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Avalon Submersible Support Structure: Final Project Report, Alexandra Mililani Zaragoza, Octavio Mendoza, Austin Scott Eslinger

Mechanical Engineering

The MBMM, represented by our sponsor Bob McCay, is currently looking for a new way to support the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), Avalon, that they have on display. The DSRV is currently sitting on a Short Haul Vehicle (SHV) trailer and the total weight (32 tons) is currently being supported by the SHV’s tires. This is a source of concern for the MBMM due to the weathering the tires have undergone combined with the amount of time that they have been supporting the weight. The MBMM is looking for a support structure that will take the weight off of …

Cal Poly Supermileage Steering System, Lucas S. Rybarczyk, Sean K. Michel, Giovanni P. Murillo

Mechanical Engineering

The following report outlines the full design process that the senior project team went through to develop a steering system for the 2018 Cal Poly Supermileage vehicle from the development to the manufacturing and testing of the senior project steering system. The team was successful in reducing the weight of the steering system from 12.64 to 5.85 pounds while remaining within the cost budget provided for the Cal Poly Supermileage team. The new steering system initially failed drop testing which resulted in the uprights pulling out of the bottom carbon supports. This failure was repaired with a small redesign to …

Mini High Temperature Test Unit Final Design Report, Kevin Liu, Juan P. Castillo

Mechanical Engineering

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has invested considerable effort to develop new standard for nuclear grade HEPA filters that can withstand high temperatures along with methods to optimally test not only the experimental filter media, but also new frame seals and media binders. Therefore, LLNL in collaboration with Cal Poly has designed and built a Mini High Temperature Testing Unit (MHTTU) to recreate conditions observed during a fire and to test different materials in an effective, inexpensive, regulated and reliable method. The existing prototype was unable to achieve the ideal testing conditions of 1000°F air at the low flow rates of …

Marine Gastrobot Final Design Report, Wesley B. Williams, Eric Kane Dreischerf, Tommy Nicholas Yath

Mechanical Engineering

The Marine Gastrobot sponsored by Dr. Christopher Kitts of the Cal Poly Center for Applications in Biotechnology was a research and development effort intended to explore the use of microbial fuel cell technology as a power source for underwater robots. Our team Ocean Locomotion succeeded in developing a first iteration of an underwater robotic platform suitable for microbial fuel cell integration. The primary feature of the design is its sinusoidal fin propulsion intended for benthic exploration with limited risk of entanglement. During the course of development, Ocean Locomotion explored the use of low power actuation methods and determined their limited …

Water Fun At Exploration Station, Nicholas M. Runyan, Heriberto Rodriguez, Raymond F. Morales, Alejandro M. Gonzalez-Smith

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and fabrication processes involved for the creation of an interactive science exhibit for the Grover Beach Exploration Station. This is a student-led senior project advised by Sarah Harding, professor of mechanical engineering, as a part of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo’s mechanical engineering program. The final product is a fully functioning, durable system that is capable of pumping and recycling water throughout use when users are in its vicinity.

The exhibit is to be considered in 4 main subsystems: basin, plumbing, frame, and sleep mode system. A fiberglass basin that holds all …

Grey Water Capture, Paul B. Brenneman, Vicente J. Ramirez, Kevin J. Alexander

Mechanical Engineering

Many households today do not implement any kind of grey water recycling system. People do not get a grey water system for a variety of reasons; the benefits could be unknown, the uses for grey water could be limited in their specific home, or the economic gain is too minimal to constitute a modification to the house.

For our project, we are going to design an easy to install product that enables the reuse of grey water from household sources. Examples of our final product could be something that lets the customer use grey water from the bathroom sink to …

Reliability Test Fixture For Flexible Hybrid Electronics, Julia Akiko Roche, Maya Francesca Zumel Manzano, Paul Alfred Swartz

Mechanical Engineering

During the 2016-2017 school year, the Cal Poly NextFlex Group, in conjuncture with the Cal Poly Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, was comprised of professors, undergraduate students, and graduate students all working towards the manufacturing of flexible hybrid electronics (FHEs). FHEs, which are comprised of a flexible plastic substrate (thermoplastic polyurethane), screen-printed silver ink, and a thin silicon wafer, have a wide range of potential applications. At the time of this project, FHEs and other flexible electronics did not have a set of test standards to characterize their mechanical and electrical properties. The Cal Poly NextFlex Group recruited three Cal …

Vortexing Off A Common Suction Header, Ryan J. Caceres, Brett R. Langlois, Brian H. Greenberg

Mechanical Engineering

This project is the first iteration of a testing rig to determine the critical submergence of a vortex off a main suction header. The rig was designed with supplies purchased and provided by PG&E, including 4-6” schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings, a large water tank, a pump, and a flowmeter. PG&E at Diablo Canyon Power Plant presented their problem to the Cal Poly Mechanical Engineering Senior Project class, and three mechanical engineers took up the project. The following report details the ideation, design, build, and test processes used during the 2016-17 academic year to create the vortex testing rig. …

Air Bubble Curtain Anchoring, Christian J. Young, Donavan Wesley Lawrence, Dakota Catherine Schwartz

Mechanical Engineering

To prevent salp (jellyfish) from entering Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s intake pipes, and ultimately having the plant shut down as a result, an air bubble curtain is anchored along the ocean floor for the duration of the salp swarm to create a barrier that prevents the salp and other debris from entering the intake. The curtain consists of four large air compressors connected to four parallel pipes with holes strategically drilled at various places along the length of the pipe. When the air compressors are turned on, a torrent of bubbles are shot out from the pipes which create a …

Message-Layer Encryption In Ricochet, Liam B. Kirsh

Computer Science and Software Engineering

My intention for this project was to implement encryption and authentication on Ricochet's message layer. This provides two major benefits. The first is a higher level of encryption in the event that a flaw is found in the existing channel-layer encryption, or if increases in computing power make attacks on that encryption feasible. Tor is used by the military, journalists, law enforcement, researchers, and activists, whose communications may be interesting to state-level adversaries and criminal organizations with access to great amount of computing resources. Additionally, message-layer encryption would allow users to specify relay nodes that can temporarily store messages and …

Implementing Subspace Identification On Shake Table Model, Zoe T. Cooperband

Architectural Engineering

Stochastic Subspace Identification is a field of applied mathematics that takes collected experimental time-history data and gives out information about the system that produced the data. SSI is typically used in control analysis but here we apply the methods to the modal analysis of structures. This senior project didn’t involve theory - instead much of the work was in research behind how Subspace Identification works, implementing the algorithm in MATLAB, and applying the program to shake table data to validate the program. In other words, building the framework to make SSI a usable tool and practical learning experience for other …

Drum Machine, Ryan J. Frawley

Computer Engineering

The drum machine is a step sequencer which allows simple drum loops to be created. The system allows the user to adjust the tempo from 30 to 340 beats per minute. There are 14 different drum samples available for use in the loop. There are 16 different positions representing time slots in a measure that a drum beat can be placed in by the user. The position of the beats is controlled by pressing any one of 16 buttons on a pad consisting of four rows and four columns to make 16 buttons in total. All drum loops created on …

Optical Physics Of Rifle Scopes, Ryan Perry

Physics

Optical systems are typically consist of multiple lenses and mirrors and are used in a wide variety of fields. While there exist a variety of setups, there are a few key concepts that are at the core of all of them. These could be used from the most advanced scientific research to a simple magnifying glass. They are also used in industry and consumer products such as glasses and cameras. We are going to go over these key concepts and show how they apply to telescopes, or more specifically rifle scopes. First, we will go over Snell's Law of refraction …

Working With Cuore In Search For The Neutrinoless-Double Beta Decay, Kevin H. Phung

Physics

The neutrino, if found to be its own anti-particle, will reshape the Standard Model of physics. This paper will give some background information regarding CUORE’s experiment to discover the radioactive process known as neutrinoless double-beta decay, how their experiment works, and my own involvement in their research during the installation phase of the project in the summer of 2017.

My Contributions To The Cryogenic Underground Observatory For Rare Events Experiment And The Utilization Of Geant4 In Their Analysis, Kevin Armenta

Physics

First, a brief introduction and background of the basics of particle physics and the Standard Model is discussed in order to give context to nature of the neutrinoless double beta decay ($2\nu\beta\beta$) and why it is so interesting to particle physicists. Next, the Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) experiment is discussed in detail, explaining the rational behind the experimental setup and detection process. Finally, I conclude by discussing Geant4, an important software toolkit used in particle physics, and how it is utilized in the CUORE experiment.

Acceleration Amplitude Control System For Oscillating Silicon Oil Physics Experiment, Eric Chen

Electrical Engineering

This project is an ‘acceleration amplitude control system’ for use in an ‘oscillating silicon oil physics experiment’. The physics experiment has a tray of silicon oil. This tray must oscillate vertically at a specific amplitude (either at or just below the level for Faraday Waves). This control systems manages taking measurements of acceleration amplitude, and also manages correcting the shaker’s driving signal to obtain the correct acceleration. Features of the control system are designed for ease of use, because the system will mostly be operated by professor/ students without background knowledge in electrical engineering.

Wireless Audio Bridge, Daniel L. Hodges

Electrical Engineering

Bluetooth, a wireless technology standard used to exchange data using radio transmissions, has made a significant impact on the audio technology industry, specifically the way people listen to music. This technology enables a wireless listening experience, eliminating the need for wires or cables between audio devices as previously required. Audio can transmit from a cellphone or laptop (an output device) to a pair of headphones or speakers (an input device) without any physical connection. Compared to alternative wireless listening solutions (i.e. FM transmitter, radio broadcast), Bluetooth offers greater reliability, audio fidelity, portability, and ease of use. To obtain this functionality, …

Hybrid Water Pump, Dylan W. Grant, Wei Chen Yeh

Electrical Engineering

This project seeks to use multiple sources to power a water pump. We will design a system which will combine inputs from solar and wind energy production to ensure the pump will have enough power to run. This will create a system powered by clean energy and will be self-sustained once completed. This will theoretically create a more sustainable source of power for the pump than only one of the sources. Because the power sources don’t require outside inputs (aside from sun and wind), the pump can be placed in a remote area. This could be very helpful in developing …

Ecg Classification Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System, Jason N. Rivera, Kelsey C. Rodriguez

Electrical Engineering

ECG classification using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), sponsored by Professor Yu, involves the diagnosis of six cardiovascular conditions by analyzing one single neural network. Today’s ECG signal instrumentation does not have the ability to characterize cardiovascular diseases without a doctor’s complete evaluation and diagnosis. Our project gives a promising solution to the inability in the current market’s ECG signal instrumentation to correctly evaluate and diagnose cardiovascular diseases. ECG signal reportings is a non-invasive process that will lead to many more applications of advanced signal processing and data analysis/diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. The inputs to the ANFIS are annotations of …

Dc House Energy Management System, Zachary L. Eldredge, Zoe M. Hay

Electrical Engineering

In this work, a previously completed proof of concept for an Energy Management System (EMS) for the DC House project has been revised and re-implemented. The implemented design changes will improve the performance and reproducibility of the system. This new design of the EMS replaces the two-separate buck and boost DC-DC converters with a single bidirectional DC-DC converter to reduce components and improve efficiency. Analysis of the bidirectional DC-DC converter shows high efficiency especially at larger load currents. The code of the previous work was updated for smoother operation as well as to accommodate an LCD capable of displaying more …

Isolation And Culture Of Myofiber-Derived Cells From The Extensor Digitorum Longus Muscle, Ethan M. Tietze

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) involves distal artery occlusion by atherosclerotic plaques, which restricts blood flow and leads to ischemia in downstream tissues. Increased blood flow through preexisting collateral vessels leads to increased shear stress that triggers an outward remodeling of the vessel called arteriogenesis. In some cases this natural compensatory mechanism is able to sufficiently restore blood flow following arterial occlusion. However, for many individuals this process is insufficient to relieve peripheral ischemia, and patients experience intermittent claudication, or limb pain with locomotion or exercise. Without treatment, reduced blood flow can lead to tissue necrosis and potentially amputation. The …

Kettle Cooling And Sustainability Project, Nico Degiorgio

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A particular frozen food processing facility uses a once-through cooling process to bring their kettle-cooked product’s temperature down from nearly boiling temperatures to the eighty degree Fahrenheit range. This process is water intensive and facility managers are seeking to reduce their potable water consumption. Sales engineers from Air Treatment Corporation, an HVAC&R manufacturers’ rep, initiated a number of meetings to propose heat rejection solutions and illustrate their associated payback potentials.

This report contains methods of analyzing a food production process, the technical sales process, thermodynamic principles, refrigeration technologies, and the application of technical knowledge to provide a long-term, system solution. …

Joe On The Go, Nico Ledwith, Grayson Meurrens

Computer Engineering

The ultimate goal for this project is to design an automatic, large capacity coffee maker. The system should be able to detect when a cup or mug is in position to receive coffee, then dispense a cup’s worth (~ 8oz) of coffee. When the coffee in the urn is getting low, our system should be able to allow a person to put new coffee grounds in the top, then push a button to start the coffee brewing process. More specifically, we had to accomplish the following tasks in order to meet our goals: solving the issue of transporting water from …

Unreal Engine 4 Rpg, Jacob W. Russ, Jeffrey J. Nunez

Computer Engineering

Classic RPG videogames have become few and far between in the Western market over the years as modern RPG systems have gained popularity. The purpose of this project is to present a vertical slice of a hybrid RPG game that takes the gameplay mechanics and styles of classic RPG videogames and infuses them with a modern presentation. Through the use of the powerful Unreal Engine 4 graphics engine, this project is able to combine impressive graphical fidelity with modernized systems to fuel a videogame that is undeniably a classic RPG at heart. This is not a full game, but a …

Automated Grading Of Handwritten Numerical Answers, Mark T. Brown

Computer Engineering

The objective of this project was to automate the process of grading handwritten numerical answers in a classroom setting. The final program accepts a scanned answer sheet completed by the student along with a description of the correct answers and produces a detailed report describing the confidence of correctness for each answer.

Computer vision techniques are used to automatically locate the locations of the answers in the scan. Each digit is then passed through a convolutional neural network to predict what was written by the student. The individual probabilities of each digit produced by the network are aggregated into a …

Mr. Mix: The Automated Home Bartender, Brian Moore, Robert Hulbert

Computer Engineering

No abstract provided.

Deer-Vehicle Collision Avoidance, Randy S. Fung, Connie P. Ho

Computer Engineering

The targeted outcome for this project is to create and build a system that shall be placed alongside the roads where deer are often spotted in the area. The system shall detect an incoming car through a vibration sensor that is firmly mounted against the pavement or dirt road. Once movement is detected, the system will emit an ultrasonic frequency to alert the deer of potential harm. Deer shall either turn around and stop where they are at until the cars have passed. This system will interface with a vibration sensor Fung, Ho 5 that will detect a moving car …

Farmbot Rfid Integration, Laura R. Swart

Computer Engineering

The purpose of this project is to assist the company FarmBot improve their product by adding RFID tracking to the FarmBot robot. RFID tracking will allow the robot to select and pick up tool heads without any user interference.

Daily Dose, Ken H. Yasui, Joey M. Angeja

Computer Engineering

The project goal is to develop a medication and vitamin management device that will sort and dispense pre-configured amounts of pills at designated times . The main clientele of this device is the elderly community with a secondary client base of the general public. The entire system is designed from scratch, powered by US standard line voltage. The main functionalities of the device are the ability to store multiple types of pills and the ability to accurately handle user input and data transfer. The two engineering specifications that were not met included the desired pill pick up rate and dimensions …

Activsense Sidestick: A Force Sensing And Force Feedback Joystick, Kobbe Farwick

Electrical Engineering

As aircraft systems continue to become more integrated and fully electronic, hence fly-by-wire, the pilot is slowly losing the physical cues that were once relied upon for the safe operation of the aircraft. Many commercial airliners, such as Airbus, use passive sidesticks that integrate with the electronic flight controls system. These sidesticks move much like a gaming joystick which results in the pilot not having any “feel” for the aerodynamic forces present on the control surfaces. Without the force feedback of a mechanically linked control system the pilot could inadvertently stall the aircraft or place it into an unstable flight …