Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Development Of A Video-Based Tool To Measure Motor Asymmetry In Infants At Risk For Hemiparesis, Roha Ali

Master's Theses

Congenital hemiparesis is a unilateral motor impairment stemming from brain injury in utero or early postnatally. Hemiparesis can be difficult to detect in early infancy with current clinical tools. Yet, early identification of motor asymmetry could play a key role in the design of effective early intervention and rehabilitation strategies. This thesis presents the development and validation of a video-based tool designed to extract infant limb movement data using DeepLabCut’s (DLC) machine learning network. The pipeline was developed using videos of typically developing (TD) infants and infants with Asymmetric Perinatal Brain Injury (APBI), all at or under 3 months corrected …

Characteristic Stress And Strain Optimization Of Cardiovascular Catheters With Laser-Cut Hypotubes Using Finite Element Analysis, Kyle E. Hirth

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular catheter systems rely on laser-cut hypotubes to balance flexibility and structural integrity required for minimally invasive surgical procedures.  Optimizing these mechanical characteristics remains a significant challenge.  This study aims to investigate the influence of key laser-cut geometric parameters on the mechanical performance of hypotubes through finite element analysis.

Commercially representative laser-cut hypotubes were modeled and a finite element model was developed.   Geometric design parameters were varied across a design space consisting of pitch values ranging from 0.006 in. to 0.018 in. and cuts per revolution (CPR) ranging from 2.5 – 4.5.  For each pitch and CPR combination, loading stiffness …

Aerodynamic Design And Structural Evaluation Of A Global Minimum Torque Inspired Multirotor Propeller, Zeke Bukovansky

Master's Theses

This thesis develops a repeatable design, CAD, aerodynamic postprocessing, structural screening, and manufacturing feasibility workflow for a 22-inch global minimum torque inspired multirotor propeller. Matched MIL and GMT geometries were compared at a 35 N, 4000 rpm static-hover operating condition using BEMT/XFOIL aerodynamic postprocessing, with diameter, blade count, chord distribution, airfoil schedule, and target thrust held constant. The final modeled comparison predicted a modest 1.5% reduction in torque and shaft power for the GMT case while maintaining the same thrust target. CAD construction, MATLAB reduced-order beam model, Abaqus screening, and manufacturing planning were used to identify geometry level structural and …

Design And Development Of A 12-Degree-Of-Freedom Quadruped Robot, Kai De La Cruz

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, analysis, and experimental validation of a 12-degree-of-freedom (DOF) quadruped robot developed as a research platform for legged locomotion and control. The system builds upon the Cal Poly Legged Robotics Group’s prior 8-DOF quadruped, addressing key limitations in manipulability, load distribution, and mechanical robustness by introducing a 3-DOF leg architecture.

The mechanical design emphasizes lightweight construction, structural integrity, and modularity to support future research extensions. Static and dynamic loading models were developed to inform component sizing and material selection. A carbon-fiber chassis and redesigned leg assemblies were fabricated and validated through finite element analysis and physical …

Portable Ice Cube Maker, Ayden Ziegler, Emiliano Hansen, Wyatt Engdahl, Dane Hansen

Mechanical Engineering

This Final Design Report outlines the senior design project undertaken by a team of mechanical engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, for the development of a portable backpacking ice cube maker. The project aims to design, build, and test a lightweight, compact device that produces ice cubes for backpackers in remote outdoor environments. The goal is to create a functional prototype that is durable, user-friendly, and suitable for backcountry use. This document details background research, project objectives, and project plan, and current design status.

Cathy's Trike, Jameson Stengel, Victor Robles, Asher Becker

Mechanical Engineering

Cathy Hoenig needs a better way to safely steer her trike since she recently had her arm amputated at the elbow. Right now, the standard steering setup doesn’t work for her because it’s designed for someone with two arms. The main issue is that because she can't hold the steering bar with both hands, she loses control and stability while riding, which takes away from her freedom and independence. We’re looking to design some kind of support or adaptive steering system that’ll let her feel safe and confident on her trike again. Our goal is to create a solution that …

Bonderson Workbench, Han Xu, Aidan Robleto, Sean Murphy, Victor Duran

Mechanical Engineering

This project redesigns the existing creative workbenches in Cal Poly's Bonderson High Bay to improve mobility and functionality for students and staff in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Fsae Bespoke Brake Calipers For Hub Motor Architecture, Connor William Vaughan, Liam Upton Walsh, Bradley Brian Kern

Mechanical Engineering

Brakes are the most critical safety system on any performance vehicle, and as Cal Poly Racing transitions their Formula SAE car from a single rear motor to a four-in-wheel motor setup with regenerative braking, the team identified an opportunity to develop a bespoke brake caliper tailored to their specific needs. This document outlines the research, design, manufacturing, and validation of custom front brake calipers designed to improve upon commercial motorcycle calipers in key areas such as serviceability, mounting rigidity, thermal behavior, mass, and hub motor integration. The resulting design is a two-piece, four-piston, radially-mounted aluminum caliper featuring titanium pistons, toolless …

Cvj Torque Loss Dynamometer, Malaika Sriram, Coleman Brown, Zachary Norris, Logan Mast, Chris Mattis

Mechanical Engineering

This report details the design and results of a dynamometer testing rig built to measure torque losses in constant velocity joints (CVJs) for Cal Poly Racing's Baja SAE team. The rig spins a flywheel connected to articulable CVJs up to 800 RPM using a motor, then decouples it and measures the spin-down rate from 800 to 100 RPM to calculate angular acceleration and torque loss. The data collected from this dyno will be used to inform freewheel packaging for future Baja car development.

Pollinators Exhibit For Paso Robles Children’S Museum, Isabelle Moll, Matthew Moore, Joseph Hovanesian, Evan Stock, Matthew Wiecking

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and development of an interactive pollination exhibit created for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum as part of the Mechanical Engineering Senior Project program. The goal of the project was to design a durable, safe, and engaging educational exhibit that introduces children to the role of pollinators in local ecosystems and agriculture through hands-on play. The final design features a triple-track system with rolling bee elements and a central pollen ball pathway that demonstrates how pollinators move between flowers and return resources to the hive. The exhibit incorporates visual feedback and locally inspired design elements to …

Baja Sae Gear Testing, Selina Bayles, Lucia Giacalone, Claire Cornelsen, Sarah Talbert

Mechanical Engineering

The Baja SAE Gear Testing project outlined a test stand and procedure to update the S-N curve currently used by the Baja SAE team. Currently the Cal Poly Baja SAE geartrain team uses a S-N curve to design custom gears, but this S-N curve does not accurately reflect the gears uses and their fatigue life. This project outlines the exploration of a dyno set up to allow for future testing of different categories of short life cycle gears to collect data and generate a new S-N curve and, ultimately, update the design of the gears. This team created a dyno …

Dynamic Modeling And Simulation Of A Power Generation Steam Rankine Cycle For A Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor Nuclear Power Plant, William R. Ton

Master's Theses

Nuclear Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors (FHRs) have the potential to greatly improve nuclear technology in terms of safety and cost. By combining molten salt coolant technology from the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) and TRISO fuel technology from the Very High Temperature Gas Reactor (VHTR), FHRs may operate at significantly lower pressures than Light Water Reactors (LWRs) and with a more robust fuel source that is excellent at containing fission products. However, as no FHR has been built, there are still many design questions to address. This thesis uses transient computer modeling and simulation to investigate how an FHR could potentially …

Exploratory Diver Geotechnical Equipment (Edge), Angel Villicana, Merrick Zellers, Erik Heuchert, Lucas Heuchert

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this report is to showcase how our final Core Sampler design and prototype address the needs of Navy Divers. Geotechnical equipment for Navy divers has not been updated since the early to mid-1980s, resulting in imprecise and outdated sampling methods. The primary purpose of this project is to enhance, modernize, and redesign a tool to collect a minimally disturbed core sample of the seabed for geotechnical evaluation. This report presents the full development of our project from concept to verification and final outcomes. It begins with the statement of disclaimer, followed by a four-panel executive summary and …

Multi-Cater Pack Heat Sealer, Ivan Medina-Zepeda, Laurent Hirakata, Donovan Furtado, Cody Ngan

Mechanical Engineering

The Multi-Cater Pack Heat Sealer was developed to support Achievement House, a non-profit organization that employs adults with intellectual and physical disabilities and is facing increasing demand for sealed cater packs. Existing single-pack sealers limited both throughput and accessibility, which led to the creation of a 3D printed attachment for a 40-inch impulse heat sealer. The attachment allows nine packs to be sealed at the same time and includes a tray-style trapdoor that allows for quick unloading. The need for accessibility and usability guided the design throughout the process. Alignment guides improve placement consistency, and the ergonomic layout accommodates both …

Water Bottle Lid Co Detector, Zeke Bukovansky, Jake Siegel, Jack Wisegarver, Cody Rudman

Mechanical Engineering

This project introduces a portable carbon monoxide detector integrated into a water bottle lid to give users a simple way to stay aware of CO exposure in daily life. The design packages an electrochemical sensor, onboard electronics, and clear visual and audible alerts into a compact form that fits standard bottles. By embedding sensing into an object people already carry, the device offers a practical path toward reducing unrecognized CO risks and improving personal safety.

Origami-Inspired Pneumatic Soft Robotic Gripper, Conor J. Schott

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design and evaluation of a vacuum-actuated, origami-based soft robotic gripper. A custom Sea Urchin crease pattern forms a lightweight folding skeleton that collapses radially under vacuum. The system emphasizes low cost and accessibility through laser cutting, 3D printing, and silicone molding. The Sea Urchin geometry was selected after digital and physical screening of candidate crease patterns for smooth folding, low strain concentration, and uniform inward motion. The folding skeleton is laser cut from 4 mil drafting film and folded into a compliant core. Four membrane configurations were developed: an origami gripper with a 36-inch balloon (Design …

Real Time Markerless 3d Hand Tracking For Intuitive Robotic Arm Control, Dylan G. Featherson

Master's Theses

This thesis presents a real-time, markerless motion-capture system for intuitive control of a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. Using two synchronized RGB cameras and stereo-vision triangulation, the system reconstructs the three-dimensional position of a user’s hand without the need for physical markers or wearable sensors. The reconstructed 3D coordinates are mapped directly to the end-effector position of the Quanser QArm, a four-degree-of-freedom educational manipulator. Developed entirely in Python, the system integrates stereo camera calibration, 3D hand tracking with MediaPipe, coordinate transformation, and inverse kinematics into a unified real-time control pipeline operating at approximately 200 Hz. Calibration is performed through a checkerboard-based stereo …

Cal Poly (Cp) Legged Robot, Sebastian Barboza, Jonathan Mchale, Isabella Sorensen, Isaac Golan

Mechanical Engineering

The Navy spends $60 billion annually on dangerous ship maintenance performed by sailors. To save lives and resources, the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) is looking for robots to replace sailors and navigate ships to perform various tasks. Robots with tracks and wheels have been most recently explored by NSWC, however they have encountered significant problems navigating the ships, especially through naval ship doorways with a significant ledge. By using a legged robot, our team hopes to solve these problems and have a robot that can navigate the ship with relative ease and stability.

Design Of Ballistic Armor Using Multi-Composite Sandwich Structures With Nanomaterial Additives, Carmen Alaichamy

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This study explores the bulletproof capabilities of Kevlar composites fabricated using advanced additive manufacturing techniques. Continuous fiber reinforced 3D printing (CFRP) is employed to produce Kevlar-reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMCs) with optimized structural configurations for ballistic protection. The primary objective is to evaluate the impact resistance of these composites against 9mm projectiles through systematic experimental testing. A series of ballistics tests are conducted using a high-velocity gas-gun system to fire 9mm projectiles at varying speeds angles. The tests will be conducted at the San Luis Obispo Range, with projectiles fired at various angles. The effects of fiber volume fraction, reinforcement …

Analyzing Wearable Sensor Data From Individuals Undergoing Motor And Neurological Rehabilitation, Nolan William Turk

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

An ongoing study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is focused on developing computational models of rehabilitation for people post-stroke. Stroke affects around 800,000 people per year in the US, and often leaves people with limited motor (movement) and neurological (brain-based) capability. Wearable sensors may allow clinicians to better understand how these individuals recover, and to better design therapies and interventions. We are seeking students who can use existing software, and perhaps adapt the software to extract, analyze, and visualize detail from study participants. This project will involve with the Cal Poly PI, and collaborators from physical therapy. This …

Analyzing Wearable Sensor Data From Individuals Undergoing Motor And Neurological Rehabilitation, Carly Smith

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

An ongoing study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is focused on developing computational models of rehabilitation for people post-stroke. Stroke affects around 800,000 people per year in the US, and often leaves people with limited motor (movement) and neurological (brain-based) capability. Wearable sensors may allow clinicians to better understand how these individuals recover, and to better design therapies and interventions. We are seeking students who can use existing software, and perhaps adapt the software to extract, analyze, and visualize detail from study participants. This project will involve with the Cal Poly PI, and collaborators from physical therapy. This …

A Biomimetic Fe Model Of The Human Foot For Kinematic And Footwear Analysis, Brady K. Nakamura

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The idea of the present proposal is to develop a biomimetic foot model and validate the model accuracy in predicting plantar stresses on the foot, using insole pressure sensors. The incidences of foot pain can often be coupled with uncomfortable footwear and prolonged usage of a shoe may be associated with long-term musculoskeletal disorders in the lower limb. While multiple studies have tracked the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) or midfoot OA and have studied the effect of orthotic treatment on the foot pain across individuals [1], there are few biomimetic models of the foot that can study and associate …

Light-Activated Self-Folding Of Polystyrene-Based Shape Memory Polymers: A Comparison Of Laser Induced Graphene And Marker Patterns, Amelia Lodwick

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a class of stimuli-responsive materials capable of undergoing programmable shape transformations upon thermal activation. Among various heating methods, light-induced activation provides a contact-free, spatially selective, and controllable approach for triggering self-folding behavior, making it particularly valuable for applications in soft robotics, aerospace structures, and biomedical devices. Despite the growing interest in SMPs, a systematic investigation into the influence of photothermal patterning materials, light intensity, and heat distribution on self-folding behavior remains limited. This research aims to explore the self-folding response of a commercially available SMP by employing photothermal materials such as carbon black and laser-induced …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Ultrasound-Hot Plate And Flacktek Mixing In Nanocomposite Panel Fabrication, Jacky Liang, Wyatt Barnes

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Nanomaterials have found widespread applications, particularly carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in structural applications, which have gained significant traction over the past few decades [1] [2]. Numerous experimental [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] and analytical studies [11] have demonstrated that incorporating CNTs into an epoxy matrix can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the composite. This study evaluates and compares the effectiveness of nanocomposite panels fabricated using two different fabrication techniques: ultra-sonication combined with a hot plate process, and the FlackTek mixer. The primary objective of the research is to investigate the impact of these processing methods on the …

Leveraging Smartphones For Balance Assessment, Kelly Graham

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Assessment of human balance provides valuable metrics to track the health, development, and fall risk of individuals. The prominent method for objective balance assessments has used force plates to track the center of pressure (COP) position as a participant attempts to balance during varying tasks. However, the use of force plates is limited by the cost of equipment and expertise required, leading to recent interest in using embedded inertial measurement units (IMUs) in mobile devices instead. Many researchers have explored placing mobile devices close to the subject’s center of mass (COM) to approximate the subject’s COM acceleration and using the …

Certifiably Robust Input-Dependent Randomized Smoothing Via Lipschitz Standard Deviation Networks, Faith Bergstrom, Ben Sager

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Modern artificial intelligence (AI) systems exhibit highly sensitive and unsafe behavior when subjected to undetectable cyberattacks. For instance, human-imperceptible manipulations of the pixels in image data can cause traffic sign classifiers to mispredict stop signs as yield signs. In this project, we will design and analyze new methods to robustify machine learning (ML) models against these adversarial threats. Specifically, we will explore randomization techniques that "smooth out" the ML model's decision making process by intentionally corrupting input data with small amounts of noise. Optimizing this noise to enhance resilience against attacks while maintaining the system's accuracy poses a major open …

Augmented Biomechanics Integration For Real-Time Movement Optimization, Jack Bergfeld, Liyen Ho, Dylan Featherson

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project aims to integrate OpenCap, a markerless motion capture system, with augmented reality (AR) to optimize real-time human movement. By leveraging biomechanics principles, AR visualization, and machine learning (ML), the system will provide instant feedback to users, improving movement efficiency while minimizing joint and muscle stress. Previous research in 2024-2025 has successfully demonstrated 2D motion tracking and AR-based mapping onto another person for interactive comparison. This project will build upon that foundation by enhancing real-time 3D motion tracking and developing an advanced AR interface to guide users in sports training, rehabilitation, and workplace ergonomics. The integration of ML will …

Human-Ai Collaboration For Creative Design, Antony Chen

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Design-by-Analogy (DbA) is a powerful design tool that uses analogical reasoning to help engineers develop groundbreaking innovations, such as cyclonic separator inspired bagless vacuum cleaner or gecko inspired adhesives. DbA leverages the natural, human process of analogical reasoning in a systematic manner in three phases namely: retrieval (what prior knowledge/experience is relevant to a design problem?), mapping (what elements of the design problem align with the retrieved knowledge?), and evaluation (how applicable is the retrieved knowledge to solving a design problem?). To date, most DbA techniques support one or two phases of analogical reasoning and therefore overlook important opportunities for …

Motor Subsystem For A Tensegrity-Based Robotic Exoskeleton, Presley Sacavitch, Israel Villegas

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Tensegrity structures are composed of stiff rods and elastic cables suspended in a flexible tension network. In particular, the biotensegrity model proposes that all biological systems exhibit tensegrity-like characteristics across multiple scales, ranging from the cellular level to the musculoskeletal system of tendons, ligaments, and fascia, to the human body as a whole. Compared to the traditional biomechanical models used in exoskeleton design, it can be a more accurate representation of how motion emerges from natural forms, but further work is needed to fully understand the heterarchical nature of human anatomy. This project will focus on developing a powered electrical …

Impact Of Composite Materials Research On Underrepresented Communities, Neil Mahesh Bedagkar, Ramanan Sritharan, Wyatt Barnes

Mechanical Engineering

This research assesses how advancements in composites material research affect communities from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, using a dual track strategy to quantitatively and qualitatively examine their impact. A keyword-based classification algorithm was applied to a sample of research papers from ScienceDirect spanning the last 24 years to quantify which engineering industries benefit most from this research. The findings indicate that the construction industry benefits the most, followed by the automotive, defense, renewable energy, and biomedical sectors. A broader qualitative analysis of the social implications of these industries was also conducted to provide context. Each sector were found to have either …