. will meet client versatility standards by replicating a multitude of motorcycle dynamics and ability to interface with existing particulate measurement instruments.
Harvest Thermal Extraction System | The purpose of our project is to reduce heat-related degradation of the harvest panel system in order to optimize electrical production and efficiency by identifying addressable areas of thermal improvement for increased safety and longevity. This is done by utilizing primarily passive cooling techniques to transfer heat away from our device that integrates a monocrystalline solar panel and energy storage module into a singular device. Thermal modeling and analysis are performed to gather data to develop optimal thermal extraction methods and to evaluate practical methods of utilizing the extracted thermal energy in other applications for residential and/or small business use.
Wildfire Safety Module | The purpose of the project being discussed is to design and build a rapidly deployable shelter to provide firefighters/hotshot crews protection from critical wildfire conditions. More specifically its main priority is survival, so it will contain emergency supplies such as oxygen, water and an emergency beacon. The final design will endure multiple thermal tests to ensure its reliability and to confirm the enclosure can shield from external temperatures up to 2000F. This project will have a focus on reliability and survival to ensure the safety of hotshot crews. User needs and engineering requirements will be gathered and refined as part of the scope of this project.
A.B.C.S (Automated Base Convoyer system)| The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the ability for the robotic arm to transport barrels across a trailer setting to a convoyer belt system that will lead it out of the trailer and to a designated drop off zone
Patient Lifting Mechanism | The trike lift is intended to be used to help a person of client Danny Knutson’s quadriplegic condition seated on lifted from a modified QL+ Catrike Expedition to his content. The design of this mechanism is intended to be made in such a way that does a better job at meeting Knutson's personal requests and reassuring that he is more safe, comfortable, and in balanced control for the duration of the lifting/lowering process in comparison to the lifting setup that he has now. The actual product will be installed in his garage in Dallas.
Automated Sauce Dispenser | The purpose of this design and project is to reduce the cleaning process time between sauce changeovers for the current Unifiller system used in the “Meal Simple” H-E-B production line. This system will utilize the technology of a peristaltic pump to eject sauce through a hose system and onto the production line without the use of a hopper or other supplementary hardware currently used in the process; to significantly reduce the number of contaminated parts that require extensive regulatory food safety cleaning. The design has been tested to dispense one-ounce sauce deposits in time increments that are in accordance with the current conveyor line. This design provides a cost-effective way to improve the productivity of the “Meal Simple” line by reducing machine downtime and saving time for operators.
Electric Grill for UTSA Events | JAAZ Engineering is helping UTSA by making an electric grill that can be used on the campus. The grill is designed to meet the fire and safety regulations that have been set on campus. It will also be portable which it can be moved around the campus and used by student organizations too. The grill will have a 624 in^2 cooking surface and be able reach temperatures up to 400F. A user operation manual will provided with the grill for instructions on how to use it and for maintenance.
Aileron Rotational Trailer (ART) | Aileron Rotational Trailer (ART) purpose is to be able to transport, rotate, and secure the Aileron of the C-17 for the ease of painting.
Remote/Follow Golf Caddy | Design, build and seek to market an autonomous follow robot that functions a dual option golf caddy/cooler carrier. The robot shall be able to carry a full golf bag while simultaneously carrying a personal cooler of up to 14 qts. The goal will be a max load weight of 48 lbs. The final design will seek to be collapsible, while small and light enough to be loaded into a car by a single person by OSHA standards.
Turbulent Co-Flow Burner | The purpose of the turbulent flat flame burner is to create a flame that can accurately model real world combustion environments in a laboratory setting. Steps are taken to reduce the outside effects acting on the system, allowing for the collection of quantitative data using laser diagnostics. This data will provide greater insight into injection methods, varying chemical composition of fuels and more.
Self Injecting Medical Syringe | Plastic surgeons often perform a procedure called Blepharoplasty to make
eyelids appear fuller. The procedure is for cosmetic purposes and takes dead skin and tissue from around the eye ,they then carefully inject fat tissue into eyelids. There are currently several large issues with this operation. Currently there are no tools or devices to aid with this procedure, and the procedure is performed simply by several nurses holding the eyelid closed while the surgeon injects the fatty solution by hand. This
approach can cause issues such as excess skin damage, as well as future infection. Our team's goal is to design a device that will incorporate the force capabilities of a device such as a caulk gun, along with built in stabilizers in order to hold the skin around the eye and eyelid still. This will allow surgeons to be able to solely or with the help of a single nurse inject the fat solution with minimal force and extra stability.
EPICS
4-D Helicopter Immersion | The 4D Helicopter Immersion Exhibit, will allow Doers to interact with various world locations via a helicopter experience simulated by a screen and control panel. The objective being that Doers learn about climate change and how their actions affect it. Doers will be able to 'lift off' and an intro video will begin. After the video finishes, the Doer can choose between different locations. Once, finished 'exploring', the helicopter will 'land' and trigger the outro video. In order to provide a 4D immersion, Doers will have wind effects via an airflow device when 'taking off', 'landing', and at certain moments of the video when showing specific locations. In addition, the media is projected onto a large screen that surrounds the Doer within the exhibit.
Makerspace Login Kiosk | A kiosk was created to ensure that those who entered the Makerspace had registered at the Makerspace and to provide information about certifications the student had completed at the Makerspace. The student has the ability to sign in with their abc123 or with an NFC card provided. A database was created on a computer that housed the information required and a GUI was created on a raspberry pi that queries this information. If the student has not registered, they will be prompted on how to do so.
City of San Antonio Partnership Portal | In collaboration with the City of San Antonio's Office of Innovation, a web portal was developed where government departments in the city can connect with researchers for solutions to community challenges. The web portal provides an online platform for match making among researchers, city officials, and policy makers, facilitating faster response times and more effective cooperation. Researchers can efficiently access the administrative data, strategic plans, and practical insights of these community challenges provided by city staff with the intention of building stronger solutions and advancing research efforts. An element of machine learning was introduced to better streamline the matchmaking process.