Previous ASME Award Winner
Recent Departmental Runner Up Awards
Capstone Design Projects
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Pull-up Power Meter
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 5
Athletes are susceptible to developing strength imbalances between the two sides of the upper body due to sport or injury. We developed a tool to quantify this imbalance. Our solution is a device consisting of a load cell, a microcontroller, and a battery that can be used in pairs connected to existing workout equipment, such as suspension training straps.
Variable Stiffness Prosthetic Limb
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 2
Team Members
Liam Fowler
Anna Nguyen
Uy Cao Vu
Qifan Yu
Prosthetics can be uncomfortable especially as the residual limb, or leg, can change volume by up to 10% throughout the day. As a result, up to 20% of patients don't use their prosthesis. Therefore, this project implements soft robotic jamming structures to sensitive areas in the prosthesis socket which can control the pressure at those areas as the limb moves and changes volume, improving comfort.
Sustainable Flow Chemistry System
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 3
Team Members
Eden Detmer
Zaivy Gonzalez Valencia
Shravan Suresh
Nhat Tang
Flow chemistry systems provide a safer and more efficient means to conduct chemical reactions that traditional laboratory methods. Commercial flow systems are prohibitively expensive, so, many low cost, DIY flow systems have been developed. This project focuses on improving existing DIY flow systems to enhance functionality and usability.
Triton Solar Car Front Suspension System
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 4
Team Members
Vivian Chou
Leonardo Duga
Tsz-Wai Kwok
Zhenlin Liu
Shenglin Yang
Solar Cars are designed to be extremely aerodynamic and lightweight as possible, to maximize efficiency using available energy from the sun. As the Solar Car is a road vehicle that will be run on freeways, it must be able to withstand loads from uneven road conditions, while protecting the driver and the car. The suspension systems designed in this project must meet these requirements, and additional objectives were considered to optimize performance.
Baseball Fielding Machine
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 1
Our design allows for a more economical system that allows players to practice defensive fielding without the need for other players or coaches while still being affordable for most of the baseball communities. "The Trainer" was designed to be an automated baseball fielding machine that will allow for individual fielding practice for all different types of players.
Dermal Cooling Vest
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 6
We designed and prototyped of a water circulated cooling vest to mitigate heat-related illnesses for personnel in hot and humid environments. We implemented a refrigeration system to replace the Peltier Plates used in previous iterations of the vest.
Mechanical Design of Control Solution for Autonomous evGo-Kart
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 7
Design, source, and install braking and steering systems for an autonomous go-kart that accepts computer inputs while allowing the human driver to override the mechanisms by pushing the manual control or Emergency off (EMO) button.
Scripps Buoy Radar Project
2021-2022 - Winter
Team: 8
In the past the CDIP purchased an off the shelf Mobri radar reflector, which would end up breaking off the buoy and when attached returned a signal that was weak and not visible at a distance of 100m. Our goal was to help illuminate the buoy's location on radar screens while not affecting the data collected by the buoy. Long term the CDIP needs to see an increased up time for their buoys.
Pneumatospinning Apparatus for Tissue Engineering
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 7
Improve the experimental process of pneumatospinning scaffolds by creating a modular chamber with the ability to control different parameters. By improving the ability to tissue engineer scaffolds, this device will allow for further research and development for the surgical replacement of torn menisci.
Novel Otoscopy Skills Trainer
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 4
Team Members
Jordan Luk
Nathan Chiu
Matthew Lau
Hao Guan
The purpose of this project is to develop a novel otoscopy skills trainer to help improve the ear exam skills of medical students and residents.
Triton AI Autonomous GoKart
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 3
Triton AI is a student organization at UCSD, led by academic advisor Dr. Jack Silberman, that focuses on learning artificial intelligence and applying that knowledge towards competing in various robot competitions. Our task is to make a reliable electric kart for the software team to develop AI algorithms and compete in Autonomous Electric Kart Racing events.
Next-gen Respirator For Healthcare Workers
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 2
During the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, despite being provided with N95 masks and other personal protective equipment, many health care workers were still infected with COVID-19, some even had debilitating situations and ended up staying in an ICU unit for emergency care. Thus, this project’s main objective is to redesign and improve the current respirator designs and bring quality working conditions for all health care workers.
Tracheostomy Humidification
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 5
This device is responsible for humidifying the airways of tracheostomy patients in intensive or long-time acute care facilities. It serves as proof of a more efficient, quiet, and portable replacement to the current device used in hospitals. Rather than using compressed oxygen for water atomization and transport, this device utilizes a micro aperture piezoelectric crystal for water atomization and a small pump coupled with a customized Venturi device for water transport.
Bioabsorbable Staples
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 21
Bioabsorbable staples and endoscopic stapler modified to deploy staple design; specific to wound closure in laryngeal surgeries.
ARMOR Lab Field Deployable Wearable Sensors
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 16
Team Members
Philip Baumsteiger
Carlos Guerreros
Devavrath Hemantha Kumara
Adolfo Lopez Miranda
The aim of this project was to design and prototype a portable, wireless, data acquisition sensing node that can reliably measure data from a nanocomposite skin-strain sensor during outdoor, athletic training environments.
Aerial Wildland Firefighting Foam Delivery Chute
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 12
An expandable and contractible chute based on the origami of Kresling folding pattern. To be used as a conical guide for fire retardant foam in the form of bubbles that help suffocate and cool wildland forest fires. This design iteration potentially allows for a revolutionary system to deploy its suppressant effectively from the bottom of a specifically outfitted helicopter to the ground below.
Simons Array PB-2B Receiver Cradle
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 19
The goal of this project is to understand the current issues with the Simons Array Hoist Assembly and recommend any alternative approaches to improve safety and reliability concerns. For the mechanical design, the team's goal is to create a cradle that will support the receiver on all sides by minimizing major stress points and will contain lifting points for chains and straps, while also avoiding interference with other parts of the telescope.
Fenestrated Escharotomy Instrument
2021-2022 - Spring
Team: 11
The material properties of human skin when exposed to flames or high temperatures change and lose their necessary elasticity. An area of interest is the chest and torso skin, where burnt skin can cause tightness in the chest and impede normal breathing. We seek to develop an incision device to produce a mesh pattern on the surface of the skin to allow for expansion and relieve pressure from the tightening of the skin.
