Digital Commons Network^™

Sal-E: Responsive Space Pathfinder Mission, Liam Duckworth, Berfredd Quezon

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The main objective of the SAL-E mission is to grow the Cal Poly CubeSat Lab’s (PolySat) capabilities in rapid spacecraft design, as well as to provide the current generation of students with the opportunity to design, test, integrate, and communicate with a satellite. This summer we will be focusing on a few aspects of the spacecraft design and preparing our test facilities for Fall. Specifically, we will be ordering electronics boards that were designed in Spring, testing the boards as they arrive, developing software to interface with the payloads, begin integrated testing, updating the control system in our thermal vacuum …

Optimizing Medical School Enrollment, Justin Koida, Nicholas Quattrocchi

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The increasing physician shortage, coupled with an aging population, presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. With higher education facing a projected enrollment cliff, and a decline in youth math and reading scores, identifying the most qualified medical school applicants is imperative. With thousands of applications received annually for only 300 spots at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU), it is crucial to streamline the selection process while minimizing applicant attrition and melt.

In our research project, we develop a predictive model to identify candidates for interviews based on success data from students at WesternU. We utilized a dataset provided by …

Ai Integration For Intellisar, Eric Lee

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

IntelliSAR aims to integrate AI techniques into Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, building on the foundation laid by previous SURP initiatives. IntelliSAR’s core elements include a front-end for SAR forms, a comprehensive command center dashboard, and AI-driven components designed to enhance SAR decision-making. During summer, our efforts focused on streamlining the user interface by integrating various machine learning models into a unified, interactive dashboard. Our models predict critical factors such as missing persons’ behavior, potential locations, and resource requirements, with the goal of optimizing response times and improving the effectiveness of SAR teams.

Analyzing The Determinants Of College Graduates’ Salaries In The Us: A Data Analytics Approach, David Nunez, Puneet Agarwal Ph.D., Samuel Gray

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

In this project, we will explore a range of factors that influence the salaries of US college graduates. Demographic variables such as gender, race, and ethnicity; educational variables such as fields of study; and professional variables, including job and employer characteristics, will be examined to understand their impact on salaries. Our research will extend to a spatial and temporal analysis, offering a deeper understanding of how these factors vary across different states and over time, revealing critical disparities linked to gender, race, and ethnicity. The study will provide valuable insights that can help individuals make well-informed decisions regarding their career …

Computer Vision In A Robotic Arm, Jack Maxwell

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

We used a machine learning-based object detection algorithm to give a robotic arm the ability to "see" with its camera.

Machine Learning-Based Stress Detection Using Smartphones And Wearable Sensors, Robert Burns, Kassandra Martinez-Mejia

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Stress and mental health have been considered increasing global concerns in modern society, including some of the illnesses responsible for a large proportion of comorbidities and deaths worldwide, such as depression and cardiovascular disease. Recently, smartphones, smartwatches, and smart wristbands have become an integral part of our lives and have reached widespread usage [1]. This raised the question of whether we can detect and prevent stress with smartphones and wearable sensors wirelessly. The challenge of such an approach is that the weak ECG signal is prone to errors, and the battery life of the smart devices is limited. In this …

Exploring Human Responses In Conversations With Ai Entities, Phillip Semenov, Miguel Coronado

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This study argues that while AI systems have become increasingly advanced, they still evoke distinct emotional responses compared to human interactions, potentially limiting their effectiveness in emotionally-driven environments. We used the Emotiv Insight brain-computer interface to monitor participants' emotional responses during controlled interactions with both AI systems and other humans. Key emotional metrics, such as arousal, focus, and stress, were recorded in real time, providing a detailed picture of the emotional dynamics at play in each type of interaction. Participants exhibited higher levels of excitement, stress, and focus during interactions with humans compared to AI systems, while other emotions like …

Computational Modeling Of High Yttrium Refractory High Entropy Alloy Microstructures, Kaleb C. Ryan, Marissa M. Baker

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) are advanced metals made up of five or more principal elements in roughly equal amounts. The microstructural effects of alloying with yttrium as a principal element for RHEAs are currently not well understood. This project compared RHEA microstructures from literature with simulations using the High Entropy Alloy Predicting Software (HEAPS), which computes 10 screening criteria to predict the microstructure of a RHEA composition. The accuracy of HEAPS predictions was assessed by comparing them with experimentally validated microstructures found in literature. A combination of criteria was found to have a 95.8% accuracy rate, and a new …

Wearable Sensing Systems And Data Analytics For Pressure Sensing Socket Prostheses, Stacey Le, Mio Nakagawa

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Prosthetics have been widely used as the primary solution for lower limb amputations, but residual limb volume fluctuations have posed challenges to the effectiveness and comfortability of these devices. In this project, we aim to observe pressure distribution patterns in the prosthetic socket during gait using sensing technology and investigate the performance of different machine learning algorithms on determining good or bad fit.

Deep-Learning Based Microstructure Reconstruction And Generation, Cameron J. Maloney, Lucas Taliaferro

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Characterizing the microstructural behavior of materials is crucial for understanding their properties and performance. Traditional imaging methods, such as optical microscopy and electron microscopy, are effective but costly and time-consuming. Computational approaches can reduce costs and time while expanding the accessibility of microstructural analysis through the generation of new microstructure images. Traditional computational approaches, namely descriptor-based approaches, are slow but effective in low-data scenarios. Modern approaches use machine learning (ML), which is faster but often requires a lot of data to approach the performance of descriptor-based methods. This research leverages a special data-efficient Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) architecture to artificially …

Surrogate Models For Stress-Strain Mapping Of Microscale Physics, Samuel Roach, Dr. Eric Ocegueda

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

•Learn the difference between different neural networks within machine learning (ML) •Develop a working understanding of the ML tool Pytorch and machine learning operator: Recurrent Neural Operator •Use MATLAB to create and process time dependent stress/strain matrices to display the hyper-parameters for different RNOs •Apply RNO to train the strain-stress mapping of tri-laminate and granular cases

Attitude Control Of A Flexible Flapping Wing Uav Based On Fuzzy Logic, Reed M. Paulson, Tyson Chen, Diego Del Real, Nico Morrison

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project revolves around creating an a attitude controller for a hovering flexible flapping wing UAV that is based on a flying hummingbird. We based our model from a paper by Banazadeh and Taymourtash1 , First replicating the open-loop results using the nonlinear dynamic model and the equations of motion (seen below) while considering aerodynamic loads. Once replicated, we then used fuzzy logic to model the dynamic model. Subsequently, we designed a fuzzy controller to stabilize the hovering mode. We then considered and detailed future work needed to make further progress in this area.

Exploration Of Esp32 Vulnerabilities And Malware, Charles T. Moreno

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized industries by enabling connected smart devices to monitor, communicate, and automate tasks in real-time. Central to the functioning of many IoT systems are microcontrollers like the ESP32, a versatile and low-cost microcontroller known for its integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. The ESP32's powerful processing, energy efficiency, and adaptability make it a popular choice for IoT applications ranging from smart home devices to industrial automation. However, as IoT adoption grows, so too do the security challenges posed by vulnerabilities in these devices, particularly within ESP32-based systems. For this project, I …

Enhancing Place-Based Interaction With Emotion Ai And Augmented Reality, Jake Maier, Ivan Martinez

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project explores the integration of augmented reality (AR) and Emotion AI technologies to enhance user experiences in physical environments. By seamlessly merging virtual elements with real-world contexts, we aim to deepen individuals’ interactions and perceptions of their surroundings. Leveraging AR technology enables users to access contextual information, engage with interactive content, and navigate spaces with heightened immersion and understanding. Additionally, Emotion AI enhances these experiences by detecting and responding to users’ emotional states, fostering personalized and emotionally resonant interactions. We aim to integrate digital content within physical environments using mixed-reality headsets equipped with eye-tracking capabilities and consumer-grade wireless EEG …

Seismic Resilience Of Timber Homes, Melia R. Costa

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The vast majority of residential buildings in California are wood-frame structures. A home is typically a very large investment for families, and damage to the home can be detrimental to a family’s economic success. Thus, reducing the economic impacts of an earthquake on residential timber housing is crucial. A full scale, two-story section of a residential timber house is in construction in the Parson’s Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory on the Cal Poly campus in San Luis Obispo, California. Once built it will be put through earthquake simulation tests on a shake table with various magnitudes of seismic activity. Next, …

Drive To Succeed: Empowering Underserved Communities Through Autonomous Driving Education, Amanda I. Chan

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology represents the leading edge of innovation in transportation and holds immense potential to transform industries across the globe, with California at the forefront. However, access to education and technical training in this field has often been out of reach for students in underserved communities. The “Drive to Succeed” project endeavors to bridge this gap by introducing autonomous driving technology to high school students in communities where access has traditionally been limited. We propose an outreach program specifically designed to address the underrepresentation of marginalized groups in technology sectors and cultivate the next generation of engineers from …

Shake Table Testing Of Full-Scale Fully Equipped Timber Assembly In Residential Timber Homes, Derek A. Quintanilla

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

No abstract provided.

Distributed Multi-Robot Localization And Coordination Framework For Mobile Robots, Dmitri Dobrynin, Indigo T. Garcia

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project aims to develop an experimental framework for multiple mobile robots, both in simulation and real-world hardware, using ROS 2 as the primary operating system. Utilizing TurtleBot 3 platforms, the team will establish a robust setup that enables tasks such as distributed localization, autonomous navigation, path planning, and formation control for mobile robots. Leveraging simulation environments like Gazebo, the project will replicate real-world setups in a simulated environment for testing and development. All tasks, communication, and sensor integration will be implemented using ROS 2, ensuring seamless coordination and interoperability among the robots. The project involves integrating various sensors and …

Leveraging Tradespace-Exploration For A Senior Project Team Formation Application, Miguel Saenz

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project revolves around the development of an app in MATLAB that leverages the VASSAR rule-based system and a genetic algorithm to form groups of teams for the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design project class. We leveraged the iterative design process to eventually attain a functional app with a reasonable runtime that works provided correctly formatted rulesheets describing student project preference and member preference.

African Californios.Org: Reconstructing The African Past Of Spanish & Mexican California, Anthony Colin Herrera

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

AfricanCalifornios.org is a research project dedicated to highlighting the significant contributions of Afro-descendants in Spanish and Mexican California. Historical colonial census records reveal that 19% of California's population had African ancestry, yet many individuals concealed their identities to enhance their social standing. This project uses modern NLP and Data Science techniques to construct family trees, shedding light on their overlooked stories. The work has been published and presented at the 2024 Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations conference.

Design Of Ballistics Armor Using Additive Manufacturing Of Kevlar Composites, Jedidiah D. Jimenez, Roha Y. Ali, Jack C. Bride

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project evaluates the effectiveness of various geometries created using advanced additive manufacturing (AM) of Kevlar fiber, chopped carbon fiber-reinforced filament for ballistic protection applications. This study expands on sandwich panel designs with woven Kevlar face sheets and investigates an optimal fiber reinforced filament core structure design. A unit cell workflow was developed in nTop to take advantage of its custom cell modeling and FEA capabilities. Unit cell types were simulated and tested from the hexagonal honeycomb, gyroid TPMS, and re-entrant auxetic cell families. Core structure thickness and cell size were additive manufacturing parameters that were varied to assess the …

Supporting Neurodivergent Students, William W. Toll

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Prior work—a 2019 study by Schreffler, Vasquez, Chini, et al.—investigated the efficacy of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in supporting students with disabilities (SWD) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM). SWD are somewhat more likely than the general population to enroll in STEM majors, but for some disabilities, students are less likely to graduate with those majors. Nonetheless, the authors found a paucity of prior work involving the use of UDL for SWD in STEM. In addition to highlighting the need for future quantitative research overall, the authors noted that it would be interesting to investigate which UDL …

California Polytechnic Architecture Graveyard Safety And Locational Signage Project, Luke C. Vanderkooij

Construction Management

Hiking along Poly Canyon Road, towards Cal Poly’s Architecture Graveyard, limited information can be located on the actual trail, with current signage only describing prohibited activities. This project aimed to provide needed safety and locational signage for pedestrians, bikers, and vehicles, clearly outlining maps, safety tips, and emergency contacts. These criteria were led by the desire to proactively limit the risk of traveling along Poly Canyon Road and provide reactive assistance for those in potential danger. These added informational improvements were decided to be included in a bulletin style enclosure with a roof and metal plaque anchored into a reinforced …

Concrete Design: Underwater Concrete Forms In A Saltwater Environment, Noah Z. Lau

Construction Management

This following project investigated the effects of salt on the concrete curing process. Concrete possesses numerous strengths, making it extremely versatile. This makes it one of the most utilized construction materials. New improved methods are constantly being developed for concrete’s application as a construction material. While concrete is a flexible material with many strengths, it is not without its flaws. Concrete, while strong in compression is weak in tension. It has long cure times and doesn’t generally handle moisture well. This paper evaluates concrete’s change in strength from letting concrete cure in a salt-based underwater environment. To determine the full …

Implications Of Persistent Micro-Bioplastics On Biogeochemical Properties Across Soil Types, Casandra R. Leach

Master's Theses

Terrestrial microplastics are increasing in abundance and are an emerging contaminant of concern, particularly in agriculture ecosystems where plastic use and subsequent soil contamination are prevalent. Plastic film mulches make up a significant portion of the plasticulture industry and are directly linked to soil microplastic pollution where negative effects to soil biotic and abiotic functions have been observed. In response to this issue, biodegradable film mulches have been promoted as a sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene-based mulches. These biodegradable mulches, composed of various bioplastics, are designed to be tilled back into the soil where they are expected to decompose. However, …

Hardware Control Unit For Trusted Program Verification System, Jake Owen Alt

Master's Theses

Trust in the underlying hardware is the foundational step towards trusting the correctness and integrity of a software application. However, verifying that today's extremely complex processors work exactly as intended has not been feasible, as evidenced by several recent hardware bugs. Trustworthy, formally verified processors currently forego intricate performance enhancements such as out-of-order execution, hampering them substantially versus their less secure counterparts.

The Containment Architecture with Verified Output (CAVO) system solves this problem by isolating the host system and requiring the result of each instruction to be validated by a small, trusted hardware module called the Sentry. Any transmissions to …

Community-Based Disability Accessibility Assessment, Elspeth Slayter, Rose C. B. Singh

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Media Review: Disability, Not Invisibility: My Experience With Chronic Illness (2019), Amanda Watson Joyce

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

A Review Of Neurodivergent, Madison Marshall

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Heumann Perspective Podcast, Jennifer Woody Collins

Feminist Pedagogy

This media review of the Heumann Perspective podcast encourages educators to use it as a way to discuss and teach disability justice and activism.