Previous ASME Award Winner
Recent Departmental Runner Up Awards
Capstone Design Projects
Liquid Silica Dispenser
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 4
Team Members
Aaron Davis
Chris Cobb
Justin Searcy
Lane Carlson
Gas Turbine Fuel Mixer
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 5
Team Members
Luca Brammer
James Gregg
Tuan Ong
Danielle Robles
Microscope Positioner
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 6
Team Members
Thomas Scholl
Jeffrey Heil
David Hauser
Mike Di Lauro
Yachtbot
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 7
Team Members
Wayne Husband
Nicolas Padagas
Eric Mellers
Rebecca Denson
Joe Kilcoyne
Tactile Navigation Interface
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 8
Team Members
Laura Chao
Alice Duong
Gustavo Garcia
Classroom Table Extension
2003-2004 - Spring
Team: 9
Team Members
Joey Ho
Mary Le
Michael Yang
Sundana Chung
Bead Bonding
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 1
Team Members
Matt Mycroft
Stephanie Hoffman
Joann Luu
Adam Kimmerly
Flying Reagent Dispenser
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 2
Team Members
J. Armando Chavez
Won Tae Joe
James Chung
Chris Schmidt
Satoshi Kuwahara
Nanospray Ionization
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 3
Team Members
Sherry Chaumpluke
Debby Grunewald
Soren Harrison
Phuong Tran
Transmission for Unmanned Ground Vehicle
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 5
Team Members
William Hui
Fernando Martinez
Brian Parisi
Rosa Sandoval
Byron Tierney
Controlled Free Weight System
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 6
Team Members
Chris Kwanzen Hu
Scott Vernon Wong
Eiki Wai-Chi Or
Jason Robert Korniski
Harry Rafy Arsene
Convection Loop for Chaotic Flow
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 7
Team Members
Donna Choi
Daniel Guzman
Erik Danielson
Jing Hu
Danny Lok
Bicycle Rolling Resistance
2003-2004 - Winter
Team: 8
Team Members
Tim Johnson
Tim Lindfelt
Jeffrey Lyo
Eric Price
Ross Stensrud
NIWC Drag on Inline String of Spheres
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 26
An empirical characterization of the drag coefficient of on a line of multiple spheres as number and spacing between spheres changed. This was primarily done for two in-line spherical floats at various separation distances between floats; tests were also preformed on a single float to set a baseline, and 2-5 floats with zero separation distance.
Dermal Cooling Vest
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 33
Active outdoor workers exposed to hot and humid environments face the threat of developing heat related illnesses. The dermal cooling system uses thermoelectric cooling in the form of battery powered Peltier devices to cool circulating fluid throughout a network of tubes surrounding the user’s torso. The system is completely portable and can deliver more than 200W of heat removal from the user.
Thermal Switch
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 24
The thermal switch project, sponsored by Professor Carlos F. Coimbra and Gregory Specht, studied the effectiveness of a gas-filled expansion switch design. Specifically, the focus of the project was to prove or disprove the possibility of a gas powered thermal switch to be used on rovers in Lunar and Martian missions.
FSAE Composite Anti-Intrusion Plate
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 11
Team Members
Norman Chen-Liaw
Dante Khandelwal
Amy Liang
Saketh Madamala
Efran Martinez
The design, manufacturing, and testing of a composite anti-intrusion plate for the front impact structure of a Formula SAE vehicle.
Cell Growth Bioreactor for Tissue Regeneration
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 19
Peter Chen, PhD. a stem cell researcher from the Biosciences Institute has engaged student engineers to construct a prototype bioreactor chamber that has the ability to stimulate a target cell population with: magnetic stimulation, electrical stimulation, static compression, and exposure to laminar shear stress. The completed bioreactor test chamber provides researchers with the tools to evaluate the effects of electromechanical stimulation on stem cells in a reproducible manner.
MRI Compatible Hydraulic Arm
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 21
Sponsored by UC San Diego’s Advanced Robotics and Controls Lab, this project focused on the development of a MRI compatible hydraulic arm, which serves as a base for future research and development. The project’s motivation was to develop a system that can robotically perform needle biopsies to enable physicians to diagnose and operate on medical conditions without requiring line-of-sight to the anatomy.
Precision Hydrogel Injector
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 10
We focus on a biomedical device that creates a suction mechanism to grip onto a rat intestine model and is built with an insertion tunnel that allows a hydrogel syringe to inject the fluid at the intestinal site. The 3D printed device successfully gripped the rat intestine underwater, through which 1 μL water with red dye was injected. Red staining of the intestinal wall indicated successful delivery into the submucosal layer.
Hamud Universal Upright Vehicle Rack
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 29
The purpose of this project was to develop a universal vehicle equipment rack that could accommodate various types of sporting equipment. The problem statement was to design and manufacture a modular rack that was: versatile with many types of equipment, durable to withstand a maximum load of 430 lbs, and cost-efficient to be less than current competitors.
Improving Automated COVID-19 Testing Workflows: Pipette Challenge
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 32
The goal of this project was to optimize COVID-19 testing workflows, allowing for more daily testing and faster results. The problem was boiled down to test tube orientation. The status quo at the EXCITE Lab was for technicians to manually align the test tubes' barcodes in a rack before placing them into a machine that scans the tubes. This wasted about two hours daily. Our solution is a detachable piece that forces the correct alignment of each tube, removing the manual alignment step entirely.
Solar Turbines: Ancillary Quick Disconnect
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 16
A vacuum test platform was designed and manufactured in order to test both installation/removal times of clamps and bolts as well as ensure the connection solution maintained a vacuum of up to 4 in Hg. Undermount toggle clamps in combination with a neoprene foam gasket is a proposed solution to replace the current use of bolts and Sikaflex.
Articulet: An Articulating Endotracheal Tube Stylet
2020-2021 - Spring
Team: 36
A lightweight, single-use stylet that gives users real time control of an endotracheal tube, ARTICULET can bend up to 90 degrees on its distal end to reduce intubation time while minimizing complications.
Smart HVAC System
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 2
Team Members
Madeleine Joseph
William Evernden
Tyler Ellison
Colton Mullican
There is a need to actively measure, model and predict mass (air with particulates) flow in large buildings such as Atkinson Hall at the University of California, San Diego. Such a system can aid in controlling flow that produces desired environmental conditions and/or reduces the transport of unwanted harmful particles such as viruses.
Adjustable Head Mount for Augmented Reality Facial Motion Tracking System
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 15
Augmented Reality is used for face-to-face conversations with another digitally projected person in a shared virtual space. A crucial element for this experience is the ability to digitize the users’ facial expressions and body motions authentically. The Augmented Reality Head Mount serves as a self-contained, wearable system for facial and body tracking. It consists of two cameras, IMUs, a battery and a StereoPi attached to a Microsoft HoloLens 2 main frame using 3D-printed component mounts.
Precious Plastic
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 17
The Precious Plastic team is working on improving the user experience of machinery to be used in an upcoming plastic makerspace. These machines will help the local community repurpose their plastic waste into new plastic products. The WI21 team was able to implement several components into a plastic injection machine for this makerspace and suggest future improvements to be worked on. With all the added components, the machine session time was reduced by an average of 43% so far.
Tracheostomy Support System
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 7
Nearly 85,000 Americans receive a tracheostomy annually. Amongst them, about 12.5% develop skin deteriorations and pain due to prolonged contact with ventilation tubing. Our project addresses this issue through the use of an inflatable silicone support that can automatically adjust based on force sensor readings. This device aims to tackle an unaddressed global problem in the hospital with a novel design idea centered around biocompatible materials, control automation, and air flow mechanics.
Sole Survivors
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 12
This project focused on creating a solution to reduce the amount of stingray stings for a user, which could be achieved by either a footwear item that is puncture proof or a deterrent that scares away stingrays before they are able to be of harm. The team created a footwear item named “Sole Survivors” that is puncture resistant in key areas on the sole, top, and back of a user's foot to protect the user from the stingray’s venom.
Ultrasound Transducer Guide for Dental Imaging
2020-2021 - Winter
Team: 16
The ultrasound transducer guidance system was designed to aid the process of scanning the oral cavity while collecting necessary position data for 3D image reconstruction. The manually operated device has a patient position their head on a chin rest while the operator manipulates the transducer. An axial encoder and a linear encoder gather the position data of the transducer tip during the ultrasound scanning process which will be used by our sponsor to reconstruct 3D images of the oral cavity.
