2022 COES Design and Research Conference
First-Year Engineering Projects
Welcome to the Spring 2022 First-Year Engineering Design Expo.
The products you see here are the culmination of a year-long, project-based learning experience where the Arduino microcontroller is used for sensing and control applications. Each student participant owns and maintains their own equipment, providing a mechanism for boosting hands-on learning for large numbers of students; our hope is that this project-based approach will make our students more competent, confident, and innovative. Feel free to browse the “smart products” that have been conceived, designed, and prototyped by our students.
Expo Schedule
4:20 – 4:30 Opening Remarks
4:30 – 5:15 Official judging of assigned teams (13 minutes per team, 2 minutes transition time)
5:15 – 6:10 Open judging (all judges circulate to observe all projects)
6:10 – 7:00 Judges meet in IESB 318 to select winners
7:00 – 7:15 Presentation of awards
Expo Location
Integrated Engineering and Science Building
| First Floor |
Automatic Coin SorterStudents: Thomas Wick, Andrew Posey, Garrett Sepulvado, Elizabeth Woodard Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos For our freshman design project, our group decided to build an automatic coin sorter with the intention of placing it in a car’s console. As a group, one thing that we found very annoying in high school was all of the spare change that we would accumulate every time we would go out to eat with friends and teammates. This made our cars cluttered and was full of wasted money that we very rarely used. Our project will give the consumer a compact way to manage the clutter of change in their cars and have an easy way to show how much change they have and provide easy extraction of the money. This will work by having a funnel that the consumer can put the coins in. The funnel will have the coins roll down a slope and will be deposited into separate compartments based on the diameter of each coin. Each compartment will have a small cup at the bottom that the coins will fall in with easy access for the consumer to extract the coins will need. Each cup will sit on a weight sensor and will be weighed and will calculate the value in each cup for the consumer to read. Sensors & Devices: Weight Sensor (Quarters), Weight Sensor (Nickels), Weight Sensor (Pennies), Weight Sensor (Dimes), Raspberry Pie, Arduino |
| First Floor |
TempWatch Smart Temperature MonitorStudents: Cullen Duval, Aiden Plauche, Cade Ruttley Advisor: Dr. John Easley TempWatch Smart Temperature Monitor is only comprised of a Raspberry Pi and a DHT22 temperature and humidity sensor, but it offers plenty of features. The TempWatch Smart Temperature Monitor displays the current temperature and humidity on the Raspberry Pi display. The TempWatch Smart Temperature Monitor takes readings from the DHT22 sensor after a specified amount of time. This amount of time can be configured by the user through the program itself through the use of a GUI. It also stores that information in a log file that can be viewed in graph form at any time. The TempWatch Smart Temperature Monitor also sends a warning to the user via email if the temperature or humidity falls outside of an acceptable range. This acceptable range can also be configured by the user in the GUI. This Temperature Monitor sends emails via Gmail API. Another additional feature includes a button. This button allows the user to take a temperature reading before the reread interval is up for when a quick read is needed. There is also the ability to clear log data. There is also a menu containing settings for acceptable temperature ranges, reread intervals, how long to keep log data, email settings, email confirmation, and temperature scale. Sensors & Devices: One DHT22 Temperature and Humidity Sensor, One Raspberry Pi |
| First Floor |
Dr. DuinoStudents: Ethan Roberts, Nathan Vanhoof, Ethan Ennis Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos Dr. Duino is a personal medical device used to measure a person’s heartbeat, muscle contractions, and temperature in real-time, while also having the capabilities of tracking an individual’s height and weight to track their Body Fat Percentage through BMI. What makes Dr. Duino so special is the fact that is can send this information wirelessly to your device (in our case, our raspberry pi), which can then be sent to loved ones and personal doctors/therapists. This information can then be used to keep professionals updated about an individual’s overall health and help the individual maintain steady bodily conditions. Sensors & Devices: Heart Rate Sensor, MyoWare Muscle Sensor, HC-05 Bluetooth Module, Raspberry Pi, and Arduino |
| First Floor |
Personal Pill ProtectorStudents: Carson Barnhill, William (Kade) Klink, Lawson Peters Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos An at-home prescription container that keeps track of your prescriptions keeps your prescriptions private and separate from others, and keeps your prescriptions safe. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Keyboard, Raspberry Pi 7” Touch Screen LCD, 3 Solenoid Locks, RC522 RFID |
| First Floor |
Smart Vending MachineStudents: Reese Seals, Yahir Levario, Peyton Cavalier, Mason lefrance Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Smart Vending Machine will be a vending machine that has new and improved unique features such as storing data on an easily accessible platform such as google drive for the owner to monitor the stock of each item, showing the status of each vending machine, and can alert the owner of a malfunction of the machine or if the total stock number is below a certain number. The project will be using 3 Arduinos and 1 RPi; the RPi will be the control system as well as the GUI for users and customers. The project will be made of 2 IR sensors, 2 solenoid locks, wires, fans, and a MOSFET. It will be enclosed in a plastic box and have a ventilation system set up to avoid overheating. It uses rclone to connect the google drive to the RPi to edit files that sync to the google drive files. The GUI is also equipped with a chart of sold items to help improve sales by showing the most popular items. The owner will essentially be able to see the stock and sold amounts from remote locations and the status of each machine all on Google Drive. The final feature is a reporting error button; users authorized by the owner will be given a password to get into the settings and report an error which will be sent to the owner’s phone. Sensors & Devices: Three Arduinos, Two IR sensors, 2 LEDs, 2 Solenoid locks, 1 RPi, 1 Breadboard, 2 diode |
| First Floor |
Whiteboard WalleyStudents: Stone Gorman, Vito Mumphrey, Nathaniel Terrebonne Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski Isn’t it annoying to clean whiteboards? Well, Whiteboard Walley is your solution. Using a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino, Walley cleans your board with the push of a button. Our product saves time for workers and students alike. Walley is controlled using a menu system on the Raspberry Pi allowing for a manual and automatic cleaning mode. Universities and businesses can both greatly benefit from our devices. Workers will no longer have to waste time individually cleaning boards and will save money for the company. Walley is also portable so it can be easily moved from board to board. Our device works by connecting the Raspberry Pi to the Arduino using a Bluetooth module. Using the GUI (graphical user interface) on the screen you can send to Walley. Using the manual mode users have the option to control the path of Walley to clean certain areas of the board. Walley easily attaches to the board using magnets. Using servos our device can move across and clean any whiteboard. Walley will thoroughly clean any whiteboard using a sprayer of cleaning solution as well as felt pads. Walley will also reduce waste by replacing the need for standard whiteboard erasers. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Bluetooth module, Raspberry Pi, four servos, Sprayer |
| First Floor |
Duck-BotStudents: Jason LeBlanc, Michael Lee, Tyler Walker Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen One problem duck hunters seem to face is the hassle of having to go and retrieve their duck decoys from the water. The solution to this problem is an automated decoy duck robot that focuses on being maneuverable from a distance. A graphical user interface controlled by a Raspberry Pi will remotely connect to the duck bot using RF transceivers. The robot itself will be controlled by an Arduino and swim through the water with the use of 3D-printed paddles attached to continuous motion servo motors. It will also be capable of detecting a crash using an accelerometer as if the Duck-Bot had hit a stump or become caught in the grass. Another important feature of the robot is that it will have the ability to detect its relative position with the use of Ping))) sensors. This information will be relayed back to the Raspberry Pi with the use of the RF transceivers so that the user may more easily control the duck even if they are having a difficult time picking it out against the glare of the sun on the water. In the future, with more money and a lot more time, this device could grow into an advanced duck bot swarm that would make the art of duck hunting so much easier. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one Raspberry Pi, one RF transceiver pair, two continuous motion servo motors, one |
| First Floor |
The Shelfinator 3000Students: Tamara Ozol, Jordan Williams, Nathaniel Mitchell Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Shelfinator 3000 is a rotating shelving unit. This shelving unit includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to scan barcodes of items, such as food, or input items without barcodes to store on the shelves. When the user needs an item, the user can scan the item’s barcode or type in the item they are looking for. The device then searches the shelves and rotates to the appropriate shelf with that item. This device is targeted toward individuals who have mobility issues, such as people in wheelchairs, or any disability that would prevent them from being able to stand or otherwise reach higher places within their home. This shelf would allow users to store items in an efficient way that is still easy for them to access. The Shelfinator 3000 will allow individuals to have more independence in their everyday lives. The shelving unit also has the smart aspect, which stores and remembers what items are on each individual shelf. This feature is useful for those who suffer from poor memory or memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia. The shelving can also be useful for those without mobility or memory disabilities. The unit utilizes vertical spaces in order to give cramped rooms, such as dorms, garages, etc., more space for desks, cars, other storage, and more. Sensors & Devices: Barcode scanner, Ping)) sensor, Raspberry Pi, LCD screen, keyboard, motor |
| First Floor |
Tech TunesStudents: Thomas Rogers, Alexander Jose, Connor Ettinger Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Have you ever listened to music to help you focus while working? Or to help you fall asleep? Maybe you even listened to music when you were having a bad day. We all know how music can affect our mood and productivity, and when we listen to music we don’t enjoy, it can throw off our whole day. That’s why we created a system that allows users to select what song they want to play in a large setting such as Tech Table from their phones. Users will scan a QR code that will be displayed in an easily accessible place such as on the tables at Tech Table. A kiosk will be available for users to swipe their ID, student ID, company ID, or other forms of ID depending on the application, to unlock song voting. If a song reaches enough dislikes, it will get skipped, and the next song will start playing. One like will undo one dislike to balance out. If a song reaches enough likes, it will be added to a permanent playlist that will constantly play if there are no user-requested songs. Staff will have their own admin terminal to approve or disapprove any given song that is requested as well as any song that is currently playing. This system is designed to be versatile so it can be used in a variety of places ranging from Tech Table to a doctor’s office waiting room! Sensors & Devices: Two Raspberry Pis, one card reader, 6 buttons, Bluetooth speaker |
| First Floor |
Clean CaddyStudents: Andrew Finch, Jeremy Fountain, Lee Wycoff Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett The Clean Caddy aims to help make brushing one’s teeth a more pleasant experience. By utilizing proper portion control with the toothpaste, you can be sure that the prescribed amount of toothpaste is being used every time! This is achieved by using a photo interrupting sensor in conjunction with a linear actuator. When the photo-interrupter detects an object, like the toothbrush, it will cause the linear actuator to squeeze just the right amount of toothpaste out. The Clean Caddy also has a screen on the dispenser to keep your attention while you are taking care of your teeth. Some of the features included on the screen are a timer for how long you should brush your teeth, the time of day, and even daily information such as weather or a word of the day. Additionally, the implementation of a Bluetooth module within the system will allow your phone to be notified when you are low on toothpaste. Using the right amount of toothpaste each time will help alleviate waste and increase the longevity of each toothpaste tube. With the Clean Caddy, dental hygiene can become a positive activity within one’s schedule, and it can also be enjoyable for all. Sensors & Devices: Raspberry Pi, linear actuator, HC-05 Bluetooth Module, photo interrupter |
SMaRRT TankStudents: Daniel Taylor, Christina Simino, Mason Sanchez Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett Saltwater fish are beautiful creatures, but they are difficult to care for. The Salinity Management and Resource Redistribution Tank (SMaRRT) Tank alleviates the tribulation in maintaining a saltwater fish tank. The SMaRRT system monitors and regulates a saltwater fish tank to reduce the complexity and time invested in managing a saltwater tank. This is done through the use of sensors to measure the three vital factors in a saltwater tank: salinity, pH, and temperature. If the salinity gets too high, additional distilled water is added to the tank to lower the salinity. Oversaturated water is added to increase the salinity. A pump adds substrate to the water if the pH decreases too low for the fish to handle. A program constantly monitors the time elapsed while utilizing a relay to allow the system to turn the lights in the tank on and off either according to the default or set time. A temperature sensor turns the heater on and off to maintain a set temperature. For demonstration purposes, a fish tank water filter is installed to help simulate the environment of the fish tank as well as aid in the circulation of the water and added supplements. The SMaRRT Tank system also utilizes a Raspberry Pi to display a GUI. The user interface is able to display current and historical data as well as preview and change tank configuration settings. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Touch Screen, TDS sensor, pH sensor, Temperature sensor, three |
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| First Floor |
Back Posture ChairStudents: Evan Matherne, Quentin Quarles, Cameron McCarthy Advisor: Dr. John Easley The back posture chair is designed to help the user correct their sitting back posture. Five flat force sensors are attached to a standard office chair, that check for contact in several areas, one on each armrest, one for the lower back, and two for the upper back, in order to alert the user when they have bad posture. After a minute of no contact with an individual sensor, the Pi will then play a noise to alert the user to adjust their posture. It also displays to the user what they need to do to fix their posture. There will be a height input, that alerts the pi to only use the higher or lower upper back sensor to check for bad posture. The GUI implemented displays other data, such as posture improvement over time, and can be used to disable certain sensors, if you don’t want to be alerted for that particular sensor, such as each arm sensor. The intended audience would be anyone who tends to do a lot of work sitting down at a desk or using a computer, typically college students, or people who work in an office, or do a lot of work at a home office. The tendency to slouch down, hunch over, or just in general sit with bad posture is very tempting and can cause back problems with anyone of any age, so this design will be very useful for them. Sensors & Devices: One Raspberry Pi, 5 square force-sensitive resistors, one Raspberry Pi speaker |
| First Floor |
Drop SawStudents: Cameron LeBlanc, Channing Amedee, Harrison Dougherty, Beau Bayham Advisor: Dr. John Easley The Drop Saw is our version of a safe table saw. It protects the user by making the saw blade drop into the table when human contact is detected. This is made possible by utilizing an electrical current detection system that’s monitored by an Arduino. A small electrical current is sent through the blade and because the skin is an insulator, it disturbs the current when it comes into contact with the blade. Once this disturbance is detected, voltage is sent to a valve. The valve releases compressed air into a piston which causes the rod to push out. The rod is attached to the saw blade assembly causing the blade to drop down and out of the user’s way. Because of the simpler technology used, the Drop Saw will be accessible to all levels of woodworkers. This type of technology is necessary considering there are over 40,000 reported table saw injuries annually. Around 4,000 of these injuries result in amputation. These injuries are not only physically difficult to recover from, but they are emotionallyvtraumatizing. Not to mention that, in the professional worlds of construction or carpentry, having an employee out for any amount of time can prove to be quite costly. The Drop Saw would make these preventable injuries a thing of the past at a Sensors & Devices: Current sensor (Adafruit 4226 INA260 High or Low side Voltage, Current, Power Sensor), motor driver, pneumatic cylinder (GKEEMARS Pneumatic Air cylinder SC 63-100 PT 3/8), pneumatic valve (TAILONZ PNEUMATIC 3/8”NPT), air compressor (Kobalt 3 gallon air compressor), DC motor, Arduino, 2 power supplies (2 AMP) |
| First Floor |
Shower MonitorStudents: Zachary Fuller, Thomas McCrary, Gavan Hawks, Charles Waite Advisor: Dr. John Easley Our device takes in two pieces of data, the user’s desired temperature of a shower and the measurable temperature of a shower. If the measurable temperature of the shower is within an acceptable range to the desired temperature, it will display so using a green light from an RGB LED. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one thermistor, one RGB LED |
| First Floor |
Blinking Safety SignStudents: Kadin Ohmer, Collin Clements, Garrett Ferris Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Our Blinking Safety Sign Will be a portable, Self Sustaining attachment to any road sign of your choice! Utilizing solar panels, many LEDs, and a powerful 6-volt rechargeable battery, Our product will allow the sign of your choosing to light up all day and into the night. With applications ranging from school crosswalk signs to a road work ahead sign, the Blinking safety sign is sure to make drivers more alert to the road ahead of them. With lights that can be seen hundreds of feet away, any driver on the roadway will be alerted to the presence of a pedestrian or worker. The power box for our blinking sign will be bolted onto the pole, behind the sign to discourage theft, and access to these bolts will be locked. Whenever a pedestrian needs to cross the crosswalk, they will press the button to activate a strobe feature on the lights, as well as a buzzer. During the night, the light will periodically blink to alert motorists of an area of pedestrians but will not strobe until the button is pressed. The Blinking Safety Sign will be sure to reduce the number of roadside accidents involving pedestrians and make our schools, communities, and country a better, more-safe place! Sensors & Devices: LEDs, Photosensors, IR LED, IR Receiver, piezo speaker, Button |
| First Floor |
The Pup ProtectorStudents: Madison Enfinger, Adeline Moss, Katie Cooley Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Pup Protector is a technologically advanced dog harness designed to alert blind dogs to objects in their surroundings. In familiar environments, blind dogs tend to be able to navigate their surroundings, but in new environments, they repeatedly run into objects around them. Current solutions for this problem involve a plastic hoop that is attached around the dog, but the product tends to be highly overpriced and still requires the dog to impact objects. The Pup Protector is designed to prevent such impacts in the first place. The harness utilizes PING))) ultrasonic distance sensors that detect objects within a 120-inch radius of the dog. Once an object is detected at a specific distance from the dog, the dog will be alerted through sound from a piezoelectric speaker, as well as vibrations from a vibrating motor. An RF transmitter is used to turn the device off and on, and also to select which devices alert the dog: the piezoelectric speaker alone, the vibrating motors alone, or both. When the alert is heard or felt, the blind dog will learn to proceed with caution or change their direction to prevent impact with objects near them. Future design plans for the device include implementing an accelerometer that will detect the dog’s velocity, causing a series of faster or slower sounds from the piezoelectric speakers that depend on how quickly the dog is moving. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, two Bojack Electron Vibrating Motors, two PING))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensors, one RF Keychain Transmitter with Decoded Receiver, two Piezoelectric speakers |
| First Floor |
Protecting Children in the Name of JusticeStudents: Gregory Allen, Gabriel Ferrell, Gavin Soniat Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Our project is meant to give bus drivers more direct control when it comes to the safety of the kids they are transporting. Vehicle-related deaths are some of the most preventable deaths, and the goal of this project is to create awareness of this fact as well as help create a solution. By docking his or her phone in our housing unit, our system allows bus drivers to automatically take pictures and video footage of a car’s license plate if it illegally passes the bus while kids are being dropped off. Furthermore, our system includes noise and light-based safety systems designed to warn kids if a car chooses to illegally pass. Sensors & Devices: Arduino UNO, Piezo speaker, PING))) Ultrasonic distance sensor, Bluetooth sensor supplied in kit, LED |
| First Floor |
Lazy Boy Trash CanStudents: Justice Groom, Evan Gardner, Chandler Achord Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos People use their trash cans daily and most don’t recycle consistently causing our landfills input to be a lot higher than it should be. If we were to simply recycle every aluminum can that we typically throw away we could have a major effect on our ecosystem, economy, and even society. Our initial idea is to use a linear actuator to simply crush a can and then have the contraption then dispense the crushed can into a recycle bin. This will make recycling so much easier and encourage a greener lifestyle. We also plan to use an IR sensor to communicate to the Arduino when to tell the motor diver to reverse the direction of the motor and a momentary switch to simply begin the crushing process. We also were going to use a piezo speaker to play a jingle when the trash bin is full. Lastly, we also considered purchasing a digital display to record the amount of time the switch was engaged which would then entail the number of cans that you have crushed in total. Sensors & Devices: Two Arduinos, one IR sensor, one PING)) sensor, one motor driver, one linear actuator, one piezo speaker |
| First Floor |
Pantry Inventory TrackerStudents: Nicholas Winkelmann, John Littleton, John Peters Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The Pantry Inventory Tracker is a device used to track the contents of your pantry and present that information to you on the internet for easy access anywhere. Gone are the days when you are at the store and have no clue how much of an item is left, or whether you even have it. Using a Raspberry Pi and load cells, the Pantry Inventory Tracker is able to read the contents of your pantry, as well as the mass and the total amount left for each item. This information is then hosted on a web server for easy access anywhere. All you have to do is simply connect to the server, and you will know the contents of your pantry! The Pantry Inventory Tracker also comes with a responsive, easy-to-understand GUI used for changing and editing the items in your pantry. Any change done on the Raspberry Pi will translate over to the website, giving you accurate information at all times. A barcode scanner is also included to allow the simple addition of items. The Pantry Inventory Tracker runs off a thorough Python program that checks for data from the load cells and barcode scanner and then updates an HTML file accordingly. Sensors & Devices: Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Photoresistor, Barcode Scanner, Two HX711 Load Cells, Keyboard |
| First Floor |
Pedestrian ProtectionStudents: Taylor Rachal, Allie Smith Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos Created to help college students who walk every day, which is almost everyone on Louisiana Tech’s campus (as well as people throughout the world who cross streets daily), the Pedestrian Protection is made for the people. By using vibration sensors placed on the sidewalk and an underground pulley system, we have created a system that offers pedestrians an extra form of protection as well as increased visibility. When a pedestrian has the right of way to walk, protective bollards will rise from the ground. These bollards, which cover both sides of the road, protecting from either direction of traffic, are the first line of defense for anyone crossing the road. These poles are easily seen and will be the ones hit, not the person. But these bollards will not engage just because someone is standing on the sidewalk before a crosswalk. To keep drivers safe and ensure traffic can still flow, these protection poles will only rise if the pedestrians have the walkway sign and there is motion. By combining our knowledge of everyday road practices, coding tricks, and our knowledge of mechanics, we have created a realistic solution for a real problem faced by anyone who walks and has to cross any intersection. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino UNO, Two DC Motors, L298N DC Motor Driver, Piezo Film Sensor Vibra Tab, LED light, Momentary Push Button Switch |
| First Floor |
Smart Blind CaneStudents: Joshua Wittig, Andrew Harris, Justin Smith Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos Our team has designed a “smart” cane for the blind. We were inspired by the Louisiana Center for the Blind, next to the Louisiana Tech campus. This cane will be able to detect and give feedback on whether or not there is an object in front of it, and how far an object is. We designed a handle that fits most of the electronic components safely inside; this distributes the weight to the hand and reduces the risk of damaging parts. Feedback from the distance sensor will be delivered through vibrating motors in the handle. The electronics are powered with AAA batteries, and they will be easily accessible from the top of the handle. The tip of the cane has the same durability as regular blind canes, so nothing will be damaged from using the cane as intended. The cane also has reflective tape, so the user will be more visible to drivers at night. We kept the weight balanced and relatively light, so the user will be able to use the cane for longer periods of time without tiring out. Overall, this product will make it easier and safer for the visually impaired to avoid obstacles, such as people or vehicles. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino Nano, two vibration rumble motors, one PING sensor, one motor driver |
| First Floor |
Study Room MadnessStudents: Trevor Fortier, Jude Hebert, Garret Bussey Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos As a response to the endlessly frustrating issue of searching every floor of the IESB to find an open study room only to discover that all eight are occupied, our group has created a solution we call “Study Room Madness.” Using passive infrared motion detection and radio frequency wireless communication we have created a system that monitors the occupancy status of each study room and communicates this data with a central display board to be placed in an accessible space. This space would most likely be the bottom floor of the IESB Rotunda. Each study room will receive one detection system which includes an Arduino, PIR sensor, and RF transmitter. These detection systems will all communicate with the display system which will consist of an Arduino, RF receiver, and an array of LED circuits with one dedicated to each room. These LEDs will be viewed via a labeled board with the room being represented as occupied by lighting the LED. With the implementation of our project, students will be able to more efficiently and effectively utilize the resources of the IESB. Sensors & Devices: four Arduinos, three RF transmitters and one RF receiver (Parallax 433 MHz RF Transceiver Package), and three PIR sensors (Parallax PIR Sensor Module) Sensors & Devices: Two Arduinos, 12V power source, Motor: NEMA 17 stepper motor (incl motor controller A4988), Geekcreit HC-06 Wireless Bluetooth Transceiver RF module Serial (UART), Buttons |
| Second Floor |
Ro-BoatStudents: David Huntsberger, Cristeven Chittenden, Zach Burns Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos Boat safety has not taken too many steps forward in recent years. We believe that boats need safety improvements and we believe we have accomplished that with the Ro-Boat. The Ro-Boat is a self-stopping boat. Cars in today’s world have the ability to stop automatically in case of a collision. The Ro-Boat has the same ability as those cars do. There is a sensor that can detect if something is in front of you. When you get too close to something, like another boat or a person in the water, it will tell the computer to stop the motor and put it in reverse. Just like cars do, there is a warning so you have time to react. If you don’t react, the computer takes over and stops the boat, therefore, preventing the collision. The majority of boating accidents are caused by the driver not paying enough attention to driving the boat. The Ro-Boat could possibly save hundreds of lives per year. The Ro-Boat is mostly intended for lakes and other still bodies of water. There are also more boats and things to run into while you are on a lake. The Ro-Boat is the future of boating safety. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, One PING)) Sensor, Two Pezo Speaker, One Bread Board, One Red LED |
| Second Floor |
Echo-VisionStudents: Cole Bladsacker, Kobe Cooper, Allan Pineda Advisor: Dr. John Easley The goal of the project is to give blind people another, affordable option, to assist them when going outside into a world they can’t see. To reach our goal, we’ve designed a device to detect the distance of objects, in areas out of detection from a blind person’s walking stick, such as items at head or shoulder level. The sensor portion is designed to be easily attachable to most layers of clothing, ranging from items such as backpacks to hats. This allows someone to use the device without having to purchase a designated item of clothing that sensors are placed into, such as a vest or a form of helmet-like headwear. Even though it is based around a generalized three-sensor group program the ability to remove and add more sensors to the device is easily adaptable for those who wish to either remove or add more sensor groups. The device is powered by a battery pack of six AA Batteries. It consists of sensor groups that use two sensors. The sensors are the Ping and the Piezo Speakers, both of which are affordable making it a viable option for those with limited budgets. The sensor groups just require one thing to run the main Arduino group, which consists of an Arduino, breadboard, and a battery pack. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one breadboard, three PING sensors, three piezo speakers, one battery pack (six AA batteries) |
| Second Floor |
Ping Pong Ball DispenserStudents: Ben Henry, Daniel Eymard, Colby Littleton Advisor: Dr. John Easely Our project is a product that is used to better the flow of ping pong matches among different universities, and ping pong facilities. Our idea aims to offer a way of relieving stress, or just a way to have a good time. This will help college students’ mental health by giving them a study break and a way to relax their minds. This machine is very cost-effective, while also being a smart product. By using a solenoid, we are able to quickly and effectively release a ping pong ball to the consumer in a matter of seconds. In our product, we have implemented an Arduino UNO microcontroller, a backlit 4×20 serial LCD screen, and a 4×4 matrix membrane keypad. This product will create more social interactions among students and other ping pong masters. From previous experiences, we have realized that college students are always looking around for ping pong balls. This product will eliminate the need for students to distract the undergraduate student workers from their work at hand, which will attribute to a more productive environment. We are hoping that this product will bring satisfaction to the global ping pong community. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino UNO, One linear solenoid, One 4×20 serial LCD screen, One 4×4 matrix membrane keypad |
| Second Floor |
The SpritzStudents: Jesutomisin Ajayi, Brody Barnhill, Carter Duet, Madison James Advisor: Dr. John Easely The Spritz is a rotating automatic shoe disinfector. This product was designed to lessen the number of germs our shoes bring into, and subsequently around, our homes. Our shoes carry us everywhere and therefore pick up something from every step we take. The Spritz works by using a ping sensor to detect when the user approaches the shoe rack. Once the person is close enough, the acrylic door opens. The user then places the shoes inside and presses the button. The button closes the door, and a servo rotates the plate the shoes are placed on while the sprayer applies disinfectant onto the shoes. Once the cycle is finished the user can again approach the shoe rack and use a switch to rotate the plate to easily access the now disinfected shoes. We also designed this product to ensure our shoes are organized and to make shoes easily accessible. The shoes can be placed anywhere on The Spritz and the users do not have to walk around to get their shoes, instead, they can make use of the switch to rotate it to any point they want it to be. Sensors & Devices: One ping sensor, one button, one switch, one servo, one Arduino, one miniature water pump, linear actuator |
| Second Floor |
ThermugStudents: Mason Triplett, Joseph Johnson, Guillermo Montoya Advisor: Dr. John Easely This mug can change the temperature of the liquid with the press of a button. This is possible because the setup has thermoelectric coolers that use the Peltier effect. Originally, the effect takes place when current flows through copper and bismuth. Depending on the flow of the current through these materials will be the reaction of either an increase or decrease in temperature. Modern devices now use semiconductors that are placed in a certain way that achieves the same effect. On our devices, one side gets hot while the other gets cold. By reversing the polarity of the devices, we can reverse the effect of the Peltier device. That is, the hot side will become the cold side and vice versa. So without the need to manually turn them around, we set them up in a way in which the devices could touch the mug’s area the most to make it more effective and make it easier to change the liquid’s temperature. The aim of this product was to make it a more convenient way to heat up or cool off a drink. We tried to make it as small as possible to avoid making it bulky and uncomfortable to use, and the price for the materials is also cheap, making it affordable. Sensors & Devices: Thermoelectric coolers (Peltier Coolers), fans, buttons, relays, piezo speaker, Arduino, transistors |
| Second Floor |
Bulldog MixerStudents: Ethan Falgout, Britton Evans, Joseph Granich Advisor: Dr. John Easely Our device will control the flow of liquids from 3 different containers and put them into a cup. There will also be a mixer with a ping sensor that will detect if a cup is placed under the mixer before it can be turned on. The liquids and mixer will be controlled by buttons so you can customize your own drink. Sensors & Devices: Ping sensor, 3 air valves, one air pump, one Arduino Uno, one breadboard |
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Portable EKG MachineStudents: Liliane Lavine, Cassidy Husson, Kat Rotolo, Makayla Isaac Advisor: Dr. John Easley The Portable EKG Machine is a machine that conveniently clips onto the pants of the wearer, and it is able to operate with the use of one electrode. The easy-to-use device does not need internet to operate, is rechargeable, and works at all hours of the day. It will read the heart rate in beats per minute, the body temperature in Fahrenheit, the blood pressure, and the blood oxygen level. The Portable EKG Machine is intended for people sixty-five and older who do not want to buy an expensive smart device and only want to monitor their heart. It has a screen that constantly displays all of the values constantly at any given time. People who have constantly checked how their heart it is doing because of a condition they may have will not have to worry about investing in an expensive device that may have other functions that are not needed or have to constantly worry about if their device is connected to the internet. The Portable EKG Machine is as easy as turning it on and applying the electrode to the chest. People sixty-five and older will appreciate this device because it is easy to use, affordable, works at any time of the day, and it does not need internet to operate. Sensors & Devices: Pulse Heart Monitor, Oximeter Heart Sensor, Blood Pressure Sensor, Thermistor, Parallax LCD Backlit with Piezzo Speaker, Electrodes |
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Intelli-KennelStudents: Samuel Lawson, Anthony Giannette Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos This device is called the Auto-Knee Wrap Wrapper. Our team came up with this idea while talking about how long it takes Sam to re-wrap his knee wraps every time, he finishes a heavy set of squats at the gym. He also talked about when in a Powerlifting meet having a knee wrap “bust” while wrapping your knees before a squat attempt and having to wrap the “busted” wrap on, or rush to re-wrap the knee wrap and then wrap the knee. The purpose of this device is to save time for individuals who are using Knee-wraps in the gym or at Powerlifting events. The device works by first inserting a knee wrap into the quick connect Bit, and then inserting the bit into the quick connect. Then you can choose one of three different settings that control how tight the knee wrap needs to be wrapped, by utilizing a linear actuator that pulls a tension bar down with a certain amount of force creating tension on the unwrapped portion of the knee wrap. Once that is done you can turn on the gear motor that utilizes 3-D printed gears that will wrap the knee wrap in less than 30 seconds. Once the Knee Wrap is wrapped you will be able to easily take out the knee wrap with the use of the quick connect. Sensors & Devices: 3-Way Switch, One Arduino Uno, One Gearbox Motor, One Linear actuator |
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B.R.A.D (Blind Residential Automatic Door)Students: Klayr Hayes, Tanner Metzger, Connor Alford Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The Residential Automatic Door is designed to aid the blind in easing the process of opening their own door. The door uses a PIR sensor to detect motion in front of the door and plays a door chime when motion is detected. Then use the key fob that the user will receive with the door installment to unlock and open the door. After a certain amount of time the door is open, the piezo speaker will beep to alert the owner that the door is closing. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Piezo Speaker, RF transmitter, Servo motor, PIR sensor |
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BINDStudents: Cole Laborde, Samuel Klenke, Alex Dunn Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The Bind is a bicycle rack with a build-in lock and RFID scanner security system. It eliminates the need for the cyclist to carry around a large heavy lock that can also damage the bicycle. Our lock features a rubber-coated seal cable that prevents damage along with RFID technology to allow for an unlimited amount of users while still maintaining top-tier security. Sensors & Devices: Two 12VDC Linear Solenoids, Parallax RFID Serial Card Reader, Three RFID White Rectangle Tags, and a Snap Action Switch |
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DogGONE LightsONStudents: William Olinde, Norma Olinde, Laney Fouts Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The DogGONE LightsON is a smart dog harness made to prevent cars from hitting dogs at night. The harness uses several sensors and devices to detect when the user’s dog is outside at night. When the device detects that the dog is outside at night, bright LED lights which are a part of the DogGONE LightsON turn on. The device’s electrical components consist of a photoresistor, the Adafruit Ultimate GPS Breakout – 66 channel w/10 Hz updates, Arkare WS2812B LED Strip Addressable LED Pixels Light 60 LEDs 3.2ft IP67 DC 5V Programmable RGB LED Ribbon Lights Black PCB, an Arduino, and a 9V battery pack. The harness is made of comfortable and durable fabric with two buckles for easy attachment and removal that is dog friendly. Also, the harness was custom designed and made to fit our model, Kylo, the cutest Black Lab- Golden Retriever mix who ever lived. Because the Adafruit Ultimate GPS Breakout – 66 channel w/10 Hz updates cannot detect a signal from within a building or house due to interruption of the signal, we have programmed the device to activate the Arkare WS2812B LED Strip Addressable LED Pixels Light 60 LEDs 3.2ft IP67 DC 5V Programmable RGB LED Ribbon Lights Black PCB to turn on once a signal is detected and the photoresistor reads below certain lighting. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one Photoresistor, one Adafruit Ultimate GPS Breakout- 66 channels with w/10Hz updates (ADA746), One Arkare WS2812B LED Strip Addressable LED Pixels Light 60 LEDs 3.2ft IP67 DC 5V Programmable RGB LED Ribbon Lights Black PCB |
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Black Widow Retardant SystemStudents: Jacob Allbritton, Angie Saldana, Madison Martinez Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The Black Widow Retardant System (BWR) is a device designed to detect and delay fires with the use of a sensor that detects smoke. Once a fire is detected, the BWR will sound a warning and release fire retardant within the programmed diameter. This device is not designed to extinguish a large-scale fire but to aid firefighters in their fight to stop fires from spreading. The targeted area of use for the BWR is forests and high-risk areas. The structure of this project was inspired by deer feeders. As such the device itself is a cylindrical object suspended on three legs with housing for the Arduino and internal wiring within. The cylinder itself will hold the fire retardant and separately the Arduino within. The wiring will be run through the interior of the cylinder and tripod legs. Underneath the cylinder, there will be a small opening which is where the fire retardant will be dispensed, under that there will be a cage-like structure to hold the motor and propelling device in place. To go into more detail about the device our main sensors will be the MQ-2 gas sensor. Using this sensor will allow us to create a code that causes the device to activate in the presence of a fire or fire-like conditions. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, Piezo Speaker, relay, flyback diode, Jameco Electronics 9v 4930 rpm Dc motor, NPN transistor |
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Mechanically Automated LegStudents: Austin Lucas, Dawson Perkins, Kamden Perkins Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos This Mechanically Automated Leg will help assist in the lifting and moving of objects through the use of a linear actuator attached to a leg brace that the user will wear. The Automated leg is made up of two separate braces; one to go above the knee and one below, which is connected with ball bearings that act as the knee joint. The actuator will be connected at two points; once on the back of the lower portion with a bracket to restrict its movement vertically and again to a railing on the back of the quad in order to allow greater mobility during application. The coding is set up so that the actuator will be triggered by a 200kg Load Cell sensor, which is located beneath the foot, that will register when more force is applied than standard bodyweight. When not in use the device will contract and the railing, as previously mentioned, will keep the actuator from hindering its user’s movement. This activation and deactivation are powered by a 12V battery, that is neatly hidden along with the Arduino in a 3D printed box, paired with the L298N DC Motor Driver that was introduced in class to change the polarity with ease. These legs are primarily inspired by the need to ease prolonged periods of strenuous labor that many, including us, experienced during the hurricane Laura, Ida, and Delta clean-ups. Sensors & Devices: 200kg Load Cell sensor, L298N DC Motor Driver, Linear Actuator – 12VDC/330 lb force/150mm stroke/5.7mm-sec – PHYSICALLY LARGE, Linear Actuator Mounting Brackets – set of 2 brackets/2 bolts/2 pins for this project |
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Smart ParkStudents: Caleb St. Pierre, Gabriel LeBreton, Carson Allen Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos This product consists of 2 sensors and 1 unique display. The first sensor is an IR sensor used to detect the presence of cars in its view. It does this by sensing the presence of infrared light. Our project consists of 3 of these, for 3 parking spots. We chose the IR sensor because it is small, and works during rain or shine. This information is then sent to the Arduino. Based on the IR sensors readings, the Serial Monitor could say, “2/3 parking spots taken”. After this is printed the other sensor, Bluetooth, will send this info to your phone, allowing a driver to know if a parking lot is full before even getting there. Full implementation of Bluetooth could lead to an app. As the cautious and courteous drivers my teammates and I are, we realize the dangers of phone usage while driving. This is why we realized a less distracting form of info-communication was necessary. Our display is a seven-segment LED display, which in full implementation, could be at the front of every parking lot. It lights up bright to be seen well at nighttime. With our product, countless, valuable minutes searching for a parking spot during the day can be minimized. Sensors & Devices: 3 IR sensors, One Arduino, 3 Infrared lights, One Bluetooth module, 2 seven-segment LED displays |
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The Autonomous LawnmowerStudents: Hylie Holloway, Tyler Wendling, Cade Lollar Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos Do you have grass that needs to be cut and no time for yard maintenance? Then we have the product for you. The benefits of an autonomous lawnmower go much farther beneath the surface than just a simpler way of cutting grass. Autonomous lawnmowers are self-sufficient, charge up atomically, are safe for people and pets, are quieter, and save time and money. The reasons these qualities are present in an autonomous lawnmower are that they can cut the lawn at any time, return to the base when the battery runs low, are programmed to stop when running into a foreign object which makes them much safer, produce little noise, and significantly save time needed by the homeowner to cut grass. Our project for this class will not be a fully functional lawn mower that will be ready to put out in someone’s yard, instead, ours will be a prototype. Our final design of The Autonomous Lawn Mower will consist of different sensors and components that will be functioning together. The main sensors are three motors and a force sensor, two motors will be operating the wheels, and the other for the blade. The other sensor will be a force sensor that will trigger the mower to stop or turn around. The other main parts we are using are 3D printed wheels, an Arduino, drill batteries, plexiglass, and other wires, nuts, and bolts. Sensors & Devices: Two motors, FlexiForce sensor, one Arduino, drill batteries |
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Third EyeStudents: Zoey Broussard, Tracy Chen, Hannah Riddick Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos The third eye is the peace of mind gadget for those anxious walks alone. It will give the user the ability to see what is going on behind them as well as around them, alerting them if someone is near so that they can take action to protect themselves or prevent an escalating situation. A PIR sensor acts as the brain of the device, detecting the motion of people in your set radius of up to 20 feet. The PIR sensor is connected to a Bluetooth module, which will pair to the user’s phone through the Dabble App. In the Bluetooth Terminal, the user will receive a time-stamped message if the sensor detects motion. After receiving the message, the user can operate the gamepad to play various sounds through the Piezo to scare the perpetrator, or they can simply act on their own accord to call someone since they are now aware of the possible danger. The physical design of the Third Eye is made to be noticeable, as most stalkers follow those who they know are left defenseless. The perpetrator would notice the “eye” of the PIR sensor or the apparatus itself and may just be warded off from the design alone. It is also designed to be easily transported and pinned on and off a user’s bag, so they can decide when they need to use it or not. With this design, Third Eye quite literally has your back. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Breadboard, PIR Sensor, Battery Pack, Piezo Speaker, HC-05 Bluetooth Module |
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Smart HookStudents: Julia Hanewinkel, Brock Moore, Macy Thibodeaux Advisor: Mr. Michael Theodos As college students, many of us have had the dreadful experience of walking out of the door quickly while heading to class, only to find out we forgot our keys and locked yourself out of your dorm. The Smart Hook is a modified keychain hook located on a wall near your front door to ensure that you do not forget your keys when leaving your house or dorm. This discrete hook uses a pressure sensor to measure the amount of weight being pressed upon the sensor to detect whether a pair of keys are placed on the hook or not. The magnetic switch located on your door opens and closes depending on whether the door to your home is open or closed. If your door is open while your keys are still on the Smart Hook, the Arduino MKR GSM 1400 will send you an SMS notification on your cellular device alerting you to remember to grab your keys before walking out of the door. After receiving the reminder, you will be able to pick up your keys from the hook without the possibility of walking out of the house while leaving your keys. This Smart Hook is not only a highly effective device, but it can also ensure the safety of your wellbeing and prevent you from being in certain dangerous situations by alerting you from locking yourself out of your home. Sensors & Devices: Flexiforce Sensor, Arduino MKR GSM 1400, Gikfun MC-38, Dipole Pentaband Waterproof Antenna |
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Joe on the GoStudents: Aidan Willis, Andrew Ivy, Jacob Neely Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Joe-on-the-Go Coffee machine is an all-in-one solution to make a cup of coffee. This coffee machine is meant to provide an easy way to help you to get ready for the day, without having to take time out of the morning to manually make your coffee. This machine makes use of a refrigerator to cool milk and simple syrup that is pumped out of two 3D printed reservoirs into the cup. The refrigerator has the two reservoirs side by side, with pumps attached to a bottom fitting that was made during the 3D modeling phase. All of the circuitry is wired in the back of the refrigerator, which has dedicated routing holes for all the wires that were drilled out. The machine also uses a Keurig machine to brew the coffee, which will be wired up with the refrigerator and pumps to be activated by a single button. This button press will launch a sequence that will activate the Keurig and refrigerator components via a relay module and an Arduino that will control the timing of the pumps and the amount of milk and simple syrup that will be dispensed. Each reservoir has its own dedicated pump and relay, so we can specify the exact amount for both the milk and simple syrup and make the cup of coffee tailored one hundred percent to the user. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Two Relay Modules, Refrigerator, Button, Two pumps, Keurig coffee maker |
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Safe TurnStudents: Riley Edmondson, Anthony Delasbour, Tyler Skeldon, Brandon Terrance Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom “Safe Turn” is a system designed to utilize a force-sensitive resistor and LED light. The intention of this project is to make left turns at busy intersections safer for drivers. A large number of car accidents that occur at intersections are due to left turns. This project is attempting to reduce the number of accidents due to left turns. Once a force is applied to the resistor (i.e., a car driving over it) a light will begin to blink for an allotted amount of time warning the driver who is turning left that they do not have enough time to safely turn. The resistor will be placed in the outside lane far enough from the light so it can work effectively. It is in the outside lane because this is considered a “blind spot” for drivers turning left, especially considering the presence of another vehicle in the left lane can block the view of the oncoming traffic in the right lane. The light will be on a timer set for five seconds of blinking and will restart if another force is applied. It has been made to scale to simulate exactly what will happen, with the help of an RC car. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Force Sensitive Resistor, LED, RC Car |
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Shakey ShakeStudents: Luke Hightower, Regina Fletcher, Emily Schaff Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Shakey Shake is an automated system to help with the mess and time consumption of making pre-workout. This project is to help people make their pre-workout drinks as quickly and easily as possible. Its purpose utilizes the input of either a physical button or the signal received from a Bluetooth sensor to initiate the preparation of the pre-workout drink. After the signal is received from either method, the process of adding the water and the powder begins simultaneously. The water pump is attached to a reservoir and 6-8 ounces of water are pumped directly into the cup. While this is occurring the stoppers, which function off servos to prevent the powder from continuously falling, are moved. After that, the vibrating motor is attached to the containers of the pre-workout spin. The vibrating motors are used to aid in the drop speed of the powder. After the proper amount of powder is dispensed the motors stop vibrating and the stoppers are placed back into their original position. Once both the water and powder are in the cup a frother is then turned on and kept on until the powder is properly mixed into the water. After this, the cup can be removed and the pre-workout is ready to go. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, two servos, two vibrating motors, a water pump, two switches |
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Smart KeypadStudents: Cameron Leonard, Owen Leblanc, Justin Bramlett, Christian Buck Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Our product is a pedestal that has a pad on the top of it to set your keys, wallet, or anything you constantly lose in your house that you take out of the house with you. It is designed so when you get home, you put your keys on it and the device recognizes there is something on it and everything is good. However, if you forget to place your keys or wallet on it, the device through Bluetooth will send your phone a notification to tell you that your keys or wallet is missing and to put them on the pad. This is to help eliminate the problem of always losing your keys or wallet and to build the habit of putting them in one place when you get home. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, One breadboard, One button, One Bluetooth transmitter (Geekcreit® HC-06 Wireless Bluetooth Transceiver RF Main Module Serial Geekcreit), Two LEDs |
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STEPS: Performance Data Collection SystemStudents: Levi Savercool, Sam Bunch, Griffin Hebert, Aidan Shipp Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom STEPS: Performance Data Collection System seamlessly integrates into the equipment of service workers to provide project managers with direct, reliable data to aid in crucial job site decisions. Current standards to show the productivity of worker performance are done by inspectors who will be biased, untrustworthy, and unable to effectively monitor growing workforces. This lack of oversight allows workers to slack off on the job site causing your company to lose valuable profits. Our product, STEPS, provides unbiased quantitative data giving your company exactly what it needs to make the best decisions for the future. STEPS tracks the productivity of crews by cross-referencing GPS and Real-Time data. Using our algorithm, our product is able to track when employees are actively working; this allows it to assign each employee a productivity rating. Project Managers can use this to make more informed decisions that benefit both the employee and the company. Further, STEPS combats the unintentional biases of traditional inspecting practices by representing each worker based on an Identification number. Our system holds workers accountable for the welfare of the company as well as their own safety by providing objective standards for each worker to achieve. We guarantee to improve your confidence in your workforce by keeping your employees accountable and improving their productivity with a versatile and objective system – STEPS. Sensors & Devices: HC-05, SD card reader, Voltage Sensor, Phone |
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The Pill PopperStudents: Adrian Broussard, Dempsey Parden, Ethan Hooter, Jace Peveto Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Pill Popper is for people who have trouble remembering to take their pills. We have a timer that will go off and run a code to push the correct number of pills needed after a certain amount of time. The time and quantity will be inputted by the user via the keypad. Our design can hold four pills at the same time but can easily be made to have more or less depending on the user. The hoppers and pushers we are using for the pills can easily be adjusted as well depending on the size of the pill. When the timer goes off, The pills will be pushed and dropped into a hole so that they can be picked up. While that is happening, we will have a song play on a piezo speaker and an LED will turn on. The user will push a button to turn it all off and reset the timer. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, four Hitec HS-422 Standard Servo, one Parallax 4×20 Serial LCD – backlit, one Sparkfun Real Time Clock Module, one Parallax 4×4 Matrix Membrane Keypad, one piezo speaker |
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Beverage BonfireStudents: William Bagley, Nicholas Russell, Ian Swanson Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski In order to solve the all too common occurrence of cold, bitter coffee, we have designed a tool that seeks to keep your hot beverage at an ideal temperature. Our project model is a hand-crafted box of dark brown wood with an extended platform that is surrounded by a copper ring. A cup is placed directly on the platform which is above a flex force pressure sensor. The sensor is able to detect forces applied to it, i.e. a weight placed on top of it, and register that value to the Arduino program. A thermistor will also be placed underneath the beverage to best register heat. When the heat is registered it will then go through a loop of code that will determine whether heat is to be provided to the cup of liquid, or if it is at a currently suitable temperature. The heating element for this device is composed of three PTC heating elements obtained from Bolsen Tech. These heaters have been attached to a metal ring of copper that is enclosed around a typical-sized paper coffee cup. When the coffee temperature is read within the ideal range of consumption, the heaters will turn off and a green LED will shine to indicate that it is ready for drinking. However, if the coffee temperature is below the range of base satisfactory consumption the heat will turn on and a red LED will shine to indicate that it is NOT ready to be enjoyed. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, Three Bolsen Tech PTC Heating Element 12V, One Sparkfun Flexiforce 1lb Pressure Sensor, One Thermistor |
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Bluetooth Gas MonitorStudents: Carly Osburn, Addyson Gautreaux, Gage Girod Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski For our project, we will be improving an already existing gas monitor that is worn in chemical plants by implementing a Bluetooth component. This Bluetooth component will enable chemical response teams to have a faster arrival time to the site whenever a gas leak occurs. The Bluetooth device will be used to send a notification to an electronic device, which will simulate how it would alert a control room in a chemical plant in a real-world application. This feature will also allow individuals to see when the leak began and the current level of the gas detected. This will enable industries to better regulate gas levels and cut down on the gasses released into the atmosphere. In addition to the Bluetooth sensor, we will be using the MQ sensor to detect the gasses in the air, for demonstration purposes we will test the application of the product with alcohol. A piezo speaker will also be utilized to notify the wearer of the monitor that dangerous levels of gas have been detected as well as when the battery levels are running low. Lastly, an LCD screen will be a part of the product in order to have a visual display of the current levels being read by the MQ-2 sensor. The product will be encased in a 3D printed case allowing for a seamless and professional look. Attached to the case will be a clip allowing individuals to wear the monitor on their clothes or on front of their hard hats. Sensors & Devices: MQ-2 Gas Sensor, 16×2 LCD Screen, Piezospeaker, Bluetooth Sensor |
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Stair MasterStudents: Rylan Coe, Jacob Carter, Dereck DeAgano Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett Within our project we desired to tackle a problem that is seen within law enforcement and more specifically SWAT team safety. SWAT teams often find themselves in situations where they are in an unfamiliar environment without any middle ground between them and a fatal situation. We decided that with our limited resources and time, we wished to develop a robot that is capable of decreasing this unknown environment by navigating stairs due to the difficulty of finding strategies to gain intel on elevated surfaces. Within our robot, the mechanism of climbing is found within two linear actuators that are able to extend and retract based on the sensing of a stair from our robot. This sensing is done with the implementation of two limit switches that are able to sense that the robot is squared up to a stair and is ready to ascend. Once this is sensed, the driving motors are killed, and the climbing sequence commences. The two linear actuators extend, pushing the robot the necessary height in order to get the front wheels above the stair. The robot would then drive forward and retract the linear actuators. The fabrication aspect of this project included soldering, milling, bolting, and drilling different brackets in order to get all of the necessary components into place. On the other hand, the basic outline of our code is through Bluetooth in which we control the motor driver and have input from the limit switches to commence the rising of the linear actuators. Sensors & Devices: Motor driver, Bluetooth sensor, limit switches, two 10-in stroke linear actuators, Arduino Uno, 12-volt battery pack, 2 20:1 ratio AndyMark motors |
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Lock-it SmartStudents: Kevin Espinosa, Ethan Rachal, Marshall Ellis Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski Lock-it Smart is an attachment one can add to their manual deadbolt lock to remotely lock and unlock the deadbolt. Currently using a Bluetooth module and a toggleable button to control a motor and an RGB LED indicator. Using custom-made parts; the housing and the motor attachment. The custom housing, allows the components to be fixed inside so that the exterior is aesthetically pleasing. For the custom motor attachment, it attaches to the motor to freely rotate the deadbolt. This could allow the potential to share a digital key/timer access/one-time access to access the lock. This could be accomplished through a new app development that isn’t what we have now, which is using dabble with a Bluetooth module. The RGB LED indicator is used to indicate the status of the lock, using the “general locking color indicator” green would indicate that the status of the lock is open, while red is to show that mechanism. Also, use a piezo speaker to determine whether or not the battery would need to be changed. Since the assembly would not be aesthetically pleasing with all of its internals shown to the world, we have a custom door mainly relying on gravity to keep it closed. This door helps to keep the whole assembly aesthetically pleasing. Sensors & Devices: Arduino, Button, Bluetooth, Motor Driver, piezospeaker, motor, RGB LED |
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MagaSignStudents: Donald Robbins, Connor Gwatney, Eric Lockton Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski The MagaSign is a smart magazine system that measures the number of rounds left in the magazine. It requires minimal modification to the weapon itself and can function with multiple magazines of different capacities simultaneously. We will be demonstrating functionality on a toy NERF gun during the expo. The output can be adapted and displayed on a separate device, wired manually. This device is designed to help law enforcement officers keep track of the level of ammunition they currently carry. We accomplish this through the use of an Adafruit Time of Flight sensor that can accurately read distance values between 1mm and 1300mm, connected to a QT-PY SAMD21 Microcontroller through physical contact points that feed both data and power to the sensor. The microcontroller connects to a digital display, though it can be adapted to other forms of displays. To save on cost, the only component mounted in the magazine is the distance sensor; the microcontroller and display are mounted on the weapon itself. The sensor is part of a “dumb circuit” that only functions when plugged in; this also lets us tell if the magazine is in the weapon or not and distinguish between different magazine capacities on the fly. Sensors & Devices: Two Adafruit ToF 1-1300mm, One QT PY SAMD21 Microcontroller, One Featherwing OLED Display 128×64, One 9v Battery Pack |
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Piercing BuddyStudents: Ezra Esquivel, Kade Esquivel, Natalie Beasley Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski The Piercing Buddy is a device that is used to help user pierce their ear lobes by themselves. There are two buttons used on this device, one to move the backing so you are able to gently clamp the ear for no movement and one to pierce the ear. The great thing about this device is that you are able to use a piercing needle, unlike a regular piercing gun that just pushes the earring through the skin. The Piercing Buddy allows you to change out the needle each time, so you are able to put a new, sterile needle in for a lower chance of infection and development of keloids. The device runs the piercing needle down a channel and is pushed through the ear lobe. The channel consists of two tracks or belts. The top belt is powered by a motor that uses gears to help propel the needle through the ear and the bottom belt uses bearings that are attached to the casing and will spin freely in the direction of the top belt. The Piercing Buddy runs off 9V, powering both the motor and linear actuator at one time. There is a guide on the outside of the hole where the needle comes out to help direct and keep the needle in place for a more accurate piercing experience. Sensors & Devices: One 12V Motor, one Linear Actuator, one Arduino |
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Smart WindowStudents: Nicholas Stephens, Branden Beck, Gabriel Monterrosa Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski Being in North Louisiana we are able to have many different weather conditions that can change fairly quickly. Our group wanted to make something that would be very helpful to help save people from minor water damage while still giving them the peace of mind to be able to save some money on their energy bills. The Smart Window is a window that can automatically close when rain is detected while also giving the homeowner or the apartment renter the ability to open and close the window via a Bluetooth connection that can connect to a user-friendly app. Our group has made this smart device to help everyone that is wishing to have the ability to open the windows of their house or apartment without having to worry about a sudden spring or summer storm bringing in water into the unit. This is something that will be built into windows to prevent any eyesore looking of the window. The energy savings of this device within a home will grow rapidly and let you take advantage of the cool air that is available to cool a home. This is something that comes with the house when you buy it because it will be installed into the window frame and will have access to local power. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, 2 servos, 1 water depth sensor, 1 Bluetooth module |
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X-WALKStudents: John Neil, David Lewis, Kolbe Smith Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski X-WALK is a modified white cane design used for blind pedestrians to increase their safety while walking around cities. It was a switch on the top that allows for a strip of LEDs to light up. We have two different modes, being Day Mode and Night Mode, Day Mode allows for the LED strip to blink continuously while the switch is held and then Night Mode allows the strip to be constantly on as long as the first switch is being held down. It also incorporates a speaker which indicates when the battery gets past a certain point so the consumer would then change it out. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, SPST switch, SPDT switch, LED strip, 9V battery, Piezospeaker, Potentiometer |
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The Spin MasterStudents: Logan Pertuis, Chase Senac, Jackson Mayeux Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Spin Master is a table tennis robot designed to serve balls to a player replicating a human, while also adding spin to the ball. This device allows someone to practice difficult table tennis executions by themselves without the need for an additional person to help. The ball is launched by four spinning wheels, allowing for forward, backward, left, and right spin. It is aimed left and right by a standard servo motor which will attach at the bottom of the launcher itself. It also comes with a net recycling system to reuse the balls hit by the player. The net extends out from the table and stands on two poles, and the recycling system implements a spiral loader design attached to a funnel to make sure the balls are served at a consistent rate. The player’s side of the table will feature a set of buttons that change the difficulty, direction, and amount of spin on the serves. This idea of this device was created during a Covid lockdown because we were unable to play table tennis with each other, but we believe the Spin Master should be an effective replacement for someone to play table tennis with. Sensors & Devices: Two Arduinos, 12V power source, Motor: NEMA 17 stepper motor (incl motor controller A4988), Geekcreit HC-06 Wireless Bluetooth Transceiver RF module Serial (UART), Buttons |
| Third Floor |
Smart CandleStudents: Alex Creighbaum, Dillon Dartlon, Christian Cobert Advisor: Mr. Jonathan Niemirowski The Smart Candle is a new, highly improved candle holder that revolutionizes candle safety. However, there is much more than just the sturdy and modern design. The tough four-legged Smart Candle is equipped with an easy-to-use light-up switch that is meant to be turned on once the candle is lit. As soon as that switch is activated, the smart candle is ready to prevent all dangers of fire from being spread. Hidden under its wide base is a loaded co2 cartridge that will spray and extinguish the wick if any signs of danger are detected. The reusable smart candle has a built-in accelerometer that is able to detect sudden movements when the candle is lit. If the candle begins to tip over, then a strong blast of c02 is immediately dispersed to extinguish the flame. Along with this comes an inferred sensor. This sensor is able to detect any motion around the top of the candle. A child’s hand being reached in, or a curtain catching a breeze and passing over the flame will instantaneously activate the extinguisher. All of these high-tech features are able to be turned on or off just with the flip of a switch. The Smart Candle is more than just a fancy design. It’s a step forward into a whole new level of safety. The sturdy base and safety technology are all carefully engineered to ensure fire protection and child safety at all times. Sensors & Devices: Accelerometer, IR sensor, Servo, Bluetooth, Switch |
| Third Floor |
ALT 30 (Auto-Leveling Table)Students: Dirk Siegfried, Caleb Arteaga, Grayson Schnaible Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Have you ever set a pencil down on a table, looked away to then hear the telltale sound of the pencil rolling only to look back at the table and watch as your pencil falls off the edge? Well, this was due to the table or surface being unlevel. The ALT 30 is a design of a table that will automatically level itself when you set it up. (Now due to limited time, resources, and budget, we were only able to design the table to level itself in one direction.) To accomplish the task of leveling the table, we decided to use an accelerometer to check the current level of the table, and then have the Linear Actuators that are in each leg of the table, activate to raise or lower each leg respectively until the surface of the table is completely level. In addition to being able to self-level, the table will also be able to be told any angle between 0 and 30 degrees to auto-adjust its surface. This will be accomplished through the use of Bluetooth that is connected to the linear actuators in the legs and also to the accelerometer that will tell the legs how much to adjust. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, One Accelerometer, Four Motor drivers (A4988), Four Stepper motors (NEMA 17), Bluetooth transceiver |
| Third Floor |
Oven on the goStudents: Patricia Rosales, Charish Borne, Katherine Wright Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen This project is meant to be a helpful product that is environmentally friendly because it uses solar power and can also be plugged into a wall if wanted. When traveling in a vehicle and if there is a power outage, then using this solar-powered oven then people are able to heat up their food at any place and anytime. This tool is meant to be versatile to any environment at any time and since it’s solar-powered it has stored energy that allows people to heat up their food at any given time. This will benefit the students that live in community college dorms so that they can have a place to heat up their food. The program allows users to be able to set their desired temperature to heat up their food. To be able to heat up the food we are using heat capacitors and to cool it down we are using the fans. The Bluetooth sensor will make it easier for the user to choose the right temperature if they are unsure of what temperature they want to heat up something. The solar panels are used to store energy and make heating up food very easy in any place. Sensors & Devices: Thermistor, Heat capacitor, Fan, Bluetooth, Solar Panel |
| Third Floor |
Pothead: The Smart Pot StirrerStudents: Logan Green, William Ayim, Austin Follmer Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Pothead Smart Stirrer frees up chefs and home cooks from having to stand around, stirring one single pot, while needing to do other tasks in or around the kitchen, as well as assisting the physically impaired and elderly from having to stand over a hot stove for long periods. The Smart Stirrer is adjustable to fit a wide variety of pots, with adjustability for rim diameters anywhere from 7.5 to 11 inches which should cover most pots in the home kitchen. The device comes preloaded with several different options for common meals. The pot works by using the selected meal to set a specific stir rate along with a timer to let the cook know when their desired meal is complete. The device will then gently stir the contents of the pot until the pot is able to be tended to. The Pothead also comes equipped with an option for manual speed control if a constant stir at a specific speed is desired. The design also incorporates a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the contents of the pot and will sound an alarm if the temperature is approaching a dangerous level, helping to prevent the liquid inside the pot from boiling over, preventing injury, and mitigating hazards. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one Parallax IR temperature sensor, one PWM motor controller, one HC-05 Bluetooth transceiver, one piezo speaker, one small motor |
| Third Floor |
smart ChestStudents: Daniel Anderson, Reed Harmson, Anna Korrodi Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Our Design Project takes an ice chest and makes it easier to find drinks at parties, gatherings, family events, and more. For this to work, we started with a thermistor to read the internal temperature of the ice chest. Next, we got an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen to be placed on the side of the ice chest to display the internal temperature and the available drinks. Finally, we got our camera to recognize what kind and how many drinks are in the ice chest by color. The camera and thermistor are connected to the LCD to make all this information available to anyone interested in getting a drink. There will also be a white LED to light up the inside of the ice chest for anyone to look inside and to help to camera recognize different drink colors. This product makes it both easier and fun to get a drink at any event you may be at. You can find what you like in less time with information displayed quickly on the outside. This gives you more time with family and friends you love, while also giving you the ease of finding any drink you would like in seconds. Sensors & Devices: PixyCMUcam5, Thermistor, LCD screen |
| Third Floor |
TowbyStudents: Justin Sandlin, Jason Dixon Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Never worry about leveling your trailer again with Towby. This device allows you to level your trailer hands-free, no need to worry about changing the height of your hitch anymore. Towy’s main feature is its linear movement system that allows you to control the level of your trailer hands-free. With its Bluetooth capabilities, everything can be done with the tap of a screen. Other than connecting the brake lights and locking the trailer in place, for safety reasons, of course, Towby is almost entirely hands-free. Towby also includes a level sensor, signaling you with a tone when the trailer is level. One of Towby’s many features is its ability to be compatible with any size ball hitch. By just changing out the coupling component depending on the size of the ball it can be town by almost anything. Towby was created to help reduce the strain put on our backs when bending over and hitching a trailer. We believed that Towby can be helpful in decreasing back pain for those whose jobs are centered around working with trailers. Sensors & Devices: Two ZHENG gear-box motors, one Bluetooth sensor, two relays, one accelerometer, and one speaker. |
| Third Floor |
Water Boy ProStudents: Luke Beamesderfer, Grayson McCarty Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Water Boy Pro was designed for people who want to have their own garden but forget to properly water their crops. The Water Boy Pro is an automated irrigation system that takes the hassle out of giving your plants the proper nutrients they need to survive. To achieve this goal, we made a consumer-friendly device that does the work for you. Using an Arduino microcontroller paired with a soil moisture sensor this product can detect the proper time to water the crops. The Water Boy Pro also comes with Bluetooth capabilities that allow the consumer to monitor and manually override the system at the consumer’s discretion. The entire system is contained in a small 8x5x4 waterproof box to protect the system from outdoor elements. The box contains a fan to keep all electrical components from overheating. The Water Boy Pro allows versatility by having options for water supply. Option A is a water tank that varies based on the size of the garden. Option B is a tankless setup, which allows the consumer to use any standard water spigot. The Water Boy Pro is a completely eco-friendly system that keeps the rural consumer in mind. The Water Boy can be powered by solar energy or can be powered by a direct power supply. Sensors & Devices: The list of sensors and devices are as follows: Arduino Uno, one 12VDC Water Pump, one 7-watt Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Panel, one Arduino soil moisture sensor (D53), HM-10 Ble Bluetooth 4.0 sensor. |
| Third Floor |
Chickadee 3000Students: Jacob Portier, Simon Moodie, James Bickham Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Chickadee 3000 is a chicken hatchling project kit, meant to be assembled by young students with the assistance of a parent or teacher. The Chickadee comes as a kit of all the parts, wires, pre-programmed Arduino, and instruction manual for assembly. With an automated electronic system for feeding and watering baby chickens, as well as an adjustable heat lamp, this fun project/activity is great to keep young minds interested in STEM and/or agriculture. Sensors & Devices: One Bluetooth device, One Pressure Pad sensor, One Water Depth sensor, One water pump, One LED, One LCD screen |
| Third Floor |
Harness Helper Fall Alert SystemStudents: Nathan Massey, Taylor May Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Harness Helper Fall Alert System is designed to reduce the time a hunter is left hanging in their safety harness after a fall from a tree stand. A hunting safety harness is used to keep a hunter from falling to the ground, but it can leave them hanging on the side of a tree if they are unable to pull themselves back into the stand. Suspension trauma can begin to occur within seven minutes, which could lead to a loss of consciousness and brain damage from lack of oxygen, or a heart attack. While harnesses are crucial items for hunter safety, once they arrest a fall, they offer no further help, unless the Harness Helper Fall Alert System is attached. Encased in an acrylic box, the Harness Helper has two convenient button snaps and an on/off switch. The Harness Helper reduces that hang time by utilizing an MPU6050 Accelerometer connected to an Arduino Uno to detect a fall when an acceleration greater than the determined threshold is measured. When a fall is detected, the Arduino Uno triggers a SIM7000A LTE-Shield to send a text message to an emergency contact saying that the user has fallen and needs assistance. Following good hunting practice, you should always alert the emergency contact of your location, prior to heading into the woods. In the case of no signal or if someone is nearby, an alarm is also triggered, which includes a flashing LED and an intermittent sound produced by a piezo speaker. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, MPU6050 Accelerometer, SIM7000A LTE-Shield, Piezo speaker |
| Third Floor |
Intelli-KennelStudents: Cameron Cormier, Hannah Madden, Samuel Phoenix Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Intelli-Kennel is a smart kennel that reduces some of the everyday stressors that arise with owning a pet. With a door that opens and shuts with a remote and a climate-controlled area, our kennel is the perfect solution for people who work all day and worry about their pets being taken care of. The kennel has food and water sensors to monitor the levels of food and water while giving a visual representation with the brightness of an LED. The RF Transmitter works to open and close the door from a distance to make letting the dogs out as easy as the push of a button. Also, our smart kennel reads the ambient temperature and uses a fan and heater to keep the animal comfortable in the summer and winter months. Our product is marketed towards families with large, outside dogs but also towards animal shelters that often have few workers and a lot of animals to take care of. This allows employees to see which animals need food and water refills without checking each individual kennel. Our product would also allow shelters to expand their capacity since each kennel is climate controlled, they could house dogs outside. The Intelli-Kennel solves the issues of overcrowding in shelters and reduces anxiety surrounding family pets. Sensors & Devices: RF Transmitter/Reciever Pair, Force-Sensitive Resistor, Thermistor, Cascading Switch, MOSFET and NPN Transistor, L298N DC Motor Driver, two DC motors |
| Third Floor |
Student Lockout Reduction DeviceStudents: Clay Cook, Arin Miles, Northey Smith Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Students often have many things on their minds, but their keys may not be one of them. Our prototype attempts to fix that, acting as both a reminder and a habit builder for students. Based on the principle of leaving your keys in the same place every time you get home, our system measures whether or not a student has their keys on them when they leave by detecting if the keys are in their normal spot. If the student does not have their keys with them, a speaker will emit a sound to remind them of their mistake. If this happens each time they forget their keys, it can eventually build the habit of remembering to grab them. This would also reduce the number of situations where Resident Assistants (RAs) have to let students back into their rooms. If a student leaves without their keys after being alerted, then the system will send a text to both the locked-out resident and their RA, informing them of both of the lockouts. In the end, this system will build the habit, within each student, of grabbing their keys before they leave. This means students will spend less time locked out and allow RAs to spend less time unlocking doors for students. There are higher priorities in life than standing outside of a locked door waiting to get in, and our prototype makes sure that those priorities are realized. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, IR transceiver/receiver pair, Raspberry Pi 4, Speaker, Switch, Force Sensitive Resistor |
| Third Floor |
The Fold-o-MaticStudents: Ryan Decker and Nathan Theriot Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Do you struggle with finding time to fold your clothes? I mean, it’s a simple and easy-to-do task, how difficult could it be? Well, what if I told you it could be simpler and easier. Behold, The fold-o-matic! Our project is an invention meant to help not only people with disabilities but also improve the daily lives of all people. We accomplish this through the use of our Fold-O-Matic which when tested is faster than normally folding your own clothes, as well as our smart product only needs one hand to operate. We use an infrared sensor and a button to operate the machine so that there is a two-step verification system for the product to function to prevent accidental operation of it. When the infrared sensor detects that the clothes are in place it primes the button. When primed the button gives the go, and to the machine and begins to fold the clothes on it. After pushing it, the motors will start on their system, bending each part of the board exactly as needed, making the three folds that get your clothes neat and tidy. The clothing is now ready to be picked up and put into its pile. With some practice, this whole operation can be done in roughly 5 seconds per item of clothing. This can nearly be half the time it takes you to fold a large pile of clothes. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, IR light/sensor, 2 12V motors, 2 dc motors, button switch, and folding board |
The Office CPUStudents: Ryder Naquin, Xavier Brumley, Kieron Montgomery Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen The Office CPU seeks to eliminate the problem of missing employees while integrating payroll and security seamlessly, giving small businesses and large corporations the peace of mind they deserve. With an LED grid, our product displays present employee locations in the main office area that way if a person needs another employee, they can look to see exactly where they are, without wasting time looking for them. Furthermore, payroll for each employee is calculated separately based on when they entered and left the building. Employers can simply add new employees and their pay to the system and the Office CPU does the calculations for you. Our product also creates a log of employees’ past locations and the time they entered and left certain rooms in case of an emergency. If the power were to go out, each unit is equipped with an onboard battery pack, allowing for the preservation of all data logged on the mainboard. Lastly, the Office CPU wires up to door locks to improve security. Scanning a work ID will open the door, clock you in, log your location, and display your current location on the main LED grid. With this product, businesses can cut down on time spent calculating pay and worrying about what employees are doing and spend more time improving their business. Sensors & Devices: Three Arduinos, Three RFID sensors, RTC module, 9 LEDs, one servo, one piezo speaker |
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| Third Floor |
The Piezo PianoStudents: Camille Coco, Caleb Phillips, Brayden Hermes Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen People struggle with learning how to play the piano, and so they learn from expensive teachers or try to teach themselves with no prior knowledge. We decided to tackle this issue by creating a piano teacher that is cheap but also user-friendly. The Piezo Piano is a simple, interactive device that will teach people to play the piano auditorily. The Piezo Piano plays specific notes, and the user must play the same note back. If played correctly, they will move forward and play the following notes in the same chord, allowing the user to play a “Simon-says” type of game. The Piezo Piano will immediately allow you to see whether you played the right notes. First, it will be obvious if your note does not match the one played before, but secondly, a green light will appear for a correct note, and a red light will appear for an incorrect note. Through these new technologies in the music industry, learning piano can be both cheap and easy. The Piezo Piano reacts to you, so you do not have to do anything to teach yourself. Through this method of learning, any piano player can learn every basic chord within a matter of minutes. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one Piezospeaker, twenty-four Photoresistors, one RGB LED |
| Third Floor |
Accessible Pedestrian SignalStudents: Kevin Parnell, Bryton Breeding Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Around the world, visually impaired people struggle with crossing the street. There are systems that can be installed to rectify this problem, however, in a lawsuit recently filed against the city of New York, the city argued that installing said systems involves shutting down intersections for up to two months, at an average cost of $65,000 per intersection. We designed a retrofitted system that functions similarly to installed systems without relying on the timers and sensors controlling the stoplights. The lack of reliance on the existing system would cut down on installation time, and therefore total cost. Our system uses an Arduino with a Photoresistor, which is positioned next to the Red Light. This Arduino sends the Light Level being read by the Photoresistor to a second Arduino via RF communication. The second Arduino has two functions. The first is to, with a ping sensor, detect when a person is walking towards the street, which actuates a servo and plays a discordant sound, alerting the pedestrian to the street up ahead. The second is when the Photoresistor detects that the red light is off, to play a tone indicating to the Pedestrian that it is safe to walk across the street. Sensors & Devices: Two Arduinos, A nRF Transceiver Pair (2.4 GHz nRF24L01+ Transceiver), Continuous Servo (FT90R), 8 Ohm Impedance Speaker, Photoresistor, PING))) Sensor |
| Third Floor |
The Helping HandStudents: Amelia Boudreau, Ashley Dourrieu, Kirsten Nugent Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Stroke victims typically suffer from shaky hands due to muscle atrophy caused by the severing of neural pathways. This lasting symptom can make it hard for victims to grab objects, tie their shoes, write grocery lists, and perform other daily tasks. Studies show that to regain muscle memory, a motion must be repeated 400-600 times a day. This repetition can leave many patients feeling frustrated, tired, and hopeless with their healing progress. With our Helping Hand, this repetition can be made easier. The Helping Hand consists of one glove and one brace. The glove contains flex sensors and is meant to be put on the “good” hand or a physical therapist’s hand. The brace is put on the stroke victim’s “bad” hand and mirrors whatever motion the glove makes using Servos. The brace is made to display as much of the patient’s hand as possible to increase brain association while using the Servos to increase muscle growth. This device allows a patient to focus on something else while the brace does the repetition for them, eliminating the frustration involved in doing typical physical therapy exercises such as stringing beads. By using the Helping Hand, patients can gain the muscle memory back on their own time without the frustration of focused, repetitive movements. Sensors & Devices: One flex sensor, two Arduinos, one nRF24L01 transmitter/receiver pair |
| Third Floor |
The Helping HandStudents: Amelia Boudreau, Ashley Dourrieu, Kirsten Nugent Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Stroke victims typically suffer from shaky hands due to muscle atrophy caused by the severing of neural pathways. This lasting symptom can make it hard for victims to grab objects, tie their shoes, write grocery lists, and perform other daily tasks. Studies show that to regain muscle memory, a motion must be repeated 400-600 times a day. This repetition can leave many patients feeling frustrated, tired, and hopeless with their healing progress. With our Helping Hand, this repetition can be made easier. The Helping Hand consists of one glove and one brace. The glove contains flex sensors and is meant to be put on the “good” hand or a physical therapist’s hand. The brace is put on the stroke victim’s “bad” hand and mirrors whatever motion the glove makes using Servos. The brace is made to display as much of the patient’s hand as possible to increase brain association while using the Servos to increase muscle growth. This device allows a patient to focus on something else while the brace does the repetition for them, eliminating the frustration involved in doing typical physical therapy exercises such as stringing beads. By using the Helping Hand, patients can gain the muscle memory back on their own time without the frustration of focused, repetitive movements. Sensors & Devices: One flex sensor, two Arduinos, one nRF24L01 transmitter/receiver pair |
| Third Floor |
P.M.A.S. – Personal Medical Alert SystemStudents: Colin Doherty, Jacob Fannon Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Personal Medical Alert System (or PMAS for short) is a device designed to make sure that the user is experiencing a healthy and normal heart rate while making sure that they do not fall. The heart rate is constantly monitored using a Pulse Rate Sensor, designed by PulseSensor.com, which reads the BPM of the user, and puts it into the Serial Monitor of the Arduino IDE software. Using that information, if the BPM jumps out of the healthy range drastically, the PMAS will send an SMS to a predefined emergency contact, so that the user’s emergency contact can check on the user to make sure that the user is alright. The PMAS will also make use of an accelerometer to create a fall detection system so that the user will not fall and harm themselves when no one is around. The MPU6050 accelerometer will have a trigger for a fall, which will also send an SMS to a predefined emergency contact, as the Pulse Rate Sensor, did. Our device is specifically designed for those who are older, suffer from disabilities, or small children who might not know what is happening to them if they suffer some sort of heart condition or fall. Sensors & Devices: ESP8266 microcontroller, Accelerometer, pulse rate sensor |
| Third Floor |
Study Room SaverStudents: Byron Pinckley, Steven Montgomery Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Our project is a sensor that goes on a door, ideally both doors in a study room, and counts the number of people that go in to track the presence of people in a study room. Furthermore, it sends this information to a common website that students can access with a clear representation of which study rooms are open or are closed. This project was designed in mind how vital each student’s time is on campus. Consequently, students need to spend every spare minute that they have being Sensors & Devices: Arduino Nano, Two IR sensor/receiver pairs, Accelerometer, Wifi module, 9V Battery |
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Trailer Backup AidStudents: Wyatt Barbe, Devin Lawrence Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom The Trailer Backup Aid is a device used to assist users in backing up a trailer. Backing up a trailer can be a difficult task, especially for box trailers, boat trailers, and tractor-trailers utilized in the commercial trucking industry. There are over five million tractor-trailers in use in the commercial trucking industry today, along with millions of residential use trailers. Almost none of the trailers have backup aid devices even though backup cameras are now required on vehicles. We felt something Sensors & Devices: One HC-05 Bluetooth module, Two Parallax PING sensors, One Arduino |
| Third Floor |
The Study Room SolutionStudents: John Rasberry, John Gueltig, Micah Pernetter Advisor: Dr. Michael Swanbom Our group wanted to find a problem here on campus that we could fix or improve. Initially, we produced other ideas, however, we settled on the study rooms for our design project. The problem students on campus are running into is the effort it takes to go to each floor of the IESB searching for an open study room. Even then, if there are spaces open in a room the student would not know if he/she was intruding on other students studying. Our solution is a sensor on each of the study room doors that will detect and count the students entering and leaving the room. There is also a button pad on the sensor block that allows the student to choose whether the study room is open or closed to others. The IR sensor will also act as a backup for the button pad just in case students forget to interact with the pad. This information is all going to be sent to a tablet or screen in the main lobby of the IESB, where students can see which study rooms are open, closed, or occupied. This will give students looking for a place to study the information to decide if they will study in the IESB or some other place on campus. Sensors & Devices: One Sparkfun 4×20 LCD 09568, Two Laser PING 2m Rangefinders (IR Sensors), Three Press Buttons, One Arduino |
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Swift ShieldStudents: James Clack, Alexis Haley, Kate McLoughlin Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett Swift Shield is an automated sun visor for automobiles. Up to 9000 crashes, a year are attributed to the blinding effects of the sun. That’s more accidents than icy roads cause. The risk of crashing due to temporary blindness is significantly reduced by ensuring a tinted visor always stays between the sun and the driver’s eyes. The Swift Shield visor not only folds like traditional visors but also moves horizontally to maintain a position that effectively shields the driver from the sun’s rays, regardless of the direction the sun is in. This is accomplished by moving the visor along tracks that are easily attached to the interior roofs of common vehicles. The sun’s direction and intensity are tracked with a sensor module added to the exterior roof of the vehicle. When the sun’s glare is not significant, the visor automatically folds out of the way. However, even when in the driver’s field of view, the transparent, tinted visor allows the driver to see objects such as traffic lights. These features are in direct contrast to the current visors found in automobiles, which require the driver to take their hands off of the wheel to frequently adjust its position, which results in a dangerous situation that may lead to an avoidable accident. Sensors & Devices: Two Arduinos, three servos, one photoresistor, one stepper motor, one RF transmitter, one motor driver |
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Lazy LaundryStudents: Adam Guillory, Jude Roger Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett This is an automatic laundry detergent pod dispenser. It utilizes the Arduino, an IR sensor, and a linear actuator to drop a pod into a custom chamber, and then push it into the machine. The Arduino controls the IR sensor, a motor controller, and gets its power from a step-down controller. The IR sensor makes sure the device knows when there is not a tide pod, the actuator pushes one off the edge with the help of the motor controller and the step-down controller takes the high voltage from the washer and converts it into low voltage the Arduino and linear actuator can handle. Sensors & Devices: 1 Arduino, 1 Mini 2 stroke linear actuator, (12V, Waterproof), 1 Step down regulator (12V DC to 5V DC), 1 relay, 1 IR sensor |
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Fan-tasticStudents: Jobie Cheramie, Joseph Estopinal, Kyleigh Davis, Ruthie Benson Advisor: Dr. John Easley The Fan-tastic is a new and improved design for a standard floor fan. No longer will you have to worry about a fan that only reaches you in one place in your room. With 4 motion sensing PIR sensors attached to the front of our fan, wherever you go, the breeze will follow. These sensors are attached to the fan by a stepper motor, and when a PIR detects motion in front of it, the Arduino will relay that information to the motor. The motor will then turn the fan head in order to accurately face your new position. And if you do not want the Fan-tastic to always follow you, that works too! Just as a standard oscillation feature is togglable, there is a button above the sensors than can turn the motion-sensing feature either on or off. The toggle button is located in the back of the fan on top of the sensor housing. Along with these new and improved features, it also has a three-speed motor powering the fan blades found in a more average fan. The Fan-tastic has a turning radius of 90 degrees, so it will be the perfect fan to put in the corner of your room or office. Sensors & Devices: Four PIR sensors, one Arduino, one breadboard, one stepper motor, one stepper motor driver |
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The Piggy ATMStudents: Caleb Neal, Lucas Burns, Karina Cotten Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett The Fan-tastic is a new and improved design for a standard floor fan. No longer will you have to worry about a fan that only reaches you in one place in your room. With 4 motion sensing PIR sensors attached to the front of our fan, wherever you go, the breeze will follow. These sensors are attached to the fan by a stepper motor, and when a PIR detects motion in front of it, the Arduino will relay that information to the motor. The motor will then turn the fan head in order to accurately face your new position. And if you do not want the Fan-tastic to always follow you, that works too! Just as a standard oscillation feature is togglable, there is a button above the sensors than can turn the motion-sensing feature either on or off. The toggle button is located in the back of the fan on top of the sensor housing. Along with these new and improved features, it also has a three-speed motor powering the fan blades found in a more average fan. The Fan-tastic has a turning radius of 90 degrees, so it will be the perfect fan to put in the corner of your room or office. Sensors & Devices: Four PIR sensors, one Arduino, one breadboard, one stepper motor, one stepper motor driver |
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SmartDetectStudents: Annie Mouton, Maggie Gilmore Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett Students at Louisiana Tech, no matter their major, love the Integrated Engineering and Science Building. It houses multiple cornhole boards and bags, a ping pong table, rolling chairs, whiteboards everywhere, and most importantly the nicest study rooms on campus. They contain TVs that can connect to one’s laptop, a variety of seating, and whiteboards on multiple walls. Because of these rooms’ high quality and prime study or group workspace, it is oftentimes very difficult to find one available. You have to walk around all three of the floors to determine if there are any unoccupied, which takes time and is a workout if you ask us. Meet the SmartDetect, a smart study room sensor that can detect if the room is occupied and the number of people in the room. This information would then be displayed in a central location such as the IESB rotunda which one would be able to look at and determine which rooms are occupied or which rooms only have one or two people in them. This would reduce the amount of study/work time wasted searching for a place to work while allowing people studying by themselves to be joined by other students working alone so that no rooms are only being occupied by a single person. This can also allow new friendships to be made through the hardships of college. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, two PING)) Ultrasonic Sensors, One Adafruit 3538 AMG8833 IR Thermal Camera Breakout |
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BeeFreeStudents: Caden Edwards, Jacob Michelli, Christian Delbasty Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett U.S. National Agricultural Statistics show a honey bee decline from nearly 6 million domesticated hives in 1947 to 2.4 million hives in 2008 – a 60 percent reduction in only 61 years. Regarding honeybees, specific environmental fluctuations impact the sustainability of a hive. The premise of beekeeping is to essentially prevent these fluctuations from harming the hive. Even with consistent management practices, the average roll-over rate of an apiary is 1/3 meaning the beekeeper expects to lose Sensors & Devices: Data Streamer (Raspberry Pi), Accelerometer, Pressure Sensor (Load Cell), Hive Closer, Heater & Cooler (Peltier), Temperature Sensor, Humidity Sensor, Solar Panel |
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Blind Spot BroadcasterStudents: Tristan Chittenden, James Cole, Anousith Keomaly Advisor: Dr. John Easley The product idea is based on the walking sticks now used by blind people. We believe that the sticks are not enough, and in order to solve this problem, technology should be used to make maneuvering easier for blind people. The point of this project is to allow blind people to be notified of obstacles in their way using speaker-given commands from a text-to-speech device. The text-to-speech device will receive its phrases from certain circumstances input due to the data given from the Sensors & Devices: Emic 2 Text-to-Speech, LaserPing 2m Rangefinder, One Arduino board, Parallax Standard Servo |
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Parking Spot IndicatorStudents: Isaiah St.Cyr, Douglas Graham, Ryan White Advisor: Dr. John Easley The focus of this project is to maximize efficiency in finding open parking spaces. We wanted a design that is easy to implement into existing parking lots, is cost effective, and has a clean aesthetic. Our design uses a pressure sensor located in each parking spot to detect whether or not there is a parked car. Each sensor will be connected to green lights located at the end of the lines that separate the parking spaces that will indicate whether a spot is open or closed. When a car is detected, the pressure sensor will send a signal to the Arduino that turns off the lights connected to that parking spot. The lights turn back on when the car is moved and the pressure is taken off of the sensor. Along with the lights in each individual parking spot, there will be a sign placed at the entrance to the parking lot. It will display the current number of open parking spots in the lot. Each parking space will also contain a raised cover for the lines. This cover will protect the lights and will help prevent Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, Three 1.75”x1.5” 10 kg Pressure Sensors, One 7-Segment LED Display – red, Six Green LEDs |
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Scarecrow 57Students: Allen Barnard, Emma Agan, Emily Wines, Hannah McPherson Advisor: Dr. John Easley Our product is an all-in-one device built for the single purpose of scaring away birds from airport hangars. Birds are a common issue in airport hangars. When they get into airport hangars they build nests in the engines, poop on the planes, find wires to pull out, and many other cost-effective problems that airport staff members should not have to worry about. That is why we have created Scarecrow 57. Scarecrow 57 will detect the motion of birds from over 30 feet away and play a loud predatory hawk sound to scare away the more common smaller birds that infest hangars. You can adjust the volume of the sounds with a scroll wheel on the power chord if it is too loud or too quiet. It can easily be turned off if people are working in the hangar as well. The market today has very few devices made to keep airport hangars free of infestation. The products that do exist are either impractical or too expensive. Our device will solve both issues by being both cheap and practical. Just set it up near the entrance of your airport hangar, plug it in, and watch as your bird problem disappears. It really is that simple. Sensors & Devices: One Arduino, one Aideepen MP3 player module, one HiLetgo mini PIR sensor, one Manhattan USB Powered Stereo Speaker System |
| Third Floor |
Smart Defrost SystemStudents: Tyler Cochran, Parker Dubois, Parker Robertson, Jackson Still Advisor: Dr. John Easley The Smart Defrost System prevents the added stress of a frosted windshield on top of the morning commute. The main housing of the product sits on your dashboard, with tubing containing the wires for the heating pad that comes out of the housing to stick onto the windshield. The system uses a heating pad triggered by the temperature sensor’s reading of the vehicle’s windshield. We used a non-contact temperature sensor pointed at the interior of the windshield to read the temperature. This sensor will stick out of the housing that contains the rest of the circuitry in order to detect the windshield surface temperature. In our code, we account for the thermal conductivity of glass so that we can trigger the system based on the exterior temperature of the windshield. If at any point the outside temperature gets cold enough to begin to freeze your windshield, this system will detect the cold temperature and prevent the windshield from freezing by turning heating pads on. The power for the system is supplied by a solar-powered portable power bank. This way, power can be saved up during the day, and the system can run at night when it gets cold enough to need to. Lastly, a Bluetooth module is included so that the user can manually control the device through the use of a smartphone. Sensors & Devices: Non-Contact Temperature Sensor, Arduino, Heating Pad, Bluetooth Module, Solar Power Bank |
| Third Floor |
Tune-o-Matic 5000Students: Cynthia Langkamp, Jacob Pichon, Karissa Sherwin Advisor: Dr. Allie De Leo-Allen Introducing the Tune-o-Matic 5000. Tuning a guitar is tedious and often inaccurate due to human error, so we have created a self-tuning guitar attachment. When a string is played on the guitar, there is a sensor that detects the frequency of the note and decides whether the note needs to be higher or lower. A signal is then sent to a motor to turn accordingly. The motor has a 3D printed part attached to it that grabs onto the tuning peg and rotates the peg with the motor. This changes the frequency to what it should be for that string and eliminates any human error. While there are already some electronic tuners on the market, they are very expensive, and they are inconvenient because they are handheld. They can also only tune one string at a time, whereas we have a frame that is able to hold six motors and clamp onto the end of your guitar, so there is no hassle if you want to tune multiple strings. Additionally, our frame is designed in a way that will fit multiple types of guitars. This means if someone owns an acoustic guitar and a bass guitar, they would only need to buy one tuner. Our product is easy to use, flexible, and cost effective. Sensors & Devices: 1 Arduino, KY 037 Sensor, 12V TSINY Gearbox Motors, L298N DC Motor Driver |
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Vital Monitor GloveStudents: Caleb Adcox, Ethan Herbold, Grayson Cary Advisor: Dr. John Easley Our project is a portable vital sign monitor. The components will be attached to a fingerless glove which will be worn by the user. The sensors include a heart rate monitor, pulse oximetry monitor, and an infrared temperature sensor. The heart rate and pulse oximetry sensors will have elastic straps attached to hold them against the fingers, and the temperature sensor will be attached to the glove at the wrist. Each of the three sensors will be wired to the Arduino Uno, which will be attached to the glove at the wrist. Also wired to the Arduino will be a monitor to display the readings from the sensors and a switch to toggle which readings are displayed. The Arduino will be powered by a 5-volt battery pack attached at the bottom of the wrist. The battery pack will be attached to the glove by strips of Velcro so that it can be detached for recharging. Since the temperature sensor is measuring surface temperature, our program includes a formula that will convert the values read by the sensor, allowing for a more accurate approximation of the wearer’s internal temperature. Elastic bands have been sewn into the glove to hold the components in the proper positions, as well as to make the glove fit a larger range of hand and forearm sizes. Sensors & Devices: Arduino Uno, Heartrate sensor module, MAX30102 PulseOx sensor, MLX90614 IR temperature sensor |
| Third Floor |
The Perfect TuneStudents: Cody Lauret, Cameron Kastner, Shane Cady Advisor: Dr. Krystal Corbett When we present at our expo, we will be using a snare drum. The Arduino will be sticky tacked to the side of the drum along with the 3-D printed piece that houses the sensor and motor. Our laptop will be connected to the Arduino on the drum to upload the code multiple times. We will be using the motor driver to cause the DC motor to turn clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the given frequency. By tapping the drum two or three times, the sensor will display what frequency it reads. The motor will then tighten or loosen the lug nut, thus raising or lowering the frequency if outside the desired dead band. The red light will turn on if the frequency is lower than the dead band. The yellow light will turn on if the frequency is too high. Once the frequency is at the desired frequency, the green led will turn on and the drum is now in tune. Due to the sound sensor being very sensitive, we will be using cotton to create a sort of soundproofing for the sensor to only read the drum being played very close to it. The expo will be filled with excess noise, and we were given many questions on how we will compensate for the outside noise. We tested the cotton around the 3-D shaft and saw that the sensor for the most part ignored outside chatter and only read the tune of the drum. Sensors & Devices: DEVMO 5PCS Microphone Sensor High Sensitivity Sound Detection Module Compatible with Arduino PIC AVR, DC gear head motor, Arduino, red led, green led, yellow led, motor controller |