Digital Commons Network^™

Engineering A Grapevine Pruning Training Tool For Use In Educational And Professional Environments, Catherine Anne Thornbury

Electrical Engineering

This report documents the design of a field-safe and portable tool that helps field hands identify how many wine grape nodes to prune per cane. This practice allows for a more bountiful harvest. The device indicates to the worker whether to leave one, two, or three nodes on a cane. The device is attachable to a set of industry-standard shears to allow for efficient and cost-effective pruning.

The device add-on can withstand a typical 8-hour workday and is able to be used in bright sun, clouds, and rain. Additionally, the device is able to differentiate between small, medium, and large …

Automated Score Tracking Cornhole Game, Mondona Behroozian, Harrison Overturf, Daniel Hurwitz

Electrical Engineering

Automated Score Tracking (AST) for Cornhole is a wireless system that allows for ease of game flow. Cypress Semiconductor’s new Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology inspired the idea. The CYBT-213043-Mesh evaluation module allows for users to receive real time score data, from round to round. The CYW20819 Bluetooth Module located on the mesh evaluation board integrates the use of components on the module to reduce the use of external components. The Bluetooth module allows for the two game boards to communicate scores for each team per round. The system first needs to accurately award points to each team in order …

Post-Quantum Encryption Benchmark, Jordan David Churi

Electrical Engineering

Recent advancements in quantum computing bring the weaknesses in modern RSA encryption to the foreground. Shor's algorithm, though not implementable on today's quantum computers, shows that RSA asymmetric key encryption is not secure for the coming future. This flaw in the security has prompted the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to start a search for a new post-quantum encryption algorithm that will be resistant to future quantum computers. There are several implementations of preforming this encryption scheme. One promising technique is using lattices in an application called ring Learning with Errors (rLWE). Several algorithms have been submitted to …

Electric Motorcycle Lithium-Ion Battery System, Amman Fasil Asfaw, Donald J. Alexander

Electrical Engineering

This project entails the processes of design, construction, implementation, and testing of a lithium-ion battery system, including a battery management system, dedicated to converting a 1999 Honda XR100R motorcycle into a fully functional electric motorcycle. The battery system powers the motorcycle with enough voltage and amperage to sustain the needed power capability for a reasonable range. Providing an estimate of the voltage needed, the two largest loads, the DC motor and controller, draw about 48 to 60 volts from the battery for proper operation. Additionally, different aspects of the design also ensure safe operation, correct sizing, and maximum lifetime of …

Electrocardiographic (Ecg) Biometric Identification, Ryan Morosa, Charbel Ghantous

Electrical Engineering

Electrocardiography (ECG) is being used a lot more in biometrics for applications where protection of privacy is important. Other methods like facial recognition can be falsified by using different colored contacts to manipulate identification. For this reason, ECG is a viable option for biometric identification since it relies solely on the heartbeat to classify characteristics of an individual. The Pan-Tompkins method was used for feature extraction, and both ELM and correlation were used for classification. ELM through MATLAB achieved an average accuracy of 85%. Correlation achieved an average accuracy of 89.2%.

Dc Treasure Box, Michael A. Derrenbacher

Electrical Engineering

An all in one DC resource would enable electronics students to prototype circuits for labs and projects without the need for the lab equipment present on campus. The labs on campus can be physically far, closed, or overcrowded, preventing students from accessing the equipment. Roughly 75% of upper division electrical engineering students do not own power supplies, with even fewer students owning a source measurement unit (SMU). There is a significant need for a product capable of providing standard lab equipment functionality. The functionally this project provides are positive and negative DC power supplies, 4-Quadrant SMU, analog inputs and outputs, …

Creando Un Sitio Web Para Concientizar Cómo Implementar Un Programa Bilingüe, Kylie S. Potter

World Languages and Cultures

This website serves the purpose of educating the community of the process of the implementation of bilingual education programs, specifically dual immersion programs. Because the demand for bilingual education is evidently high in the San Luis Obispo County, it is important for local families and community members to have access to information regarding the implementation process. The website provides detailed information from the book Designing and Implementing Two-Way Bilingual Programs by Calderón and Minaya-Rowe. As bilingual education rises in popularity, it is essential that all members of the community are aware of not only the benefits of bilingual education programs, …

The Languages Of Belonging: Heritage Language And Sense Of Belonging In Clubs And Organizations, Lou. Ibe

World Languages and Cultures

As a culminating project for a graduate in Modern Languages & Literatures and Comparative Ethnic Studies, this research paper focuses on the concepts of sense of belonging in institutions of higher education, specifically in relation to the presence of heritage languages within cultural clubs and organizations. It explores this relationship through a survey sent to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo students involved in various cultural clubs and organizations, exploring their feelings of sense of belonging as tied to the university in general, alongside their club/organization, while also inquiring about the presence of their heritage language in various spaces at the …

Analyzing Perceptions Of Music From A Songwriting Perspective, Jackson Stephen Reynosa

Communication Studies

This study seeks to understand listeners’ perceptions of music from a generational and songwriting approach. A total of 123 participants aged 18 and older took part in an open-ended survey design that measured their subjective music preferences. Four different sections tested participants’ music taste, music tied to generations, an original song made by the researcher, and songwriting in a holistic sense. It was found that participants exercised individualism and authenticity in their responses throughout. By using the Uses and Gratifications Theory, it is explainable that people listened and sought out music for their own unique reasons. By applying Mood Management …

Composite Liftwalker For Shurouq, Daniel Martinez, Robert Boyd, Vikram Thridandam, Madeline Faase

Mechanical Engineering

The following document describes the scope of our project and the methods we have deployed in designing and manufacturing a personalized composite LiftWalker for a young woman in Egypt named Shurouq. Our objective is to design a lightweight and durable LiftWalker to improve upon the current product of our project sponsor, Charlie Gutierrez. To accommodate Shurouq’s physical disabilities as well as the limits of transporting the device to her by plane, our team will need to alter the current product’s dimensions, materials, and structure. Through researching similar products and interviewing potential customers, we have compiled engineering specifications to guide the …

Non-Invasive Peripheral Venous And Arterial Line Air Detector For Embolization Prevention, Alexandria Kwong, Kevin Shu, Dylan Meinster

Biomedical Engineering

The scope of this project includes designing a non-invasive bubble detector for peripheral venous and arterial lines. For minimally invasive cardiac procedures, arterial and venous access is necessary for these procedures as is constant flow through the tubing to prevent clotting and to administer drugs. Air bubbles are common in these lines and can be consequential if enough air is introduced into the human system. Air embolisms are the most common and relevant issues during these procedures. The goal of this device is to create an attachable detector for air bubbles in saline that can also terminate flow and alert …

Surf Sled, Marius Jatulis, Arthur Zaayer, Griffin O'Malley, Jose Covarrubias

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review document outlines the process by which we designed and built a surfboard sled, nicknamed the “Beachin’ Buggy”, for the AmpSurf program. The document describes the goals and services that AmpSurf provides for those living with disabilities, and the current methods that volunteers use to transport people from to beach to the water and onto a surfboard. It then identifies the need for a new system for beach-to-water transportation, along with all specifications, constraints, and goals for the system. Background research will be introduced to relate similar products to this project, and their relevant features and parameters …

Spring Loaded Camming Device, Jared S. Christner, Kaitlin O. Deherrera, Ryan W. Edwards, John S. Hickey

Mechanical Engineering

Spring loaded camming devices or “cams” are used in traditional rock climbing as a means of active fall protection. Climbers place cams in cracks and fissures in the rock wall. The cam’s lobes press against the walls, locking it in place, anchoring the climber in case of a fall. Currently, there is a lack of large cams on the market. Only two small companies produce cams that are usable in cracks 6.5 inches wide and larger, however their designs are either too heavy and/or lack features to be comfortable. We are a group of mechanical engineering students at Cal Poly …

Portable Fluorescence Illuminator, Katherine Hui, Emran Baryal, Emmett Lambert

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review (FDR) document outlines the senior design project implemented by a team of three mechanical engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo for a professor in the biochemistry and chemistry department, Dr. Javin Oza. The project involved designing and manufacturing a portable ultraviolet fluorescence illuminator that will indicate the fluorescent glow of biomaterials for viewing purposes. The goal was to create a portable product out of recyclable material that can be used in field applications and increase accessibility to affordable science equipment. The initial sponsor and user interviews, technical background research, product research, and …

Rsvp Spaceship!, Taylor Chavez, Deven Frauenhofer, Andrew Nott, Zoe Riesen

Mechanical Engineering

This document outlines the Final Design Review of a mechanical engineering senior design project at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. The project was to design and build a spaceship prop that will deploy during the performance put on by the Sound Design program within the Music Department. This performance, RSVP, is in its 25th year. Dr. Antonio G. Barata, the artistic director and producer of RSVP, is sponsoring the project. The key constraints include keeping the prop hidden in a confined space (under a stage that is comprised of multiple 4 ft. by 8 ft. by 3 ft. …

Inverted Fluorescence Microscope, Makenzie Lyn Kamei, Enoch Wright Nicholson, Eduardo Reyna Miranda Jr., Trevor John Brown

Mechanical Engineering

The Inverted Fluorescence Microscope senior project team at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo designed, assembled, and tested a proof-of-concept inverted fluorescence microscope for the university’s Microfabrication Laboratory. Administrators of the laboratory wished to use fluorescence for research and experiments involving cell growth and flow visualization on the micro-scale, and did not have the budget to purchase one of the costly commercially available options. The scope of this design challenge was to produce a low-cost inverted fluorescence microscope employing available optical components and additional readily sourced parts to expand the use of fluorescence microscopy accessible to undergraduate students in the Microfabrication …

Sharpening Images Using Guidestars At The Hale Telescope, Jordan Alura Rupp, Jonah Kai Silva, Samantha Ahn Tran, Josh David Robinson

Mechanical Engineering

The SIGHT Senior Project team at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo designed and prototyped the Science Cryostat subsystem of the Sharpening Images using Guidestars for the Hale Telescope (SIGHT) Adaptive Optics system. SIGHT will improve the capabilities of astronomical observations and measurements at the Hale Telescopes using adaptive optics. SIGHT will consist of a Laser Guidestar (LGS) subsystem which focuses a UV laser into Earth’s high atmosphere, adjacent to a science target the Hale Telescope is observing. The LGS subsystem calculates how the laser light has been distorted by temperature and pressure differences as the light travels through the atmosphere. …

Thermal Energy Storage For Load Shifting, Jordan Benton Lopez Corley, Weston Cruz Montgomery, Taylor Glenn Harms

Mechanical Engineering

The following document accounts for the progress made in the prototype development of our design solution since the Critical Design Review, and our group’s response to recent world events which greatly impacted planned activities. Our design challenge is to develop a thermal energy storage system which will sequester the energy from a photovoltaic (PV) array during the day and allow for its dispersal at night in the form of near boiling water. Looking at our user’s needs, we broke our design solution into four components: water heating, storage, distribution, and controls. Research of all components was conducted to ascertain which …

Modular Cable Buoy, James J. Marinas, Gabriela Vargas, Anthony Catello, Joseph Heald

Mechanical Engineering

Cable terminations are often the least reliable and most expensive components of a maritime system. These cables are suspended in water by a buoy to reduce wear at the terminations. The Naval Information Warfare Center requires a modular auxiliary float with tunable buoyancy that can be placed along such cable. Our system must be able to be deployed, adjusted, and retrieved quickly and easily during operational use. This report focuses on our team’s final design concept and includes all analysis to justify our design direction along with safety, maintenance, and repair considerations. The report further elaborates on cost analysis, manufacture …

Design For Additive Manufacturing, Michael Charonnat, Leonardo Franco-Muñoz, Sam Noble, J.P. Purdom

Mechanical Engineering

This document outlines the critical design details and timeline for the Design for Additive Manufacturing Senior Project sponsored by Solar Turbines, Inc. The scope of this project encompasses the redesign of two of Solar Turbine’s cast parts for metal additive manufacturing in order to minimize lead time, cost, and weight. With the overall objective of performing in-depth analysis exploring affordability & feasibility, this redesign process will aid Solar Turbines in expanding their knowledge of Design for Additive Manufacturing principles and enable them to further incorporate the use of additive manufacturing into their production processes. The first part that the team …

Quick Mobile Power Unit Trailer Connections, Patrick A. Beahan, Sam Ali, Eric Allon, Benjamin Robinson

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review document encompasses the entirety of a sponsored senior project which was conducted by a group of four undergraduate mechanical engineers at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo. The primary sponsor of this project was Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Incorporated. Solar Turbines is in the business of development and application of modern-day energy solutions with a large focus on gas powered turbines. Cal Poly acted as a supplemental support of this project and provide the students with mentorship as well as access to its state-of-the-art facilities for the development of an innovative solution to the …

Adaptive Exercise Equipment, Jake Ryan Walejko, Spencer Goodman, Kalina Burns, Journey Martinson

Mechanical Engineering

This document outlines the senior design project carried out by a team of mechanical engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The task is to design adapted exercise equipment for the non-profit organization, Achievement House. The objective of this Final Design Review is to document the final design, manufacturing plan, design verification plan, and project management plan. In addition, this document includes previously presented information on the project background, objectives, and concept design. The background and objective sections document various forms of customer research and include the project goals developed by the athletes and fitness instructors of …

Vehicle Wheelchair Storage Final Design Report, Alexander Nicholas Cherry, Alex Morcate, Chloe Ng, Tyler Habu

Mechanical Engineering

Many people who use wheelchairs are very active. They have errands to run and lives to live just like everybody else. For a busy person who uses a wheelchair there are currently no quick methods for storing and unloading your wheelchair from your vehicle that do not require expensive custom modifications which can ruin the resell value and the aesthetics of the vehicle. This has resulted in users hastily loading their wheelchairs which can cause damage to the wheelchair, the vehicle, and other passengers while the vehicle is in motion. The goal of this project was to develop a wheelchair …

California Solar Regatta, Nathan Harris Carlson, Niko Delfino Magaña Banks, Alexander R. Larson, Eric Steven Rinell

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Review report details the research, analysis, and design conducted by a Cal Poly Mechanical Engineering senior project team working on the propulsion system for a solar powered boat. Working in coordination with another senior project team responsible for making the hull, the two teams comprised the Cal Poly team who entered the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) 2020 California Solar Regatta Competition. The SMUD Solar Regatta is an annual competition for high school and college students to design and build boats powered by solar power. The solar panels are provided by SMUD, and the battery storage is …

California Solar Regatta - Hull Team: Up A Creek, Torrey Duncan, Sean Neuman, Kyle Krietzman, Andrew Offhaus

Mechanical Engineering

The SMUD Solar Regatta competition tasks students with developing a solar-powered watercraft to compete in various events on a fresh water lake. Cal Poly has created two mechanical engineering senior project groups to coordinate the design of a boat for the Solar Regatta competition. Up a Creek, the boat construction team, has created the following Final Design Review document to highlight the group’s progress on the project over the year. This document captures the design process from the background research, project objectives, and early concepts to the final design, manufacturing processes, and planned testing procedures. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic halted …

Importance Of Safety In Public Parks For Crime Prevention, Camille Frace

City and Regional Planning

The goal of this portfolio is research based education regarding the importance of safety in parks for crime prevention. By exploring the growing importance between safety, public parks, and crime prevention, learning about all factors incorporated and supporting the subject are both keys in understanding the relationship as a whole. The urban and built environments, crime statistics and perceptions, safety audits, design, conditions, and various other factors contribute to the overall picture of safety.

Mcneal Bluffs Development Package, Jack Angelo Balfour

City and Regional Planning

The McNeal Bluffs Development Package provides the information necessary to guide any future housing development on this property at the time of completion of this document. The package contains site analysis looking not only at the site itself but the surrounding area and region. The package then provides a detailed breakdown of the regulatory requirements that would be needed to get a project of this magnitude entitled. From there a real estate market analysis is conducted providing information on the real estate market of the whole region, locally, and provides information on recent comparable projects. A possible concept design is …

Outdoor Learning Environments, Elizabeth Farin

City and Regional Planning

Outdoor Learning Environments have the ability to enhance the campus socially, educationally, psychologically, and environmentally. They can provide a defined, outdoor environment that students feel comfortable using and learning in. Outdoor Learning Environments create the space and opportunity to bring individuals and professors together to work on an interdisciplinary project. These spaces provide an area for students to relax and rewind during a stressful day. Outdoor Learning Environments have an enormous potential to achieve University-wide social and learning objectives.

This project examines the potential for Outdoor Learning on University campuses. Through analyzing existing outdoor spaces both at Cal Poly and …

Mindfulness For Stress Reduction: Qualitative Analysis Of Perceptions From College Students And Mindfulness Instructors, Beth Marie Merlo

Master's Theses

Although mindfulness interventions with college students have yield positive results, many students are not continuing to engage after the interventions. This may be because very little research has been done to investigate the health behavior beliefs of college students in regard to mindfulness for stress reduction. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the most influential components of the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) that potentially assist with predicting college student participation in mindfulness activities for stress reduction. Interviews, informed by the IBM, were conducted with 20 current college students and 5 current mindfulness instructors working with college students. The …

Analysis Of Aquifer And Operational Conditions For Successful Soil Aquifer Treatment Of Treated Wastewater Via Synthesis Of Published Full-Scale And Laboratory-Scale Studies, Matthew I. Murray

Master's Theses

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) of treated wastewater performance was evaluated across published full-scale and lab-scale studies developing insights on the aquifer and operational factors that affect SAT efficacy. The goal of this study was to develop a basis for predicting the contaminant removal capabilities of any given aquifer during managed recharge with treated wastewater.

Over 40 published SAT studies were reviewed and systematically compared to determine the influence of five major factors on contaminant removal performance: geologic composition, geochemical conditions, hydrogeological conditions, operational methods, and source water quality. Removal mechanisms for standard contaminants (dissolved and total organic carbon, nitrogen, and …