2016

WriteAble

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:40:53 +0000

WriteAble Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:40

WriteAble is creating technology to help children with autism and other developmental disabilities develop written communication skills. More information coming soon!

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Sensors for Intelligent Networks

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:31:48 +0000

Sensors for Intelligent Networks Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:31

Team Sensors for Intelligent Networks is building a network of distributed sensors, designed to gather data for use in analysis of HVAC systems via data analytics by external servers. In particular, we will be taking data in rooms with consistently high occupancy. Our problem is to find a way to provide meaningful data to HVAC managers and researchers. To provide this data, a sensor platform will wirelessly transmit information back to a centralized hub, which will then communicate directly with a server that processes and presents the data to the user. The first metric of focus will be relative CO2 levels as these provide a good baseline for occupancy readings. This will then be extended to humidity, temperature, and air pressure. These values hold serious significance in running ventilation systems as they can provide information regarding mold growth, relative temperature, and airflow. Through measurement of air quality, researchers, HVAC technicians, and building managers can work together more effectively to improve control of the Engineering Center's HVAC Systems, in order to enhance the health and safety of E-Center inhabitants.

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Voltallica

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:30:46 +0000

Voltallica Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:30

Can a robot mimic the functionality of a standard guide dog to help lead the visually impaired in a less expensive, more reliable way? That is the question we wish to answer in our senior design project for the 2015-2016 year. If successful, our vehicle will be able to lead its user around their everyday environment while avoiding obstacles and simultaneously warning of high profile objects such as street curbs and traffic signals.

The average cost of training guide dogs and their users in America is $42,000, according to the official website for Guide Dogs of America. This does not include the cost associated with caring for a living animal. You can see how organizations such as Guide Dogs of America, who give their trained animals away for free, might be looking for a cheaper alternative. It is often difficult to ensure that a guide dog will be compatible with its handler even after the training has taken place. There are numerous cases of frustration where new handlers are not able to control their guide dogs properly and have to find a new dog. With our project we aim to eliminate the training process and provide those with visual impairment a superior alternative to the standard guide dog.

We have put a lot of effort into building a robotic vehicle that can mimic all the tasks a guide dog handles in a typical day. Our project also provides additional functionality and ease of use that is not possible with current guide dogs. We hope that the work we have done will open doors for future research and development in this important area of study.

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Phase Factor

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:29:11 +0000

Phase Factor Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:29

The Radio Agnostic Phased Array 361 (RAPA 361) is an electronically steered antenna that can manage communications with multiple unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) simultaneously. It improves upon previous designs because it can change directions at a rate of greater than 100 Hz, whereas even the best mechanical system is limited by its ability to physically move. Furthermore, it is comparatively small and portable. This makes it suitable for mobile operations. It is made to be used in a 12V van with a BlackSwift base station. We implemented the design using a phased array which can run on the 902MHz-928MHz band. This frequency range is advantageous for long distance communications and it is very common for UASs to communicate over these frequencies. The design is radio agnostic and modular, making it flexible enough to conform to a variety of applications.

We would like to thank the following:

First RF
Blackswift Technologies
Prof. Brian Argrow
Xetawave
Atollic
Analog Devices
CU Boulder

This project would not have been possible without their assistance and generosity.

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SkyenLab

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:27:46 +0000

SkyenLab Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:27

The SkyenLab Module enables the implementation of a low-power mesh network, with applications such as a smart home, or an interconnected industrial setting. Each module is created to be easily integrated into a home device such as a power switch, a thermostat or a flow meter. Wireless communication is achieved using Nordic Semiconductor's Bluetooth Low Energy chips, and smartphone control of the network is available through the cloud, via an Internet Gateway Unit (IGU). An Android application is used to send and receive commands and telemetry through the IGU, to different nodes on the network.

The mesh network will consist of a tree topology, with a hierarchical layout of nodes. In addition, the system will include a smart path-learning algorithm, allowing for an efficient routing scheme, rather than flooding of the network. This portion of the project is demoed through a network simulator, and gives a visual representation of the network's topology, as well as power consumption and a timeline of the network creation.

We would like to thank our project sponsor, Nordic Semiconductor, for their generous support.

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The Resistance

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:24:29 +0000

The Resistance Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:24

Dropsondes are disposable sensor packages that are dropped from an aircraft to collect meteorological information. Dropsondes typically collect temperature, pressure, and humidity information as they fall. The dropsondes that we worked with are used in hurricanes and their forecasting information would be greatly augmented by having precipitation density information.

To provide this information we have adapted a 24 GHz radar originally developed for automotive collision avoidance to provide the precipitation density that we need. As the radar falls, it will send out a continuous wave radar signal and use the reflected power to determine the density of rainfall within 10 m of the dropsonde. With this information, hurricane intensity prediction can be improved leading to more precise and timely evacuations.

The Resistance would like to acknowledge Professor Albin Gasiewski and Mark Beaubien of Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc. for their support.

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Thunder Guns

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:21:52 +0000

Thunder Guns Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:21

Skeletal tracking and muscle activation detection technologies are both useful on their own, but exist in separate realms. Our product combines Kinect 2.0 skeletal tracking with electromyography to accomplish the goal of better understanding human biology. Our product provides the user a graphical representation of muscle activity by plotting the magnitude of muscle signals and their spectrum versus time. This real time plot is augmented by the Kinect's moving skeletal figure. With this system, athletes and patients can train while being monitored by a physical therapist in order to reduce the risk of injury and increase athletic efficiency. In addition to advanced guided training, our product would also allow safe, quality training in the absence of a professional with the user being able to deeply understand the errors they are making in their motions because concrete feedback will be provided by the user interface.

This first year project serves as the basis for continuing education and research into the relationship of movement and muscle activation. Further Senior Design groups will further develop the wealth of information as well as physical subsystems developed by team Thunder Guns. The final goal is a medical grade product for use in the field by professionals or at home by novices.

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Orbital Space Magnetics

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:20:34 +0000

Orbital Space Magnetics Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:20

Magnetic fields on earth are not uniform and include many stray DC and AC magnetic fields, which create challenges for reliably and accurately testing satellite attitude control systems that utilize these uniform magnetic fields for attitude control. The product that we are constructing is a Helmholtz chamber, which will have the ability to cancel these stray magnetic fields that will adversely affect testing the attitude control of the satellite. Also, there is a desire to model what a satellite will encounter and how its attitude control will react when traveling over earth's magnetic poles, which we plan to simulate using this Helmholtz chamber.

The Center for Environmental Technology (CET) and Colorado Space Grant Consortium (CSGC) are designing a satellite (PolarCube), which will be using the uniform magnetic fields for attitude control. They have a desire to test out the onboard satellite attitude control before launching it into orbit, which is the driving reason for the Helmholtz chamber project.

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Ohm Wreckers

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:18:15 +0000

Ohm Wreckers Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:18

Autonomous vehicles are becoming a reality in our modern society as prominent companies such as Google, Tesla, Audi, and Mercedes are developing prototypes and relevant legislation has already been introduced in 16 states. Currently, autonomous vehicles are designed to operate independently. However, providing additional information to autonomous vehicles such as how quickly the light will change would allow them to make more efficient decisions.

MAVIS (Model of Autonomous Vehicle Intersection System) is a platform used to test whether additional information would lead to greater efficiency. The system is composed of a scale model figure-8 track that simulates an intersection with a traffic light, two SAVs (Small Autonomous Vehicles) that can simulate real drivers, current autonomous vehicles, or augmented autonomous vehicles, and a Base Station that controls the stoplight and sends pertinent information to the SAVs. With this system, the efficiency of the SAVs in the current and augmented autonomous vehicle modes can be compared in order to prove or disprove the hypothesis.

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OhmBoyZ

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 15:17:05 +0000

OhmBoyZ Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/06/2016 - 09:17

The ΩboyZ are working with Professor Frank Barnes at the University of Colorado at Boulder to create a Magnetic Field Stabilization System for Cell Cultures. Our system interacts with the user via a touch screen where the user can select a desired magnetic field and experiment duration. Our system produces a magnetic field, blocks outside magnetic field interference, and compensates for changes in the magnetic field to create a stable environment for cell growth.

We aim to control the magnetic field within an incubator where culture (cancer) cells are grown and analyzed to better understand how magnetic fields interact with cancer cells. Experiments have been conducted that show magnetic fields impact the growth of cancer cells, and by controlling these fields we can create a stable, known environment for the growth of cancer cells. With our incubator control system, we will have independent control of the static magnetic field around a cell culture. This will allow biological labs to optimize growth conditions of the cell cultures and improve the reproducibility of the experiments. The current technology used to control magnetic fields is a mu metal shield. Our product provides a new alternative.

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