Previous ASME Award Winner
Recent Departmental Runner Up Awards
Capstone Design Projects
Solar Turbines Alignment Mechanism
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 5
Team Members
Nigel Coseip
Alberto Guardado
Vicente Lopez-Espinosa
Daniel Lopez Villa
Nicholas Pereyda
The purpose of this project was to investigate a new mounting foot design for a Solar Turbines Titan-250 turbine. Our solution would need to incorporate an actuation method which can produce precise movement, and a locking mechanism capable of arresting the feet under all conditions. The team identified two actuation solutions: a set of jacking bolts, and a worm gear screw jack. Both designs have their own advantages such as cost, maintenance, and ease of operation.
Precision Hydrogel Injector
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 10
We focus on a biomedical device that creates a suction mechanism to grip onto a rat intestine model and is built with an insertion tunnel that allows a hydrogel syringe to inject the fluid at the intestinal site. The 3D printed device successfully gripped the rat intestine underwater, through which 1 μL water with red dye was injected. Red staining of the intestinal wall indicated successful delivery into the submucosal layer.
Trifinger Robot
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 3
Team Members
Jan Dustin Tengdyantono
Jonathan Goenadibrata
Joseph Murad
Sebastian Podiono
A three-finger manipulator with 9 degrees of freedom, designed for Autonomous Research & Development capable of performing various tasks within its free workspace. The plan is to design a robot to be able to hold on and lift a specific object within a given coordinate frame and move it to a different specified location with precision and accuracy.
Wheelchair Accessible Tesla Project
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 3
Our project is to develop a plan to modify a Tesla to be wheelchair accessible.
General Atomics: Robotic Handling
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 13
This project analyzes the quality control of very small spherical capsules that are used to hold gases in a process called Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). The surface roughness and sphericity of the capsules affect the ICF process so they must be mapped using an atomic force microscope. General Atomics uses a robotic arm to re-orient the capsule to map the entire surface. The reorientation process has been found to contribute ~3° of rotational error which this project investigates.
Hamud Universal Upright Vehicle Rack
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 29
The purpose of this project was to develop a universal vehicle equipment rack that could accommodate various types of sporting equipment. The problem statement was to design and manufacture a modular rack that was: versatile with many types of equipment, durable to withstand a maximum load of 430 lbs, and cost-efficient to be less than current competitors.
Formula SAE Traction Control
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 12
UC San Diego’s Formula SAE team, Triton Racing, has been improving the power output of their engine year after year, making it difficult for student drivers to control the car. A traction control system was implemented to assist amateur drivers in maximizing the car’s performance by electronically controlling the engine output to ensure tire wheel grip remains in the optimum range throughout various driving scenarios.
XLence AM 3D Inertion Printer
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 27
Team Members
Team Member 1: Adan Ruiz
Team Member 2: Puning Zhu
Team Member 3: Kennan Gonzales
Team Member 4: Bradley Robison
Team Member 5: Martyn Lizarraga
The XLence AM 3D Inertion Printer team focused on a novel method for metal 3D printers using argon and a fluidics loop to replace the vacuum chamber and maintain less than 1% oxygen concentration in the printing area. Successful completion of the project greatly reduces the cost of metal 3D printers and allows smaller engineering companies easier access to them.
Improving Automated COVID-19 Testing Workflows: Pipette Challenge
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 32
The goal of this project was to optimize COVID-19 testing workflows, allowing for more daily testing and faster results. The problem was boiled down to test tube orientation. The status quo at the EXCITE Lab was for technicians to manually align the test tubes' barcodes in a rack before placing them into a machine that scans the tubes. This wasted about two hours daily. Our solution is a detachable piece that forces the correct alignment of each tube, removing the manual alignment step entirely.
Cohu Temperature Control
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 20
Team Members
Nathan Zager
Matthew Soohoo
Harrison Lew
Emmanuel Gharehbekloo
Ronald Law
The Cohu Temperature Control project, sponsored by Cohu Inc. and in conjunction with the project sponsor, Steve Wetzel, aimed to create a marketable flow control module for the Cohu Delta MATRiX semiconductor handler.
Development of Advanced Hose Clamp
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 18
This project focuses on the development of a new hose clamp to be used in Wildland firefighting to stop the high-pressure flow in a fire hose to attach more hoses. The project achieved this goal through testing and modeling the hose used by firefighters to get a better understanding of the force needed to restrict the flow of water. The team designed, analyzed and prototyped a newer hose clamp. This clamp will be less expensive, durable, and easier to use than existing hose clamp models.
Solar Turbines: Ancillary Quick Disconnect
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 16
A vacuum test platform was designed and manufactured in order to test both installation/removal times of clamps and bolts as well as ensure the connection solution maintained a vacuum of up to 4 in Hg. Undermount toggle clamps in combination with a neoprene foam gasket is a proposed solution to replace the current use of bolts and Sikaflex.
Cerebellar Dependent Learning
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 19
An improved apparatus utilized to measure cerebellum dependent learning via delayed eyeblink Pavlovian conditioning for UCSD neuroscience researcher Dr. Cole Ferguson. The system administers an LED flash stimulus followed by a puff of air to the mouse’s eye, then measures its blink response time with Matlab image processing software.
Automated Control of Material Structure with Electrical Impedance Monitoring
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 4
The objective of this project is to automate the heating process for a metal-salt nanocomposite material given a target impedance spectra. Our controller makes data analysis and the sintering process more efficient for the lab in terms of time and result replication.
UCSD Medical - Blood Pressure Cuff
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 9
Team Members
Austin Chung
Albert Hernandez
Jeffrey Onuma
Jordan Wong
Three mechanical shields have been designed to prevent external forces from affecting blood pressure readings during surgery.
Articulet: An Articulating Endotracheal Tube Stylet
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 36
A lightweight, single-use stylet that gives users real time control of an endotracheal tube, ARTICULET can bend up to 90 degrees on its distal end to reduce intubation time while minimizing complications.
Precious Plastic
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 17
The Precious Plastic team is working on improving the user experience of machinery to be used in an upcoming plastic makerspace. These machines will help the local community repurpose their plastic waste into new plastic products. The WI21 team was able to implement several components into a plastic injection machine for this makerspace and suggest future improvements to be worked on. With all the added components, the machine session time was reduced by an average of 43% so far.
Endoscopic Tissue Stapler
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 34
An specialized tissue stapler designed to close hard-to-reach wounds in the throat region following endoscopic procedures by deploying stainless steel staples similar to traditional skin staplers. Accompanying the stapler are a staple die for stamping the specialized staples, a staple cartridge for sanitary and efficient loading, and a staple removal tip allowing for easy staple extraction once the wound has healed.
Endoscope Torque Applicator
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 35
The objective is to design, build, test, and document a device that can reduce the stress on a doctor’s body when performing an endoscopy by applying mechanical advantage while exerting the necessary forces to perform a colonoscopy. The device must be a cheap, disposable tool or a durable, easy to clean tool that can replace the current hand and towel combination. Finally, the device must not alter the overall procedure as that will impose a training cost on the hospital.
Adjustable Head Mount for Augmented Reality Facial Motion Tracking System
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 15
Augmented Reality is used for face-to-face conversations with another digitally projected person in a shared virtual space. A crucial element for this experience is the ability to digitize the users’ facial expressions and body motions authentically. The Augmented Reality Head Mount serves as a self-contained, wearable system for facial and body tracking. It consists of two cameras, IMUs, a battery and a StereoPi attached to a Microsoft HoloLens 2 main frame using 3D-printed component mounts.
Tongue Touch Mouse & Keyboard
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 8
The Tongue Touch Mouse and Keyboard device was designed with 5 tongue-responsive capacitive touch sensors to provide computer accessibility for our client, Stacy Bibb, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia. The main objective of the project was creating a comfortable, reliable, and reusable headset for Stacy’s use.
UCSD MED - Autoinjector for Ultrasound Guided Nerve Blocks
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 31
This project focused on the development of a medical device to streamline and improve ultrasound guided nerve blocks. These procedures currently require two medical personnel, an anesthesiologist and an assistant. Ideally, this procedure would be performed by the anesthesiologist alone as the forces felt throughout the injection provide valuable sensory information about the state of the operation. Thus revealing the need for an Auto-Injector device enabling this desired one-person operation.
Temperature Control of Rugged 3D Printer
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 2
Temperature control system for a rugged 3D printer. The system is designed to heat printing chamber to 50°C and maintain that temperature regardless of external conditions. The system is resistant to shocks and vibrations and can operate between -15°C and 50°C ambient temperature.
DIII-D DiMES Port Rod Ablation System
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 17
Team Members
Michael Hanson
Jason Escalera
Hadith Taheri
Daniel Zubovic
Caitlin Villareal
We present the design of ATJ graphite rods developed for ablation experiments under high heat flux (up to 50 MW/m2) in the lower divertor of the DIII-D tokamak.
Bike Helmet Task Light
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 15
This bike helmet task light is meant to facilitate field repairs, adjustments, or other needs for close-range illumination while riding in nighttime, twilight, or other low-light conditions. This project is compact, lightweight, has a low-profile housing, and utilizes a universal mounting mechanism which allows the light housing to be removed to recharge its battery. It is durable for shock, vibration, and other rugged mountain biking conditions.
Hair Snag Project
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 28
Researchers studying animals in the wild often use “hair snags”, devices placed in a habitat to collect hair samples when animals interact with them, to collect and study animal DNA. More often than not, current hair snag designs capture hair from more than one individual animal, which makes it harder for researchers to inspect the DNA samples. To correct this issue, we have created a prototype for a single-sampling hair snag that successfully collects and isolates a sample from a single animal.
Automated Solubility Measurement
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 25
Team Members
Owen Cruise
Yaxin (Cindy) Guan
Kristin Hartsfield
Brandon Lansang
Cade Wohltman
This device automates the process of mixing a solute in a solvent to reach its saturation point. It includes solid dosing and liquid dosing capabilities; light scattering analyzes turbidity and settled solids, reducing the human burden of a common lab experiment.
Wearable Countermeasure Device
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 30
Team Members
Nicholas Ashforth
Nathan Burdick
Keva Chin
Nathan George
Mario Miguel
This project seeks to create a working prototype for a flexible and mobile Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device for use in extended microgravity environments, the purpose of which is to partially simulate the effects of gravity to mitigate the deleterious effects of prolonged microgravity exposure on human physiology. Such systems have already been flown on orbit, but all have been stationary. A mobile and flexible system is necessary to maintain the astronauts' operational schedules.
2 Stage Refrigeration
2004-2005 - Spring
Team: 11
Team Members
Jozefik Zoltan
Roy Z. Li
Tom Y. Lee
Jayson Q. Shi
Non-contact Temperature Control
2004-2005 - Spring
Team: 12
Team Members
Jason Poulos
Wendy Chen
Nicholas Matteson
Kyaw Win