Previous ASME Award Winner
Recent Departmental Runner Up Awards
Capstone Design Projects
Neublox - Educational Pneumatic Circuit Building Blocks
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 29
We aim to introduce children aged 7-12 to soft robotics and circuitry. Using logic gates and soft actuators, our pneumatic building blocks provide a safe, hands-on learning experience for concepts related to computation, electronics, and soft robotics. These blocks allow kids to construct and control soft robots, fostering early engineering skills without electrical hazards. Neublox aims to inspire creativity and problem-solving, shaping future engineers and innovators through playful learning.
Haptic Shoulder for Physical Human Robot Interaction
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 22
Team Members
Calvin Joyce
Isabella Fiorini
Rizzi Galibut
Roger Nguyen
Tarun Murugesan
ARCLab investigates advancements in search and rescue operations with robotics. Our project focuses on the physical human-robot interaction needed for casualty extraction. We developed the Shoulder Haptic Universal Limb Dynamic Repositioning Device (SHULDRD) to train a robotic manipulator to safely perform upper arm repositioning. The SHULDRD simulates human shoulder motion and applies resistive forces for safe casualty manipulation, enhancing efficiency and safety in disaster response.
Pogo Pin Inspection Automation
2023-2024 - Winter
Team: 2
This project aims to develop a proof of concept to enhance the efficiency and scalability of pogo pin inspections through automation. The team has designed a four-stage system that includes a vibratory bowl feeder, a conveyor belt, a force test module, and a visual inspection module. This system demonstrates that automating the sorting and inspection of pogo pins is a viable solution.
CRANE 3 - An 8-Axis Robot for Lung Biopsies within CT Scanners
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 27
Team Members
Arjun Naageshwaran
Muhammand Bintang Gemilang
Brian Fader
Steven Molotnikov
An 8-Axis Robot for Lung Biopsies within CT Scanners
Automation of a Glow Discharge Spectrometer
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 4
Collaborated with the UCSD NanoEngineering Department to automate the sampling process of the GDS900 spectrometer, optimizing the HT-Read research methodology, particularly in verifying the composition of AI-generated 3D-printed metal alloy samples. This automation enhanced process efficiency and increased the likelihood of discovering optimal metal alloys.
Hybrid Kapitza Pendulum
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 1
The team implemented closed loop control for a Kapitza's pendulum using feedback from a capacitive encoder to create the world's first globally stable Kapitza's pendulum using hybrid dynamical control theory. Thus, the pendulum was capable of stabilizing in the inverted position regardless of its starting point.
The Grounded Conductive Shield for the Radio Frequency Plasma Source
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 6
Team Members
Team Member 1 - Haochen Bai
Team Member 2 - Julissa Villalobos Valencia
Team Member 3 - Xiran Wang
Team Member 4 - Ziguang Zhu
This MAE 156AB project will redesign the grounded electrically conducting shield around the antenna for easy removal and replacement, ensuring it maintains effective radio frequency (RF) shielding of 13.56 MHz, so sensors can operate efficiently during experiments.
Dynamic Stabilization System For Marine Optical Equipment
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 5
DeepWater Exploration (DWE) designs camera hardware and complementary machine learning algorithms to improve the quality of their hardware in the marine environment. The objective of this project is to develop a mechanism capable of stabilizing the footage from DWE cameras with the capability for DWE to implement their own control algorithms. The final design for this project consists of a 3-axis gimbal and z-axis stabilizer to compensate for angular and vertical disturbances.
BronchoMate
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 9
Team Members
Chaewon Kim
Ryan Lumaban
Jaden Mcdonald Peltier Yu
Rushil Narain
Alondra Pureco
Intubation often requires both laryngoscopes and bronchoscopes. However, video laryngoscopes require separate equipment and their own monitor. With limited space in the operation room, an additional monitor for the laryngoscope can reduce efficiency. To increase procedural efficiency during intubation procedures, our team has created the BronchoMate to replace the need for a laryngoscope and provide a more cost effective and versatile solution.
Solar Cell Lamination Automation
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 7
Perovskite solar cells can revolutionize solar energy technologies but their instability and degradation under environmental conditions pose obstacles for commercialization. An in-line system increases production via constant output and less human labor. Components include a heating system, motorized roller machine, and elastomers for each cell. It maintains a perovskite cell at 150°C and 4 MPa of pressure while passing through the system.
Neuroscience Accessory for Mice Brain Transverse Hippocampus Section
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 11
Team Members
Diego Gonzalez
Elise Rehder
Griffith Nguyen
Sandra Naranjo-Heredia
Sydney Tom
Our design is based on the existing buffer tray for the Leica VT1000S Vibratome along with the addition of a rotating stage with various angles for sectioning up to 45 degrees, which was done to simplify the sectioning process.
Oxygen Rescue Catheter
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 10
When the lungs are severely damaged due to physical trauma or from infection they cannot provide oxygen through the blood to the entire body, and medical intervention must occur to save the life of the patient. The oxygen rescue catheter is an inexpensive, not overly invasive method of transporting oxygen into the bloodstream, bypassing the lungs entirely and allowing the red blood cells to absorb oxygen via microbubbles within the veins themselves.
Kinematic Design and Prototyping of Sealed Portal for Commercial Sterilization Machine
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 12
The main goal of this project is to ensure a consistent and reliable machine design that will sterilize shopping carts to reduce the amount of viruses passed around in everyday life. For this quarter, the team focused on designing and testing the kinematics of a “tilt-up” door for the machine. The team created the support frame for the component and attached light fixtures, hinges, and arm supports to allow for proper movement when the door opens and closes.
Automated Wire Feeding and Crimping Machine
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 30
Team Members
Aaron Grandbouche
Jack Saade
Christian Brueggeman
Jonathan Lane
Daven Ng
UCSD Project Team 30 has been retained by Performant Advanced Manufacturing to develop an innovative and cost-effective solution to automate the manufacturing of custom wire harnesses for small-scale mechatronics.
Double Opposing Self-Folding Micro Clamps
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 15
Our project aims to lower the entry barrier for surgeons training in microsurgery by developing a low-cost double opposing micro clamp for training that maintains the functions of traditional clamps while being significantly less expensive. To achieve this level of accessibility, a standard operating procedure is made to ensure the proper assembly of the clamps and quality checks ensure the functionality of the clamps so anyone with the right tools can make them.
Ion Beam Faraday Cup & Scintillator
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 31
Team Members
Alex Pietrow
Samuel Green
Timothy Kendrick
William Hulett
The UCSD Pisces Lab conducts plasma-material interface research. Pisces-RF simulates plasma-wall interface in magnetic confinement fusion reactors and their new ion accelerator will simulate neutron irradiation on reactor walls. Our project was the design and implementation of a linearly actuated ion beam diagnostic system that will eventually be used to characterize the current and spatial profile of the beam using a Faraday cup and scintillator.
Robotic Assistant for Cardiologist
2023-2024 - Spring
Team: 24
The project aims to enhance Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) by developing a teleoperated robotic assistant to remotely control the procedure. Current TEE procedures are time-consuming, ergonomically challenging, limited in precision, and hazardous due to radiation exposure. By enabling remote control of the TEE probe features, our robotic assistant seeks to mitigate these drawbacks, improving efficiency, safety, and precision.
Ionic Cleaning System for Optical Surfaces
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 2
Team Members
Manuel D. Ochoa-Ochoa
Roberto S. Medina
Erik D. Mauricio Jimenez
Luis E. Cruz Acosta
Adaptive Motorized Swing
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 1
Team Members
Fadi Shaba
Brandon Char
Faith Edrosolano
Angelica Stuczynski
Roman Schlichting
UCSD alumni, Michaelle and Kevin, fund a project to assist their son Tristan, who suffers from a KCNH1 gene mutation causing severe symptoms including sleep disturbances. Currently outgrowing his baby swing, a crucial sleep aid, this project aims to create a motorized, adaptable rocking swing suitable for Tristan's growth, utilizing a basic glider and crank rocker mechanism, operating from 0-67 RPM.
Ocean Well RO Membrane Characterization
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 28
Team Members
Parker Knopf
Jennifer Hernandez-Mora
Nikhil Iyengar
Karina Plascencia
Jaden Gilliam
To design, manufacture, and empirically test a Reverse-Osmosis membrane (RO membrane) with the intent of finding flow rate and pressure drop due to an axial thruster. This testing rig would then be used to test other RO membranes. Integrated with submersible flow and pressure sensors data was collected and displayed for the user during testing. Wet testing of the device provided linear relationships between power, pressure drop, and flow rate.
An Underwater Robotic Vehicle For Plankton Imaging
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 30
Plankton imaging devices are important tools for environmental research, yet there are no affordable and open-source options, making it inaccessible for many researchers in the field. The Plankton Imaging Robot solves this gap as an open-source device with parts that can be purchased and 3D printed. It can move through the ocean up to 50 meters. The robot captures images of plankton inside a flow channel within the housing, where a thruster pulls water through as the device descends.
Semiconductor Test Bench Temperature Control Unit
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 18
Designing a temperature control unit, used for semiconductor testing, to be inexpensive, easily repairable, and manufactured hsing comercially available parts
High-precision system for humidifying dry air streams in greenhouse gas analyzers
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 29
The high-precision system for humidifying dry air streams in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) analyzers is necessary for researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography to accurately measure GHG content in the atmosphere. This requires the introduction of a stable air sample with adjustable moisture content into their GHG analyzers. This project’s goal is to design a mixing chamber and attached piezo circuit to atomize dry air to a range of 0.01-1% that can be used to calibrate the optical GHG analyzers.
UCSD Scripps Ultra-quiet Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
2022-2023 - Winter
Team: 7
An ultra-quiet autonomous underwater vehicle capable of identifying, tracking, and imaging objects to be used to study and track fish up to 100 m deep.
Neonatal Resuscitator
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 6
Team Members
Ahmed Cheruvattam
Howard Tsang
Umar Usman
Warren Chang
3D Terrain Scanner
2022-2023 - Winter
Team: 5
We have been tasked with the development of a portable 3D scanner using a camera and laser in order to obtain topographic data for small-scale (<0.5 square meters) field locations. The device will connect to a laptop and output topographic data in a text file. This data can be used to track and/or model paths of motion for insects as well as biologically-inspired microrobots to support the research efforts of Gravish Lab.
James Webb Space Telescope Replica
2022-2023 - Winter
Team: 8
Team Members
Team Member 1: Natalia Bautista
Team Member 2: Jian Qin
Team Member 3: Benjamin Noriega
Team Member 4: Yuhuai Song
The main objective of the project is to build a replica of the James Webb for the purpose of demonstrating to people outside of the realm of engineering how telescopes similar to it captures amazing images like those that have been released recently. The replica is to reflect laser light from distant locations within a room, sport a similar structure/folding mechanism.
Instrumented Epidural Needle Injector
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 31
This device uses two pressure sensors and a piezoelectric pump to measure the pressure drop in the system as the needle advances through the different layers of a patient’s tissue. The device attaches to an epidural needle, accurately detects the resistance the needle feels, and notifies the doctor once the needle enters the epidural space.
SE ARMOR Lab Smart Pill Bottle
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 23
Partnering with UC San Diego's Active, Responsive, Multifunctional, and Ordered-materials Research (ARMOR) Lab and SANO Healthcare Consultants, our project aims to produce a custom pill bottle cap that is able to dispense a single pill at a time for different types and shapes of pills, and be operated by one hand with a low-cost multifunctional cap
Smartfin
2022-2023 - Spring
Team: 27
In order to keep track of climate change, it's important to measure oceanic data from all areas of the ocean; however, shorelines are difficult to measure due to their constantly changing environments. In order to combat this issue, the Smartfin was made. The Smartfin is a custom surfboard fin that can measure oceanic metrics using embedded electronics. Our team's goals were to create a documentation process for the construction of these fins, and to strengthen them.
