Abstract Xerox uses heptane to reduce the viscosity of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in order to remove 3D-printing particles in their industrial process. Specifically, our goal is to completely separate the heptane…
This project is the design of a lab-scale decarboxylation reactor for cannabinoid products. It achieves temperature control within ±2°C of the setpoint to prevent burning and maintain the quality of…
This project is the design of a lab-scale decarboxylation reactor for cannabinoid products. It achieves temperature control within ±2°C of the setpoint to prevent burning and maintain the quality of the product. The system includes a nitrogen blanket to prevent oxidation and a condenser to recover and reintroduce volatile terpenes. It also features adaptive stirring to handle materials with changing viscosities, ensuring uniform heating throughout the reaction.Abstract Mold growth on silicone mouthpieces of water bottles is a frequently reported issue in consumer feedback. This study investigates the effects of silicone composition and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle…
Mold growth on silicone mouthpieces of water bottles is a frequently reported issue in consumer feedback. This study investigates the effects of silicone composition and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle additives on bacterial growth using Micrococcus luteus as a standardized model organism. Silicone coupons were fabricated from multiple commercial formulations and evaluated using a controlled “sandwich method,” with bacterial coverage quantified via image analysis.
Project Description: Background and Problem Statement: Design Process: Part of our prototyping process included running simulations in NX to guide our roll cage design, particularly to compare and confirm if…
Ryan Dugan, Nika Kazumyan, Julia Rothschild, Anika Sagar Abstract Approximately 10% of infants born in the US require respiratory support at birth. These apparatuses cause abrasions and pressure injuries. Our…
Current noninvasive respiratory support interfaces used to assist preterm neonatal breathing can cause extreme skin or tissue injury via excess friction and pressure. A reassessment of interface design that considers infant comfort is required to mitigate the risk of life-long facial disfigurement caused by necessary respiratory support.
Author Jason Shin Advisors and Committe Members Fatemeh Nargesian, Hangfeng He, Michael Scott Abstract Semantic operators abstract large language model (LLM) calls in SQL clauses. It is gaining traction as…
Recent innovations in baseball bat design have introduced increasingly complex and performance driven curvature profiles. The Houston Astros seek to pioneer a fast, portable, and precise method for capturing and recording the 2D contour of a baseball bat’s length and cup enabling real-time insights and streamlined evaluation.
Project Overview The team worked with the sponsor (University of Rochester Medicine Motion Analysis Laboratory) to engineer and develop a prototype of an integrated harness for their perturbation device as…
Abstract This project aimed to address the issue of limited access to obstetric ultrasound examinations in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) by reducing or eliminating the necessary training to perform…
Working with the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, this project aims to deliver a prototype measurement device capable of collecting displacement data from a hypersonic wind tunnel.
Students on the Hyper project aimed to deliver a prototype measurement device capable of resolving laser-applied forces in hypersonic flow.From left to right: LloydAnthony Blackwood, Marcela G. Hinojosa Almaraz, Boris Lokossou, Abdulwahab Sayes Team Members: LloydAnthony Blackwood Marcela G. Hinojosa AlmarazBoris LokossouAbdulwahab Sayes Sponsor: Molly Over Project Description: The…
From left to right: LloydAnthony Blackwood, Marcela G. Hinojosa Almaraz, Boris Lokossou, Abdulwahab Sayes Team Members: Sponsor: Molly Over Project Description: Final Design Report: Presentation Video:
Team Members Sponsors Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly being used in aerospace applications because it enables complex, lightweight geometries that are difficult or impractical to produce using traditional subtractive…
University of Rochester Mechanical Engineering Senior Design 2026 capstone project on the design, analysis, prototyping, and testing of a 3D metal-printable forward metering structure for a space-based optical imaging system.
Portfolio risk analysis & daily reporting. This portfolio risk analysis project was completed as a University of Rochester Data Science Capstone for Senior Design Day, with sponsorship from FinchAI. We…
Portfolio risk analysis AI using LangGraph and Claude to turn FinchAI news feeds into daily risk reports with evidence and recommendations.
Designed to win, our team developed the Pumpkin Launcher, a high-performance floating arm trebuchet that combines innovative mechanics with data-driven design. By leveraging a translating pivot and optimized counterweight system, we engineered a solution that achieves both long-range capability and consistent accuracy, pushing beyond the limits of traditional launch systems.
The How Things Work exhibit at the RMSC currently falls short of effectively demonstrating key mechanical concepts such as gear ratios change in direction of motion, and transmission of power.…
Meet the Team: Project Overview: Plastic waste generated on campus at the University of Rochester is substantial, with a sizable portion originating from single-use plastic containers at coffee shops like Starbucks.…
Our goal was to develop an open-hardware assistive reach device to help individuals with mobility-limiting disabilities be more independent.
Crystallized Coral (Kreher Family Farms): Nik Ivanov, Arthur Chen, Yuanxi GaoAdvisor: Professor F. Doug KelleySponsor: Hal Kreher Abstract Work from previous years has proposed a sulfuric acid gas scrubber as…
The project aims to design a simple, child-friendly telescope capable of resolving Jupiter’s Red Spot, based on an existing Newtonian design. Improvements include a new focusing system, changing of material, better alignment via collimation screws, and a phone mount for easy astrophotography.
Team Roles Primary Customer Contact: Johanna Cupp Document Handler: Zachary Fox Scribe: Sumedh Anantha Customer Advisor Student/Faculty Advisor: Jacob Sacks Customer Contacts Marco Smarra and Athul Som Introduction Semiconductor wafers…
Khoi Phan, Nyasha Gwaza, Quang Nguyen, Saumili Chakravarty, Sufi Hossain, Advisors: Prof. Jack G. Mottley, Prof. Irving Barron Martinez, and Prof. Daniel Phinney Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering class of…
ASML Reticle Contamination Inspection System Team Stephen RobertsFrank YinBetty Li Customer ASML US, LLC Customer Primary ContactMatthew Scibilia Project AdvisorsGreg SchmidtOliver Zhai Abstract The ASML Reticle Contamination Inspection System project…
Introduction Millions of Americans wear soft contact lenses, but there is currently no method of quantifying contact lens attachment to the eye. As a result, Bausch + Lomb has requested…
Millions of Americans wear soft contact lenses, but there is currently no method of quantifying contact lens adherence to the eye.Bausch + Lomb wants a testing platform to better understand the forces that are responsible for adherence of a contact lens to the cornea.
There are a limited number of Peruvian physicians and clinics available to manage the burden of stroke and sustain long-term rehabilitation. As a result, stroke patients are unable to access…
A multimodal search system for dance video archives. This immediately makes your site look like an actual product. Project Overview This project builds a multimodal system that transforms raw video…
Team Hannah designed a walker-mounted assistive device that uses ultrasonic sensors, LiDAR, and haptic feedback to help Hannah detect obstacles and ground hazards while while navigating more independently.
Team HANNAH designed a walker-mounted assistive device that uses sensor-feedback to detect obstacles, allowing for safer navigation.Factors Affecting Pd/C Catalyst Lifespan in a Continuous Reactor Presented by Emerald Empire: Courtney Palmeri, Jensen Sminchak, Lorraine Tshamekang Department of Chemical & Sustainability Engineering, University of Rochester Introduction Kodak produces…
The C-Posture Patient Positioner is an ergonomic cervicothoracic device that enhances the comfort of cesarean section patients while enabling rapid airway access and positioning adjustability to reflect surgical needs that…
Ergonomic device for C-section patients that improves comfort while allowing quick airway access and easy surgical positioning adjustments.Introduction A patient is eligible for a prostatectomy when their prostate is in an enlarged or cancerous state. The gold-standard for prostate removal is a nerve sparing prostatectomy. Laparoscopic prostatectomies…
Authors: Caelan Clayton, Veena Laks, Ramneek Nandha, Aabha Pandit Advisor: Ajay Anand, Ph.D. Sponsor: Akkadian, LLC.; Jessica Gleason, Ph.D. and Jon Schlecht, BAS Introduction Pedagogy, the study of effective teaching…
Author Henry Glover, University of Rochester, Undergraduate Student Class of 2026 Email: hglover@u.rochester.edu Advisor Dr. Terry-Ann Suer, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Research Scientist Collaborators Dr. Samuel Crossley, University of Arizona,…
Team Zeiss: Allen Wu, Zehui Yuan, Yepeng ZhouCustomer: Annie Isaac (Zeiss)Faculty Advisor: Len ZheleznyakSenior Design, Institute of Optics, University of Rochester PROBLEM STATEMENTThis project aims to develop and model solutions…
Group Members: Shahad Alhassani, Yiduo Liu, Riley Lopus, Mia Strassman, and Jessie Talasco Supervisor: Dr. Michael Giacomelli Customer: Dr. Ram Haddas, URMC Motion Laboratories Problem Statement: Motion analysis laboratories currently…
ME 204- Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Team Members Kaan Aytekin, Michael Bartusek, Darren Chen, Amel Rouabhia, Ryan Zorzi Problem Overview Linear motion air bearings use a thin cushion…
Team Members Oliver Annon, Audio and Music Engineering ’26Raffael Venterea, Audio and Music Engineering ’26Emma Wang, Audio and Music Engineering ’26 Project Description Unscheduled downtime due to mechanical issues is…
The design of a controlled mechanical testbench for the detection of faults using acoustics and AI.
We investigate the formation of new emitters for single photon source applications by laser irradiation of different types of materials: silicon nitride, silver nanocubes, and a silicone-based contact lens hydrogel polymer. Single-emitter confocal fluorescence microscopy, low-light spectroscopy, and a Hanbury Brown-Twiss correlator are used for characterization of laser-induced photoluminescence centers.
Team Members Mentors Introduction Locating books in large academic libraries can be difficult due to complex shelving layouts and unfamiliar call-number systems. This project presents the Library Compass, a handheld…
I. Introduction Reliable assessment of surgical performance is essential for resident education, feedback, and progression within procedural training. Although attending-based evaluations such as the Objective Structured assessment of Technical Skills…
Research analysis on objective assessment in surgical education. This project utilizes motion-tracking data and machine learning to predict resident performance and experience levels during sphenoidotomy, offering a quantitative complement to traditional attending-based evaluations.
Kunyang (Benny) Cao, B.S. Optics 2026 Advisors: Professor Pablo A. Postigo, Christer Everly 1. Abstract Low threshold laser is desired to reduce power consumption and minimize the thermal load in…
Low threshold laser is desired to reduce power consumption and minimize the thermal load in integrated photonics. One-dimensional photonic crystal cavity, or nanobeam, has been shown to be a good candidate for low threshold laser’s cavity due to its ultra-high cavity quality factor. In this work, an existing nanobeam design made of GaAs is used as the starting point of my design and is then optimized in COMSOL for a higher quality factor. The nanobeam's geometrical structure, specifically its air holes' taper profile, is optimized through novel methods of optimization, namely parameter optimization and genetic algorithm. The manufacturability of the nanobeam is also evaluated by simulating different amounts of air hole radius sizing errors during fabrication.
Making Single-Cell Proteomics More Accessible Unlike DNA and RNA, protein expression cannot be amplified. This makes single-cell proteomics research highly sensative to sample loss. The cellenONE single cell dispenser offers…
Discover how thermoelectric cooling mitigates evaporative losses in single-cell deposition workflows using the Tecan Uno.
Capstone Team Baichuan Duan · Lexiang Yang · Shixin Lin · Zhengyang Zhu University of Rochester × Paychex · April 2026 A Capstone Project · Spring 2026 Listening Between the…
A Low-Cost Underwater Acoustic Detection and Release System that detects 37.5 kHz acoustic pinger signals and triggers a mechanical release, designed for search and recovery applications. [Fig. 1 – Project…
A Low-Cost Underwater Acoustic Detection and Release System that detects 37.5 kHz acoustic pinger signals and triggers a mechanical release, designed for search and recovery applications.
DSCC 383W Team 7: Aakanksha Dutta, Elvis Imamura, Eva Salmone, Sreejato Chatterjee, Duole Hong Sponsors: Zalliant —John Balbian, Emmanuel Mounier, Utsav Advisor: Professor Cantay Caliskan Background: Cattle health monitoring is…
Project Background Research on the loss of support in sports bras over time is minimal, especially when compared to other workout equipment like shoes, compressive sleeves, straps, etc. The loss…
Optimizing Sparge Variables to Maximize Sugar Extraction From Barley MaltWe designed and built a lab-scale brewing system to improve sparging efficiency at Sager Beer Works. Using a Design of Experiments…
Team: Hudson Ginocchio, Liam Kenny-Jagielski, Newt Perlman, Felipe Villanueva Abstract: This project presents the design and implementation of an automated mechanical sorting and dispensing system inspired by a Connect 4-style…
A data-driven look at more than 291,000 crashes across twelve years — examining when crashes turn deadly, which roads and jurisdictions carry the highest risk, and whether recent road improvements…
Team Members: Jared Lipkin, William Seastrand, Ajay Sujaritha Ganesh Advisors: Michael Heilemann, Dan Phinney What is it and why is it important? Preamplifiers are the foundational link in any audio…
Author: Yikun Jin, Qiang Lin Introduction Thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) is a promising platform for nonlinear integrated photonics, due to its strong quadratic nonlinearity and compatibility with CMOS. This…
Project Overview Our project involves the the creation, from preliminary optical design to final physical systems, of three beam expander prototypes using 3-D printed mechanical housings. The designs have varying…
The Rochester Museum & Science Center GRIN Wave Tank project aims to create a prototype of a water tank with an interactive wave actuator that is capable of simulating refraction…
Summary This project is developing a Raman spectroscopy system to measure hydrogen isotopologue concentrations in the gas phase, focusing on hydrogen isotope processing at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE).…
Project Outline Our Performance Analysis Shoe consists of 5 piezoresistive sensors that alter resistance based on pressure and are connected in series with a known voltage value. We utilize an…
Piezoresistive Sensors utilized to acquire and analyze pressure distribution data for athletic performance, rehab, and balance/gait issues.Accurate tracking of hand motion coupled with haptic feedback allows for an immersive experience for VR users and other applications. This project focused on creating a motion tracking glove with…
Accurate tracking of hand motion in VR coupled with haptic feedback allows for an immersive experience for VR users. This project focused on creating a motion tracking glove with haptic feedback that can integrate itself with open source VR frameworks.Team Members: Michael George, Makayla Press, Elek Yuhas Strong Auditorium is the main performance space at the University of Rochester for music ensembles, dance groups, guest speakers, and similar events.…
Our project focuses on designing a Tunable Bilayer Grating Coupler (TBGC) that is capable of identifying the orientation of dipoles such as NV centers and single molecules. Current systems for…
As a capstone team, we are designing both a public-facing story archive site and a case study website that documents our research, design process, and reflections. Together, these platforms aim to preserve community stories,…
Loving Our Country is a University of Rochester capstone project exploring community listening, civic storytelling, and belonging in partnership with John Brown Lives! and Echo Lab.
Problem Disenchanted by reality, we commonly seek escapism through focus on unordinary people. To put it simply, society is for its people yet it doesn’t focus on them. We don’t…
Team Members David XieGreta KenyonRowan MulhollandIrene Sheng Wenxi Zhu Advisors Nancy Bernardo, Stephanie Ashenfelder Problem Statement One of college’s biggest advantages is the community and proximity with like-minded people. However,…
The Wild Center is a natural history museum located in the Adirondacks that is committed to a future where people and the natural world thrive together. In lieu of their…
Team Members: Problem Statement: The University of Rochester no longer has a yearbook and current students have no way to document their memories. While past archives exist, there is no…
By Manuela Montes de Oca, Yididya Chane (Happy), Mark Aaronson, Yunqi Liu (Yoyo), Sophea Urbi Biswas BACKGROUND: The force plate is a critical tool in biomechanics, used to measure ground…
This project showcases an analysis on the research output at the University of Rochester.
Abstract: Accidental disconnection of gastrostomy (G-tube) extension tubes during enteral feeding remains a clinical and caregiver challenge, impacting approximately 100,000 patients annually. Disconnections often occur during nighttime sleep, leading to…
Our team designed a line of sign communications system that sends text messages between two devices using infrared lasers.
Abstract: In this thesis, we study the complexity of bribery and manipulation in the setting known as voting-rule uncertainty, where the attacker does not know which of a set of…
The Surprisingly Popular algorithm (Prelec et al., 2017) is a voting algorithm designed to accurately recover the ground truth answer from a crowd of people. One limitation of the original…
Team Members Problem Statement Patellar fractures account for 1% of all skeletal fractures, typically occurring from a large blow to the knee, resulting in a comminuted fracture pattern, or during…
This project investigated whether patterns in medication use among older adults could help predict rehospitalization after home healthcare. Using data from over 6,800 patients, we analyzed active medications, diagnoses, and patient characteristics, mapping them to standardized codes like RxNorm and PhecodeX. We applied clustering techniques and machine learning models, including XGBoost and BERT-based text embeddings, to identify potential risk factors. Although some variables—like hyper-polypharmacy, reduced physical function (ADL), and certain medication classes—were associated with increased risk, no clear or consistent clusters emerged as highly predictive. Our best-performing model achieved 96% accuracy and 97% ROC-AUC, reinforcing the value of advanced methods but also underscoring the need for individualized deprescribing strategies in geriatric care.
Older adults taking multiple medications face increased risks of rehospitalization and adverse outcomes. Our project, in collaboration with Dr. Jinjiao Wang, used patient, medication and diagnoses data to identify key risk factors and improve deprescribing strategies.DSCC383 Team 10: Brennan Kalinowski, Tarun Paravasthu, Sean Tian, Madeleine Johnson Advisor: Cantay Caliskan, Ph.D Sponsor: Benchmark Labs Introduction Background: Organizations like the National Weather Service use numerical weather models…
Team Mehmed Emre Aktaş, Navya Bhagat, Lakshmi Kanumuri, Narm Nathan Sponsor: Dr. Erika Ramsdale, University of Rochester Medical Center Instructor: Dr. Cantay Caliskan, University of Rochester Goergen Institute for Data…
Project Title: An AI-Powered Regulatory Chatbot for Labor LegislationTeam Members: Ethan Leung, Carol Li, Astha Singh, Keming ZhangSponsor: PaychexAffiliation: Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester INTRODUCTION In today’s fast-evolving regulatory…
We engineered a custom dataset of over 1,100 legal regulations, developed a vector search system using FAISS, and implemented Google Gemini’s language model to optimize speed and accuracy. This tool is a scalable solution designed to improve legal compliance support and could be adapted to other industries that require precise regulatory information.
Ammonia Biofilter Optimization for Chicken Manure Composting Authors: Geoffrey Doyle, Jason Maher, and Aidan Shea Advisor: Professor Kelley Department: Chemical Engineering Sponsor: Hal Kreher, Kreher Farms Introduction Kreher Farms is…
Design an interchangeable, fixed offset, fixed gear-ratio eccentric tool spindle for gravity-loaded optical polishing procedures.
A high-resolution fluid deposition system for use with Waveguide-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy sensors.
An automated hydroponic plant growth system that is monitored online by a user
Proposed by SPX Flow, the goal of this project is to characterize the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) within inert fluids of various viscosities.
Paul Eisold, Kamal Raji, Rony Waheibi, Collins Yawe
This Xerox-sponsored project aims to completely separate high viscosity PDMS and heptane via a solvent evaporation process followed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.
Alissa DeRubertis, Colin Ikei, Bryan Schellberg, Mark Volkin
The URMC Kidney Model Optimization Project aims to create a polymer material that can simulate the human kidney for practice by surgical residents.
Bimpe Isafiade, Harshita Mahaseth, Natalie Ramesh, Baris Eser Ugur
This project aims to characterize a wastewater stream in addition to addressing biochemical oxygen demand in cooperation with LiDestri.
Katerina Connor, Junseok Jeon, Connor Pope, Brian Yegela
This project was to design an accelerated testing system for Harbec, Inc to evaluate gaskets in the India Mark II hand pump for installation by the Ugandan Water Project.
Dan Allara, Oion Akif, Paul Irving, Tessa Ludwick
In this project, a lab-scale chromatography process was developed to purify crude LUV dye. Upon scale up at Eastman Kodak Company, the chromatography process would be able to purify 2 kg/day.
Quinton Dang, Waad Magram, Zhiwei Wang
This project aims to design and build a multi-channel reverse water gas shift reactor system that allows for exploration of heterogeneous catalysis.
Ahmad El Gazzar, Thien Hung Nguyen, Clive Onyango, Emilio Vega-Ramos
The Rossell Hope Robbins Library is underutilized by many students on campus due to the lack of awareness of the library and its resources. To promote awareness for the library, this project contains designs for a “life-size” portable chess set with medieval themes.
Minimize nickel contamination of cleaning tanks in Orafol Precision Technology’s electroforming process.
Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project.
Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy.
Using a rope of LEDs, connected to a Raspberry Pi with our software, we will read the audio signal from an HDMI cable and display colors on the LED strip that match the tone of the music. . The goal of our project is to be able to create a visualization to convey a similar feeling to people that are unable to hear the music.
Creation of atmospherically-controlled chamber for UV degradation testing of novel OLED materials for Molecular Glasses, Inc.
Characterize LiDestri Food and Drink portfolio of spaghetti sauces to optimize manufacturing process.
Automation of feedstock delivery for creation of biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen.
Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard.
Enable self-sustaining biochar production by reclamation of process by-products.
Controlled, rapid-cooling chamber for initiated chemical vapor deposition of thin film polymers.
Analysis of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) chemical solutions’ inkjet printability through range of solution concentrations.
We are tasked by Rochester Rehab to create a device that increases the efficiency of packaging an underwater camera into a foil bag, primarily by reducing friction on the camera. By doing so, more cameras will be packaged per hour and the wage of the workers who are employed in the process will increase.