Electro-Mechanical Systems Commons^™

Energy Conversion System For Travelers (Ecost), Thipok Bovornratanaraks

The International Student Science Fair 2018

We have innovated “The Energy Conversion System for Travelers” or the ECoST. With the fact that most travelers have wheeled cabin-bags, whilst walking, the wheels will rotate so why don’t we harvest electricity from this kinetic energy? We thus install our innovation, the ECoST, to the bag to generate electricity from the spinning wheels. The electricity is then kept in the storage unit and ready to charge your empty battery devices in an emergency case via a USB port. To make life easy, our ECoST was designed to replicate the power bank charging method; therefore, we can charge …

Effects Of Methyl-Blue Addition In Sewage Substrate On The Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cell, Joseph H. Kihedu Dr.

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Experimental study was undertaken to evaluate performance of microbial fuel cell. Without addition of methyl blue, the cell generated 1.265 V, 0.403 mA and 56.12 mW/m2 after three hours of operation. With 300 µM methyl blue in sewage anolyte, 6.7% increase in voltage, 20.5% increase in current and 28.6% increase in power density was observed. By using ash water catholyte, addition of methyl blue in anolyte led to increase of 9.0% in voltage, 38.5% in current and 50.9% for power density. Between three and twenty four hours of continuous operation of the cell with phosphate buffer catholyte, the average voltage …

Verification Of Brand Authentication Technology Using Infrared Light And Image Processing, Thomas Fenner, Kevin Whalen, Josh Oliver

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Laser Triangulation Sensor, Jake Finelt, Kian Gruszczynski, Greg Mclorg

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Disclaimer: Since this project is a result of a class assignment, it has been graded and accepted as fulfillment of the course requirements. Acceptance does not imply technical accuracy or reliability. Any use of information in this report is done at the risk of the user. These risks may include catastrophic failure of the device or infringement of patent or copyright laws. California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and its staff cannot be held liable for any use or misuse of the project.

3-Dimensional Automated Heat Flux Calibration Device, Victor Raul Chacon, David Madison Morrisset, Alex Michael Schnorr, Kevin Scott

Mechanical Engineering

This document aims to describe the problems in current radiant heat source heat flux calibration techniques and the approach our team took to solve them through automation. The following sections outline the basic premise of the problem we addressed and who our end product benefited. The proceeding sections addresses the research that we have performed regarding heat flux measurements and automation. This research includes current solutions – mostly partial solutions for problems that are similar but not exactly like ours. Following the background research, we define objectives, with specific details that outline how we evaluated different possible solutions, and how …

Bicycle Power Meter, Andrew Mcguan

Computer Engineering

A power meter is a cycling training tool used to record the power a rider is outputting. This is very useful to athletes who regularly do bike workouts, because the power output is a consistent measure of the rider’s effort level, and is not affected by outside factors such as wind or road gradient. If a cyclist does a workout with the intent to carry a certain speed for a certain amount of time, a strong headwind will slow them down and make them work harder to maintain the same speed, defeating the goal of the workout. When a power …

Farmbot Trackless Redesign, Cole Thomas, Cailey Kamm, Clayton Alderson, Otto Akerstrom

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

For this project the team PLANT3D worked along with Rory Aronson and FarmBot to generate a cheaper more user-friendly design for the FarmBot Genesis 1.3. Working with Rory and FarmBot, we as a team generated a list of design requirements and engineering specifications for the project. These requirements centered around creating a more accessible FarmBot model for the average person to be able to purchase and set up with ease. Much of this required taking the existing system and eliminating the most common problem areas. These were the track system, built using 1.5 meter aluminum extrusions and the complex interchangeable …

Dynamics Simulation And Optimal Control Of A Multiple-Input And Multiple-Output Balancing Cube, Felix K. Haimerl

Master's Theses

This thesis document outlines the development of a multibody dynamics simulation of an actively stabilized multiple-input, multiple-output, coupled, balancing cube and the process of verifying the results by implementing the control algorithm in hardware. A non-linear simulation of the system was created in Simscape and used to develop a Linear Quadratic Gaussian control algorithm. To implement this algorithm in actual hardware, the system was first designed, manufactured, and assembled. The structure of the cube and the reaction wheels were milled from aluminum. DC brushless motors were installed into the mechanical system. In terms of electronics, a processor, orientation sensor, motor …

Chemotherapeutic Drug Cytotoxicity Measurement With A 3d Biomimetic Microfluidic Device And Computational Fluid Dynamics Model, Maryam Moarefian, Caroline Jones, Luke Achenie, Danesh Tafti

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

A Microresonator-Based Laser Doppler Velocity Sensor For Interplanetary Atmospheric Re-Entry, Benjamin Wise

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a laser velocity sensor concept based on optical microresonators is presented and the application to spacecraft atmospheric entry is explored. The concept is based on the measurement of Doppler shift of back-scattered laser light. Specifically, the Doppler shift is detected by observing the whispering gallery optical modes (WGM) of a dielectric microresonator excited by the back scattered light from particulates and gas molecules. The microresonator replaces the typical Fabry-Perot interferometer and CCD camera system, thereby significantly reducing the size and weight of the overall detection system. This thesis presents proof-of-concept results for this measurement approach. The Doppler …

Modeling Of Swimming Cells From Nano-Scale To Micro-Scale, Yicheng Zhao

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Certain human genetic diseases -- primary ciliary dyskinesia, infertility, and hydrocephalus -- are characterized by changes in beat frequency and waveform of cilia and flagella. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which is a single-cell green alga about ten micrometers in diameter that swims with two flagella, serves as an excellent biological model because its flagella share the same structure and genetic background as mammalian cilia and flagella. This study uses the finite element method to investigate the behavior of C. reinhardtii swimming from nano-scale to micro-scale. At the device-level, micro-scale modeling indicates that well-designed acoustic microfluidic devices can be used to trap groups …

Digital Enhancement Of Analog Measurement Systems For Temperature Compensation Of Strain Gages, Islombek Karimov

Electrical Engineering Theses

Generally known temperature compensation techniques for strain gages (like the use of a dummy gage or the implementation of half- and full-bridge configurations) are not applicable to all strain-measurement situations and cannot fully compensate for all sources of error. Digital Enhancement of Analog Measurement Systems presents a universal method of corrections for these effects in which temperature is measured independently of other variables and ex post facto corrections are computed and applied to digitized readings of the analog measurement system.

A single, linear-pattern strain gage, self-temperature-compensated for steel 1018, has been utilized in a quarter-bridge to measure tensile strain in …

Microheater Array Powder Sintering (Maps) For Printing Flexible Electronics, Nicholas Holt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microheater array powder sintering (MAPS) is a novel additive manufacturing process that uses an array of microheaters to selectively sinter powder particles. MAPS shows great promise as a new method of printing flexible electronics by enabling digital curing of conductive inks on a variety of substrates. MAPS operation relies on establishing a precision air gap of a few microns between an array of microheaters, which can reach temperatures of 600°C, and a layer of conductive ink which can be deposited onto a flexible substrate. This system presents challenges, being: the fabrication of a microheater that can reach suitable temperatures in …

Fluid Phase Separation Via Nanochannel Array, John Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) generate ideas and techniques for creating new devices at the micro/nano scale. This dissertation study designed a gas generator system utilizing nanochannels for phase separation that is useful for micro-pneumatic actuators, micro-valves, and micro-pumps. The new gas generator has the potential to be an integral part of a propulsion system for small-scale satellites. Nano/picosatellites have limited orientation capability partly due to the current limitations of microthruster devices. Development of a self-contained micro propulsion system enables dynamic orbital maneuvering of pico- and nano-class satellites.

Additionally, the new gas generator utilizes a high efficiency, green …

Baseline Data From Servo Motors In A Robotic Arm For Autonomous Machine Fault Diagnosis, Jacob Brown

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fault diagnosis can prolong the life of machines if potential sources of failure are discovered and corrected before they occur. Supervised machine learning, or the use of training data to enable machines to discover these faults on their own, makes failure prevention much easier. The focus of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of creating datasets of various faults at both the component and system level for a servomotor and a compatible robotic arm, such that this data can be used in machine learning algorithms for fault diagnosis. The faults induced at the component level in different servomotors include: …

Numerical Simulation Of A High Strain Rate Biaxial Compression Apparatus, Michael Lagieski

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Few experimental methods today are capable of exploring the strength of materials at high strain rates (10⁵ s^-1). Those that are capable, such as the Split Hopkinson Bar, Taylor Anvil and Plate Impact suffer from instability and are generally limited to one dimensional wave propagation. Of particular interest is material response under biaxial compression, similar to that seen in inertial confinement fusion. Laser fusion fuel pellets typically undergo large strain rates as well as plastic deformation and non-linear behavior. This work briefly outlines an experimental procedure designed to replicate these large strain rates under biaxial compression using …

Design Of Force Versus Displacement Test Stand, Andrew Fritchley

Honors Theses

Performing mechanical design around sensors is a critical skill which all engineering students should be familiar with. Of equal importance is gathering and correctly interpreting electrical data from engineering tests. The aim of this project is to design a force versus displacement test stand for applications related to the measurement of spring force-displacement correlation. The design uses a strain gauge load cell, and a magnetic linear encoder to provide accurate, repeatable force and travel measurements. A mechanical design to mount each sensor was created based initial project constraints. Finite element analysis was performed on all critical components to ensure that …

Developing Nanopore Electromechanical Sensors With Transverse Electrodes For The Study Of Nanoparticles/Biomolecules, Mohammadsadegh Beheshti

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study concerns development of a technology of utilizing metallic nanowires for a sensing element in nanofluidic single molecular (nanoparticle) sensors formed in plastic substrates to detect the translocation of single molecules through the nanochannel. We aimed to develop nanofluidic single molecular sensors in plastic substrates due to their scalability towards high through and low cost manufacturing for point-of-care applications. Despite significant research efforts recently on the technologies and applications of nanowires, using individual nanowires as electric sensing element in nanofluidic bioanalytic devices has not been realized yet. This dissertation work tackles several technical challenges involved in this development, which …

Optimization Of Microfluidic Chip Fabrication Via Femtosecond Laser Ablation, Kenneth Aycock

Senior Theses

Microfluidic devices have become staple tools in biomedical research and have a promising future as low cost, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices. Despite the advancements in microfluidic device technology, the manipulation and fabrication of these systems can be tedious and expensive. Repeatable techniques in which computer-aided designs are translated into microfluidic systems in a matter of minutes are highly desirable both for researchers and manufacturers. Laser ablation of tape substrates has shown promise in producing cost-effective, rapidly manipulable devices, but the work done thus far has utilized continuous wave lasers that perform suboptimally due to the relatively short wavelengths used and …

Superpositioning High Power Lasers For Mid-Air Image Formation, Auston Viotto

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Abstract

This research evaluates different methods to create voxels, 3-dimensional pixels, in air without the need for special glasses or reflections off of surfaces. Research on the advantages of superimposing or the culmination, focusing, of laser light will be conducted. The point of superpositioning/culmination will be evaluated by the brightness of the voxel due to the Rayleigh Scatter Effect. The voxel’s brightness is dependent on the laser output strength and inversely proportional to its wavelength. Once a superimposed/culminated voxel has been created in the lab the next step will be to manipulate the location of the voxel through 3-dimensional space. …