Engineering Commons^™

Input-Corrective Drawing Pad, Jesse Jensen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Input-Corrective Drawing Pad is a drawing tablet that takes shaky input data and corrects it. It is designed for those with fine motor skill disabilities. The system takes an input (either writing or drawing) drawn by pressure-sensitive stylus and then outputs a “corrected” version. If in writing mode, text is output to the screen. Otherwise, simple shapes such as lines and curves are output to the screen on a drawing canvas. It accomplishes this goal by first eliminating obvious shakes in the input. Then, the shake-corrected input is fed into a neural network. If classifying text, the learning software …

Inflatable Antenna, Robert Mckay

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Inflatable antennas have been extensively researched for years.

• NASA’s Inflatable Antenna Experiment (1996)
• Cubic’s Ground Antenna Transmit and Receive (GATR) (2008)

The inflatable antenna presented here is unlike many inflatable antennas.

• Omni-directional
• Miniature
• Single-band (2.4 GHz)
• Folds

The design may be useful for consumers.

• Increased Wi-Fi / Bluetooth range on computers
• Efficient design reduces cost

Low-Precision Linear Algebra For Neural Networks, Frost Mitchell

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Neural networks have been widely responsible for recent advances in machine learning, powering technologies such as digital assistants and AR photography. LPLANN (Low-Precision Linear Algebra for Neural Networks) is a cross-platform library written in C++ used for implementing neural networks. The software allows users to set specific levels of precision for calculations. Low-precision calculations use advanced parallelization techniques (SIMD, SWAR) to run neural networks at faster rates than full-precision calculations. This library is lightweight enough to run on embedded systems, but also includes optimizations that would provide drastic speedups on a workstation. LPLANN also serves as a testbed for novel …

Martial Art Force Gage, Feyisa Berisa

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The purpose of this project is to design a force measuring device that interfaces with a Microcontroller. A martial art Force gage is a type of Force sensor that measures the force in the threshold that causes damage to human , which is 100lb to 3000lb.

Motorized Arm Project, Joshua Tracy

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Motorized Arm Project is an application of analog feedback control with five degrees of freedom. The arm detects the position of the user’s and mimics it using analog accelerometers. As an extra challenge, all of the control electronics are analog. That’s right! No microprocessors, and no software! The Motorized Arm Project shows that many robotic and control applications can be done reliably with non-digital devices.

Nylon Artificial Muscle, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Project Concept

• An artificial muscle made from copper and nylon fishing wire
• Also known as soft robotics muscle actuators
• Soft muscles can aid in better prosthetics design
• Soft muscles also have potential in animatronics engineering

The Climber-Bot, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

My project idea was to create a quadrupedal wall-climbing robot. This robot, called the Climber-Bot, is remote controlled and sends video footage from its location. The legs of the robot have vacuum powered suction cups attached to them allowing it to climb walls and ceilings. These vacuum powered legs allow for fast, easy inspection and surveillance. The Climber-bot can survey and inspect areas that are small, dangerous, or otherwise difficult to access.

The Self-Spotter, Kayden Feichko, Ashton Sicilia

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• The purpose of this project is to eliminate the necessity of having a human spotter, allow assistance to improve results, and increase safety while performing a workout.
• The Self-Spotter is an automated squat rack designed to replicate the basic functionalities of how a human spotter would help you perform a lift at the gym.
• This system is capable of assisting a user with any barbell-based workout.
• The structural design is based off a standard squat rack with modifications to implement a motor-to-chain pulley system to lift the side rails.

The Smart Shower: The Shower That Completes Your Smart Home, Parker Burton, Jeremy Littlewood, Richard Lloyd

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Smart Shower allows users to control their everyday showers at the sound of their voice or the tip of their fingers. By connecting pre-existing showers to sophisticated smart home technology, homeowners can enjoy a showering experience like none other.

Development Of An Suas-Mounted Texel Camera, Trevor Welch

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Currently, there is growth in the demand for scientifically accurate terrain maps of the earth. One method to acquire these maps is fusing digital imagery and LiDAR sensor data to create a Textured Digital Elevation Map (TDEM). Due to current LiDAR capability and availability, obtaining accurate terrain maps can be greater than $100,000.

Platooning Turtlebots, Sebastian Helzer, Terran Gerratt

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Self-driving cars are a rapidly emerging product in today’s market. Compared to ever more distracted drivers, these cars hold the promise of safer and more efficient travel. Platooning on the highway has been proposed as a means to improve efficiency and safety on the road. In everyday life, this means reduced traffic congestion and fewer accidents. In the armed forces, platooning can help convoys avoid IEDs.

Powered, Wearable, Reprogrammable (Pwr) Led Clothing, Blake Johansen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Many people today want to have an element of creative control over the products they want to use
• Clothing is an industry that people can’t design or customize for themselves
• This project incorporates a series of NeoPixel lights on the front of a piece of clothing that a user can create custom animations for
• To ensure ease of use, a bluetooth app was developed to transmit animations to the vest
• To allow users to customize their clothing animations, a design program was developed that lets users design animations for themselves

Remote Battery Testing System, Jeffrey Snow

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Large storage/backup batteries are used everywhere around us, from fire alarms to our automobiles. However, we often forget they are even there. This leads to failures going unnoticed until the time of need. Then, it’s too late. The Remote Battery Testing System addresses this with the following features:

• Tester installed at location of batteries
• Tests automatically on a schedule
• Results of tests are sent back over network
• Results indicate health of batteries (not just charge)

100 North Street Bridge Over Logan River Project Rubber Bridge Engineering, Chandler Baird, Evan Capron, Micah Rasmussen, Derek Walker

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rubber Bridge Engineering is over the 100 North Bridge Project used in the Logan River Restoration Project. The100 North Street Bridge is being replaced and the implementation of the proposed new bridge will improve the safety and aesthetics of the surrounding area. The new bridge will also accommodate a new and improved floodplain for the Logan River. Rubber Bridge Engineering designed a pre-engineered steel girder for the superstructure of the bridge and steel reinforced concrete piles for the foundation of the bridge. The transportation detour for the project uses the Conifer Place to Pointe Place detour route and roadway improvements. …

Austin Bridge Design Team Sr-118: Bridge Replacement Over The Sevier River, Wyatt Nielson, Chad Withers, Patrick Campana, Jonathon Reynolds, Andy Erickson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Austin Bridge, D-272, spans the Sevier River along SR-118, in Sevier County, Utah. The bridge was built in 1935 and is structurally sound. However D-272 is deteriorating slightly and is too narrow, presenting a traffic hazard. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) wants to replace the bridge. Our group chose to design a replacement bridge.

Courthouse Wash Pedestrian Bridge: Moab, Utah, Wyatt Hansen, L. Kade Flake, Josh Kerkvliet, Trygve Mccrea

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Arches Engineering (AE) is a team of four civil engineering students at Utah State University (USU). The team has selected to work in conjunction with Jones & DeMille Engineering (JDE) to design a pedestrian bridge over Courthouse Wash in Moab, Utah. After analyzing the conditions, AE determined a prefabricated steel bridge with a modified bowstring truss style would best suit the 130-foot crossing.

A modified bowstring truss has a relatively low cost, is aesthetically pleasing, and is simple to construct. AE specifies to use a prefabricated bridge to reduce cost and simplify on-site construction. A drilled shaft foundation would best …

Crockett Diversion Rehabilitation Project, Philip Duncan, Zackary Pali

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Crockett Diversion is an irrigation diversion structure on the Logan River. This diversion serves the little Logan Canal and provides irrigation water to the valley. The diversion is operated using horizontal stop logs. Operators must manually install or remove these stop logs to maintain upstream water surface elevation as flow conditions change. The stop logs also cause a lot of build up of run off material such as logs, twigs, and other debris. The cleaning, maintenance, and manual operation of this current set up is tedious and requires a lot of extra work for the city. It can also …

Fishhook Sunrise Bed & Breakfast Expansion, Carter Johnson, Andrew Lecheminant, Heather Nielsen, Erika Parsons, Tyler Searle

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Willardsons, owners of Fishhook Sunrise Bed & Breakfast, located near Palmer, AK, demonstrated interested in expanding their existing bed and breakfast to accommodate future visitors. The expansion includes three new cabins on the northwest side of the property, across Wasilla Creek, which has no existing infrastructure. The expansion, therefore, includes the installation of a drinking water well, access road, septic system, and bridge. Fishhook Engineering proposed providing a site layout for the expansion with high level recommendations for the septic system and roadway material. The project scope also included the complete design of a one lane bridge to span …

Laytona Subdivision Storm Drain System, Tyler Roberts, Mitchell Wagner

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Laytona Subdivision, located in Layton, UT, currently uses traditional curb and gutter to transport storm runoff. This system is no longer adequate due to lack of slope and aging curb and gutter. Layton City will replace the current system with an underground storm drain system. Storm water runoff will be collected and transported to an existing detention pond.

• Alternatives Three other alternative storm drain systems were considered for this project.

• Cost Estimate The estimated cost of completion is $831,710.00.

• Design Software To complete this project ASE used AutoCAD Civil 3D, Excel, and Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis. …

Logan River Restoration (Downstream), Drew Bassett, Amanda Blair, Brooklyn Morgan, Dakota Sparks

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Historical projects by local landowners attempted to improve the passage of flood flows through the Logan River by channelizing the river. The removal of foliage in this process resulted in unforeseen bank erosion and channel scouring. This project analyzes existing river conditions and proposes changes to a section of the Logan River from the Crockett Diversion to Center Street to improve the floodplain, reduce river temperatures, and add recreation.

Mendon Historic Barn Restoration, Andrew Flake, Jaison Hardman, Kaleb Nelson, Taylor Reese

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Hardman Family owns a historic barn located on the West side of Mendon City backed by the scenic Wellsville Mountains. The barn is currently in a dilapidated condition and is likely to collapse at any time. The Hardmans would like to evaluate the feasibility of reconstructing the barn with the goal of retaining the original barn’s aesthetic value. The reconstructed barn would serve as an events center that would be rented out as a source of income for the family.

Mill Race Diversion On The Weber River, Tyler Ashby, Carina Jones, Nick Langford, Jake Orton, Polo Su'a-Filo

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Trout Unlimited designated the Mill Race irrigation diversion located in Morgan, Utah, and shown in Figure 1, as problematic for fish passage and recreational usage. AAA Engineering was tasked with designing a replacement diversion structure to allow fish passage, recreational use, and provide flood control on the Weber River.

Along with the diversion, AAA Engineering was asked to design a pedestrian bridge that connects the community north of the Weber River to Morgan High School and athletic fields to the south.

Muddy Creek Pressurized Irrigation System, Smc (Sunderland, Mangum, Clark) Engineering

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Muddy Creek Irrigation Company (MCIC) has been providing irrigation water for farmers in and around Emery since the early 1800’s. Many of the original canals are still in use today. The earthen canals lose 35-40% of the water that is being delivered to infiltration. The purpose of this project is to replace the existing canal system with a water reservoir and a pressurized irrigation pipeline design. Figure 1 presents the existing canal system to be replaced.

Munition Storage Magazines (Msms), Matthew Endicott, Michael Garcia, Quinn Lythgoe

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) currently has two aging Munition Storage Magazines (MSMs) and is planning to replace these with modern MSMs. HAFB’s new project will implement five new MSMs to increase their capacity, see Fig 1. HHI Corporation, the client, has acquired the project and has decided to include QM² Engineering as a subcontractor.

QM² Engineering has worked on the site layout of the five MSMs, foundation design, retention pond, and access road. Portions of the MSMs are pre-designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, but require a site specific foundation, see Fig 2. QM^{2 …}

Park Valley Livestock Water System, Calyn Arnold, Zachary Hulsey, Nathan Raine

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Western Skies Engineering proposed the installation of a livestock waterpipeline in Park Valley, Utah. A pipeline would be needed to provide waterfrom a recently drilled well to a series of troughs, providing water for 200head of cattle. The proposed pipelines would total about 1 mile in length,cross a major highway, and rise and fall with the regional topography. Anoff-grid energy system was proposed to sustain the well, and a pump houseproposed to protect the head of the well from the environment.

Storm Water Solutions: 1800 North 600 West Regional Detention Basin, Aaron Hall, Tucker Jorgensen, Sam Odd

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Storm Water Solutions was tasked by Logan City to design a storm water detention and treatment system that addressed the following tasks:

• Model storm events in drainage basin to determine storm water runoff volumes, especially the 90^th Percentile Storm.

• Remove storm water from irrigation conveyance system through design of storm diversion structure to eliminate crop flooding and system maintenance costs.

• Determine methods to reduce phosphorous entering Cutler Reservoir through a low maintenance, sustainable process.

• Retrofit existing storm water system to meet current Logan City design standards and budgetary constraints.

Tuni Grande Water Project, Tyler Daynes, Nathan Hall, Joe West

Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Tuni Grande is a small farming community in Pucara Peru with a population of 250 people

• Residents of Tuni Grande receive approximately 3 gallons of water per person per day

• The water is highly contaminated with arsenic. Concentrations reach as high as 50 μg/L

• The goal of this project was to provide the people of Tuni Grande a reliable and clean water source

Ussynthetic: Building 4, Simon Barth, Matt Graham, Jacob Luebke, Joseph Osguthorpe, Benjamin Story

Civil and Environmental Engineering

US Synthetic is a synthetic diamond manufacturing company located in Orem, Utah. Over the last ten years, US Synthetic has nearly doubled its employee count and annual revenue. In 2011, US Synthetic added a third building to its campus to increase its production of synthetic diamonds.

Building 3 was designed and built to be connected to a future building. With company growth continuing as expected, US Synthetic contracted Diamond Engineering to design Building 4.

Diamond Engineering’s design of Building 4 will offer the client nearly 40,000 square feet of additional administrative and production space. Building 4 will tie into Building …

Usu Steel Bridge Design, Jordan Browning, Ryan Devitt, Adam Lambert, Beau Petersen, Dallin Polson, Colin Steele, Taylor Vaughn

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Utah State University Steel Bridge (USSB) has designed a bridge to compete at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Student Steel Bridge Competition. The design process involves the analysis of many bridge alternatives to determine the most cost-effective bridge design. USSB analyzed both an under-span and over-arch bridge design based on weight, number of members, ease of fabrication, ease of construction, and vertical deflection. USSB found the over-arch bridge design to be the recommended alternative because of the minimal deflection it experiences under load compared to an under-span bridge.

USSB completed in-depth analysis using RISA 3D to design two …

Rapid Prototyping Of Mixing Elements In Bioreactor System, Angela Clyde, Chris Cooper, Aaron Dryden, Erik Olson, Jaden Markos, Ryan Randall, Spencer Lynch, Mark Smith

Biological Engineering

Emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, have revolutionized the way in which engineers prototype innovative designs. Here, students optimized a procedure for rapidly prototyping mixing elements in a Thermo Fisher Scientific bioreactor, using 3D printing. Impellers were designed using AutoCAD and SolidWorks drafting software, 3D printed on a Fortus 3D printer, and evaluated via application specific bioreactor simulations.

Three different bioreactor applications were modeled – high density cell culture, solid dissolution, and microcarrier cell culture – each with their own impeller designs and testing procedures.

Project Objectives:

• Develop an iterative process for rapid prototyping bioreactor impellers.

• Design and …