2011 Senior Design and Capstone Projects
Senior Design
Leader: Wook-Sung Yoo
Fall 2011:
- JUHAN Simulation Team
- Online Advising Tool
- Smart GPS
- Sports Social Network
Spring 2011:
- Development of XDB Protocol and Prototype (NASA)
- Behavior Navigation System (Prescients, LLC)
- Online Membership and Event Management (Operation Hope, Inc.)
- Seer Portal (Seer Software, Co.)
Leader: E. Hadjimichael
2011:
- 1. Tail bumper for the Sikorsky S-92 craft (sponsored by Sikorsky)
- Automated Syringe filling Production Line (sponsored by the Dymax Corp.)
- An improved model for the rainhandler gutter design (sponsored by the Rainhandler Corp.)
- Ball bearing lapping system (sponsored by the James Ippolito Co.)
- Residence Life automated housing lottery (sponsored by Residence Life, Fairfield University)
Leader: S. Etemad
EG390-01 - Sr. Design Project:
- Rotating Water Tank - Mentor: Dr. Reckinger
- Improvement of an On-site Power and Heat Generator - Mentor: Dr. Anekwe and W. Romatzick
- Development of Human Powered Vehicle - Mentor: Prof. McFadden
- Light-Sport Aircraft Development Using 4-Stroke Engine - Mentor: Dr. Munden
- Automated Microplate Workcell - Mentor: Dr. Botosani
- Survivor Locator Light, Mentor: Dr. Sergent
Management of Technology Capstone Projects
The Management of Technology Capstone course provides students with an opportunity to apply concepts and tools studied in the program to the solution of a real-world problem. Students work in small groups on a problem proposed by their team. They receive guidance and mentorship from faculty who have experience in completing similar activities in industry. The capstone course integrates knowledge gained from previous courses including project management, business and engineering disciplines. This start-to-finish course involves students in completing the following steps:
- Identifying a need for a technical product or service
- Creating a team
- Generating a project proposal
- Preparing a design
- Developing the product or service
- Testing the system
- Examining the business viabilityaspects of the project
- Preparing a final report and presentation
Summary of Fall 2011 CP551 Projects
Project: Sweepers
Team
Aravind Velamoor
Gowthaman Mohan
Patrick Liganga
Robin Bristol
The lack of periodic chimney cleaning is a leading cause of home fires in the United States. Other than a traditional chimney sweep, currently there are very few options for a homeowner to clean a chimney conveniently by themselves. The team will describe a proposal to develop, build and test a cost effective, reliable chimney cleaning system that is easy to use, efficient, and requires minimum clean-up.
Project: " Green" Lawn Fertilizer System
Team
Timothy Oliver
Dennis O'Connor
Vandana Bansal
Bharosh Shrestha
The Green Fertilizer team will describe a proposal to design, build and test a system that is a self-sustaining fertilizer system that utilizes rain water, solar power, and natural ingredients, which are aerated to create compost tea. The system will be capable of pumping the compost tea to fertilize a grass lawn up to 1/2 acre in size. This system is targeted to be effective, cheaper, and environmentally friendlier than common chemical based fertilizers.
Project: Snow Load Sensor PAD
Team
Tom Carroll
Mary Da Silva
Svedaqul Naqvi
Alfred Poku
The team will describe a proposal to design, build and test a prototype "proof-of-principle" Snow Load Sensor Pad to measure snow load on flat commercial building roofs. The sensor will have the ability to alert people when the snow load on a roof has exceeded its limit.
Project: Snow Melting Mat
Team
Ron Magboo
Eric Bogert
Nirmal Vadivelu
The team will describe a proposal to design and build a prototype of an affordable and disposable snow melting mat for private home walkways. The snow melting capability is intended to last several hours. It is intended to be competitive with electrically powered snow melting mats.
Summary of Spring 2011 CP552 Capstone Projects
Project: LED Outdoor Lighting Project
The team compared and analyzed the cost effectiveness of LED outdoor lights versus HPS outdoor lights by examining cost, power consumption and lighting performance. Hardware systems set up at United Illuminating and Fairfield University were evaluated.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
Project: Mini-Hydro Potable Water System
The team developed an inexpensive reliable, efficient water filtration system using local resources that could produce potable water for underdeveloped areas or disaster afflicted zones. The approach also used a moderate flow river or nearby stream as the water source.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
Project: Fire Hydrant Locator
The team developed, analyzed and demonstrated a wireless detection system to aid fire fighters in locating hidden fire hydrants during fire emergencies. The approach enabled the location of the hydrants under severe conditions where hydrants could be buried under deep snow, heavy brush, or weed growth.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
Project: The "Ladder 11" Vent Simulator
The team designed and fabricated a system to fulfill a fire service training gap with a realistic, tested vent simulator design and prototype. They developed a sustainable business model and product that could contribute to reducing the line of duty death rate among US firefighters.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
Project: PROtectums Team
The PROtectums team developed a reusable flexible bag solution to prevent a variety of damages that occur to machined parts and gears. The project developed a piece-part protection container system that protected against environmental damage (e.g., corrosion) and physical damage such as nicks, dents, and scratches caused by human factors or shipping and handling. The container had the capability of being vacuum sealable as well as waterproof to aid in eliminating the environmental damages. It was foam lined to prevent physical damage. Unlike similar products currently in the market that are bulky and use up valuable space in factories and storage units, the PROtectums bags stored pieces using as little space as an average size magazine or book.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
Summary of Spring 2010 CP552 Capstone Projects
Medical Reminder System (MRS)
The team developed an automatic medical office notification system targeted at reducing medical office expenses by providing physicians an effective and efficient automatic method to communicate appointment and instruction reminders to patients using e-mail, text messages, and/or voice mail. The system was intended to do the following:
- Maximize treatment program effectiveness
- Increase medical office efficiency
- Lower medical office costs
Deliverables:
Final Report
Final Presentation
Demonstration
Create and deliver a specific custom generated patient message
Provide cost-effective message reminders via
Text message
Voice message
E-mail message
PALS - Personal Alert Location System
The team developed a simulation for a Personal Alert Location System that had the capability to aid people in need of emergency assistance. The device enabled individuals to summon help via a call center. The system includes embedded location tracking; readily available personal medical information for medical providers; the ability to be remotely turned on or off; and offers silent notification when activated.
Deliverables: A final presentation, report and demonstration.
High Wind Speed Alternate Energy System
Designed and analyzed a system to use turbines at strategic airport locations to generate electricity from the wind energy created by aircraft on take-off. A representative airport was used to determine the return on investment (ROI).
Deliverables: Included a final presentation and software application demonstration, final report, and Technical Paper.
HeDS-UP: Motorcycle HeDS-UP (Helmet Display System)
Developed an approach to the creation of a distraction free fully integrated motorcycle information system contained in a motorcycle helmet that would provide audio and visual cues to the rider.
The HeDS-UP project addressed the problem of motorcycle accidents caused by motorcycle riders losing visual contact with the environment ahead when glancing at the motorcycle's instrument panel to obtain vehicle operational information. This problem can lead to vehicular damage, vehicle operational failure, and/or serious injury or death to the rider.
The HeDS-UP Team's approach to address these problems was to develop a visual display and aural annunciation prototype system that was integrated into a DOT/Snell certified motorcycle helmet. The visual display provided the helmet wearer with real time vehicle operation status including: vehicle speed, engine RPM, vehicle status and warnings. The aural annunciation system provided the helmet wearer with real-time rider selectable audible annunciations of vehicle operation and performance.
The HeDS-UP prototype system consisted of the following equipment:
- Motorcycle simulator (MS) using a laptop computer.
- Human-Machine interface using a keyboard and mouse to simulate motorcycle rider input.
- Motorcycle instrument panel simulator (IPS) using a second laptop computer.
- Dual visual cueing circuit cards one of which receives motorcycle simulator (MS) information via an RS-232 connection, processes data and transmits information to the second visual queuing circuit card to drive helmet display.
- Wireless headphone that receives audio information from motorcycle vehicle simulator and presents audio to helmet wearer.
Deliverables:
- Final Paper which included description, analysis, scope, schedule, and lessons learned
- Final PowerPoint Presentation
- Working HeDS-UP system including helmet display and motorcycle simulator
- Demonstration of system operation