Engineering Commons^™

Water Condensation Collection For Disaster Relief, Tyler Gaydosh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Numerous populations experience sudden, unexpected circumstances where drinking water supply may be compromised. Current leading response strategies include the delivery of disposable water bottles, a simple and effective way of meeting the demand of fresh drinking water. The lack of reusability results in problems with waste and cost. Any response to provide drinking water to a population in these circumstances must consider a prolonged crisis and these limitations: minimal delivery opportunities, power supply, and waste management (e.g., aftereffects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico). A review of alternatives for water collection was done to determine a viable collection method that …

Zips Electric - Cooling System, Guan-Bok Kwok

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I am working with Zips Electric Racing to design a new cooling system for the ZER-20 car. The new cooling system will be more efficient and effective than the current design. We will investigate lighter materials with better thermal conductivity. Flow rate will also be optimized to meet the system’s needs. Also calculations and testing will be completed to determine if a fan is necessary. To adapt to the new proposed chassis, it is likely that the radiator must be mounted outside of the frame. If this is necessary, we will also design composite side pods to conceal and direct …

Rocket Motor Nozzle, Corey Hillegass

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For this honors research and senior design project, the authors will research, analyze, and manufacture a rocket motor nozzle for the Akronauts rocket design team. This research and design project will improve how the rocket design team will decide and manufacture nozzles going forward. The impact of this improvement allows the rocket design team to take steps toward being self-sustaining by manufacturing student designed parts as opposed to commercially bought parts. This will not only be successful in increasing student impact on future designs, but also provides a technical challenge for the authors and will present as an impressive feat …

I/O Master, Aaron Dubler, Corey Dye, Cameron Sinko, Ian Glen, Nikolaus Untch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The I/O Master is an engineering tool designed to let users quickly and efficiently use their computer to interface with embedded devices and sensors. Using a general purpose design, the goal is to make it possible to implement any digital protocol on the I/O Master. With the use of onboard level shifting, differential communication components, peripheral DMA through GPIO and a USB 2.0 High Speed computer interface, the I/O Master is able to implement such a general purpose design with initial implementation of five protocols to verify the design's capabilities. The implementation of a computer-based GUI and underlying framework allows …

Shock Wave And Boundary Layer Interaction, Blake Keuchel, Lauren Andrews, Corryn Rahe

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Air entering the engine of a supersonic aircraft must be slowed to subsonic speeds for the engine to perform properly and not become significantly damaged over time. Diffusers are designed to create a shockwave to slow down air to subsonic speeds before the air enters the engine. This project will focus on the numerical analysis and design of diffuser geometries for supersonic aircraft engines. The main objective is to evaluate supersonic flow over different geometries, specifically the interaction between shock waves and boundary layer, and to minimize the amount of drag created by different diffuser geometries to optimize the efficiency …

Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

It can be difficult to separate water and oil emulsions through traditional filtration. Therefore, investigations of filtering using thermo-responsive (TR) polymers, in this case poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), was conducted. It’s hypothesized that below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), PVME has an affinity for water while oil substances do not. Above the LCST the opposite will be true. To verify this hypothesis, iterations of filtration designs were created to provide optimum control over the parameters to measure flow. The final optimized experimental apparatus was a Chromaflex glass column which was air tight and controlled all parameters besides fluid flow. …

Effects Of Hofmeister Ions On Solubility And Swelling On Gelatin Hydrogels, Hannah Eldridge

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Hydrogels are known to be weak and brittle, due to the amounts of water that they hold. Gelatin-based hydrogels specifically are inexpensive and easily accessible, but often have poor physical properties. The goal of my project was to strengthen gelatin-based hydrogels and improve their mechanical properties by forming these hydrogels in different aqueous solutions containing kosmotropic Hofmeister's ions. Prior research has shown that these ions are able to take water away from gelatin-based gels, which forms a tougher hydrogel. The success of this project will be measured by studying the solubility and swelling effects that different Hofmeister ions have on …

Kettlebell Ultra, Elissa Peters, Kathryn Wegman, Daniel Basch, Mason Pastorius

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will consist of an attachment to an average kettlebell that will track the number of repetitions that the user has performed. The device will send this data over Bluetooth to a smart phone application so the user can track their workout accurately.

Vehicle Operator Attention Monitor, Matthew Krispinsky, Matt Marsek, Matthew Mayfield, Brian Call

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Motor vehicle operators’ attention levels can be monitored to improve driver safety. By recording and analyzing the drivers eye gaze, hand position, vehicle speed and engine rpm the driver’s attention can be determined. A Raspberry Pi will be the main processing unit. Data will be pulled and analyzed from the OBD-II port on vehicle speed and engine rpm. The system will be powered from a 12V, 4A pin on the OBD-II port connected to the car battery. A webcam will be used to track the pupil location and determine when the driver is looking at the road. A battery powered …

Formula Electric Sae Frame, David Streen, David Kinion, Dylan Ramey

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The project is for the FSAE Zips Racing Electric Team. The last race car made by the Zips Racing Electric Team has a large potential for optimization. We plan to redesign the frame from the ground up in an effort to reduce weight and increase the performance potential while meeting all FSAE rules and packaging constraints.

Formula Electric is an event in which teams from colleges around the world compete in various events including autocross, endurance and many others with an electrically driven car.

This project will involve the design, analysis, and fabrication of a steel tube space frame for …

Zips Electric Racing Suspension Design, Madison Hughes, Christopher Thompson, Erikah Jackson, Anna Signorino

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I am working with three others on the suspension and steering sybsystems for the Zips Electric Racing design team at The University of Akron. We are improving upon last year's design to help create an optimized vehicle. As part of this project, we take part in weekly design reviews and team meetings, model parts in Solidworks, and perform simulations and FEA using MATLAB/SIMULINK, Solidworks, and Optimum Kinematics.

Effects Of Sensitization On Intergranular Boundaries Of Aluminum Alloy 5083, Kyle Balentine

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this Honors Research Project is to show the effect of sensitization on intergranular corrosion (IGC) on AA5083. Sensitization is the process of a material to experience microstructural phase change, caused by thermal treatment, which promotes precipitation of secondary phases on the grain boundaries. The nitric acid mass loss test (NAMLT), SEM analysis, cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to find a correlation to the degree of sensitization (DOS) and the pitting and IGC mechanisms. The DOS increased as heat treatment was applied. The SEM images displayed no clear precipitates on the grain …

E-Z Door: Hands-Free Front Door Unlocking And Opening Mechanism, Caleb Dyck

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The E-Z Door Senior Design project is a project with the aim of designing a hands-free system to unlock and open the front door of a home using two-factor security authentication.

The main goal of this project is to help people who may have physical limitations to be able to take advantage of recent technology, making it significantly easier to enter their homes.

Comparision Of Fillet-Welded Base Plate Fatigue Design For Highway Support Structures With Laboratory Research Tests, William Shea

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There are many types of vertical structures along highways that serve unique purposes. These structures include traffic signs for directing, warning, or regulating traffic, luminaires for distributing and directing light, traffic signals supporting equipment such as traffic lights, and combination structures including any combination of the aforementioned structures. Highway support structures are typically fabricated from steel or aluminum and are designed to the guidelines and specifications of the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals. The structures are connected to a foundation by anchor bolts through a welded base plate. Often a cause …

Testing The Effectiveness Of Reflective "Cool" Pigments, Ashleigh Carpenter

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is an exploration of reflective "cooling" pigments used in coatings for the exterior of a structure in order to control the temperature inside. The pigments reflect sunlight to reduce the heating effect inside a structure. While the project will include the synthesis and testing of these pigments, the focus will be on the design and construction of an apparatus to test the effectiveness of these pigments. An apparatus will be constructed with a heat source and two structures of identical dimensions. The set-up will allow for the temperature of the inside of the structures to be recorded at …

Applications Of Ultra-High Performance Concrete, Zachary Plevny

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The main objective of this research paper is to determine the current applications of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). A second objective is to determine the reason UHPC is used in various applications. More than 17 bridges in the United States have been built with UHPC components. A handful of state departments of transportation have deployed UHPC components within their infrastructure, and many more are actively doing research and considering the use of UHPC. So, this is a relatively new material that is becoming more widely used. The following seven projects, which include UHPC components are discussed in detail: Mars Hill …

Human Powered Vehicle Internal Systems Design, Zachary Broadbent, Jordan Boos, Patrick Gaertner, Caleb Miner

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this design project is to redesign the seat and steering system for the Human Powered Vehicle Team. The goal of the seat design is too improve ergonomics by making it more comfortable and adjustable. In making the seat adjustable, it will be easier for drivers to achieve an optimal efficiency when pedaling. The aim for steering will be to improve the ergonomics as well as performance by analyzing steering systems in the past and evaluating how each design was successful and for what reason. Another main goal of the steering system will be improving the stability and …

Visual Music Assistant, David Klett

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Visual Music Assistant system provides an augmented reality experience via Microsoft's HoloLens device. The application we will develop will provide an intuitive user interface to learn how to play on a keyboard (88-key piano).

Ideal Lacrosse Stick, Josh Beck, Tyler Skoloda, Noah Reed, Stanley Dembosky

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is focused on the design of a new and innovative lacrosse stick. Our main points of focus will be the strength and durability of the head. As well as solving some of the problems that exist in existing equipment. These problems were identified by interviewing experienced players at the college level. Benefits would include a stronger head that is easier to use for a player on the field to do things like pass, catch, shoot, and field ground balls in an optimal manner. Normally players will have to purchase new heads every season as a result of warping …

Table Top Dome Tester, Travis Bernard, Sarah Kassinger, Amanda O'Reilly, Scott Salerno

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Erichsen Cupping Test was used as a basis to design a dome tester. The intention of a dome tester is to test sheet metal material properties in all directions. This was done by clamping a piece of sheet metal and using a piston and hydraulic press to punch through the material. The force used to punch the material and the height of the deforming material can be gathered and the sheet metal properties can then be calculated. At the end of the project the team was able to successfully design and manufacture a hydraulic dome tester. However, due to …

Zips Precious Plastics: Plastic Extruder, Patrick Cole

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project's goal was to design and build an affordable desktop filament extruder that can precisely and consistently extrude filament to a certain tolerance acceptable for 3D printers using wasted printing material. The group is partnering with an on campus organization focusing on engineering applications for sustainable futures. Zips Precious Plastics is a student run design group that intends to bring an innovation space on campus to help educate students about the importance of a closed looped system within plastic manufacturing.

Reconsideration Of Energy Balance In Jiles–Atherton Model For Accurate Prediction Of B–H Trajectories In Ferrites, Harshita Singh, Scott D. Sudhoff

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this article, the energy balance equation in the original Jiles-Atherton model is revisited. In particular, the assumption that the energy stored in a lossy material is equal to that stored in a lossless material is removed. This modification results in more accurate prediction of B -H trajectories. A new approach to characterize material parameters based on resonant response is also set forth. Extensive experimental validation is provided and model parameters for several common materials are given.

Impact Of Chain Architecture On The Thickness Dependence Of Physical Aging Rate Of Thin Polystyrene Films, Gregory Brown, Elizabeth Lewis, Bryan D. Vogt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The dynamics of polymer thin films have been demonstrated to be significantly altered from the bulk, but the origins of such differences are not well defined. In this work, we seek to understand the differences in the structural dynamics (or physical aging) of polystyrene (PS) through branching and other well defined architectures (comb and centipede). The aging dynamics of ultrathin films (< 30 nm) differ from relatively thick films (100-150nm) with linear PS thin films aging more rapidly than the relatively “bulk-like” thick films. Ellipsometric measurements are used to characterize the physical aging rate of the films. The change in film thickness and refractive index as the films are held below the glass transition temperature (T_g) provides a simple measure of the physical aging. In this study, four different architectures (linear, comb, 4 arm star, and centipede) will be investigated. For each PS architecture, the aging rate will be determined for film …

Non-Linear Non-Iterative Transient Inverse Conjugate Heat Transfer Method Applied To Microelectronics, David Gonzalez Cuadrado, Amy Marconnet, Guillermo Paniagua

CTRC Research Publications

Solving for temperature profiles given boundary conditions, geometry, and material properties is rela- tively straightforward given the wealth of analytical and computational techniques available. However, experimentally we often measure temperatures and seek to understand unknown boundary conditions or material properties. This problem is generally ill-posed. Thus, to get the value of these input param- eters, we use inverse methods: knowing the output of the system ( i.e. , temperature), we can compute the value of the unknown parameters ( e.g. , thermal conductivity or heat fluxes). In microelectronics, the location and magnitude of the boundary conditions including local heat generation …

Internet Of Things For Environmental Sustainability And Climate Change, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

Our world is vulnerable to climate change risks such as glacier retreat, rising temperatures, more variable and intense weather events (e.g., floods, droughts, and frosts), deteriorating mountain ecosystems, soil degradation, and increasing water scarcity. However, there are big gaps in our understanding of changes in regional climate and how these changes will impact human and natural systems, making it difficult to anticipate, plan, and adapt to the coming changes. The IoT paradigm in this area can enhance our understanding of regional climate by using technology solutions, while providing the dynamic climate elements based on integrated environmental sensing and communications that …

Design Of Subsurface Phased Array Antennas For Digital Agriculture Application, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

With the advancement in subsurface communications technology, an overarching solution to a underground phased array antenna design for digital agriculture requires interdisciplinary research involving topics ranging from insights on the constitutive parameters of the soil medium and impact of soil moisture on the array factor to antenna measurements and subsurface communication system design. In this paper, based on the analysis of underground radio wave propagation in subsurface radio channel, a phased array antenna design is presented that uses water content information and beam steering mechanisms to improve efficiency and communication range of wireless underground communications. It is shown the subsurface …

Internet Of Things For Sustainable Community Development: Introduction And Overview, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

The two-third of the city-dwelling world population by 2050 poses numerous global challenges in the infrastructure and natural resource management domains (e.g., water and food scarcity, increasing global temperatures, and energy issues). The IoT with integrated sensing and communication capabilities has the strong potential for the robust, sustainable, and informed resource management in the urban and rural communities. In this chapter, the vital concepts of sustainable community development are discussed. The IoT and sustainability interactions are explained with emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and communication technologies. Moreover, IoT opportunities and challenges are discussed in the context of sustainable community …

Internet Of Things In Agricultural Innovation And Security, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

The agricultural Internet of Things (Ag-IoT) paradigm has tremendous potential in transparent integration of underground soil sensing, farm machinery, and sensor-guided irrigation systems with the complex social network of growers, agronomists, crop consultants, and advisors. The aim of the IoT in agricultural innovation and security chapter is to present agricultural IoT research and paradigm to promote sustainable production of safe, healthy, and profitable crop and animal agricultural products. This chapter covers the IoT platform to test optimized management strategies, engage farmer and industry groups, and investigate new and traditional technology drivers that will enhance resilience of the farmers to the …

Internet Of Things For Sustainable Human Health, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

The sustainable health IoT has the strong potential to bring tremendous improvements in human health and well-being through sensing, and monitoring of health impacts across the whole spectrum of climate change. The sustainable health IoT enables development of a systems approach in the area of human health and ecosystem. It allows integration of broader health sub-areas in a bigger archetype for improving sustainability in health in the realm of social, economic, and environmental sectors. This integration provides a powerful health IoT framework for sustainable health and community goals in the wake of changing climate. In this chapter, a detailed description …

Internet Of Things For Water Sustainability, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

The water is a finite resource. The issue of sustainable withdrawal of freshwater is a vital concern being faced by the community. There is a strong connection between the energy, food, and water which is referred to as water-food-energy nexus. The agriculture industry and municipalities are struggling to meet the demand of water supply. This situation is particularly exacerbated in the developing countries. The projected increase in world population requires more fresh water resources. New technologies are being developed to reduce water usage in the field of agriculture (e.g., sensor guided autonomous irrigation management systems). Agricultural water withdrawal is also …