Senior Design Project Showcase
Students often complete their entire degree without the chance to display the remarkable work they can accomplish. In 2010, the Senior Design Project Showcase was established with a primary objective: to link our talented students with professionals in their respective fields to showcase their industry-level work. These industry experts provide valuable real-world feedback on various year-long projects developed from the knowledge and dedication that students acquire while pursuing their degrees. This event has evolved into an engaging college tradition where more than 40 student groups present their projects and pitch them to industry experts, creating an open forum for the public to be inspired.
SDPS 2024 Grand Prize Winner
AUTOBVM
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sepideh Abolghasem
Department: Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management
A traditional BVM (Bag-Valve-Mask) is a fundamental medical device used for manual ventilation in emergency and critical situations. Operated by skilled healthcare professionals, we aim to develop a device, AUTOBVM, that would automate the process and remove human error; while freeing the hand of the professional to address further needs of a patient. By creating a device that can maintain a patient-specific BPM (Breaths-Per-Minute) while providing precise and constant ventilation, we plan to meet our goals of creating a cost-effective device capable of these target specifications. Our project plans to address the needs of modern medical professionals by taking an innovative approach to modernization, patient care, automation, and lean implementation.
CM 488 Mock Display
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anwar Alroomi
Department: Civil Engineering and Construction Management
Our senior design project entails the creation of a mock building, where we will apply our collective knowledge and skills to design and construct a realistic model structure. This project serves as the culmination of our academic journey, allowing us to integrate theoretical concepts with practical applications in a real-world setting. Our goal is to demonstrate proficiency in architectural design, structural engineering, and construction management as we collaborate to bring our vision to life. Through meticulous planning innovative problem-solving, and effective teamwork, we aim to deliver a high-quality mock building that showcases our capabilities and highlights our readiness to embark on professional careers in the field of architecture and engineering.
La Plaza Village
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anwar Alroomi
Department: Civil Engineering and Construction Management
La Plaza Village is a residential and commercial building project that began in August of 2016 and was one hundred percent completed by February of 2019. The 425,000 square foot village includes 4 buildings that are split across from each other from Block A to Block B. This project includes 355 for rent multifamily units in which twenty percent of the units were made exclusively to be affordable. Also, 43,700 square feet of the project is made specifically for retail units. La Plaza Village ranges in heights from 5 to 7 stories high, in which the 7 stories are mainly on Block B of the project. The project also includes an approximate of 720 parking spaces and is extended from the Historic Paseo/pedestrian trail from Union Station to Olvera St. that is within Downtown LA area.
Infinity VR
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Li Liu and Dr. Peter Bishay
Department: Computer Science
Virtual reality (VR) is evolving into an advantageous asset for rehabilitation and therapy centers. It is becoming more common for VR to be used in programs that can assist and benefit those in therapy or physical rehabilitation. Through a unique collaboration between computer science and mechanical engineering researchers at CSUN, this work presents an interactive VR environment, named “Infinity VR,” that enables using a specially-designed foot controller system to actuate a virtual prosthetic arm. The physical “Infinity foot controller” includes push buttons, gyroscopes, and accelerometers to control the wrist and fingers of the virtual “Infinity Arm” via simple toe clicks and foot rotations. Up to two arms can be included in the VR environment to interact with objects of various shapes, sizes, and weights. Infinity VR provides an opportunity for transradial amputees to practice using the foot controller system to control the prosthetic arms before being fitted with such devices.
Wohpe - Citizen Science
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Alex Modarressi
Department: Computer Science
Harnessing the power of citizen science, our project aims to build a mobile application tailored to the specific needs and aspirations of the Standing Rock Native Nation, located in the North and South Dakotas, along with assisting to improve NASA JPL’s accuracy and quality of data. Integrating traditional and cultural knowledge with scientific data and research from NASA and EPA, the app will focus on themes of sustainability, human rights, and social justice. By empowering community members to actively collect data and share knowledge, the platform encourages participation and informed decision-making. Beyond fostering engagement and promoting sustainable living, the app ultimately seeks to revitalize social and cultural identities within the Standing Rock communities, serving as a model for citizen-driven solutions.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drone
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Xiaojun (Ashley) Geng
Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Our project aims to develop a lifeguard drone equipped with AI image processing capabilities to detect individuals in distress, particularly those drowning, in aquatic environments. Utilizing hardware components such as the Pixhawk flight controller and Raspberry Pi 4, coupled with software solutions like QGroundControl and custom algorithms, the drone autonomously patrols designated areas, analyzing live video feeds for signs of distress. Upon detection, the drone swiftly deploys rescue measures or alerts nearby lifeguards for swift intervention. This innovative solution enhances water safety protocols, providing a proactive approach to aquatic emergency response.
CSUN Aeronautics
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shadi Mahjoob
Department: Mechanical Engineering
As the increased risk of wildfires threatens the environment and our way of life, the CSUN Aeronautics team engineered a sophisticated suite of systems to combat these dangers. The suite of systems consists of a Primary Aircraft (PA) to identify and deliver supplies to critical humanitarian interests via a deployed Powered Autonomous Delivery Aircraft (PADA), equipped with a Ground Transport Vehicle (GTV). Advanced avionics components are utilized, employing autonomous image recognition software to detect and locate wildfires. The PADA utilized a modified airfoil to maximize the lift while minimizing drag and weight. The GTV employs distance sensing and composite materials to autonomously navigate obstacles while carrying large volumes of water. All the systems were co-developed through a systems engineering approach to ensure compatibility and mission performance throughout the design, analysis and manufacturing processes.
Smart Morphing Wing (SMW)
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Peter L. Bishay
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Smart Morphing Wing is a research-based Senior Design Project whose objective is to design, simulate, build, and test innovative morphing structures for aerospace applications utilizing 3D-printing, composite structures, and smart materials. The 2023-24 cohort designed a bio-inspired bird-like nonflapping unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), called CGull, which resembles the great black backed gull (GBBG) in its superior agility and efficient gliding. CGull’s wings were designed with two coupled morphing degrees-of-freedom (DOF) to allow the inner wing to bend forward and the feathered outer wing to retract backwards. A compact actuation mechanism was developed to control three DOFs in the tail: pitching, tilting, and feather expansion. Laminated composite structures were utilized in various components, such as the feathers and the skin of the fuselage and wings. A proof-of-concept prototype was built and tested to prove the effectiveness of the proposed design. The team won first place at the AIAA regional student conference.
Oral Presentation Winners
- Civil Engineering and Construction Management – La Plaza Village
- Computer Science – Wohpe - Citizen Science
- Electrical and Computer Engineering – UAV Drone
- Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management – AUTOBVM
- Mechanical Engineering – CSUN Aeronautics
Project Display Winners
- Civil Engineering and Construction Management – CM 488 Mock Display
- Computer Science – Infinity VR
- Electrical and Computer Engineering – UAV Drone
- Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management – AUTOBVM
- Mechanical Engineering – Smart Morphing Wing