Previous ASME Award Winner
Recent Departmental Runner Up Awards
Capstone Design Projects
Sub Sea Sonics
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 11
Sub Sea Sonics looked to tackle communication issues that come with deep sea fishing. Fishermen had no reliable and cost effective way of logging the dropped positions of their fishing gear. This not only made fishing difficult but allowed some to fish in endangered locations. Team 11 designed a system that can log the telemetry of fishing gear and that can operate under high sea pressures. This device consisted of a pressure vessel, tracking electronics, software, and a battery system.
Kidney Transplant Pump
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 16
The kidney is placed in a sealed transparent chamber with tubing and blood drainage openings, on a perforated stainless-steel platform for monitoring. Perfusate flows to an external reservoir, recirculating nutrient-rich blood cells via a peristaltic pump, simulating natural blood circulation. An oxygenator mimics lung function, while a heating system maintains temperature. Integrated sensors monitor flow rate and pressure, ensuring conditions meet specifications.
Neuroscience Accessory for Mice Brain Transverse Hippocampus Section
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 11
Team Members
Diego Gonzalez
Elise Rehder
Griffith Nguyen
Sandra Naranjo-Heredia
Sydney Tom
Our design is based on the existing buffer tray for the Leica VT1000S Vibratome along with the addition of a rotating stage with various angles for sectioning up to 45 degrees, which was done to simplify the sectioning process.
KickEase Pediatric Swim Trainer
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 7
The KickEase is a pediatric swim trainer that is worn around the knee, and limits excessive knee flexion in order to promote the development of proper muscle memory for flutter kicking. The final design of the KickEase consists of four major components: a fabric body, restraining hinges, attachment straps and internal grip pads. These components are layered on top one of another and fastened using Chicago screw and snap fasteners.
Single-Cell Microfluidic Chip Design and Fabrication
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 8
Team Members
Conor Archdeacon
Theo Emery
Wesley Huszarik
Spencer Martin
Trevor Matthews
Microfluidics devices were designed and fabricated to study single cell interactions between coccidioidomycosis and neutrophil at large scales. High efficiency rates were reported, providing valuable data driven insight towards developing cost effective research tools and treatments for Valley Fever. Cell immobilization techniques were considered for extended time scale imaging.
Solar Cell Lamination Automation
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 7
Perovskite solar cells can revolutionize solar energy technologies but their instability and degradation under environmental conditions pose obstacles for commercialization. An in-line system increases production via constant output and less human labor. Components include a heating system, motorized roller machine, and elastomers for each cell. It maintains a perovskite cell at 150°C and 4 MPa of pressure while passing through the system.
Precision Jacket for Photoacoustic Imaging
2023-2024 - Winter
Genetically Modified Mosquito Incubation Box
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 13
Team Members
Emily Inthavong
Emily Weiner
Keileina Honda
Matthew Amankonah
Samantha Stampfl
The goal of this project is to create a mosquito suppression box that allows for the development of genetically modified mosquito eggs so that the sterile male mosquitoes can easily exit the box while the flightless female mosquitoes are contained.
Robotic Assistant for Cardiologist
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 24
The project aims to enhance Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) by developing a teleoperated robotic assistant to remotely control the procedure. Current TEE procedures are time-consuming, ergonomically challenging, limited in precision, and hazardous due to radiation exposure. By enabling remote control of the TEE probe features, our robotic assistant seeks to mitigate these drawbacks, improving efficiency, safety, and precision.
Solar Turbines -Turbine Pre-Swirler
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 4
Team Members
Team Member 1 - Fernando Acuna
Team Member 2 - Jennifer Duong
Team Member 3 - Richard Montalvo
Team Member 4 - Horacio Ramirez-Nunez
Printed Pre-Swirler using Additive Manufacturing (Two Left Images). CAD of entire Pre-Swirler (Right Image)
Endotracheal Tube Support Clip
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 14
Team Members
Jusung Park
Maria Resendiz-Cruz
Michael Usherenko
Madison Whiteman
Brian Yi
The Endotracheal Tube Support Clip is an innovative medical device used to reduce the probability and severity of throat injuries during intubation.
BronchoMate
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 9
Team Members
Chaewon Kim
Ryan Lumaban
Jaden Mcdonald Peltier Yu
Rushil Narain
Alondra Pureco
Intubation often requires both laryngoscopes and bronchoscopes. However, video laryngoscopes require separate equipment and their own monitor. With limited space in the operation room, an additional monitor for the laryngoscope can reduce efficiency. To increase procedural efficiency during intubation procedures, our team has created the BronchoMate to replace the need for a laryngoscope and provide a more cost effective and versatile solution.
Development of Cutting Edge Instrumentation for Vision Preserving Surgery
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 12
Team Members
Hans Chen (www.linkedin.com/in/hans-chen-30b0b6150/)
Joanne Low (www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-low-3b1487205)
Quinn Mullineaux (www.linkedin.com/in/mullineauxq/)
Hanieh Seilsepour (www.linkedin.com/in/hanieh-spr/)
Optic nerve sheath fenestration is a process which requires the surgeon to bluntly dissect through the fat pads in the orbital socket, in order to reach the optic nerve. Once reached, the surgeon can then create a small slit in the optic nerve to release the build up of pressure due to excess fluid. The project's motivation was to reduce the manpower and complexity of this surgical procedure by designing a specialized surgical device to reduce the number of tools required for the operation.
Ultrafast Subpixel Resolution Enhancement
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 3
Image enhancing techniques such as structured illumination microscopy and subpixel resolution enhancement (SRE) are able to drastically increase the resolution of image sampling devices, allowing cameras to surpass the diffraction limit of light or simply increase sensor resolution. This project aimed to apply these techniques to high-speed imaging, or "slow-mo" video. The system was able to continuously move a grating and control its position within ±2.5 µm of the setpoint.
Dynamic Stabilization System For Marine Optical Equipment
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 5
DeepWater Exploration (DWE) designs camera hardware and complementary machine learning algorithms to improve the quality of their hardware in the marine environment. The objective of this project is to develop a mechanism capable of stabilizing the footage from DWE cameras with the capability for DWE to implement their own control algorithms. The final design for this project consists of a 3-axis gimbal and z-axis stabilizer to compensate for angular and vertical disturbances.
Poseidon's Bidet
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 9
A mechanical cleaning prototype for OceanWell, a start-up focused on energy efficient methods of desalination to supply drinking water to water-stressed regions. This device will be used to test methods for cleaning biofouling off of OceanWell's LifeSafe intake filter. It features a linear motion axis, water jets with 3 degrees of freedom, and interchangeable brushes to try out different cleaning methods.
Project Tortas: Flattened Duct for Engine Build-Up
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 28
Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, specializes in designing and servicing systems for various aircraft. To enhance the efficiency of turbojet engines, they are focusing on investigating the feasibility of flattening air ducts to route through tight spaces more effectively. The final deliverable is a sensitivity study of the factors that contribute to maintaining the original duct's characteristics while fitting within certain boundaries to support the sponsor's decisions.
The Grounded Conductive Shield for the Radio Frequency Plasma Source
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 6
Team Members
Team Member 1 - Haochen Bai
Team Member 2 - Julissa Villalobos Valencia
Team Member 3 - Xiran Wang
Team Member 4 - Ziguang Zhu
This MAE 156AB project will redesign the grounded electrically conducting shield around the antenna for easy removal and replacement, ensuring it maintains effective radio frequency (RF) shielding of 13.56 MHz, so sensors can operate efficiently during experiments.
Autonomous Rail Robot Transportation Network for Spacecraft Servicing and Inspection
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 1
Current orbital programs lack the ability to economically and autonomously access all parts of a satellite for servicing and inspection. The proposed system is an autonomous, self-constructing rail system that can reach any Point Of Interest (POI) on a host satellite. Single-function robots perform operations at this location, after which the rail is relocated to access another POI. The system enables failure diagnosis, extends host lifespan, and reduces severity of hardware failure.
Mechanoluminescent Material
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 25
Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) in a silicone base yields an elastomer with mechanoluminescent properties. This means that when it experiences stress, the material emits light! We wanted to use this special property to create a proof of concept application for alternatives to battery-powered light-up products.
Hybrid Kapitza Pendulum
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 1
The team implemented closed loop control for a Kapitza's pendulum using feedback from a capacitive encoder to create the world's first globally stable Kapitza's pendulum using hybrid dynamical control theory. Thus, the pendulum was capable of stabilizing in the inverted position regardless of its starting point.
Accessible Enclosure System
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 5
Team Inspiration is designing an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) to compete in RobotX 2024 International Maritime Challenge. The team’s 2022 overhead mounting solution faced accessibility and signal interference issues. This project seeks to mount and protect the sensors and electrical components with an undermount solution for increased modularity and accessibility, without compromising structural integrity or water resistance.
Enclosed Cell Stretcher
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 2
Professor Geno Pawlak and the Experimental Biofluidics Lab are studying the genetic expression of biological cells under three biomechanical forces (pressure, shear stress, and cyclic stretching) in order to develop pharmaceuticals that can help manage Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. The enclosed cell stretcher prototype is able to apply all 3 forces simultaneously, inducing flow and pressure across a cell membrane while also cyclically stretching it.
Automation of a Glow Discharge Spectrometer
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 4
Collaborated with the UCSD NanoEngineering Department to automate the sampling process of the GDS900 spectrometer, optimizing the HT-Read research methodology, particularly in verifying the composition of AI-generated 3D-printed metal alloy samples. This automation enhanced process efficiency and increased the likelihood of discovering optimal metal alloys.
Gradwell Drive-By-Wire Go-Kart
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 3
DRIVR is a startup that focuses on the idea that combines the experience of VR and Real life. The driver wears a VR headset while sitting in an actual go-kart and views a simulated course and any inputs from VR are translated to the go-kart.
The project focuses on the mechanical/electrical aspect of the go-kart. The aim was to build a fully electric go-kart that incorporates Drive, Steer, and Brake-by-wire.
The project focuses on the mechanical/electrical aspect of the go-kart. The aim was to build a fully electric go-kart that incorporates Drive, Steer, and Brake-by-wire.
Thrust Vector Control Module for a Rocket Engine
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 32
Team Members
Omeed Shahhosseini
Setekh Karaismailoglu
Claire Wang
Georgia Prewitt
The goal of this project is to develop a thrust vector control module that can rotate a rocket engine to guide the sponsor’s Riptide vehicle in the desired directions. The module has to allow 7° radius gimbaling from the central axis of the Nephas engine, withstand 2000 lbf thrust force for 15 seconds while drawing a circle, and use the two linear actuators provided by sponsor.
CRANE 3 - An 8-Axis Robot for Lung Biopsies within CT Scanners
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 27
Team Members
Arjun Naageshwaran
Muhammand Bintang Gemilang
Brian Fader
Steven Molotnikov
An 8-Axis Robot for Lung Biopsies within CT Scanners
NDT- Endovascular Blood Clot Removal Device
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 18
Design and manufacture an endovascular blood clot removal tool that is safe, reliable, and effective, along with a test bed for thorough testing.
Haptic Shoulder for Physical Human Robot Interaction
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 22
Team Members
Calvin Joyce
Isabella Fiorini
Rizzi Galibut
Roger Nguyen
Tarun Murugesan
ARCLab investigates advancements in search and rescue operations with robotics. Our project focuses on the physical human-robot interaction needed for casualty extraction. We developed the Shoulder Haptic Universal Limb Dynamic Repositioning Device (SHULDRD) to train a robotic manipulator to safely perform upper arm repositioning. The SHULDRD simulates human shoulder motion and applies resistive forces for safe casualty manipulation, enhancing efficiency and safety in disaster response.
Pogo Pin Inspection Automation
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 2
This project aims to develop a proof of concept to enhance the efficiency and scalability of pogo pin inspections through automation. The team has designed a four-stage system that includes a vibratory bowl feeder, a conveyor belt, a force test module, and a visual inspection module. This system demonstrates that automating the sorting and inspection of pogo pins is a viable solution.
