Digital Commons Network^™

Adaptive Navigation Utilizing A Drone Cluster, Zach Cameron, Brendan Engh, Thomas Kambe, Aditya Krishnan

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

The current infrastructure for drone piloting involves drones flying in a predetermined path to find an object, source, or target with a known location. Drones should be able to determine an optimal flight path mid-flight in order to find an undefined source or target given existing parameters that can be analyzed from incoming sensor data. However, a framework for such a feat is almost non-existent. Our project aims to build such a framework that allows for the control of and communication among multiple drones, called a cluster, and allows for in-flight analysis and processing of sensor information to determine how …

Edgeap: Enabling Edge Computing On Wireless Access Points, Christopher Desiniotis, Justin Majors, Cyrus Miremadi

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) leading to an explosion in the number of internet-connected devices, the current cloud computing paradigm is approaching its limits. Moving data back and forth between its origin and a far-away data center leads to issues regarding privacy, latency, and energy consumption. Edge computing, which instead processes data as close to its origin as possible, oers a promising solution to the pitfalls of cloud computing. Our proof-of-concept edge computing platform, EdgeAP, is a programmable platform for the delivery of applications on wireless access points. Use cases of the platform will be demonstrated …

Heavy Lift Drone, Sam Carhart, David Cooper, Luis Gaitan, Michael Kaliterna, Sami Lama, Paul Rogel-Herrera, Yuya Yabe

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Despite the rapid rise in the number of drones in the past few years, there has been little work done to produce a drone that is optimized for the FAA' s 55 lb upper takeoff limit. This gap in the market is one that the Heavy Lift Drone (HLD) fills - a light-weight, higher payload capability, and inexpensive drone to be used in commercial applications - most notably irrigation monitoring. The HLD is a contra-rotating hexagonal configuration system featuring two levels of propellers that allow for larger propeller diameter and generate greater lift. After performing extensive finite element analyses and …

Adaptive Robotic Chassis (Arc), Darran Casey, Ryan Ku, Noah Kane Manuel, Isabella Morales, James Reimer, Lavelle Simmons

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

The ARC is a width adjusting agricultural robot and accommodates auxiliary functions for supporting crop production and maintenance. Easily interchangeable payloads and components provide a modular solution to perform focused crop surveying functions with the potential for herbicide distribution, weeding, and harvesting while driving through varying crop rows. The potential auxiliary functions will be implemented by future teams with this year's effort being put toward finishing the physical chassis. The final product was successfully designed to weigh approximately 600 pounds targeting rolling speeds of0.90 fps to 2.30 fps with proof of concept shown in testing consisting of chain drive attached …

Basil Leaf Automation, Andrew Soong, Chris Nelson, John Goldsberry, Kalle Suzuki, Nikolas Abenoja, Sherene Victor, Simon Liu

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Recent population and wage increases have forced farmers to grow more food without a proportionate increase in work force. Automation is a key factor in reducing cost and increasing efficiency. In this paper, we explore our automation solution that utilizes position manipulation and vision processing to identify, pick up, and drop a leaf into a can. Two stepper motors and a linear actuator drove the three-dimensional actuation. Leaf and can recognition were accomplished through edge detection and machine learning algorithms. Testing proved subsystem-level functionality and proof of concept of a delicate autonomous pick-and-place robot.

Human-Centered Electric Prosthetic (Help) Hand, Alonzo Billips, Tehmi Den Braven, Bradon Hong, Seamus Hudnut, Garrett Stone, Taylor Yamane

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

In developing countries such as India, there is a higher rate of amputations among the population but a lack of viable, low cost solutions. Through a partnership with Indian non-profit Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), the team designed a functional, robust, and low cost electrically powered prosthetic hand that communicates with people with unilateral, transradial amputations in urban India through a biointerface. The device uses compliant tendon actuation, small linear servos, and a wearable sleeve outfitted with electromyography (EMG) sensors to produce a device that, once placed inside a prosthetic glove, is anthropomorphic in both look and feel. The …

Digital Height-Measuring Sensor Device, Valerie Woo

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

A digital height-measurement device (stadiometer) was developed in partnership with the Pediatric Wellness Group (PWG) clinic to improve the speed and accuracy of the height measurement process and address the discomfort and inefficiency issues of traditional physical height-measurement devices currently used in hospitals and clinics. The digital stadiometer uses sensor components to quickly and efficiently measure a patient’s height. One key need for accurate height measurements from this device is to ensure the device is level to the ground. Therefore, this project incorporated an accelerometer along with a “bubble level game” feature, which allowed the user to ‘self-level’ the device …

Supreme Optimizer, Griffin Donnelly, Donovan Edwards, Michael Yue

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

A Python-based machine learning algorithm was designed for the function of the traffic signal controller. Traffic signal controllers are the decision-making component within a traffic control box. Signal controllers determine when and which traffic lights transition from one phase to the next. The deep Q-learning algorithm designed in this project looked to decrease average vehicle delay, the expected amount of stoppage the average vehicle should expect, by a minimum of 10%. This reduction in vehicle wait times will have a noticeable impact on vehicle emissions created by interrupted vehicle flow, making the signalized intersection system more environmentally friendly. On top …

Developing A Skin Phantom For The Testing Of Biowearables, Tawni Henderson, Ju Young Lee, Matthew Placide, Kiran Sutaria

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

There is a demonstrated need in the biowearables industry for a benchtop model that can accurately emulate the perspiration mechanism and corresponding impedance vs. frequency spectra of skin. This model, or skin phantom, could increase the efficiency and accuracy of early-stage testing of biowearables, as well as minimize animal, human, and cadaver testing.

The objective of this project is to develop a skin phantom that can emulate the perspiration mechanism and impedance spectrum behavior of human skin for the testing of biowearables in the 2,000 - 20,000 Hz range. We also endeavored to create computer-simulated models to aid in the …

Design Of A Greywater-Fed Hydroponics System, Alex Estrada, Katya Fairchok, Andrew Feldmeth, Andrew Jezak

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

To combat issues of local water insecurity, a hydroponics system was designed in partnership with LEAP 5 High School in Jane Furse, South Africa. Climate change, increasing human population, and continued environmental degradation all threaten access to clean drinking water. Approximately seventy percent of all freshwater is used for agriculture globally, thus threatening food security especially in developing countries where access to water is potentially volatile. The hydroponics garden system utilizes sustainable materials, a self-monitoring temperature controls system, and greywater input, to act as an educational tool for students and significantly reduce freshwater use compared to traditional, in-ground agriculture. An …