Electro-Mechanical Systems Commons^™

Implementation Of A Line-Scan Camera Triangulation Sensor For A Ball Balancer, Jackson R. Mclaughlin

Master's Theses

Ball Balancer or Ball on Plate systems are used for education and research in control theory. These consist of a plate which can be actively tilted, with a ball rolling on the surface. Students are challenged to model the dynamics of the system and implement a control loop which is capable of stabilizing the ball by actuating the plate.  The mechatronics group at Cal Poly is developing hardware for one of these ball-balancer systems, for future use in the Mechanical Engineering curriculum.

The position of the ball relative to the plate must be measured in order to control and stabilize …

Off-Grid Cabin Hydroelectric Generator, Keller Feltman, Lance Savatgy, River Perino, Jesse Valencia

Mechanical Engineering

This project developed a portable hydroelectric generator intended to provide low-power electricity generation for an off-grid cabin in Alpine County, California. The system was designed to utilize naturally occurring creek flow to generate electrical power while remaining portable, durable, and environmentally conscious.

The final system consists of an axial-flow turbine, belt-driven generator subsystem, waterproof electronics enclosure, aluminum support frame, and integrated wildlife protection screening. Engineering analysis was performed to estimate hydraulic power availability, turbine performance, drivetrain requirements, and component lifespan. These analyses guided the selection and development of the final design.

Throughout prototype testing, several design modifications were required. Initial …

Elastic Actuator For Robotic Leg, Bruce Berg, Allan Pham, Madeline Slater, Sofie Zalatimo

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Legged Robots Group (CPLRG) is developing a 12 degree of freedom robot with the goal of eventually performing highly dynamic movements such as jumps and flips. During such movements, large impact forces will be experienced by the leg, potentially resulting in damage to physical components such as the motors. The scope of this project is to integrate elastic elements into the quadruped legs to reduce shock loads on the motors and improve the efficiency of the legs through energy storage. The key stakeholders for this project are Professor Charlie Refvem and Dr. Simon Xing. Other stakeholders include …

Water Turbine Dynamometer For Low-Power Turbomachinery Testing, Carmen Alaichamy, Yosef Huynh Torres, Michael Duperly, Michael Thomas Duff

Mechanical Engineering

Students in ME 443: Introduction to Turbomachinery compete to design and build efficient small impulse turbines. The course lacks a standardized method to experimentally calculate turbine power output and mechanical efficiency from accurate measurements of torque and speed, for example. To support the learning goals of ME 443, a dedicated water-turbine dynamometer is needed to provide controlled hydraulic power, accurate mechanical and electrical measurements, and clear data for performance evaluation.

Our proposed system delivers a safe, repeatable, and educational testing environment that can be integrated into the Fluids Lab or used as a standalone instructional tool. Key stakeholders include Professor …

Design And Parametric Study Of A Mems-Based Reservoir Computer For Reinforcement Learning, Andrew P. Carr

Master's Theses

Single-node reservoir computing (RC) is a hardware-efficient approach to machine learning, leveraging the dynamics of physical systems. In this work, two reinforcement learning algorithms, Q-learning and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), are applied to a simulated micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS)-based reservoir computer to solve both discrete and continuous control tasks. MEMS-based reservoirs are low-power, compact, and their natural frequencies (kHz to MHz) pair well with real-time control loops. To explore the relationship between reservoir dynamics and learning performance, a parametric study is conducted on two reservoir hyperparameters, reservoir size and neuron separation, using CartPole-v1 and MountainCar-v0. The RC successfully learns multiple tasks …

Design And Implementation Of An Embedded Control System For The Cal Poly Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics Simulator, Neil Mahesh Bedagkar

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the development of a cascaded reaction wheel control system for Cal Poly's Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics Simulator. This work considers system architecture, empirical modeling, high-fidelity simulation, embedded firmware, hardware integration, and experimental characterization. In discrete-time simulation, it is shown that nonlinear direct model reference adaptive control (NDMRAC) enables a nonlinear, partially known plant with realistic actuator dynamics to track the response of a canonical second-order transfer function, with settling time within 4.67% and percent overshoot within order of magnitude of the second-order response. In hardware, the feasibility of a cascaded reaction wheel control architecture is experimentally demonstrated, achieving …

Collins Aerospace Automated Pressure Switch Tester, Joseph C. La Barbera, Kevin Cordero, Brenda Sanchez, Molly Bramm

Honors Capstones

For aerospace companies like Collins, pressure switches are crucial for safety, precise control, and reliability. As such, thorough testing of these switches is an essential step in Collins’ manufacturing workflow. However, current testing regimes suffer from several critical drawbacks. Firstly, they require constant manual supervision, costing precious time and manpower. Existing systems are also only able to test one single switch at a time, which creates backlog and delays. Lastly, current testing equipment has poor integration with the Collins digital ecosystem, hindering the utility of these devices. To solve these design challenges, a new system is required that is self-operable, …

Lunar Regolith Sintered Brick Apparatus, Andrew Fasano, Noah Parayil, Darius Felix Karra

Senior Design Project For Engineers

This project describes the preliminary design and analysis of the Semi-Autonomous Lunar Regolith Sintered Brick Apparatus that will assist in developing permanent infrastructure on the Moon. An issue with permanent lunar operations is the transportation of materials to the Moon. To address this, the designed device uses lunar regolith as the source material for producing bricks. This design considers the constraints set for operation with the Griffin lunar lander: maximum payload mass of 200 kg, power consumption below 5 kW, and limited payload dimensions. The design uses a combination of a laser sintering motion system, a regolith layering subsystem, a …

Portable Humidity Chamber, Calvin Wright, Ian Heilers, Sam Taylor

Honors Capstones

This engineering project, sponsored by Crandall Stats and Sensors, focuses on improving the ability to test product performance under controlled environmental conditions by designing a portable humidity chamber capable of maintaining a stable relative humidity between 20 and 80 percent with a tolerance of ±0.5 percent. Consistent humidity is crucial for evaluating how moisture influences material properties, product reliability, and long-term durability in real production environments. Because Crandall conducts testing across multiple facility locations, the chamber must also be lightweight, transportable, and easy for operators to use without specialized training. Developing such a system provides the company with a valuable …

Development Of Low-Cost Triaxial Force Sensor For Measurement Of Human-Exoskeleton Interaction Forces, Hamdan Khan Sarvathullah

All Theses

Contemporary research suggests that shear force is a major contributor to discomfort and pressure injury. However, the variation of shear forces during human-exoskeleton interaction dynamics is a highly unexplored field. The high cost of commercial triaxial force sensors may be a major factor in the notable lack of research in this field. Therefore, in this paper, we present a low-cost, 3D-printed triaxial force sensor designed specifically to measure the triaxial interaction forces between an exoskeleton and its user. The triaxial force sensor uses Carbon-Black/Silicone Rubber (CB/SR) strings to measure shear forces, whereas the normal force is measured with a Force …

Extremum Seeking Compensation And Quantification Of Position Sensor Offset Error In Speed-Controlled Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors, Tessa Biondo

Masters Theses

Position sensor offset errors present a persistent challenge in speed-controlled permanent magnet synchronous motor drives operating under field-oriented control. Even small, constant offsets in the measured rotor position can reduce torque effectiveness, requiring increased current and voltage demand to maintain the commanded speed and resulting in degraded speed regulation performance across a range of operating conditions. These effects are particularly problematic in speed-controlled systems, where speed loop dynamics cause increased electrical effort and limit overall performance. Many existing detection and compensation approaches are either dependent on the system model, require offline calibration, or are primarily designed for torque-controlled operation. This …

Evaluation Of Quantification Methods Applied To Overlapping Ftir Features, Benjamin P. Diehl

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

Quantifying overlapping FTIR spectral features is critical for electrochemical analysis but often requires complex deconvolution. This work systematically evaluates several area ratio and proxy-based quantification methods using a controlled synthetic spectral model with varying signal-to-noise ratio, peak spacing, width, background, and data resolution. Constrained peak fitting and fixed-window integration consistently exhibit near-perfect monotonicity (Spearman ≈ 1.000) and linearity (Pearson ≈ 0.999–1.000) across all conditions. In contrast, derivative and moment-based metrics show sensitivity to peak overlap, width, and background. These results demonstrate that physically grounded area-based methods provide the most robust and reliable quantification of overlapping FTIR features.

A Review Of Energy Storage Technologies With Hydro Energy System Design For Off-Grid Electricity, Daniel H. Ngoma, Banet L. Masenga

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Many renewable energy sources such hydropower—particularly small-scale run-of-river and micro-hydro—offers reliable, low-cost generation. However, their inherent intermittency (due to seasonal flow variations) and inability to instantly match demand necessitate integrated energy storage to ensure a stable, continuous power supply. This review synthesizes contemporary energy storage technologies in the context of their integration with off-grid hydro energy system design.

The study examine a spectrum of storage solutions, evaluating their technical characteristics, costs, and suitability for hybrid hydro applications. Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS), while highly efficient and large-scale, is often geographically constrained and capital-intensive for small off-grid projects. Battery Energy Storage Systems …

Implantable, Sensor-Embedded Vascular Graft Towards Wireless Monitoring Of Stenosis, Nnamdi Dike

LSU Master's Theses

Arteriovenous (AV) grafts are commonly used to provide vascular access for hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite their widespread use, AV grafts are prone to complications such as stenosis and thrombosis. Early detection of these conditions remains challenging with current monitoring methods too costly or insufficient. This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of an LC pressure sensor embedded within a model AV graft to enable real-time monitoring. The proposed system integrates a parallel-plate capacitive pressure sensor with a spiral inductor to form an LC circuit embedded within an elastomeric graft wall. The Ecoflex 00-30 dielectric layer …

Evolution Of Polypyrrole Electrode During Electropolymerization And Its Effect On Energy Storage Performance, Duy Pham, Ryan Tcheutchoua Gouafong, Jake Irvin, Ben Mckinney, Jacob Dileonardi, Mason Cox, Ashish Aphale

Faculty Articles

This study investigates the influence of electropolymerization time on the evolution of morphology and the electrochemical performance of polypyrrole (PPy) electrodes. The PPy films were synthesized by varying the deposition time from 300 seconds to 1800 seconds, corresponding to 5 to 50 cycles. The electrodes were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and SEM, and electrochemical analyses were conducted using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD). Experimental results showed that increasing deposition time yields large cauliflower-like structures, thereby enhancing capacitance. The 50 cycle electrode exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 412 F/g in a three-electrode configuration …

Wearable Sensor System Used To Measure Linear And Angular Acceleration Of The Head Of American Football Players, David A. Emerson

LSU Master's Theses

American football players are repeatedly subject to high-velocity impacts; collisions can exceed 100 g in the NFL [1]. Rotational accelerations of the head caused by high-velocity collisions have been proven to be extremely damaging to the highly organized brain fibers at the brain-skull interface [2]. The sensor system (SS) measures the nonplanar acceleration at four locations on a chin strap using ADXL314 accelerometers and utilizes rigid-body kinematics to estimate the head rotational state from the measured acceleration of the SS [3]. The SS was validated through progressive testing, including steady-state, linear impact, and rotational impact testing. The ADLX314 sensor exhibited …

Deep Learning Based Control System For Multi-Zone Hvac Residential Buildings, Mohammad H. Z. Alghalayeeni

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are major contributors to residential energy consumption. However, most homes continue to rely on single zone thermostat control, which regulates temperature based on a single sensor and cannot account for thermal variations across multiple rooms. This often leads to uneven thermal conditions and inefficient energy use in multi-zone residential buildings. This thesis presents a deep reinforcement learning based approach for improving HVAC zoning control through dynamic airflow distribution. A physics based multi zone thermal model of a residential house was developed to simulate heat transfer processes including conduction, convection, solar and internal heat …

Cvj Torque Loss Dynamometer, Malaika Sriram, Coleman Brown, Zachary Norris, Logan Mast, Chris Mattis

Mechanical Engineering

This report details the design and results of a dynamometer testing rig built to measure torque losses in constant velocity joints (CVJs) for Cal Poly Racing's Baja SAE team. The rig spins a flywheel connected to articulable CVJs up to 800 RPM using a motor, then decouples it and measures the spin-down rate from 800 to 100 RPM to calculate angular acceleration and torque loss. The data collected from this dyno will be used to inform freewheel packaging for future Baja car development.

Design And Development Of A 12-Degree-Of-Freedom Quadruped Robot, Kai De La Cruz

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, analysis, and experimental validation of a 12-degree-of-freedom (DOF) quadruped robot developed as a research platform for legged locomotion and control. The system builds upon the Cal Poly Legged Robotics Group’s prior 8-DOF quadruped, addressing key limitations in manipulability, load distribution, and mechanical robustness by introducing a 3-DOF leg architecture.

The mechanical design emphasizes lightweight construction, structural integrity, and modularity to support future research extensions. Static and dynamic loading models were developed to inform component sizing and material selection. A carbon-fiber chassis and redesigned leg assemblies were fabricated and validated through finite element analysis and physical …

Areosense, Josephine Turney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The AeroSense growing system is designed to make indoor aeroponic gardening easy and accessible for everyone. By combining sensors, automation, and AI, the system can monitor and adjust humidity, lighting, and nutrient levels to help plants thrive without requiring expert knowledge. The goal is to create a self-regulating garden that takes the guesswork out of growing fresh herbs and vegetables at home. The project involves building a working aeroponic prototype equipped with misters, pumps, and environmental sensors, all managed by a Raspberry Pi. Using computer vision and machine learning, AeroSense will be able to assess plant health and respond automatically …