Archive by Topic

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

A new wireless controller for the Action Trackchair to allow for use by a caregiver of those unable to control the chair on their own.

An adaptor device able to attach to a ventilation/anesthesia mask to improve gaseous medication delivery to patients with facial hair.

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.

Cataracts, a hardness and opacifying of the lens, is the leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries where trained ophthalmologists are scarce. Our project is to develop a device to be used for a simplified cataract surgery that will insert a cylindrical intraocular lens into the cataract. By simplifying the procedure, more healthcare providers can be trained to perform the procedure, increasing the accessibility of cataract treatment in developing countries.

There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.

Designing a system to allow a visually impaired person to better navigate their environment.

A stationary unit designed to help facilitate the testing and storage of COVID-19 tests.

Creating an affordable, accessible, and effective home exercise device to target chronic knee pain.

Students at the Mary Cariola Center with visual impairments are attracted to light in rooms, often pulling their attention away from the teachers/lesson to look upwards at the ceiling lights. Lighted surfaces that provide contrast can help students focus on that surface and on any activity being performed on the lighted surface. The team was tasked with creating a mat suitable for children that illuminates in order to draw the student’s attention downward.

A cervical orthotic for patients experiencing head drop due to neuromuscular diseases, such as ALS. The brace will focus on support, comfort, and controlled motion.

Using the interactive detection robot, the user will be able to wirelessly control the device and visually see its surroundings using the camera module. The RPLidar enables a 360° view of the robot’s environment.

The Mary Cariola Classroom Aids project focused on developing LED light panels to refocus the attention of visually impaired students. Our solution includes 4 individual panels, as well as a stand that can rotate to three different angles to help accommodate various students.

A creative device to protect medical professional from radiation with females physiques in mind

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.

A new mechanism for patient transfers that will minimize the prevalence of back injuries in nurses during lateral patient transfers, while sustaining the safety of the patients.

A chair specifically designed to safely and comfortably sit infants and young children that are immobilized by a cast that spans from the mid abdomen to the ankle, all while allowing proper social and cognitive development. The chair incorporates extra space for the casted torso and legs, as well as multiple aspects of adjustability to fit the wide range of children sizes and to fit under tables of varying heights.

A device to detect urinary incontinence due to loss of bladder control.

Stay motivated to keep up with your fitness goals by taking care of a virtual pet!

Art and Engineering are two separate disciplines that don’t collaborate and intersect as much as they should. There are many mediums that mix both disciplines to allow for a fuller artistic approach to engineering, but these mediums aren’t abundant on the River Campus. The Kinetic Sculpture capstone project aims to be the bridge between these departments through kinetic art. The following interactive art piece fuses the concepts of art and mechanics to provide students with a one-of-a-kind experience on campus.

The Pittsford Community Library Team was tasked to design and manufacture an interactive ball maze machine. Upon completion, the model will be moved and displayed within the children’s lofted play area of the Pittsford Community Library. The main goal of this project was to deliver a fully functioning ball maze display, decorated with laser cut wooden designs of landmarks across Rochester. Combining elements of STEM and history, the team hoped to create a fun and educational display that children, as well as all library visitors, can enjoy.

An exhibit for the Rochester Museum and Science Center that aims to expose the viewers to the concept of vibrations in an engaging and interactive manner.

Why not take a virtual trip through the eyes of a robot that uses a camera and displays it to the user’s VR headset. VIRTua Bot allows you to do just that with your android smartphone.

Stay motivated to keep up with your fitness goals by taking care of a virtual pet!

We created a digital audio effects pedal using a Raspberry Pi; the pedal can accept XLR and 1/4 inch input so it is ideal for horn players and guitarists alike. The effects can be controlled by the knobs and buttons on the pedal as well as by the knobs and buttons on a separate Bluetooth controller, which was coded on an Arduino.

There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.

One or two sentence description of your project.

We are not okay with the compromised sound in online conference apps, and we investigated ways to improve.

Pianosaic is an augmented reality experience in which players get to create musical environments with a larger than life piano. Players are immersed in accurately spatialized audio. Players are able to use the keys of the piano around to create an individualize experience. Players are able to create a full production utilizing accompanying instruments in the game.

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.

This product is intended to be used by music producers/recording engineers as a simple instrument within a digital audio workstation. It entails programming a virtual instrument (synthesizer) in the C++ based programming environment, JUCE by utilizing wavetable synthesis. The synthesizer is meant to provide the user a basic virtual instrument with the ability to upload custom wavetables, and which includes integrated effects which can be modulated & controlled dynamically in real time.

A 360° tessellated, parallax-reduced, cinema camera system.

Designing a system to allow a visually impaired person to better navigate their environment.

Using the interactive detection robot, the user will be able to wirelessly control the device and visually see its surroundings using the camera module. The RPLidar enables a 360° view of the robot’s environment.

Pianosaic is an augmented reality experience in which players get to create musical environments with a larger than life piano. Players are immersed in accurately spatialized audio. Players are able to use the keys of the piano around to create an individualize experience. Players are able to create a full production utilizing accompanying instruments in the game.

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.

Why not take a virtual trip through the eyes of a robot that uses a camera and displays it to the user’s VR headset. VIRTua Bot allows you to do just that with your android smartphone.

Our project is a “Data Glove” worn by a user and composed of several types of sensors for mapping human hand motion. A virtual environment is used to show the glove’s capabilities in capturing natural motion, with its primary purpose being for virtual reality applications. We use the Unity game engine to create our simulation and feed data from our glove to a simulated robotic hand. Ideally, this is completed in real time and can capture movements live.

A new wireless controller for the Action Trackchair to allow for use by a caregiver of those unable to control the chair on their own.

To spur museum membership growth, encourage donations from members, and increase overall museum revenue

The Children’s section at the Pittsford Community Library has three main spaces for play. While the two-spaces, located on the main level, are well defined and engaging for children with interactive elements, the project was to create a new interactive display for the third space located on the upper level.

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.

The City of Rochester wants to understand if physical proximity to a convenience store or liquor store affects the likelihood of different types of part 1 crimes.

Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) launched a new survey to better understand the impact of COVID- 19 on community member’s income and basic needs as well as what community members need to be safe and financially secure. The goal of the project was to analyze the survey and responses to inform United Way which kind of assistance needs to be provided, and what features of living necessities are more important for the respondents.

There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.

Hutchison Hall is home to the Biology department. However, there’s a lack of understanding regarding all research undertaken by the department. Hanging physical models can bring exposure to the department and create a vibrant and joyous community inside the Hutchison Hall. ​ The Eurypterid Team’s models are designed to represent the Jaekelopterus, a genus of the Eurypterid species. These models will be about 9 feet in length. The motorized tail and claws will be triggered through infrared motion sensors. ​

RTS is a regional transportation authority established by New York State and the goal of the project is to find the potential reasons for preventable accidents caused by bus operators. First, descriptive and exploratory analysis is performed on all the data provided and driver-related variables and environmental-related variables. Then, frequent pattern mining is applied and conditional probabilities are calculated for the accident history of operators with high risk of accidents to extract accident patterns.

The project aim was: 1) Understand how the degree of mental health issues changed over time and space during COVID-19; 2) Find out what topics are people concerned about, and 3) Infer what group of people are more likely to have mental health issues.

Students at the Mary Cariola Center with visual impairments are attracted to light in rooms, often pulling their attention away from the teachers/lesson to look upwards at the ceiling lights. Lighted surfaces that provide contrast can help students focus on that surface and on any activity being performed on the lighted surface. The team was tasked with creating a mat suitable for children that illuminates in order to draw the student’s attention downward.

The project supported the goal of UR Utilities and Energy Management deparment to improve the efficiency of chilled water production through predictive modeling

A cervical orthotic for patients experiencing head drop due to neuromuscular diseases, such as ALS. The brace will focus on support, comfort, and controlled motion.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center asked for help designing an interactive exhibit to honor Georgena Terry. The team designed a stationary bicycle where the saddle and the handlebars move in the vertical and horizontal direction with motors. A system was designed in order to determine and display the power output from the rider. When on the bicycle, the rider can fluidly adjust the bike geometry and be able to see how changing each dimension affects the power they produce.

Art and Engineering are two separate disciplines that don’t collaborate and intersect as much as they should. There are many mediums that mix both disciplines to allow for a fuller artistic approach to engineering, but these mediums aren’t abundant on the River Campus. The Kinetic Sculpture capstone project aims to be the bridge between these departments through kinetic art. The following interactive art piece fuses the concepts of art and mechanics to provide students with a one-of-a-kind experience on campus.

The Mary Cariola Classroom Aids project focused on developing LED light panels to refocus the attention of visually impaired students. Our solution includes 4 individual panels, as well as a stand that can rotate to three different angles to help accommodate various students.

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.

The main objective is to identify the maximum water flow tolerance of the Moses-Saunders Dam in order not to exceed the permissible limits of Lake St. Louis.

The Pittsford Community Library Team was tasked to design and manufacture an interactive ball maze machine. Upon completion, the model will be moved and displayed within the children’s lofted play area of the Pittsford Community Library. The main goal of this project was to deliver a fully functioning ball maze display, decorated with laser cut wooden designs of landmarks across Rochester. Combining elements of STEM and history, the team hoped to create a fun and educational display that children, as well as all library visitors, can enjoy.

The goal of the project was to explore public perception on COVID-19 vaccine by analyzing social media platform data (Twitter).

Have you ever had a gourd and wanted it over there, but in a way that would inspire the masses? The Mechanical Engineering Department sure has, and has tasked our team with creating their submission to our ASME-hosted annual pumpkin launch.

A smart water dispenser system able to dispense drinking water to the user while keeping track of daily intake amounts.

A chair specifically designed to safely and comfortably sit infants and young children that are immobilized by a cast that spans from the mid abdomen to the ankle, all while allowing proper social and cognitive development. The chair incorporates extra space for the casted torso and legs, as well as multiple aspects of adjustability to fit the wide range of children sizes and to fit under tables of varying heights.

The Virtual Optics Suitcase makes engaging optics demonstrations accessible, encouraging careers in STEM.

Our project was to implement a system of light reflectors that autonomously track the sun’s position and focus the light on a solar panel to maximize the incident light intensity and hence more power capture. The system was to be significantly cheap compared to buying multiple solar panels and capture more than double the solar power than using an ordinary solar panel.

The surveying altimeter is a cheap, portable, and easy-to-use method of determining the relative height differences between points of interest.

Test and identify novel gasket polymers to extend operation of Ugandan Water Project-installed India Mark II handpumps serving millions of people fresh, clean water.

Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project.

The Caldwell-Fay equation (2002) attempts to model what Lake Ontario’s current water level would be if dam construction had never taken place along the St. Lawrence Seaway (i.e. the natural hydraulic state of the lake). Newly unearthed Lake Ontario data going back to the 1860s has been discovered, and we had the rare opportunity to be the first to digitize and publicly analyze it. Since this data set predates any dam construction it actually captures the lake’s natural state. Therefore it can be used to verify Caldwell-Fey’s equation which is being used to govern the lake’s inflow and outflow rate on a daily basis.

This system is a cheaper alternative option to chemical water treatment meant to sterilize drinking water with UV-C light by controlling water flow in order to achieve proper irradiation time.

Stay motivated to keep up with your fitness goals by taking care of a virtual pet!

We are designing a device that will provide a cost-effective method for characterizing whether a particle in water is a plastic or nonplastic, as well as categorizing the subtype of plastic. The device will need to be effective on a scale of approximately one to five microns, which is the size of the microplastic particles.

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

Enable self-sustaining biochar production by reclamation of process by-products.

Automation of feedstock delivery for creation of biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen.

The AI Sorting System takes a photo of a recyclable object, weighs it, and scans it with a metal detector. It inputs this data into a program that classifies the item as plastic, metal, or glass. The system includes 3 bins, one for each material. LEDs will light up on one of the bins and its lid will flip open, indicating that the recyclable should be placed in that bin.

Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard.

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

The City of Rochester wants to understand if physical proximity to a convenience store or liquor store affects the likelihood of different types of part 1 crimes.

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

Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy.

The project supported the goal of UR Utilities and Energy Management deparment to improve the efficiency of chilled water production through predictive modeling

An automated hydroponic plant growth system that is monitored online by a user

Minimize nickel contamination of cleaning tanks in Orafol Precision Technology’s electroforming process.

The main objective is to identify the maximum water flow tolerance of the Moses-Saunders Dam in order not to exceed the permissible limits of Lake St. Louis.

A renewed focus on environmental concerns means that fuel efficiency and emissions of engines are of significant importance. A current design for a mixing nozzle exists, but the fuel residence could be higher and the pressure drop could be lower. A longer fuel residence time ensures smooth distribution of fuel and a more efficient burn. A lower pressure drop means that less energy is lost by the motion of the fluid through the mixer.

Identify scenarios where DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) failure is likely to happen so that the trucking customer can be alerted in advance to avoid costly roadside breakdowns.

This project, sponsored by Waste Management, is interested in comparing two methods for the removal of PFAS from landfill leachate, foam separation and activated carbon adsorption. Justin King, Ashley Sibanda, Claire Wilson

MOTLEY (Main Organizing Terminal for Low Energy Usage) focuses on the creation of a Smart Home using a Raspberry Pi as the central device. Similar to the google home, we are able to control our in-house made and thoughtfully designed custom peripherals through the use of this Pi, granting our user the ability to remotely control various devices in their homes from their current location.

Our project was to implement a system of light reflectors that autonomously track the sun’s position and focus the light on a solar panel to maximize the incident light intensity and hence more power capture. The system was to be significantly cheap compared to buying multiple solar panels and capture more than double the solar power than using an ordinary solar panel.

The solar steam turbine is a design that uses a femtosecond laser-processed superwicking metal sheet to generate electricity via steam generation. Team Thermo wishes to thank the following for their time, effort, and assistance: Subhash Singh, Chunlie Guo, Greg Schmidt, Wayne Knox, Duncan Moore, Meir Brea, Ed Herger, and James […]

The Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) is a competition that is part of the annual American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s (ASME) E-fest. This competition requires that teams from various universities design a vehicle for safe, reliable, and efficient human powered transportation. The teams come together and race their vehicles in an endurance race and a drag race, as well as present their design to the HPVC judges.

MicroEra is a heat energy storage company that has had reduced efficiency in their storage tanks due to phase separation of phase change materials. Our project aims to improve the efficiency by adding a mixing system to the heat storage units.

Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project.

The Caldwell-Fay equation (2002) attempts to model what Lake Ontario’s current water level would be if dam construction had never taken place along the St. Lawrence Seaway (i.e. the natural hydraulic state of the lake). Newly unearthed Lake Ontario data going back to the 1860s has been discovered, and we had the rare opportunity to be the first to digitize and publicly analyze it. Since this data set predates any dam construction it actually captures the lake’s natural state. Therefore it can be used to verify Caldwell-Fey’s equation which is being used to govern the lake’s inflow and outflow rate on a daily basis.

Tow Tank devices are used in testing boat and aerodynamic models for things like aerodynamic drag and lift. These devices typically cost around $20,000 which is the reason not every school has access to such a device. Here in the University of Rochester, we don’t have our own tow tank device, but we do have a swimming pool, and a passion for solving problems. In this post, we are showcasing our prototype for a tow tank that can be assembled and used in the gym swimming pool. The cost of the prototype and the completed final device is less than $1000!

We are designing a device that will provide a cost-effective method for characterizing whether a particle in water is a plastic or nonplastic, as well as categorizing the subtype of plastic. The device will need to be effective on a scale of approximately one to five microns, which is the size of the microplastic particles.

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

Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard.

Cataracts, a hardness and opacifying of the lens, is the leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries where trained ophthalmologists are scarce. Our project is to develop a device to be used for a simplified cataract surgery that will insert a cylindrical intraocular lens into the cataract. By simplifying the procedure, more healthcare providers can be trained to perform the procedure, increasing the accessibility of cataract treatment in developing countries.

To design a cassette for a cost effective and fast HIV viral load assay to increase testing accessibility in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa where HIV rates are highly prevalent.

Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) launched a new survey to better understand the impact of COVID- 19 on community member’s income and basic needs as well as what community members need to be safe and financially secure. The goal of the project was to analyze the survey and responses to inform United Way which kind of assistance needs to be provided, and what features of living necessities are more important for the respondents.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we are developing a mask that offers superior function in a fraction of the manufacturing time when compared to many emerging 3D printed mask designs. The design offers an improved seal around the face that is more comfortable, a more robust/airtight filter housing, autoclavable materials, and a quicker manufacturing method. This will allow local and national entities looking to produce DIY masks a better, faster alternative to 3D printing.

A stationary unit designed to help facilitate the testing and storage of COVID-19 tests.

The project aim was: 1) Understand how the degree of mental health issues changed over time and space during COVID-19; 2) Find out what topics are people concerned about, and 3) Infer what group of people are more likely to have mental health issues.

Identify Near Infrared transparent polymers to simulate human tissue for surgical training applications at UR Medical Center.

Development of polymers to simulate kidney tissues for surgical training of medical students at UR Medical Center.

For spinal surgeons who face difficulty visualizing the nerve root during spinal decompressions, the Meramec suction/elevator is a surgical instrument that combines multiple instrument functions to free surgeons’ hands and increase OR efficiency. It combines the functionality and familiarity of existing suction tips and manual elevators with end effector geometry specific to the lumbar nerve roots, reducing the need to switch instruments. This improves OR workflow and increases patient safety.

Helmets in the NFL are not effective enough to safeguard the health of the players. Players sustain concussions which can not only bench them, but leave life-long brain damage from the accelerations experienced during impact. As part of the project to improve the helmet, simulations were used to test material properties of different components of football helmets, such as hard foams, soft foams, and the shell. Data from the simulations were analyzed with performance metrics provided by the NFL.

The goal of the project was to explore public perception on COVID-19 vaccine by analyzing social media platform data (Twitter).

This project, sponsored by Waste Management, is interested in comparing two methods for the removal of PFAS from landfill leachate, foam separation and activated carbon adsorption. Justin King, Ashley Sibanda, Claire Wilson

A smart water dispenser system able to dispense drinking water to the user while keeping track of daily intake amounts.

The surveying altimeter is a cheap, portable, and easy-to-use method of determining the relative height differences between points of interest.

Various post-operative complications may lead cardiac surgeons to opt for delayed sternal closure following open heart surgeries. Patients’ sterna are left open and they are cared for in the intensive care unit for 1-7 days. In the ICU, bedridden patients are turned to prevent pressure ulcers and for linen changes. During these turns, the sternal halves rotate and twist, potentially leading to injury or death. Our device stabilizes the sternal halves during transport and turning, greatly increasing patient safety.

Ten-μ solutions plans to introduce time and cost savings to the operating room (OR) through application-specific single-use instrumentation. Our instrument will allow surgeons to position and tension vessel loops at their discretion.

The main goal of this project is to build, assemble, and successfully test an accelerated testing machine for the India Mark II. In the India Mark II pump, the water gaskets wore off frequently during the pumping of water and needed frequent replacement which proved costly. To counter the problem, the project below proposes an accelerated testing machine composed of a slider-crank mechanism. The mechanism incorporated a flywheel driven by a motor that ensures continuous harmonic motion that replicates pumping mechanisms in the field. The mechanism was designed, simulated and a finite element analysis carried out in CAD software. These are covered in the report along with testing results and recommendations provided for improvement of future designs.​

Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project.

The Geriatric Oncology Research Team at URMC wants to better understand chemotherapy tolerability in vulnerable older adults.

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

In this project, we want to apply DSC and machine learning techniques to identify and analyze group communication and interaction patterns from the data collected, e.g. “Who interacts with whom” and “Who attended which breakout sessions”, which can function as an indicator of team performance, group intelligence and meeting efficiency. We can further use the information to increase the productivity of Un-meetings by modifying related elements.

This system is a cheaper alternative option to chemical water treatment meant to sterilize drinking water with UV-C light by controlling water flow in order to achieve proper irradiation time.

Stay motivated to keep up with your fitness goals by taking care of a virtual pet!

The goal of the project was to identify upsell opportunities for Paychex’s 401(k) service products to their existing clients.

Our senior design project is implementing an AI chess board. It uses Python and the popular chess engine Stockfish on a Raspberry Pi to show the user with LEDs where the computer would like to make its move. Our project was a success and could be used as a beginning step to make a more complex and intuitive chess board that plays chess against a user.

To spur museum membership growth, encourage donations from members, and increase overall museum revenue

Team Yihan Shao Chuqin Wu Melanie Xue Zihe Zheng Mentor Cantay Çalışkan Abstract The goal of this project is to forecast the pest pressure of Grape Powdery Mildew at a specific location to allow growers to treat this plant disease in time. We will experiment with various Time Series Forecasting […]

This project aims to build a model which detects features such as crosswalks and curb ramps at intersections in the city of Rochester.

The City of Rochester wants to understand if physical proximity to a convenience store or liquor store affects the likelihood of different types of part 1 crimes.

We were given a patient reported symptoms dataset PRO-CTCAE and applied a variety of clustering methods. The clusters were then statistically tested for associations with a selection of outcomes such as hospitalization. We found significant associations with clusters and outcomes and compared it to linear regression results.

Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) launched a new survey to better understand the impact of COVID- 19 on community member’s income and basic needs as well as what community members need to be safe and financially secure. The goal of the project was to analyze the survey and responses to inform United Way which kind of assistance needs to be provided, and what features of living necessities are more important for the respondents.

There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.

RTS is a regional transportation authority established by New York State and the goal of the project is to find the potential reasons for preventable accidents caused by bus operators. First, descriptive and exploratory analysis is performed on all the data provided and driver-related variables and environmental-related variables. Then, frequent pattern mining is applied and conditional probabilities are calculated for the accident history of operators with high risk of accidents to extract accident patterns.

Development of a telehealth platform that provides digital optical prescriptions, making high quality vision accessible to everyone.

Team Xiaoen Ding Jiecheng Gu Sung Beom Park Joseph Smith Mentor Ajay Anand Sponsor Lisa Altman Gretchen Briscoe Abstract The Goergen Institute for Data Science wants to understand the types of institutions and programs that students are choosing to attend. Thus, the goal of this project is to better understand […]

Team Qianqian Gu (Project Manager) Wei Wu Chen Yao Hanyang Zhang Mentor Ajay Anand Abstract The Goergen Institute for Data Science (GIDS) masters admission office wants to better understand applicants’ decisions and the overall application cycle from 2015 to 2021. The goal of this project is to generate meaningful insights […]

The project aim was: 1) Understand how the degree of mental health issues changed over time and space during COVID-19; 2) Find out what topics are people concerned about, and 3) Infer what group of people are more likely to have mental health issues.

The project supported the goal of UR Utilities and Energy Management deparment to improve the efficiency of chilled water production through predictive modeling

This project uses the luminescence of the nighttime sky as a predictive features for economic activity.

The main objective is to identify the maximum water flow tolerance of the Moses-Saunders Dam in order not to exceed the permissible limits of Lake St. Louis.

Identify scenarios where DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) failure is likely to happen so that the trucking customer can be alerted in advance to avoid costly roadside breakdowns.

The goal of the project was to explore public perception on COVID-19 vaccine by analyzing social media platform data (Twitter).

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.

Team Yihe Chen Harry Huang Junting Chen Kehan Yu Mentor Cantay Caliskan Abstract Predictive Analytics for Demand Responsive Para- transportation Vision & Goal ● Create a productive schedule for Demand Responsive Para-transportation by predicting the customers’ cancellation. ● Provide executable Python code and classification model. ● Discover best performance metrics. […]

MOTLEY (Main Organizing Terminal for Low Energy Usage) focuses on the creation of a Smart Home using a Raspberry Pi as the central device. Similar to the google home, we are able to control our in-house made and thoughtfully designed custom peripherals through the use of this Pi, granting our user the ability to remotely control various devices in their homes from their current location.

This project investigates the associations between geriatric assessment based features and relative dose intensity of chemotherapy. It is at the first few phases of Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Ger Oncology Research team at University of Rochester Medical Center. The team refined the data preprocessing pipeline, built predictive models and employed feature selection on the dataset, providing insightful suggestions for future work in cancer studies.

The Geriatric Oncology Research Team at URMC wants to better understand chemotherapy tolerability in vulnerable older adults.

This project aims to observe, visualize, and model the trends in which COVID-19 patients at the University of Medical Center were allocated ventilators. Descriptive analyses are performed to investigate the relationships between variables such as but not limited to recovery rate and length of ventilator allocation and gender, race, and age.

In this project, we want to apply DSC and machine learning techniques to identify and analyze group communication and interaction patterns from the data collected, e.g. “Who interacts with whom” and “Who attended which breakout sessions”, which can function as an indicator of team performance, group intelligence and meeting efficiency. We can further use the information to increase the productivity of Un-meetings by modifying related elements.

The Caldwell-Fay equation (2002) attempts to model what Lake Ontario’s current water level would be if dam construction had never taken place along the St. Lawrence Seaway (i.e. the natural hydraulic state of the lake). Newly unearthed Lake Ontario data going back to the 1860s has been discovered, and we had the rare opportunity to be the first to digitize and publicly analyze it. Since this data set predates any dam construction it actually captures the lake’s natural state. Therefore it can be used to verify Caldwell-Fey’s equation which is being used to govern the lake’s inflow and outflow rate on a daily basis.

Team Steven Dai Zachary Mustin Uzoma Ohajekwe Duy Pham Sponsor Vnomics Corporation Matt Mayo Mentor Prof. Ajay Anand Abstract Our task is to predict imminent failures in Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) of truck trailers up to fourteen days before breakdown occurs and to identify critical indicators of DPF failures. Upon […]

Several optomechanical applications have a need for a 360° kinematic mounting system capable of withstanding thermal loading due to heat generation from electronic devices. It is advantageous for optical systems to have a repeatable and controlled, known distance between devices such as optics, sensors, light sources, mirrors or assorted non-optical sensors. The team was able to design a thermally stable spaceframe solution, capable of reducing movement of any assembled components to minimal displacements on the order of microns.

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

Enable self-sustaining biochar production by reclamation of process by-products.

Automation of feedstock delivery for creation of biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen.

Our senior design project is implementing an AI chess board. It uses Python and the popular chess engine Stockfish on a Raspberry Pi to show the user with LEDs where the computer would like to make its move. Our project was a success and could be used as a beginning step to make a more complex and intuitive chess board that plays chess against a user.

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.

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

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

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester is in need of a portable and educational display that showcases the mission and capabilities of the facility. The project is a representative and visually captivating model that demonstrates the laser amplification process of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA). This technique was invented by the LLE and revolutionized the industry.

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

Our team, along with Drill Powered Carts A have built a fully functioning, energy-efficient, and sustainable vehicle, which will be powered by a single electric power drill. By doing this, each team hopes to not only show people that electric-powered transportation is possible, reliable, and easy but, whose cart is the best. The two teams will face off in an endurance race to see which cart can make the most laps around a race track at the University of Rochester River Campus. This will show which team has the most optimized mechanical design.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

The project goal was to create methods to control the brakes, steering angle, and accelerator position of a Baja SAE off-road vehicle in a manner that allows the remote driving of the car. The team has created detailed models, simulations, and system documentation to ensure a strong foundation for the continuation of the project in the coming year. This project hopes to create new opportunities for future undergraduates to work on problems related to autonomous vehicles.

Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy.

Make a low cost system to measure mini-scale object displacement.

Analysis of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) chemical solutions’ inkjet printability through range of solution concentrations.

L3Harris Technologies is an American defense company that builds a variety of mechanical, optical, and electrical systems. The Rochester division designs and builds systems for space applications. Optical space telescopes are widely used in both Earth and astrophysical observations and play a major role in scientific and national security. For optical telescopes to function properly and take clear images, their optics must be precisely aligned to focus light. However, during the launch of the telescope, the relative positions of these optics can change. The goal of the project is to build a mechanism to finely adjust the position of these optics to enhance resolution and accuracy of the telescope images. This improved image quality has significant implications for both terrestrial and space observations with applications to scientific research and national security.

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.

For spinal surgeons who face difficulty visualizing the nerve root during spinal decompressions, the Meramec suction/elevator is a surgical instrument that combines multiple instrument functions to free surgeons’ hands and increase OR efficiency. It combines the functionality and familiarity of existing suction tips and manual elevators with end effector geometry specific to the lumbar nerve roots, reducing the need to switch instruments. This improves OR workflow and increases patient safety.

Minimize nickel contamination of cleaning tanks in Orafol Precision Technology’s electroforming process.

A renewed focus on environmental concerns means that fuel efficiency and emissions of engines are of significant importance. A current design for a mixing nozzle exists, but the fuel residence could be higher and the pressure drop could be lower. A longer fuel residence time ensures smooth distribution of fuel and a more efficient burn. A lower pressure drop means that less energy is lost by the motion of the fluid through the mixer.

Helmets in the NFL are not effective enough to safeguard the health of the players. Players sustain concussions which can not only bench them, but leave life-long brain damage from the accelerations experienced during impact. As part of the project to improve the helmet, simulations were used to test material properties of different components of football helmets, such as hard foams, soft foams, and the shell. Data from the simulations were analyzed with performance metrics provided by the NFL.

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

Creation of atmospherically-controlled chamber for UV degradation testing of novel OLED materials for Molecular Glasses, Inc.

Our project focuses on solving the need to decrease the amount of muscle obstruction during minimally invasive lumbar surgeries in order to increase the surgeon’s visualization of the surgical field. We developed a medical device that decreases the muscle obstruction by expanding an inflatable at the base of a cylindrical port. The product was tested in a PVA mixture that resembles similar material characteristics as muscle which proved the plausibility and efficacy of the concept.

Identify inexpensive process for in-house purification of motion picture film dye for Kodak.

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

Controlled, rapid-cooling chamber for initiated chemical vapor deposition of thin film polymers.

Characterize LiDestri Food and Drink portfolio of spaghetti sauces to optimize manufacturing process.

Various post-operative complications may lead cardiac surgeons to opt for delayed sternal closure following open heart surgeries. Patients’ sterna are left open and they are cared for in the intensive care unit for 1-7 days. In the ICU, bedridden patients are turned to prevent pressure ulcers and for linen changes. During these turns, the sternal halves rotate and twist, potentially leading to injury or death. Our device stabilizes the sternal halves during transport and turning, greatly increasing patient safety.

The Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) is a competition that is part of the annual American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s (ASME) E-fest. This competition requires that teams from various universities design a vehicle for safe, reliable, and efficient human powered transportation. The teams come together and race their vehicles in an endurance race and a drag race, as well as present their design to the HPVC judges.

Ten-μ solutions plans to introduce time and cost savings to the operating room (OR) through application-specific single-use instrumentation. Our instrument will allow surgeons to position and tension vessel loops at their discretion.

Our project is to design a device that can quantitatively measure the securement of a tracheostomy, therefore, prevent postoperative complications and provide hospital staff with more information for further research. Because of the COVID-19 situation, we have changed our project from designing an actual prototype to focusing more on theoretical mechanisms so that it will be able to be manufactured in the future.

Retrofitting a forklift with an open-source autonomous-warehousing system.

Tow Tank devices are used in testing boat and aerodynamic models for things like aerodynamic drag and lift. These devices typically cost around $20,000 which is the reason not every school has access to such a device. Here in the University of Rochester, we don’t have our own tow tank device, but we do have a swimming pool, and a passion for solving problems. In this post, we are showcasing our prototype for a tow tank that can be assembled and used in the gym swimming pool. The cost of the prototype and the completed final device is less than $1000!

We are designing a device that will provide a cost-effective method for characterizing whether a particle in water is a plastic or nonplastic, as well as categorizing the subtype of plastic. The device will need to be effective on a scale of approximately one to five microns, which is the size of the microplastic particles.

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

The Nanostructure AR coating project aims to Investigate and model nanostructure AR coatings on OptiLayer and OptiRE software.

Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard.

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

A high-resolution fluid deposition system for use with Waveguide-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy sensors.

Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy.

Analysis of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) chemical solutions’ inkjet printability through range of solution concentrations.

Identify Near Infrared transparent polymers to simulate human tissue for surgical training applications at UR Medical Center.

Development of polymers to simulate kidney tissues for surgical training of medical students at UR Medical Center.

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.

A renewed focus on environmental concerns means that fuel efficiency and emissions of engines are of significant importance. A current design for a mixing nozzle exists, but the fuel residence could be higher and the pressure drop could be lower. A longer fuel residence time ensures smooth distribution of fuel and a more efficient burn. A lower pressure drop means that less energy is lost by the motion of the fluid through the mixer.

Helmets in the NFL are not effective enough to safeguard the health of the players. Players sustain concussions which can not only bench them, but leave life-long brain damage from the accelerations experienced during impact. As part of the project to improve the helmet, simulations were used to test material properties of different components of football helmets, such as hard foams, soft foams, and the shell. Data from the simulations were analyzed with performance metrics provided by the NFL.

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

Identify inexpensive process for in-house purification of motion picture film dye for Kodak.

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

Controlled, rapid-cooling chamber for initiated chemical vapor deposition of thin film polymers.

Characterize LiDestri Food and Drink portfolio of spaghetti sauces to optimize manufacturing process.

Ten-μ solutions plans to introduce time and cost savings to the operating room (OR) through application-specific single-use instrumentation. Our instrument will allow surgeons to position and tension vessel loops at their discretion.

Test and identify novel gasket polymers to extend operation of Ugandan Water Project-installed India Mark II handpumps serving millions of people fresh, clean water.

A device to detect urinary incontinence due to loss of bladder control.

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

Designing an accurate abscess model for photodynamic therapy testing.

A new wireless controller for the Action Trackchair to allow for use by a caregiver of those unable to control the chair on their own.

A surgical simulator with realistic sensory feedback for total knee replacement surgery training.

An adaptor device able to attach to a ventilation/anesthesia mask to improve gaseous medication delivery to patients with facial hair.

Our team is working to design and develop a functional bladder phantom that sits in a model of the human torso. This model is to be used in the validation and testing efforts of our customer, Curbell Medical’s, bladder bioimpedance sensor device. The model must be anatomically comparable to that of the average human in terms of both structure and function.

To create a device that is minimally invasive that will be used to measure a patient’s blood composition (hematocrit and blood plasma) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to track changes in blood volume.

BrainFreeze is creating a brain temperature probe noninvasive to cerebral parenchymal tissue. The purpose of this probe is to monitor selective hypothermia during stroke intervention procedures in the operating room.

An improved training model for endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting.​

Brief Description: vasSecure aims to decrease carotid artery dissection rates during Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedures by improving access and stability. The device allows surgeons to properly tension the artery while distributing the applied force, allowing surgeons to perform the minimally-invasive procedure effectively and reduce the risk of trauma to the artery.

Cataracts, a hardness and opacifying of the lens, is the leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries where trained ophthalmologists are scarce. Our project is to develop a device to be used for a simplified cataract surgery that will insert a cylindrical intraocular lens into the cataract. By simplifying the procedure, more healthcare providers can be trained to perform the procedure, increasing the accessibility of cataract treatment in developing countries.

The cautery phantom senior design team will engineer and improve a system that will arrest artificial blood flow in response to electrocautery in a tissue phantom manufactured by Simulated Inanimate Models, LLC (SIM). To solve this problem, we have investigated methods of vessel constriction by lining the tissue phantom blood vessel wall with a thermoresponsive material, coagulating the artificial blood by introducing proteins and chemicals into the mixture, and by making the blood vessel with a shape memory polymer.

We were given a patient reported symptoms dataset PRO-CTCAE and applied a variety of clustering methods. The clusters were then statistically tested for associations with a selection of outcomes such as hospitalization. We found significant associations with clusters and outcomes and compared it to linear regression results.

To design a cassette for a cost effective and fast HIV viral load assay to increase testing accessibility in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa where HIV rates are highly prevalent.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we are developing a mask that offers superior function in a fraction of the manufacturing time when compared to many emerging 3D printed mask designs. The design offers an improved seal around the face that is more comfortable, a more robust/airtight filter housing, autoclavable materials, and a quicker manufacturing method. This will allow local and national entities looking to produce DIY masks a better, faster alternative to 3D printing.

A surgical drain is placed within an internal wound site to prevent fluid from accumulating in the body throughout the patient’s recovery. A suture is currently used to secure the drain to the patient but has multiple shortcomings including infection risk and failure over time. We have worked alongside Dr. Sara Neimanis to create a new securement device that minimizes infection while durably securing the drain over extended periods of time.

A stationary unit designed to help facilitate the testing and storage of COVID-19 tests.

A method to capture calcium debris in order to limit stroke incidence.

A benchtop inline analyzer to measure the concentration of urea in spent dialysate.

Creating an affordable, accessible, and effective home exercise device to target chronic knee pain.

A cervical orthotic for patients experiencing head drop due to neuromuscular diseases, such as ALS. The brace will focus on support, comfort, and controlled motion.

Identify Near Infrared transparent polymers to simulate human tissue for surgical training applications at UR Medical Center.

Development of polymers to simulate kidney tissues for surgical training of medical students at UR Medical Center.

Lip damage can occur during the intubation procedure with a laryngoscope. One way to mitigate this would be to create a training tool that will improve the users’ awareness of the lips during intubation. Therefore, we will design a system to alert the user of impending and imminent upper lip damage that can be used with the Macintosh laryngoscope blade.

ML Based classification model to detect triage level for patients arriving at trauma centre, and thus allocate appropriate resources. This was achieved using patients’ data from URMC (Department of Paediatrics).

For spinal surgeons who face difficulty visualizing the nerve root during spinal decompressions, the Meramec suction/elevator is a surgical instrument that combines multiple instrument functions to free surgeons’ hands and increase OR efficiency. It combines the functionality and familiarity of existing suction tips and manual elevators with end effector geometry specific to the lumbar nerve roots, reducing the need to switch instruments. This improves OR workflow and increases patient safety.

Mesh deployment device used during laparoscopic procedures to prevent hernia

The MRS is a specimen retrieval device that offers surgeons a way to remove malignant specimens during laparoscopic procedures without significantly widening minimally invasive incisions. The proposed device would use expandable braided sleeving to elongate and radially compress large tissue specimens for extraction through the initial incision. Use of this device would allow surgeons to remove large tissue samples through smaller incisions to reduce patient pain, recovery time, postoperative pain and length of hospital stay.

A novel surgical caliper to measure the width of the facet joint during a laminectomy.

A minimally invasive instrument designed to increase fusion rates in percutaneous spinal fusions.

A major challenge presented by the COVID-19 crisis is the limited number of caregivers that can attend to the influx of patients requiring ventilators. Our alarm app and sensor system allows caregivers to monitor the real-time performance of conventional and novel ventilators for multiple patients at once. Such data could be used to compare trends in current patient outcomes with previously recorded ventilator data. This would allow clinicians to foresee complications and make more informed decisions in treating similar diseases.

Skin grafts are commonly used for wound closure and are cut with a mesh pattern to expand their coverage area. They are thin, delicate, painful to harvest, and easily damaged during traditional meshing. We observed need for a method to mesh skin grafts that is less prone to failure. Optigraft addresses this problem with technology that not only executes precise cuts without damage, but also measures the wound sites to allow for planning of optimal graft size and expansion ratio.

A creative device to protect medical professional from radiation with females physiques in mind

The Hybrid Endoscope/Microscope project is a senior design project that aims to design and build a system that combines the endoscope’s view and the microscope’s view during ENT surgery.

The aim of this project was to design a device capable of removing impacted food boluses in pediatric patients both more efficiently and more quickly compared to current industry standards.

The Portico Laminoplasty Fixation System allows surgeons to perform open-door laminoplasty using only one fastener.

Our project focuses on solving the need to decrease the amount of muscle obstruction during minimally invasive lumbar surgeries in order to increase the surgeon’s visualization of the surgical field. We developed a medical device that decreases the muscle obstruction by expanding an inflatable at the base of a cylindrical port. The product was tested in a PVA mixture that resembles similar material characteristics as muscle which proved the plausibility and efficacy of the concept.

Tibial shaft fractures are a common injury and may require surgical intervention. During our team’s observation of trauma surgeries at Strong Memorial Hospital, we found the procedure was inefficient. Tools used to align bone may move, and people holding alignment are prone to fatigue. Each time a tool moves, alignment is checked or redone using X-ray. Our device clamps to the surgical bed and locks the position of instruments reducing staff needed to hold alignment and increasing efficiency.

A device to collect an adequately sized bone biopsy sample on the first try.

A new mechanism for patient transfers that will minimize the prevalence of back injuries in nurses during lateral patient transfers, while sustaining the safety of the patients.

Various post-operative complications may lead cardiac surgeons to opt for delayed sternal closure following open heart surgeries. Patients’ sterna are left open and they are cared for in the intensive care unit for 1-7 days. In the ICU, bedridden patients are turned to prevent pressure ulcers and for linen changes. During these turns, the sternal halves rotate and twist, potentially leading to injury or death. Our device stabilizes the sternal halves during transport and turning, greatly increasing patient safety.

Ten-μ solutions plans to introduce time and cost savings to the operating room (OR) through application-specific single-use instrumentation. Our instrument will allow surgeons to position and tension vessel loops at their discretion.

After a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, some patients experience infection at the surgical site. This infection is often associated with the formation of bacterial biofilm, and in order to treat this, the surgeon must remove and replace the implant with the risk of reduced mobility and bone fraction. Our project is to develop a medical device to eradicate the biofilm without the necessity to remove the orthopedic implant.

Our project is to design a device that can quantitatively measure the securement of a tracheostomy, therefore, prevent postoperative complications and provide hospital staff with more information for further research. Because of the COVID-19 situation, we have changed our project from designing an actual prototype to focusing more on theoretical mechanisms so that it will be able to be manufactured in the future.

Undesired motion of the Sonavex, Inc. EchoSure probe is often imparted during the vascular ultrasound imaging process, leading to undesired artifacts within the collected scans that can render the data unusable.We have developed a device to stabilize the ultrasound probe; in doing so, it will be possible to help minimize additional movement and obtain better-quality images of AV fistulas without as many motion disturbances.

A device to detect urinary incontinence due to loss of bladder control.

This project investigates the associations between geriatric assessment based features and relative dose intensity of chemotherapy. It is at the first few phases of Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Ger Oncology Research team at University of Rochester Medical Center. The team refined the data preprocessing pipeline, built predictive models and employed feature selection on the dataset, providing insightful suggestions for future work in cancer studies.

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

A wireless Video Oculography system with two cameras to efficiently and accurately diagnose vestibular disorders

This system is a cheaper alternative option to chemical water treatment meant to sterilize drinking water with UV-C light by controlling water flow in order to achieve proper irradiation time.

Several optomechanical applications have a need for a 360° kinematic mounting system capable of withstanding thermal loading due to heat generation from electronic devices. It is advantageous for optical systems to have a repeatable and controlled, known distance between devices such as optics, sensors, light sources, mirrors or assorted non-optical sensors. The team was able to design a thermally stable spaceframe solution, capable of reducing movement of any assembled components to minimal displacements on the order of microns.

Designing a Hadamard gate on an integrated Silicon photonic chip

Designing an accurate abscess model for photodynamic therapy testing.

The Nanostructure AR coating project aims to Investigate and model nanostructure AR coatings on OptiLayer and OptiRE software.

Venturing into the fully reflective design space to find a wide angle telescopic design that is parallax corrected so that they can be tiled to capture a much higher field of view.

Cataracts, a hardness and opacifying of the lens, is the leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries where trained ophthalmologists are scarce. Our project is to develop a device to be used for a simplified cataract surgery that will insert a cylindrical intraocular lens into the cataract. By simplifying the procedure, more healthcare providers can be trained to perform the procedure, increasing the accessibility of cataract treatment in developing countries.

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester is in need of a portable and educational display that showcases the mission and capabilities of the facility. The project is a representative and visually captivating model that demonstrates the laser amplification process of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA). This technique was invented by the LLE and revolutionized the industry.

A 360° tessellated, parallax-reduced, cinema camera system.

We designed an optical system for a NASA ROSES proposal. The system would be housed within a CubeSat and study Zodiacal light.

Determining where best to locate estimate phase screens when correcting volume turbulence through post-processing

Development of a telehealth platform that provides digital optical prescriptions, making high quality vision accessible to everyone.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

Make a low cost system to measure mini-scale object displacement.

Students at the Mary Cariola Center with visual impairments are attracted to light in rooms, often pulling their attention away from the teachers/lesson to look upwards at the ceiling lights. Lighted surfaces that provide contrast can help students focus on that surface and on any activity being performed on the lighted surface. The team was tasked with creating a mat suitable for children that illuminates in order to draw the student’s attention downward.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

Jonathan Musgrave Advisor: Dr. Jake Bromage Optical Parametric Chirp Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) is an intensely researched topic and has gained a lot of traction in the past 25 years for the continued development of ultrashort pulse generation. A precise control and knowledge of a systems spectral and spatial phase is […]

Team Rachel Chan Zihao Li Sinabu Pumulo Mentor Brandon Zimmerman Abstract The Clear Eye Test is a virtual eye prescription platform that measures refractive error of the eye with a test that can be taken with just a computer, bypassing the need for traditional optometry visits. It aims to: 1) […]

L3Harris Technologies is an American defense company that builds a variety of mechanical, optical, and electrical systems. The Rochester division designs and builds systems for space applications. Optical space telescopes are widely used in both Earth and astrophysical observations and play a major role in scientific and national security. For optical telescopes to function properly and take clear images, their optics must be precisely aligned to focus light. However, during the launch of the telescope, the relative positions of these optics can change. The goal of the project is to build a mechanism to finely adjust the position of these optics to enhance resolution and accuracy of the telescope images. This improved image quality has significant implications for both terrestrial and space observations with applications to scientific research and national security.

This senior design-driven project creates accurate Zemax ray-tracing models of the human eye to evaluate diffractive-refractive hybrid contact lenses for correcting wavefront error and chromatic aberration. The eventual goal is to apply the technology to school-aged children to prevent the progression of myopia development.

Have you heard of an AR coating without actually coating any materials while working for a wide bandwidth from UV to IR? That is the nanostructure coating.

Mission Statement The goal of our project is to create a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) telescope that provides an engaging and educational experience for kids. The telescope will come fully disassembled, empowering kids by giving them the opportunity to put it together and align it themselves. The telescope has been design with […]

Improving silicon photomultiplier bandwidth for fast, low-signal applications.

The Hybrid Endoscope/Microscope project is a senior design project that aims to design and build a system that combines the endoscope’s view and the microscope’s view during ENT surgery.

Investigating indistinguishable single-photon sources in the visible range.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

Investigation and analysis of creating mirror fields to deflect the primary electron beam with charged materials. Electron mirrors produce a fisheye view of the interior of the SEM sample chamber.

We designed an interactive and educational imaging system. The guest will be able to project an image onto a screen.

A one or two sentence description of your project.

An indoor lighting system designed to simulate the sun.

The solar steam turbine is a design that uses a femtosecond laser-processed superwicking metal sheet to generate electricity via steam generation. Team Thermo wishes to thank the following for their time, effort, and assistance: Subhash Singh, Chunlie Guo, Greg Schmidt, Wayne Knox, Duncan Moore, Meir Brea, Ed Herger, and James […]

A one or two sentence description of your project.

A wireless Video Oculography system with two cameras to efficiently and accurately diagnose vestibular disorders

Exploring mechanical solutions to reduce the effects of turbulence on the Zygo Verifire™ interferometer

Probability distributions of work and entropy of a qubit engine powered by simultaneous weak quantum measurements.

Improving closed-loop wavefront correction speed for primate retinal imaging.

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

Enable self-sustaining biochar production by reclamation of process by-products.

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.

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.

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

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

A high-resolution fluid deposition system for use with Waveguide-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy sensors.

Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy.

Analysis of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) chemical solutions’ inkjet printability through range of solution concentrations.

An automated hydroponic plant growth system that is monitored online by a user

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.

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

Creation of atmospherically-controlled chamber for UV degradation testing of novel OLED materials for Molecular Glasses, Inc.

Identify inexpensive process for in-house purification of motion picture film dye for Kodak.

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

Controlled, rapid-cooling chamber for initiated chemical vapor deposition of thin film polymers.

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.

Characterize LiDestri Food and Drink portfolio of spaghetti sauces to optimize manufacturing process.

Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project.

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

Using the interactive detection robot, the user will be able to wirelessly control the device and visually see its surroundings using the camera module. The RPLidar enables a 360° view of the robot’s environment.

Robotic control is becoming increasingly integral across many disciplines and industries. Understanding the fundamentals of robotic control evolves people’s way of life into a more convenient and efficient epoch. Here in University of Rochester, robotics courses enable students to have basic hand-on learning experience over robotic control systems. This robotic steering system team is aiming at designing an inexpensive but reliable, and easy to replicate solution which fits the needs to teach the robotics courses at University of Rochester.

Creating an accurate SLAM estimation for indoor obstacle mapping, exploration, and flight execution.

Retrofitting a forklift with an open-source autonomous-warehousing system.

A surgical simulator with realistic sensory feedback for total knee replacement surgery training.

Our team is working to design and develop a functional bladder phantom that sits in a model of the human torso. This model is to be used in the validation and testing efforts of our customer, Curbell Medical’s, bladder bioimpedance sensor device. The model must be anatomically comparable to that of the average human in terms of both structure and function.

The cautery phantom senior design team will engineer and improve a system that will arrest artificial blood flow in response to electrocautery in a tissue phantom manufactured by Simulated Inanimate Models, LLC (SIM). To solve this problem, we have investigated methods of vessel constriction by lining the tissue phantom blood vessel wall with a thermoresponsive material, coagulating the artificial blood by introducing proteins and chemicals into the mixture, and by making the blood vessel with a shape memory polymer.

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester is in need of a portable and educational display that showcases the mission and capabilities of the facility. The project is a representative and visually captivating model that demonstrates the laser amplification process of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA). This technique was invented by the LLE and revolutionized the industry.

The project goal was to create methods to control the brakes, steering angle, and accelerator position of a Baja SAE off-road vehicle in a manner that allows the remote driving of the car. The team has created detailed models, simulations, and system documentation to ensure a strong foundation for the continuation of the project in the coming year. This project hopes to create new opportunities for future undergraduates to work on problems related to autonomous vehicles.

Development of polymers to simulate kidney tissues for surgical training of medical students at UR Medical Center.

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.

For spinal surgeons who face difficulty visualizing the nerve root during spinal decompressions, the Meramec suction/elevator is a surgical instrument that combines multiple instrument functions to free surgeons’ hands and increase OR efficiency. It combines the functionality and familiarity of existing suction tips and manual elevators with end effector geometry specific to the lumbar nerve roots, reducing the need to switch instruments. This improves OR workflow and increases patient safety.

A renewed focus on environmental concerns means that fuel efficiency and emissions of engines are of significant importance. A current design for a mixing nozzle exists, but the fuel residence could be higher and the pressure drop could be lower. A longer fuel residence time ensures smooth distribution of fuel and a more efficient burn. A lower pressure drop means that less energy is lost by the motion of the fluid through the mixer.

Helmets in the NFL are not effective enough to safeguard the health of the players. Players sustain concussions which can not only bench them, but leave life-long brain damage from the accelerations experienced during impact. As part of the project to improve the helmet, simulations were used to test material properties of different components of football helmets, such as hard foams, soft foams, and the shell. Data from the simulations were analyzed with performance metrics provided by the NFL.

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.

The project aims to design a steering system for robots used in various ECE courses. The robotic system has issues with lifetime, maneuverability, and mobility. The new model was designed with an aim to direct most of the off-axis load into the chassis while still maintaining the capability of the DC motor driving the wheel. These improvements helped in significantly increasing the lifetime of the motors. Additionally, the ability to steer each wheel independently increased the mobility of the robot.

Modern mechanical engineers utilize computers but do not fully understand how the computer performs its computations. Understanding the fundamentals will give them a better understanding to the limitation of traditional computing. To address this gap between functionality and understanding, we built a 4ft by 6ft physical 3-bit adder to blow up the tiny processes that go on inside of a computer. Using a system of logic gates, where marbles act as inputs and outputs, our machine is able to add numbers 7 and below to each other and produce an output in binary.

Creating an accurate SLAM estimation for indoor obstacle mapping, exploration, and flight execution.

The main goal of this project is to build, assemble, and successfully test an accelerated testing machine for the India Mark II. In the India Mark II pump, the water gaskets wore off frequently during the pumping of water and needed frequent replacement which proved costly. To counter the problem, the project below proposes an accelerated testing machine composed of a slider-crank mechanism. The mechanism incorporated a flywheel driven by a motor that ensures continuous harmonic motion that replicates pumping mechanisms in the field. The mechanism was designed, simulated and a finite element analysis carried out in CAD software. These are covered in the report along with testing results and recommendations provided for improvement of future designs.​

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

Tow Tank devices are used in testing boat and aerodynamic models for things like aerodynamic drag and lift. These devices typically cost around $20,000 which is the reason not every school has access to such a device. Here in the University of Rochester, we don’t have our own tow tank device, but we do have a swimming pool, and a passion for solving problems. In this post, we are showcasing our prototype for a tow tank that can be assembled and used in the gym swimming pool. The cost of the prototype and the completed final device is less than $1000!

Our senior design project is implementing an AI chess board. It uses Python and the popular chess engine Stockfish on a Raspberry Pi to show the user with LEDs where the computer would like to make its move. Our project was a success and could be used as a beginning step to make a more complex and intuitive chess board that plays chess against a user.

Our team, along with Drill Powered Carts A have built a fully functioning, energy-efficient, and sustainable vehicle, which will be powered by a single electric power drill. By doing this, each team hopes to not only show people that electric-powered transportation is possible, reliable, and easy but, whose cart is the best. The two teams will face off in an endurance race to see which cart can make the most laps around a race track at the University of Rochester River Campus. This will show which team has the most optimized mechanical design.

Several problems are being addressed with the project at hand. The main one, however, is a heavily discussed and often times argued about problem: global warming. As of 2019, there are over 276 million vehicles registered in the United States alone. Those carbon emissions add up quickly. If people want to increase the longevity of the earth and allow it to continue long enough to support their kids and grandkids, then it might be time to make a change. This change comes in the form of renewable resources and renewable energy, and that is exactly what the drill powered cart team plans to show throughout the project.

Creating an affordable, accessible, and effective home exercise device to target chronic knee pain.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center asked for help designing an interactive exhibit to honor Georgena Terry. The team designed a stationary bicycle where the saddle and the handlebars move in the vertical and horizontal direction with motors. A system was designed in order to determine and display the power output from the rider. When on the bicycle, the rider can fluidly adjust the bike geometry and be able to see how changing each dimension affects the power they produce.

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.

Helmets in the NFL are not effective enough to safeguard the health of the players. Players sustain concussions which can not only bench them, but leave life-long brain damage from the accelerations experienced during impact. As part of the project to improve the helmet, simulations were used to test material properties of different components of football helmets, such as hard foams, soft foams, and the shell. Data from the simulations were analyzed with performance metrics provided by the NFL.

A smart water dispenser system able to dispense drinking water to the user while keeping track of daily intake amounts.

The Children’s section at the Pittsford Community Library has three main spaces for play. While the two-spaces, located on the main level, are well defined and engaging for children with interactive elements, the project was to create a new interactive display for the third space located on the upper level.

Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard.

An improved training model for endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting.​

Hutchison Hall is home to the Biology department. However, there’s a lack of understanding regarding all research undertaken by the department. Hanging physical models can bring exposure to the department and create a vibrant and joyous community inside the Hutchison Hall. ​ The Eurypterid Team’s models are designed to represent the Jaekelopterus, a genus of the Eurypterid species. These models will be about 9 feet in length. The motorized tail and claws will be triggered through infrared motion sensors. ​

Make a low cost system to measure mini-scale object displacement.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center asked for help designing an interactive exhibit to honor Georgena Terry. The team designed a stationary bicycle where the saddle and the handlebars move in the vertical and horizontal direction with motors. A system was designed in order to determine and display the power output from the rider. When on the bicycle, the rider can fluidly adjust the bike geometry and be able to see how changing each dimension affects the power they produce.

An automated hydroponic plant growth system that is monitored online by a user

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.

Mission Statement The goal of our project is to create a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) telescope that provides an engaging and educational experience for kids. The telescope will come fully disassembled, empowering kids by giving them the opportunity to put it together and align it themselves. The telescope has been design with […]

The Pittsford Community Library Team was tasked to design and manufacture an interactive ball maze machine. Upon completion, the model will be moved and displayed within the children’s lofted play area of the Pittsford Community Library. The main goal of this project was to deliver a fully functioning ball maze display, decorated with laser cut wooden designs of landmarks across Rochester. Combining elements of STEM and history, the team hoped to create a fun and educational display that children, as well as all library visitors, can enjoy.

An exhibit for the Rochester Museum and Science Center that aims to expose the viewers to the concept of vibrations in an engaging and interactive manner.

The Virtual Optics Suitcase makes engaging optics demonstrations accessible, encouraging careers in STEM.

The surveying altimeter is a cheap, portable, and easy-to-use method of determining the relative height differences between points of interest.

Modern mechanical engineers utilize computers but do not fully understand how the computer performs its computations. Understanding the fundamentals will give them a better understanding to the limitation of traditional computing. To address this gap between functionality and understanding, we built a 4ft by 6ft physical 3-bit adder to blow up the tiny processes that go on inside of a computer. Using a system of logic gates, where marbles act as inputs and outputs, our machine is able to add numbers 7 and below to each other and produce an output in binary.

Stay motivated to keep up with your fitness goals by taking care of a virtual pet!

Our team, along with Drill Powered Carts A have built a fully functioning, energy-efficient, and sustainable vehicle, which will be powered by a single electric power drill. By doing this, each team hopes to not only show people that electric-powered transportation is possible, reliable, and easy but, whose cart is the best. The two teams will face off in an endurance race to see which cart can make the most laps around a race track at the University of Rochester River Campus. This will show which team has the most optimized mechanical design.

Several problems are being addressed with the project at hand. The main one, however, is a heavily discussed and often times argued about problem: global warming. As of 2019, there are over 276 million vehicles registered in the United States alone. Those carbon emissions add up quickly. If people want to increase the longevity of the earth and allow it to continue long enough to support their kids and grandkids, then it might be time to make a change. This change comes in the form of renewable resources and renewable energy, and that is exactly what the drill powered cart team plans to show throughout the project.

Human-powered submarines are underwater vessels that are driven solely by the power of a human pilot. The Foundation for Underwater Research and Education (FURE) has put on the International Submarine Races (ISR) for several years. In the past, teams from around the world have traveled to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division to compete and race with their human-powered submarine designs. With an in-person event not possible this year, a virtual event (vISR) will be taking place instead. The Human Powered Submarine team set out to tackle specific design problems related to the hull, drivetrain, and propulsion system of a human-powered submarine in the spirit of the virtual event guidelines.

With increasing concerns about the environmental impact of ground transportation, the industry needs alternative solutions that are safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly. One solution to the pollution problem is human-powered vehicles which emit zero greenhouse gas on the road. This project aims to implement a new material technology (fiberglass) into the design of a human-powered vehicle to make it more lightweight, functional, and safe. The test results concluded that fiberglass can indeed be used to manufacture the monocoque of a human-powered vehicle without compromises. The findings of this project will advance the engineering knowledge of fiberglass in this field and enable other engineering teams to use this technology in future designs.

Have you ever had a gourd and wanted it over there, but in a way that would inspire the masses? The Mechanical Engineering Department sure has, and has tasked our team with creating their submission to our ASME-hosted annual pumpkin launch.

Design and fabricate a wooden cart powered solely by a hand drill

Our team, along with Drill Powered Carts A have built a fully functioning, energy-efficient, and sustainable vehicle, which will be powered by a single electric power drill. By doing this, each team hopes to not only show people that electric-powered transportation is possible, reliable, and easy but, whose cart is the best. The two teams will face off in an endurance race to see which cart can make the most laps around a race track at the University of Rochester River Campus. This will show which team has the most optimized mechanical design.

Several problems are being addressed with the project at hand. The main one, however, is a heavily discussed and often times argued about problem: global warming. As of 2019, there are over 276 million vehicles registered in the United States alone. Those carbon emissions add up quickly. If people want to increase the longevity of the earth and allow it to continue long enough to support their kids and grandkids, then it might be time to make a change. This change comes in the form of renewable resources and renewable energy, and that is exactly what the drill powered cart team plans to show throughout the project.

The project goal was to create methods to control the brakes, steering angle, and accelerator position of a Baja SAE off-road vehicle in a manner that allows the remote driving of the car. The team has created detailed models, simulations, and system documentation to ensure a strong foundation for the continuation of the project in the coming year. This project hopes to create new opportunities for future undergraduates to work on problems related to autonomous vehicles.

There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.

RTS is a regional transportation authority established by New York State and the goal of the project is to find the potential reasons for preventable accidents caused by bus operators. First, descriptive and exploratory analysis is performed on all the data provided and driver-related variables and environmental-related variables. Then, frequent pattern mining is applied and conditional probabilities are calculated for the accident history of operators with high risk of accidents to extract accident patterns.

Human-powered submarines are underwater vessels that are driven solely by the power of a human pilot. The Foundation for Underwater Research and Education (FURE) has put on the International Submarine Races (ISR) for several years. In the past, teams from around the world have traveled to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division to compete and race with their human-powered submarine designs. With an in-person event not possible this year, a virtual event (vISR) will be taking place instead. The Human Powered Submarine team set out to tackle specific design problems related to the hull, drivetrain, and propulsion system of a human-powered submarine in the spirit of the virtual event guidelines.

With increasing concerns about the environmental impact of ground transportation, the industry needs alternative solutions that are safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly. One solution to the pollution problem is human-powered vehicles which emit zero greenhouse gas on the road. This project aims to implement a new material technology (fiberglass) into the design of a human-powered vehicle to make it more lightweight, functional, and safe. The test results concluded that fiberglass can indeed be used to manufacture the monocoque of a human-powered vehicle without compromises. The findings of this project will advance the engineering knowledge of fiberglass in this field and enable other engineering teams to use this technology in future designs.

A renewed focus on environmental concerns means that fuel efficiency and emissions of engines are of significant importance. A current design for a mixing nozzle exists, but the fuel residence could be higher and the pressure drop could be lower. A longer fuel residence time ensures smooth distribution of fuel and a more efficient burn. A lower pressure drop means that less energy is lost by the motion of the fluid through the mixer.

Identify scenarios where DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) failure is likely to happen so that the trucking customer can be alerted in advance to avoid costly roadside breakdowns.

The project aims to design a steering system for robots used in various ECE courses. The robotic system has issues with lifetime, maneuverability, and mobility. The new model was designed with an aim to direct most of the off-axis load into the chassis while still maintaining the capability of the DC motor driving the wheel. These improvements helped in significantly increasing the lifetime of the motors. Additionally, the ability to steer each wheel independently increased the mobility of the robot.

Robotic control is becoming increasingly integral across many disciplines and industries. Understanding the fundamentals of robotic control evolves people’s way of life into a more convenient and efficient epoch. Here in University of Rochester, robotics courses enable students to have basic hand-on learning experience over robotic control systems. This robotic steering system team is aiming at designing an inexpensive but reliable, and easy to replicate solution which fits the needs to teach the robotics courses at University of Rochester.

The Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) is a competition that is part of the annual American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s (ASME) E-fest. This competition requires that teams from various universities design a vehicle for safe, reliable, and efficient human powered transportation. The teams come together and race their vehicles in an endurance race and a drag race, as well as present their design to the HPVC judges.

Successfully built autoencoder models with ML Flow and Keras to predict truck failures given sensor data for a fuel optimization startup called Vnomics. The model is optimized by comprehensive time series feature engineering with TS Fresh to achieve a high recall score of 56% on unseen data.

Development of a telehealth platform that provides digital optical prescriptions, making high quality vision accessible to everyone.

L3Harris Technologies is an American defense company that builds a variety of mechanical, optical, and electrical systems. The Rochester division designs and builds systems for space applications. Optical space telescopes are widely used in both Earth and astrophysical observations and play a major role in scientific and national security. For optical telescopes to function properly and take clear images, their optics must be precisely aligned to focus light. However, during the launch of the telescope, the relative positions of these optics can change. The goal of the project is to build a mechanism to finely adjust the position of these optics to enhance resolution and accuracy of the telescope images. This improved image quality has significant implications for both terrestrial and space observations with applications to scientific research and national security.

The Mary Cariola Classroom Aids project focused on developing LED light panels to refocus the attention of visually impaired students. Our solution includes 4 individual panels, as well as a stand that can rotate to three different angles to help accommodate various students.

Retrofitting a forklift with an open-source autonomous-warehousing system.