Engineering Commons^™

Investigating Efficiency Of Ac Direct Drive Of Led Lighting, Miles Davis Head

Electrical Engineering

This project explores the rapidly-expanding area of AC direct drive for LED lighting. AC LED driving does not use typical DC-DC converter-based driving but uses semiconductor switches and a linear regulator to activate a number of LEDs proportional to the input voltage at any given time. This allows bulky, expensive magnetics to be eliminated from the system. The goal of this project was to develop a flexible simulation of a common AC LED system to find areas of significant power loss and attempt to improve them. This allows future versions of an AC LED system to start with major loss …

Ewall Inverter Project, Andrew Douglas Tsau, Alex Lopez

Electrical Engineering

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the capabilities of a Raspberry Pi when used as a grid-tied, bi-directional power inverter for renewable energy storage applications. Due to its economical nature, this system would play a large role in the growing solar industry by making solar energy more accessible, affordable, and easier to install. The inverter uses a single-phase H-Bridge to generate a sine wave from a proprietary wall mounted battery. To improve power quality, an enhanced low pass filter is added to provide a better drop off to reduce extraneous harmonics. The system synchronizes this synthetic sine wave …

Design And Test Of Wide Input And Output Constant Current Led Driver, Kean Wee

Electrical Engineering

This senior project aims to provide design and test the performance of a DC-DC constant current LED driver for use in a larger DC smart building infrastructure. In this instance, a SEPIC topology is chosen to provide high efficiency output current at output voltages that can be above or below the input voltage. This is challenging since the same design must operate at similar efficiency for vastly different environmental conditions. As a part of a larger system, the design must be able to perform the given task consistently regardless of changes to the source and load power.

The design uses …

Digital Guitar Effects Pedal, Ian Charles Lang

Electrical Engineering

The Digital Guitar Effects Pedal assists guitarists in creating music by implementing several useful functions. The pedal takes an analog input signal from an electric guitar, performs digital operations on it, and outputs a modified analog signal to an external guitar amplifier. Pedal functions include: an easy-to-use instrument tuner, a looper which records and plays back music segments, a tap tempo mode allowing easy synchronization with other instruments, and various guitar effects (distortion, echo, and vibrato, among other examples). The pedal user interface displays the current selected function, and allows easy switching between effects.

Jasmint: Language To User-Friendly Ast With Emphasis On Translation, John E. Bradbury

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The goal of this project was to create a language (JASMINT) which would be easily transformable into other languages. With this, a library could be built which provides a rich set of functions, including typechecking, interpreting, and serialization, in order to make user modules easy to write. These modules are able to translate this AST into other languages and through the translation blocks can add new functionalities to JASMINT. The final state of the project at submission includes a library which handles all features except dynamic memory, transpilers (JasmintCxxTranspiler and JasmintPythonTranspiler) which handle most features except classes and dynamic memory, …

Chrome Extension To Explore Modular Homepage, Griffin T. Cloonan, Landon E. Woollard, Nick A. Ponce

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This was an exploratory project, intended to develop skills developing extension based web applications. We spent our time building a modular, customizable homepage extension for google chrome. The bulk of our work was focused towards structure and function, as a result, the project is not highly appealing visually. We worked with foreign concepts in a foreign environment in an attempt to learn new skills on the fly.

Forumsphere.Com, Nicholas Scott Gatehouse, Sam Robert Rastovich

Computer Science and Software Engineering

We live in the Age of Information & Technology where social media has become an integral part of our society. Social media platforms such as Facebook help bring people and ideas together in one place. However, currently there is no centralized hub on the internet that is geared towards individual college campuses. Our goal is to create an environment that promotes structured and productive discussion between students, alumni, and staff. A platform like ours is needed to bring a campus closer if the community is willing and able to help one another.

There are other platforms that focus on social …

Roborodentia Robot: Treadbot, Stephen C. Schmidt

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This document is a summary of my contest entry to the 2018 Cal Poly Roborodentia competition. It is meant to be a process overview and design outline of the mechanical, electrical, and software components of my robot.

Dynamic Routing And Network Monitoring For The Polywog Protocol, Ryan Lawrence, Josh Pfeffer

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This document analyzes the implementation of dynamic routing for router nodes in a mesh network. It examines the algorithm used to populate both the minimum-distance and the routing tables. Furthermore, it describes the node configurations used for testing and applications for mesh networks.

Additionally, this document describes the implementation and testing of network monitoring in a mesh network. It discusses the steps used to forward active nodes in the network between router nodes, a gateway node, and a network monitor.

Lastly, this paper details our future plans for implementing additional features for a network monitor.

Extension Of Cpe 454 Operating System, Joseph Nathaniel Arhar

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This project extended on the operating system I wrote in CPE 454 by adding additional features on top of the existing implementation. In order to implement them, I researched operating system design patterns and hardware details. I used wiki.osdev.org for most research, just like I did in CPE 454. The source code for the project is at https://github.com/josepharhar/jos.

A Learning-Centered Educational Paradigm: Case Study On Engineering Technology Students’ Design, Problem-Solving, Communication, And Group Skills, Rustin Webster

School of Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This case study explores how a learning-centered educational paradigm affects undergraduate engineering technology (ET) students’ engineering design, problem-solving, communication, and group skills. Evidence for the study comes from twenty-three mechanical engineering technology students enrolled in a first-year engineering design and documentation (e.g., technical drawings) course. Part three of the four-part Classroom Activities and Outcomes Survey measured the extent to which the students believed they had made progress in a variety of learning and skill development areas because of the course (i.e., indirect assessment). The end-of-semester survey indicated that the learning-centered paradigm produced positive learning and skill gains in the four …

A Review Of In-Situ And Remote Sensing Technologies To Monitor Water And Sanitation Interventions, Luis Andres, Kwasi Boateng, Christian Borja-Vega, Evan Thomas

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), announced in September 2015, present a vision of achieving a higher level of human health and well-being worldwide by the year 2030. The SDG targets specific to water and sanitation call for more detailed monitoring and response to understand the coverage and quality of safely managed sources. It is hoped that improved monitoring of water and sanitation interventions will reveal more cost-effective and efficient ways of meeting the SDGs. In this paper, we review the landscape of approaches that can be used to support and improve on the water and sanitation targets SDG …

Powering A Biosensor Using Wearable Thermoelectric Technology, Anneliese Bals, Noah Barnes, Rafael Bravo, Nicolas Garcia, Joseph O'Bryan, Dylan Santana

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Wearable medical devices such as insulin pumps, glucose monitors, hearing aids, and electrocardiograms provide necessary medical aid and monitoring to millions of users worldwide. These battery powered devices require battery replacement and frequent charging that reduces the freedom and peace of mind of users. Additionally, the significant portion of the world without access to electricity is unable to use these medical devices as they have no means to power them constantly. Wearable thermoelectric power generation aims to charge these medical device batteries without a need for grid power.

Our team has developing a wristband prototype that uses body heat, ambient …

Pressure Ulcer Prevention System, Rey-David Palomares, Ojus Rao

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, are a widespread but often understated problem. A pressure ulcer is an injury that develops with constant pressure on an area of skin for a long time. They range from bruises to open wounds to even exposed bone. These injuries especially impact bedridden and elderly hospital inpatients, since these people must depend on nursing staff for mobility.

Pressure ulcers can seem to be a solved problem. Solutions that completely eliminate pressure ulcers do exist. These solutions, however, are too expensive for widespread use, at thousands of dollars per bed. Other solutions, such as relying …

Parametrization Of Triple Screw Pumps For Aerospace Applications, Allison Putira

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Triple Screw Pumps, a form of positive displacement pump, offer steady, high-pressure flow. In very small launch vehicles or upper stages turbopumps are not practical. This paper examines the performance of triple screw pumps to determine if they may serve as an alternative to turbopumps for use in small launch vehicles or upper stages. To this end, the geometry of the screws is first determined from the relative sizes of the screws and tooth height. From this — along with the screw angle and screw clearance — the performance parameters of flow rate, output pressure, and efficiency can be computed. …

Membrane Deflection-Based Fabrication And Design Automation For Integrated Acoustofluidics, Daniel Freitas

Electrical and Computer Engineering Master's Theses

Continuous-flow microfluidic large-scale integration (mLSI) is a developing field first introduced in the early 2000s, that continues to offer promising solutions to many biochemical, biophysical and biomedical problems. In his seminal paper, Thorsen et al. 2002 demonstrated the fabrication of high-density microfluidic systems capable of complex fluidic routing in combinatory arrays of multiplexors, mixers, and storage assemblies integrated with micromechanical valves. mLSI has been a powerful tool for scientific research by allowing for dramatic reduction in the volume of reagent needed for experimentation and offering highly parallelizable and dynamic process flows. These systems have since been the focus of strong …

Laser Triangulation Sensor, Jake Finelt, Kian Gruszczynski, Greg Mclorg

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Disclaimer: Since this project is a result of a class assignment, it has been graded and accepted as fulfillment of the course requirements. Acceptance does not imply technical accuracy or reliability. Any use of information in this report is done at the risk of the user. These risks may include catastrophic failure of the device or infringement of patent or copyright laws. California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and its staff cannot be held liable for any use or misuse of the project.

Identification System For Heart Valve Manufacturing, Nicholas Robert Jensen, Edgar Davis Nix, Judith Evelyn Gonzalez, Albert Austin Liddicoat

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract withheld due to NDA constraints

Treadmill User Centering, Cecilia Hill Yan Yuen, Donavan Chandler Feliz, Ariel Mae Arce Crisostomo, Adam Charles Patrella

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of team CENTREAD was to design a device to allow a person with a visual disability to run efficiently and effectively on a treadmill without fear of falling off or injuring themselves. The customer wished for the device to be small, lightweight, and have an easy, autonomous setup, while providing feedback to the user wirelessly for them to correct their own movement. The ultimate goal of the device is to allow the user to be comfortable, safe, and free while using it in order to ensure they have the best running experience. The device utilizes ultrasonic sensors in …

Foot Stress And Blood Flow Sensing Under High-Loading During Hip Surgery, Chris Cardenas, Esther Chen, Claire Kingston, Katie Paswaters, Brianna Rodebaugh

Mechanical Engineering

The PolyHIPS team was tasked with integrating sensors into Stryker’s hip arthroscopy boot that monitor blood flow and heel slip during hip surgery. During hip arthroscopy, the femur head is distracted from the acetabulum to create space in the joint for the surgeon to operate. This requires the use of up to 200 lbf. In order to maintain this space, the foot is held tightly in the boot. Complications can result from the foot being held too tightly in the boot during the procedure. The most common complication is neuropraxia, or temporary nerve damage. PolyHIPS proposes a solution that utilizes …

Nathan's Mobility Device, Steven A. Decsesznak, Matthew Brenholdt, Lansen Eto, Moulay Salahdin

Mechanical Engineering

Nathan’s Mobility Device is a California Polytechnic State University senior project composed of a team of four mechanical engineering students that designed, built and implemented a specialized seat on an existing mobility device. Nathan, the sole beneficiary of this project, is an 11-year-old boy afflicted with a condition known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which causes him extreme muscular weakness. In this report, the team discussed the problem at hand, provides preliminary research and product benchmarking (evaluation and comparison to specific criteria), and described the ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration plan. In addition, the team explored the final design in …

Transcatheter Heart Valve Leaflet Assembly Tooling Improvement Final Design Report, James Craig Sherman, Zachary Robert Dicks, Luke Edward Williams

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Composite Suspension For A Mass Market Vehicle, Sarah M. Chapiama, Brian Auyeung, Jose Guerrero, Ethan Lau

Mechanical Engineering

Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

Curb Navigation, Cole A. Tudor, Kaitlyn R. Adams, Robbie Huerta

Mechanical Engineering

The Curb Navigation senior project, proposed by the QL+ organization, was presented to find a solution to an issue a former veteran, Velette, is having. Velette has a difficult time maneuvering curbs when out doing day-to-day errands and activities. The goal of this project is to develop a solution that will give Velette the ability to traverse curbs without the assistance of others or the need to do a wheelie that can lead to an injury. The team has found that adapting and optimizing an anti-tipper design may be the best way to solve the proposed challenge. The team decided …

Driver Cooling System, Joseph Fatin Bolous, Jake Donald Deboer, Alvin Theodore Lau

Mechanical Engineering

This document provides our Final Design Review (FDR) for the Driver Cooling System Project. It contains our background research, which includes current product research, technical research, and information on our sponsor’s needs as a customer as well our manufacturing process, test results, and final design. We created a problem statement to define the scope of the project, discuss sponsor and consumer needs and wants, and technical specifications. After brainstorming, we ultimately selected a thermoelectric cooling system (TEC) after presenting our Preliminary Design Report and Critical Design Report. We built the final prototype, as can be seen in the manufacturing plan, …

Dynamic Model For Simulating Motion Of The Right Ventricle, Brian Michael Larsen, Sam Koopman Porter, John Francis D'Ambrosio

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents all the research, ideation, and mockups used to determine right ventricle motion and develop a system capable of reproducing that motion on a tissue sample. The model is intended for evaluating anchoring systems being developed by Edwards Lifesciences for use with tricuspid valve therapies. Several design solutions were considered for the primary functions of recreating motion of the right ventricle and attaching tissue to the device. From these ideas a primary means of producing motion and attaching tissue was selected. These ideas were then developed over the course of a school year to become the final system …

Additive Manufacturing Powder Removal, Madison A. Lignell, Tyler W. Laird, Kurt K. Reed

Mechanical Engineering

Metal powder-bed fusion is an additive manufacturing process which enables the creation of unique shapes in metal parts that would otherwise be difficult, expensive, or impossible to machine. Metallic powder is melted and fused together by either a laser or electron beam to produce parts quickly. The excess powder covers newly printed parts and can be difficult to remove from small internal features. The scope of this project is to design a device that effectively removes the powder from newly printed parts safely, while reclaiming as much powder as possible for reuse. The solution for this project must be able …

Mechanical Team Final Design Report: Same Polytechnic College, Meghan L. Smith, Katie D. Nute, Long T. Hoang

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this document is to communicate the research, findings, and recommendations of the mechanical engineering team regarding the Same Polytechnic College project. This report includes a discussion of the design process utilized by the interdisciplinary team to construct preliminary building designs for both classroom and dormitory building modules. The mechanical team conducted testing using the wind tunnel to verify major building envelope design decisions. The following report also includes an explanation of the thermal testing that the team conducted to measure the thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and specific heat of bricks made to mimic those made locally in Same, …

3-Dimensional Automated Heat Flux Calibration Device, Victor Raul Chacon, David Madison Morrisset, Alex Michael Schnorr, Kevin Scott

Mechanical Engineering

This document aims to describe the problems in current radiant heat source heat flux calibration techniques and the approach our team took to solve them through automation. The following sections outline the basic premise of the problem we addressed and who our end product benefited. The proceeding sections addresses the research that we have performed regarding heat flux measurements and automation. This research includes current solutions – mostly partial solutions for problems that are similar but not exactly like ours. Following the background research, we define objectives, with specific details that outline how we evaluated different possible solutions, and how …

Metal Foam Drying Process, Bryce Zander, Ethan Serpa, Daniel Moore, Michael Mullen

Mechanical Engineering

Design and construction of machine to increase the throughput of metal foam that ERG Aerospace produces.