vanderbilt mechanical engineering senior design projects 2012

I N S I G H T. I N N OVAT I O N . I M PAC T. ®

2 V A N D E R B I L T U N I V E R S I T Y S C H O O L O F E N G I N E E R I N G

2 0 11 / 2 0 1 2 S E N I O R D E S I G N P R O J E C T S 3

PREFACE

S enior design courses provide students with experience working on real-world projects that involvedesign constraints, budgets, reviews and deadlines. Students learn about the principles of design,professionalism, licensing, how ethics affect engineering decisions, entrepreneurship and the day-to-

day implications of intellectual property. This course is a culmination of their undergraduate education andprovides them with the opportunity to apply and develop their design, analytical, project management,interpersonal and communication skills through a team-based project.

Projects are completed as part of capstone design courses in each department. Students are encouragedto work in an interdisciplinary manner, with an integrated design seminar facilitating the exchange of ideasand talent from multiple disciplines. This exposes students to the kind of multidisciplinary teamwork theyare likely to encounter in industry.

As their projects take form, student teams keep in touch with their industry and faculty advisers, holdmeetings, write formal documentation and present their work. By the end of the academic year, the teamsproduce a prototype or virtual demonstration of their design. Students know their design must solve a real-world problem and work hard to achieve a high quality outcome.

As you read through this catalog and learn of the benefits of industry sponsorship, please considerbecoming a senior design sponsor. The School recognizes the value of senior projects sponsored by industryand invites project sponsors — industry representatives and entrepreneurs as well as research and clinicalfaculty — to submit project proposals. This provides meaningful projects of value to the sponsor, and it instillsa professional orientation in the student team. If you or your colleagues are interested in sponsoring a projector to learn more, please contact me.

Cynthia B. Paschal, Ph.D.Associate Dean of the School of Engineering5321 Stevenson Center(615) 322-2029Email: [email protected]

Mailing address:PMB 351826 2301 Vanderbilt PlaceNashville, TN 37235-1826


CONTENTS

2012 SENIOR DESIGN AWARDS

PREFACE

OUR SPONSORS

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SENIOR DESIGN PROJECTS

FACULTY ADVISERS:

R. Joel Barnett, Associate Professor of the Practice of Mechanical Engineering

Robert J. Webster III, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Development of a Compliant Part Loading and Unloading System for Use with a Dual Spindle Lathe ...............................6

Welding-Tool Actuation System for Two-Sided Friction-Stir Spot Welding................................................................................6

Determination of Root-Cause-Solution for Intermittent Noise in Nissan Maxima Door Assemblies.....................................7

Manufacturing-Process Improvements of Fiberglass Mats for Roofing Materials ...................................................................7

A Fatigue-Testing Machine for Use with Ceramic Materials........................................................................................................8

Cutting-Blade-Wear Testing System for Manufacture of Diabetes Test Strips............................................................................8

Tuned Induction System for a Formula-SAE Engine ....................................................................................................................9

Design of a Noise Mitigation Strategy for Denso Manufacturing Tennessee ............................................................................9

Vanderbilt Aerospace Club Scram Jet ..........................................................................................................................................10

Design of Microfluidic Chip Accelerator .......................................................................................................................................10

Vanderbilt Motorsports FSAE Automated Shifter........................................................................................................................11

Industrial Robot Tactile Sensing .....................................................................................................................................................11

IED-Locating Robots: A Scan and Deployment Program ...........................................................................................................12

Wheelchair Advanced Sensor System..........................................................................................................................................12

Biohybrid Solar Cells ......................................................................................................................................................................13

Vanderbilt Micro Aerial Vehicle Research ....................................................................................................................................13

On-Chip Bacterial Detection and Diagnosis with Integrated Mechanical Micropump for Low-Resource Settings ............14

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Best Student Organization Sponsored Project Vanderbilt Aerospace Club Scram Jet

Best Industry Sponsored Project (Tie)Industrial Robot Tactile Sensing — Universal Robotics

IED-Locating Robots: A Scan and Deployment Program —Northrop Grumman

Best Research Lab Sponsored ProjectDesign of Microfluidic Chip Accelerator — Vanderbilt

BioMEMS Lab

JurorsJohn Olert, PE, President, Olert Engineering

Alex Lee, PE, Senior Project Engineer, Nexant

Robert J. Webster Jr., PE, Owner, Rjw Facility ManagementServices

Adeeb Shahdan, Graduate Student, MechanicalEngineering Department

David DeLapp, Senior Research Engineer, Civil &Environmental Engineering Department

Jimmy Davidson, Professor of Electrical Engineering,Emeritus


SPONSORSTHANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Our sponsors generously support the Vanderbilt School of Engineering’s senior design program. Thank you for providing your time, experience and financial support that help make our program a success.

Denso Manufacturing Tennessee Environmental Protection Agency

GAF Corporation, Research and Development OfficeMax Mobility

NASA/Vanderbilt University Welding Automation LaboratoryNissan North AmericaNorthrop Grumman

Oak Ridge National LaboratoryRoche DiagnosticsSAE International

Universal RoboticsVanderbilt Aerospace ClubVanderbilt BioMEMS Lab

Vanderbilt Computational Flow Physics LabVanderbilt Motorsports

Vanderbilt Systems Biology and Bioengineering Undergraduate Research ExperienceY-12 National Security Complex

Aerospace Club

Computational Flow Physics Lab

Systems Biology and Bioengineering Undergraduate Research Experience


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Vanderbilt Welding Automation Laboratory (WAL) has been involved for many years in the

development of advanced welding technologies, with emphasis on sensing and control issues in-volved with welding processes. Presently the WAL is involved with research concerning the Fric-tion-Stir Welding Process, a solid-state (non-fusion) welding process. A specific aspect of the FSWprocess currently being investigated is the use of the FSW process for spot-welding, a weldingprocess used extensively in manufacturing.

Present test equipment utilizes adapted conventional machine tools to perform the FSW processand the goal is to design and eventually build a dedicated FSW test facility.

The Design Team was asked to design a welding-tool actuation system for two-sided frictionstir spot welding to be used in the WAL’s next-generation FSW test facility. For the welding-toolactuation system for the future FSW system the relevant design criteria were 1) weld-sample hold-ing and stability methods, 2) tool actuation (vertical movement) mechanisms, 3) tool RPM control,4) accuracy and precision of tool movement, and 5) overall structural issues (strength).

To accomplish those design goals the team designed and built a 2x scale model of their pro-posed system to verify and demonstrate the system’s behavior. They also designed a productionversion using ProE that contained information concerning materials, components, dimensions,tolerances, and manufacturing and assembly concerns. This final design was presented to theWAL staff for use in the proposed FSW test facility.

TEAM MEMBERS:Matthew Vonderheide Nur Fadhilah Haji Mat Hanij Syahirul Mohd Khairi Kyle Walker

PROJECT ADVISERS:Alvin Strauss, Ph.D., ME Dept.George Cook, Ph.D., EE/CompEDept. Chase Cox Tracie PraterBrian Gibson

CLIENT:NASA/Vanderbilt UniversityWelding Automation Laboratory

Welding-Tool Actuation System for Two-Sided Friction-Stir Spot Welding

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Y-12 National Security Complex has a long history of involvement in national security issues

dating back to WWII, with primary concern being nuclear-related activities. This includes manu-facturing of nuclear devices and related systems, which have many operational constraints asso-ciated with the processes necessary to produce them. These constraints include difficult physicalmachining characteristics of the nuclear materials, radioactivity associated with these materials,and restrictions on human contact and interaction with the manufacturing process. Also, the na-ture of the devices under construction is such that they are required to have very strict accuracyand precision standards.

The Design Team’s task is associated with the restrictions on human contact and also related tothe nature of the materials being machined. In the case of human interaction, a device/system wasrequested that would allow the transfer of components being manufactured from one lathe spindleto another without human intervention.

The nature of the components being produced is such that even a very small scratch or dent inthe material will make the component unusable. Therefore, the team designed a component-trans-fer system which would allow a certain amount of compliance (lack of rigidity) that allows thetransfer to proceed gently and without the possibility of dents or scratches that might occur witha conventional (rigid) robotic or automated parts transfer system.

The team designed and built a full-scale prototype of their proposed system that demonstratesthe multi-axis movement required for accurate parts manipulation (loading and unloading) whileallowing the compliance necessary for prevention of unintended damage to the part(s) being trans-ferred. They also provided to the customer a complete CAD design giving exact dimensions andcomponents of an actual functional system.

TEAM MEMBERS:Thomas CapobiancoWilliam BladesTrevor BrunsThomas TrepanierChristopher Capobianco

PROJECT ADVISER:William Barkman

CLIENT: Y-12 National Security Complex

Development of a Compliant Part Loading and Unloading System for Usewith a Dual Spindle Lathe


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONNissan North America in Smyrna, Tenn. is a major manufacturer of automobiles for the Ameri-

can market and produces several models of Nissan vehicles at the Smyrna plant. A high priorityfor Nissan is to produce vehicles that meet in all ways the expectations for quality of their cus-tomers.

The task assigned to the VUSE Team originates from the Nissan Warranty Management groupand involves the determination of the source (root cause) of an intermittent noise upon door clo-sure in certain vehicles. This noise occurs rarely and intermittently and requires a significant effortin terms of time and manpower to resolve prior to final approval for customer sale.

By use of Fault-Tree Analyses, Ishikawa (Cause-and-effect) Diagrams, physical measurementsand testing, and by observation of the assembly process, the team was to determine whether thefault was due to: 1) original design factors (configuration and/or tolerances) of the componentparts, 2) manufacturing issues involving the component parts, 3) assembly methods (includinghuman factors), or 4) a combination of the first three factors. The problem was made more difficultdue to the intermittent and rare nature of the perceived fault and by the requirement that the costsassociated with the solution be as low as possible. By using the “4-M” method of fault evaluation(Man, Machine, Method, and Material) the team provided suggestions to resolve the intermittentnoise problem by identifying the most technically-effective and cost-efficient method(s) of solu-tion.

TEAM MEMBERS:Thomas BennettRobert AllerLee FickenMohammad Naquidden AbdRazak, EE/CompE

PROJECT ADVISERS:Ashley GatlinTyler Stokes

CLIENT:Nissan North America

Determination of Root-Cause-Solution for Intermittent Noise in NissanMaxima Door Assemblies

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONFounded in 1886, the GAF Corporation has become North America’s largest manufacturer of

commercial and residential roofing. The Research and Development Office of GAF in Nashville,Tenn. is charged with developing improved products and manufacturing processes for the variousmanufacturing facilities of the GAF Corporation.

A major product of the GAF Corporation is roofing shingles for residential and commercial ap-plications. Such shingles are constructed of a fiberglass mat (core) coated with asphalt material.A significant portion of the shingles’ strength and potential service life is determined by the prop-erties of the fiberglass core.

The Design Team’s task was to investigate the parameters of the fiberglass core’s constructionprocess and determine production-process improvements. Manufacturing parameters of the fiber-glass include the agitation, in an aqueous medium, of glass fibers 1.25 inches long by 16 micronsin diameter. These fibers are collected and compressed to form the inner mat of the compositeshingle structure.

The project design goals were to produce a fiberglass core that is physically smaller (thinner)while having increased strength. Process variables investigated included improvements in 1) ag-itation methods, 2) curing methods, 3) molding techniques, and 4) vacuum application in mat for-mation. Subsequent tensile testing of fiberglass mats indicated that superior dimensional andtensile properties were achieved compared to previous manufacturing techniques.

TEAM MEMBERS:Katherine RuddyMuhammad Farhan Abd Razak Noorazman ZulkairnainPriscilla Maya

PROJECT ADVISERS:Avi Desai Tim Blatchford, Ph.D. Leslie Horton

CLIENT:GAF Corporation, Research andDevelopment Office

Manufacturing-Process Improvements of Fiberglass Mats for Roofing Materials

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Oak Ridge National Laboratory is involved in a wide range of scientific and technical activ-

ities, including studies of nuclear chemistry and physics, inquiries into global warming, energyconservation, high-temperature superconductivity and new materials.

Studies in materials research by the Ceramic Science and Technology Group, within the Mate-rials Science and Technology Division, have involved the experimental characterization and mod-eling of the relationship between mechanical response of brittle materials and their microstructure,and the design of structural components made from them.

The Design Team was given a task involving the determination of properties of ceramic (brittle)materials – specifically the fatigue life of such materials. Existing fatigue-testing machines, whichare designed primarily for the testing of ductile materials, have limitations when used to test ce-ramic materials. Therefore, the specific task for the Design Team was to re-design and add featuresto an existing fatigue tester to make it more suitable to test ceramic materials.

After initial testing to calibrate the test apparatus, a controllable variable-load system was de-signed and added to the basic fatigue-tester. Using this system, the load applied to the test samplecan be varied in a controlled fashion as a function of time. Addition of a user-interface on the inputand output allows experimental testing of brittle materials in a way that gives more accurate resultsconcerning fatigue properties in a shorter-duration test period.

TEAM MEMBERS:Walter JensenMohd Amirullah Abdul RazakMuhamad Hafiz KamarudinRichard Gronberg

PROJECT ADVISER: Andrew Wereszczak, Ph.D.

CLIENT:Oak Ridge National Laboratory

A Fatigue-Testing Machine for Use with Ceramic Materials


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONRoche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, Ind., is a subsidiary of Roche, Inc. Roche Diagnostics develops

diagnostic tests and systems for early-detection, evaluation, and monitoring of disease. The specifictesting system under consideration by the Roche Design Team was a system (test strips) for mon-itoring blood-glucose in diabetic patients.

The test strips under consideration are cut from very long rolls during the manufacturingprocess. Due to the composite plastic/metallic construction of the test strips, wear and dulling ofthe cutting blade is an issue in large-quantity production.

The Design Team was asked to design an off-line blade-wear testing system that will allow theevaluation of blade wear as a function of product production. In this system the magnitude of thecutting force and changes in the cutting force (with time/production) of the cutting blades can bemonitored. A proof-of-principle testing system was designed and built to allow quantification ofthe cutting forces involved in test strip production. Further, the system allowed the tracking of cut-ting force changes (force-sensitivity variation) as simulated wear is introduced into the test blades.

A finalized test-system design using the information gained from the proof-of-principle testingwas produced, and CAD files giving materials, dimensions, and production details were deliveredto the client.

TEAM MEMBERS:Scott StrohmSergio QuintanillaKamarul Aizat Abdul KhalidBret Berie

PROJECT ADVISERS:Michelle BrounerPeter Goodwin

CLIENT:Roche Diagnostics

Cutting-Blade-Wear Testing System for Manufacture of Diabetes Test Strips


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONFormula-SAE is a motorsports formula and racing series sponsored by the Society of Automo-

tive Engineers. In it, racing vehicles are designed and built by university engineering students andare operated in competitions among those engineering schools.

Formula-SAE, as with other racing-vehicle formulas, has a specific set of guidelines for designand operation of the vehicles in competition. These include chassis specifications, engine specifi-cations, safety specifications, and many others.

The Design Team’s goal is to produce an induction system for the Formula-SAE race car underconstruction at Vanderbilt. Among the primary engine-related design constraints are the enginedisplacement (600cc) and intake restriction (20mm orifice) to reduce the amount of power pro-duced to a level commensurate with vehicle safety (reduction in speed capability).

Within those primary limits the team’s goal is to produce an induction system that producesthe most power possible by use of basic fluid-mechanical design techniques, such as minimizingflow restrictions in other (non-restricted) areas of the intake system, by maximizing the flow ve-locity at the intake port, and by using the Helmholtz resonance phenomenon to “ram-tune” theintake pipe so as to maximize the volumetric efficiency at the desired rpm.

Traditional fluid-mechanical design techniques, along with internal-combustion-engine theoryand practice, were used to set the basic induction specifications. Computational Fluid dynamicstechniques were used to refine the basic design. After construction of a preliminary version of theintake system, flow bench testing was performed to verify the theoretical results. A complete in-duction system was delivered to the Formula-SAE team for use on the race vehicle.

TEAM MEMBERS:Alexander YurevitchHouston HatchettBenjamin HodgesLuke Bellet

PROJECT ADVISER: Phil Davis, Engineer, VanderbiltSchool of Engineering

CLIENT:Vanderbilt Motorsports

Tuned Induction System for a Formula-SAE Engine

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONDenso Manufacturing Tennessee, Maryville, Tenn. produces electrical and electromechanical

components for the automotive and motorcycle industries. As such, they produce starters, alter-nators, fuel systems, and instrumentation for such companies as Chrysler, Toyota and Harley-Davidson. All processes at Denso are based on a foundation of Kaizen (continuous improvement).Denso principles underscore that everything can be improved and that nothing is insignificant.Also, a stated goal of Denso is to establish a more human-friendly workplace for its associates.

Using the principles of Kaizen, an area of desired improvement at Denso Manufacturing Ten-nessee assigned to the Design Team was that of achieving a “more human-friendly workplace” byreducing the ambient noise level in the manufacturing area to a level substantially below that re-quired by national Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. This reduc-tion would result in improved safety due to improved communications as well as enhance personaljob satisfaction and productivity due to improved working conditions.

The task was implemented by making several sound level surveys of the Denso plant and de-termining the noise-profile existent in the plant. The design team made additional noise evalua-tions to determine the exact nature and specific sources of the elevated sound levels in the plant.The team then researched noise mitigation and reduction strategies and devices, and determinedthe applicability of each to the sources identified as the most significant.

Recommendations were made by the Design Team to Denso concerning anticipated noise re-duction benefits (magnitude dB) and the cost-effectiveness (dollar/dB) of the various methodolo-gies. Certain noise reduction strategies were implemented and the resulting benefits weremeasured, indicating significant improvements in the noise level at the Denso plant were feasi-ble.

TEAM MEMBERS:Ryan NybergDavid WuEizaq ZainuddinJoseph Fleming

PROJECT ADVISERS:Britt AutreyMark ShepardJoe Talley

CLIENT:Denso ManufacturingTennessee

Design of a Noise Mitigation Strategy for Denso Manufacturing Tennessee

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PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Vanderbilt Aerospace

Club is competing in the 2011-2012 NASA University StudentLaunch Initiative (USLI).

For this year's competition,the team constructed a pair ofscaled, sub-sonic ramjet en-gines mounted externally tothe aft-most section of therocket body. The design of theengines was refined throughextensive ground-based stud-ies and experiments. To ana-lyze the performance of the engines they were instrumented with the necessary equipment forthrust and temperature measurements.

The significant challenges included handling and storage of pressurized fuel, initializing andsustaining combustion during the narrow test window, developing an accurate and robust dataacquisition system, and ensuring the structural integrity of all the equipment during a 10g launch,and above all assuring safety.

TEAM MEMBERS:Paul Richard AllenTyler Benjamin HannanThomas Griffin Hardy IVChristopher Bernard LioiZachariah William SmithTaylor Averill Stevenson

PROJECT ADVISER:A.V. Anilkumar, Professor of thePractice of MechanicalEngineering

CLIENT:Vanderbilt Aerospace Club

Vanderbilt Aerospace Club Scram Jet

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe Vanderbilt Bio-MEMS lab

investigates the encapsulation ofindividual cells under high gravi-tational force conditions. The re-sults of this research can beapplied to vaccinations and biofu-els. The encapsulation processinvolves the rapid deceleration ofa microfluidic sample chip, whichsubjects the contents to a high in-ertial load. The behavior of thesample is then studied under ahigh speed microscope. The cur-rent system uses pneumatics to accelerate the chip along a rail system. When the test sample isin view of the microscope, it is decelerated by a bumper, which results in a high inertial load onthe test sample. The ability to control the velocity prior to impact affects the ability to control thedeceleration forces on the test sample. The test procedure is complex and cumbersome, and thustime consuming to setup.

The objective of this team is to design a second-generation system with an emphasis on re-peatability and ease of use. Areas under review are the design of the overall system structure, theacceleration mechanism and its repeatability. Reducing the weight of the test sled will increasethe loads on the sample during deceleration. A new pneumatic-driven piston will be used to moreprecisely control the speed of the sample prior to impact allowing for experimental repeatability.

TEAM MEMBERS:Rory Keeling CassidyKyle R. DowdBrendan Daniel LawrenceRobert Sample WolffJohn Dermody

PROJECT ADVISER:Jon F. Edd, Assistant Professorof Mechanical Engineering

CLIENT: Vanderbilt BioMEMS Lab

Design of Microfluidic Chip Accelerator

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PROJECT DESCRIPTIONEach year the Vanderbilt Motorsports

Formula SAE team designs and builds acomplete formula race car from scratch.This process allows the student designersto solve a multitude of real world engi-neering problems as well as experimentwith designing the same advanced tech-nologies used on top series race cars. TheMotorsports team is sponsoring a seniordesign project to develop a targeted sub-system of this year’s formula car.

The project is to improve lap times bydeveloping a fully automated shifting sys-tem that integrates with the team’s exist-ing motorcycle manual gear box. Startingwith the manual gearbox and motor, theteam will develop shifter actuation hard-ware, user controls, and the needed com-puter control hardware. In addition todeveloping the hardware systems, a com-plete control logic has been developedand tested.

TEAM MEMBERS:DeAndre Lemond JonesSpencer Christian PriceNor Aimi Ghazali Rocky Gray

PROJECT ADVISER:Phil Davis, Engineer, VanderbiltSchool of Engineering

CLIENT:Vanderbilt Motorsports

Vanderbilt Motorsports FSAE Shifter

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONFounded in 2008, Universal Robotics is

a software engineering company inter-ested in closing the feedback loop in theworld of industrial robotics. The objectiveis to allow industrial robots to perform theless structured, less rigid tasks normallyperformed by people in a factory setting.While robots excel at repeated precise mo-tions and tasks they are historically limitedwhen performing jobs that are simple forhumans; tasks such as grasping randomlyassorted cardboard shipping boxes.

To date Universal Robotics has closedthe feedback loop using advanced visionsystems. The next step is giving the robotsthe ability to feel, as well as see, the task.The design team’s objective is to develop arobust, low cost force sensing system. Thissystem must offer sensing abilities similarto expensive and often troublesome 6 de-gree-of-freedom load cells. A functionalprototype system will demonstrate theability of the design team’s research.

TEAM MEMBERS:Khairul Asyraq Abdul FahimiMarlena Susanne ClarkAzrul Amri FauziScott Thomas Nill

PROJECT ADVISER:Alan Peters, Chief TechnologyOfficer, Universal Robotics

CLIENT:Universal Robotics

Industrial Robot Tactile Sensing


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe number of Improvised

Explosive Device (IED) attacksin combat zones is rising andmore organizations are adopt-ing the IED as the weapon ofchoice. With IED attacks in-creasing, the task of movinghigh-value assets becomesmore difficult. Robotic tech-nology exists to help detectand neutralize IEDs, but thesesystems are not fully effectiveand are often used in a hap-hazard fashion. Currently, IED-detecting robots are used only where suspicious items are foundby personnel in the field, and in areas that are previously believed to be of high-risk. There is nosystematic method by which the robots can scan an area or determine the best route for a convoyto travel.

The design team will create and test algorithms that control the deployment of a group of IED-locating robots as well as generate a convoy route. The robots will execute a scan pattern designedto improve both scan effectiveness and duration as compared to the current method. The robotswill report results back to the convoy and this information will be used to update the convoy routein real time.

TEAM MEMBERS:Michael Vincent JekotMichael Hiro KariyaAdam Benjamin LoftusRichard Daniel WhitneyLittell Edward Wilson III

PROJECT ADVISER:Larry Gariepy, Systems Engineer

Integrated Air, Space andMissile Defense Programs

Missile Defense Engineeringand Analysis Center

Northrop Grumman

CLIENT:Northrop Grumman

IED-locating Robots: A Scan and Deployment Program

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONMax Mobility is a research and

development company dedicatedto maximizing the mobility ofthose with disabilities. Their goalis to develop cutting-edge prod-ucts that improve mobility whilereducing the physical demandson wheelchair users. The com-pany has been developing newmethods for determining seatplacement that take into accountvertical as well as horizontal cen-ter of mass. The improved seatplacement offers improved effi-ciency and stability for wheel-chair users.

The design team is chargedwith developing an advanced sensor system that can be attached to a user’s wheelchair. The systemwill gather static and dynamic data in a clinical environment. This information will then help de-termine critical performance variables such as the balance angle for a user in a chair. This workwill include the development of the sensor system along with its user interface. The ultimate ob-jective is a system that is simple to use yet provides all the information needed to custom setup awheelchair.

TEAM MEMBERS:Muhammad Asyraf AbdullahBernard Asher FriedmanBowman Cooke MalpassGerik Joseph Zatorski

PROJECT ADVISER:Mark Richter, President, MaxMobility

CLIENT:Max Mobility

Wheelchair Advanced Sensor System


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe United States Air Force Research Laboratory issues design challenges to universities across

the country. One of these challenges is to develop flapping wing flying robots called Micro AerialVehicles. These vehicles are meant to mimic biological locomotion such as an insect or bird. Thewing span of these MAVs is a maximum of 20cm and the weight must be less than 20 grams, in-cluding camera or other payload. The Air Force envisions these small, low-cost robots performingtasks such as gathering surveillance data or offering personnel on the ground an easy way to seewhat is around the next corner.

The Vanderbilt MAV senior design project is a continuation of Vanderbilt’s existing research inthe area. This year’s objectives are to improve upon the designs proposed by the previous two de-sign teams in two major areas: improved wing actuation to increase total flapping range and flap-ping velocity. The team also is designing a new flexible wing structure that will dynamically deformin a predictable fashion, thus allowing greater control while keeping lift at maximum. With thesedesign enhancements, the final objective is to create an improved MAV prototype capable of hov-ering while meeting cost and build time constraints.

TEAM MEMBERS:Adam Oliver CantorShahrizan Syawal Mohd Adam DasNurul Hafizah NizarWan Mohd Syafiq Wan Sulong

PROJECT ADVISER:Haoxiang Luo, AssistantProfessor of MechanicalEngineering

CLIENT:Computational Flow Physics Lab

Vanderbilt Micro Aerial Vehicle Research

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONUsing the Photosystem I from spinach

leaves, nature-inspired solar cells were fabri-cated. These cells are a proof of conceptbased upon research performed at Vanderbiltand demonstrate that a measurable voltagecan be obtained using non-traditional solarcell design. Though the voltages measuredare low, each cell costs roughly $6 to makeand can be made with tools available outsideof specialized laboratories, opening the pos-sibility of solar cell manufacture to many indeveloping nations.

In addition, research performed in the pastyear has produced voltages at an order ofmagnitude greater than those possible at thetime the cells were designed and manufactured. This new method will be incorporated into a seniordesign project next year if this project advances to Phase II funding from EPA’s People, Prosperity,and the Planet (P3) initiative.

TEAM MEMBERS:Eric Stephen DilbonePhilip David IngramTrevan Michael Locke, ChBE Paul McDonald, ChBEAndrew Lanier Couch, ChBEJason Bret Ogg, ChBE

PROJECT ADVISERS:A.V. Anilkumar, Professor of thePractice of MechanicalEngineering

G. Kane Jennings, Professor ofChemical and BiomolecularEngineering

CLIENT: Environmental ProtectionAgency

Biohybrid Solar Cells


PROJECT DESCRIPTIONTuberculosis (TB) is a global epi-

demic for which there exists no cur-rent point-of-care (POC) diagnosticdevice suitable for rapid detection inlow-resource settings. Delayed diag-nosis leads to irreversible prognosisof the disease and fuels the epidemicby directly abetting onward transmis-sion. Here, we provide a potential so-lution to the lack of POC diagnosticdevice for resource-limited settings.

Our objective is to develop a low-cost/low-power microfluidic diagnostic system capable ofrapid clinical diagnosis of bacterial infections such as TB. Our platform introduces a novel precisefluid pumping mechanism via solely mechanical actuation, extricating this technology from anypower demands. This self-sustaining system is coupled with isolation chambers that can selectivelytrap labeled bacteria by exploitation of flow properties. Using a time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)reader, we can achieve the sensitivity and time to initiation of treatment that surpass current POCtechnologies.

In conjunction with the design of our diagnostic system, we intend to create a commercializationstrategy, including exploration of registration processes with the FDA for quantification accuracy,a market analysis, and a business plan for taking our device to market. Therefore, if our tool doesprove to be profitable, we will have laid the groundwork for presenting to venture capital firms.

TEAM MEMBERS:Brian LesniakBen BrantleyAyeeshik Kole, BMEErica Curtis, BMEErik Werner, BME

PROJECT ADVISERS:Dr. Kevin T. SealeCharleson BellRon ReisererDr. John P. WikswoDr. John BersDr. Matthew Walker III

CLIENT:Vanderbilt UniversitySystems Biology andBioengineering UndergraduateResearch Experience

On-Chip Bacterial Detection and Diagnosis with Integrated Mechanical Micropump for Low-Resource Settings

I N S I G H T. I N N OVAT I O N . I M PAC T. ®

© 2012 Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt Engineering School’s Senior Design Projects catalog is published yearly in April.

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vanderbilt mechanical engineering senior design projects 2012

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