Do you like autonomous theory, fast cars, racing, and robotics? TES-I needs a reference design to support ongoing training and system integration for internal tools and projects.

Tucson Embedded Systems, now TES-I, is a leader in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) within the aerospace and safety critical industries. To better showcase our tooling and provide real-world training, TES-I is in need of an open architecture integrated system that includes sensors, actuators, processors, mechanical chassis, power electronics and control software. This team will build upon years of previous senior capstone projects to create small mobile robots capable of racing autonomously through a track.

The robots will be based on existing projects at TES, with a foundation aligned with the F1Tenth (https://f1tenth.org/) competition and research programs, but with modifications to support available components and sensors. Most of the system software will be based on Robot Operating System (https://ros.org/). Additional sensor systems will be added to support ongoing research and integration efforts.

The team will design and build at least two high speed robotic race vehicles. The sensor and processing electronics will be packaged in a removable and portable sub-chassis for installation on different sizes and types of vehicles. The design phase will also include the fabrication of a test track. Simulation and testing will demonstrate the differences between the theoretical fastest track speed, manual driving speed, and various autonomous driving algorithms.

The key output of the program is a working design with documentation capable of supporting an in-depth model-based engineering analysis of the robot's systems. This analysis and modeling will be done by TES-I engineers in parallel and after this year's efforts. Based on available student talents, the project will be modified to meet the strengths and capabilities of the team members.

TES, through previous Engineering Design Program projects, has developed numerous small autonomous vehicles for the development of traffic control systems, distributed sensor networks, self-healing mesh network communications, and search and rescue robotics. Teams have also fully instrumented full-size vehicles and adapted turbine and turbine-electric powertrains into full-size cars. This project will bridge the gap between smaller and slower robotic platforms and real-world automotive systems.

Project: This project is designed to improve the ability to collect high density cellular recordings of the brains of awake, freely behaving animals and to develop methods for experimental control of the many variables. As such, the project envisions the team to research, design, and build a select set of mechanical, electronic control, sensing and telemetry solutions to advance the study. These new attributes will be utilized within the mechanical, electronic, and telemetry systems that currently exist – the Instantaneous Cue Rotation (ICR) arena.
Objectives for this project in rank order of desirability/feasibility:
1. Design and build/test an open field system platform for utilization within the existing ICR enclosure. This addition to the ICR is necessary to obtain a wider variety of the brain cell firing patterns of the entorhinal cortex grid cells, to be used in comparison to the brain cell firing when the rat is on the existing circular track.
2. Design, construct and test mechanical and sensing improvements to the system, for the control of the robot, and for delivering food reward in the open field environment.
3. Investigate, develop, construct and test a methodology to reduce the weight of the apparatus carrying the electrodes that the rat carries on its head. This is envisioned as a tethered recording system to interface with the current data acquisition system. Boundary conditions: does not require a battery, nor add weight to the rat’s current load, and allows for mobility of the rat. Secondly, (separately) develop a “backpack” solution to carrying the battery for the existing transmitter (now on the head of the rat) – that is, move the battery to a backpack without compromising movement of the rat.
4. Possible (stretch goal) investigation of methods of improving mass and physical dimensions (weight, momentum or torque issues) for the electronics and battery pack now powering the telemetered transmitter system worn by the rat.

The human body is a complex system of various biochemical processes that require certain substances as input and emit others as output or leakage. Their quantities are directly associated with the body’s health. A full laboratory blood test can therefore give a valuable insight into the patient’s bodily functions. Unfortunately, only very few physicians have attained this interpretive knowledge and they are hard to come by.

The suggested solution is a mobile app that will analyze the user’s test results, tell them what potential health concerns they have, and offer supplement recommendations to improve the detected deficiencies. Most of the iOS app was built over the summer but there are still some key features missing, including the analyzing algorithm which can be drawn from the straightforward medical books provided.

To bolster the startup company’s position in the market, the project will include the development of a measurement device for the pH and calcium levels of human saliva. Even though it is well known and scientifically supported that pH and calcium are directly related to the absence or active development of tooth decay, there is no commercially available, handheld device that conveniently measures both. This gadget should connect to the app so that the user can order the supplements recommended for alkaline and calcium-rich saliva production.

Note: This project is a joint endeavor between the College of Engineering and the Eller College’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship with Raphael Lepercq as the student inventor. McGuire’s New Venture Development Program (NVD) will provide the business student team to do the market research and investor pitch while the Senior Design Project (ENGR) will provide the engineering student team for the product development and implementation.

Scope:
(1) Work with McGuire’s NVD business student team to complete the "gesund" mobile app and implement changes induced by customer feedback.
(2) Research and develop a low-cost pH and calcium measurement prototype. Consider off-the-shelf technology first and find customized solutions as needed.
(3) Work with McGuire’s NVD team to collect customer feedback on the measuring device and implement changes as needed.
(4) Provide software, electrical, and mechanical diagrams of the systems’ working components and processes.
(5) Test both the app and the device and iterate on previous steps until an optimal design is found, as time permits.
(6) Develop plans (including cost estimates) to turn the lab prototype into a standalone, compact, consumer-ready product that can be sold on the marketplace.
(7) Present results in a video and PowerPoint presentation at the Senior Design Day.

Project Goal: Design and build a wearable sensor system able to determine patient receipt and dose of Pulsed Electromagnetic (PEMF) Therapy delivered by Regenesis therapeutic technologies. The wearable device/system to be built by the team will serve as a "diagnostic/monitoring compliment" to Regenesis energy delivery systems. The wearable system to be built will specifically determine: 1. Receipt of therapy (yes/no); 2. Time of therapy session; 3. Duration of therapy; 4. Intensity of PEMF signal. 5. Nature of signal - i.e., Whether received from a single-pad or dual-pad device. System will also be able to: 7. store data 8. Telemeter/download data. The team will utilize work done in 2021-2022 to improve and build upon a fundamental design already developed - making the system smaller, more robust and more user-friendly. The team will also formulate a plan to manufacture (i.e., mass-produce) the wearable PEMF sensor considering a multi-dimensional set of constraints; including supply chain, design for manufacturing, testing, and required personnel.

Project Background/Scope: Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has been demonstrated to be a therapeutic modality capable of modulating a range of biologic and pathophysiologic body responses. To date the delivery of PEMF has been shown to enhance healing of chronic tissue ulcers. PEMF has also been demonstrated to accelerated wound closure. Of note PEMF has been able to modulate neuroinflammatory responses underlying chronic pain. As such, PEMF has been demonstrated to be, and has emerged as, a safe and effective, non-drug based therapeutic means of reducing pain. Regenesis Biomedical manufactures an effective FDA cleared therapeutic system able to delivery PEMF.

Why build a sensor? Much like dosing of a medication, non-pharmacologic therapies need to be monitored in terms of actual delivery and receipt by the subject of the applied therapy. This is the goal of the current project. Here the project team will build an effective system able to determine that a patient actually has undertaken and received PEMF therapy. The system will quantitate the dose = intensity x time. The system will be able to differentiate whether the patient has used a single-pad or dual-pad delivery system, as well as log and transfer data for analysis.

Requirements: The system to be built will specifically determine: 1. Receipt of PEMF therapy (yes/no); 2. Time of therapy session; 3. Duration of therapy; 4. Intensity of PEMF signal. 5. Nature of signal – i.e. Whether received from a single-pad or dual-pad device. System will also: 7. store data 8. Telemeter/download data. The team will utilize work done in 2021-2022 to improve and build upon a fundamental design already developed - making the system smaller, more robust and more user-friendly.  The team will improve the prior benchtop prototype to advance it to be ready for manufacturing, demonstrating the integration of electrical design, embedded software, mechanical design, and smartphone application. The team will also formulate a plan to manufacture (i.e., mass-produce) the wearable PEMF sensor considering a multi-dimensional set of constraints; including supply chain, design for manufacturing, testing, and required personnel.

Tensegrity structures have the potential to be simple, low-mass, and stiff. These are desirable features of space components, given the high cost of getting them into space. One potential application for tensegrity telescopes is for performing reconnaissance of Near-Earth Asteroids. High-power telescopes mounted onto spacecraft are potentially needed to identify NEAs with very low albedo. Another factor that makes the tensegrity telescope structure attractive is that it could be stored in a compact configuration for launch and deployment in space. Given the complexities of tensegrity deployment, the telescope may incorporate some adjustment after assembly, or the assembly procedure includes flexibility to achieve the desired optical prescription.

This project will develop a low-mass tensegrity X mirror telescope, where X might be two or three. The number of mirrors and the size of the structure will result from discussions with interested personnel at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. The Lunar and Planetary Laboratory requirements include a mass and stiffness goal for the structure and a minimum fundamental natural frequency (or maximum deflection under a specified load).

One option would be to use existing mirrors at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. If mirrors are available, these would be incorporated into the tensegrity structural design. If not, aluminum could be machined to the correct gross size and shape, or mirrors would be excluded from the project.

Once the number of mirrors and the telescope size has been set, the next step will be to choose materials for the primary structural components, the bars, the rings, and the strings. Composites are inherently lightweight with a low thermal expansion coefficient (near zero), ensuring optimal stability. The main issue with composites is outgassing contamination of the mirrors, which must be addressed in the project as a risk factor.

NASA has ambitious plans to return humans to the Moon through the Artemis Program. A future human mission will set the stage for permanent colonization, but it will require extraction and utilization of lunar resources to be feasible. Invaluable lessons were learned from the Apollo mission, including the utility of off-world wheeled transporters that enabled astronauts to travel long distances and explore. However, the Apollo rovers were rudimentary, operated during the lunar day, and were insufficient for astronaut survival lasting many months to years. In a future mission, astronauts must explore and prospect for lunar resources. This task is not trivial and will require moving hundreds of kilometers along extreme terrain and temperatures, carrying support infrastructure and habitat to evaluate various sites of interest. This year’s NASA RASCAL Competition calls for a Lunar Surface Transporter Vehicle that would not only extend astronaut exploration capabilities but also perform offloading, moving, deploying, and supporting payloads up to the scale of habitats. The transporter vehicle must be compatible with envisioned lunar surface-based astronaut life support system, human habitat modules, and base infrastructure. The transporter needs to provide adequate shielding from the extreme variations of the lunar surface. Note the project will require 6 students per team and the request is for two competing teams.

(1) Utilize the existing technological capabilities of a Microsoft HoloLens 2.
(2) Design software that can accurately diagnose and treat certain medical conditions.
(3) Model and define test cases for current standards of treatment.
(4) Measure and detect changes in user's physiology.
(5) Maintain records for medical documentation of conditions.
(6) Establish telehealth option for patients/users who should not travel.

The project calls for a multi-disciplined engineering team to build a basketball shooting robot that competes against Arizona basketball players at the culmination event of Engineering Design Day. The rules and requirements are simple: design and build a mechanism to shoot basketballs from the free-throw line; three warm-up shots are allowed, followed by a best-of-ten shootout against Shawn Elliot, Mike Bibby or other current Arizona sharpshooter like Kriisa Kerr.

The team would consist of engineering disciplines such as mechanical, controls, systems, engineering physics, electrical, computer, software and potentially bioengineering students. The team would be coached by a mix of seasoned and early career engineers from Raytheon, with a regular cadence of meetings to keep the team focused on goals. This project will require most of the engineering elements used in application of real-world engineering discipline: understand the problem, determine requirements, conduct trade studies to balance the design architecture, use elements of engineering design, as well as balance design complexity versus cost and schedule. Having a multi-disciplined team is key to making this project serve as a real-world engineering experience. Design, build, test and calibration would be key functional aspects of the development. A regular cadence to meet with Raytheon coaches, a mix of seasoned and early career engineers, is critical.

Are you interested in showcasing your ability to Faculty and Industry judges as you synthesize an innovative design in collaboration with a senior capstone team in University Massachusetts? If so this project challenge is for you.

Raytheon technologies is seeking a multi-site, multi-disciplinary team to design a flexible way to covertly monitor a variety of activities and environmental events in a wide area. Possible uses include border monitoring, security systems and forest land usage and fire tracking.

This team will work through the hardware and software design process in collaboration with industry sponsors and across a design team at both University of Arizona and University of Massachusetts.

Smart Rock Sensor System Requirements
Be self powered and covert capable of being disguised in the shape of a rock or other natural element
Include a sensing element which is capable of collecting data and recording stimulus from the outside world. This may include sensing of acoustic inputs, seismic, thermal, RF transmissions.
The design shall be modular such that different sensors can be interchanged across a common interface
The sensing elements or nodes shall be able to collect and buffer data when no other nodes or smart-rocks are present
When multiple nodes are in proximity each sensor shall be able to pass data and share information wirelessly with other nodes
The system shall include a method for the local network to connect to a wider or outside network over a defined protocol to share data and receive commands from the outside network

Automation equipment to coil pre-cut 7' lengths of PVC tubing. Coiled tubing is then presented to assembly operators for final assembly of the canula.