Available Projects 2018-2019

Below are projects that are most likely to be active for the coming academic year. Some of the projects are new; some might end up not being active this year. If you are interested in a particular project, reach out to the team lead (if available) or the faculty advisor, if no team lead is listed.

There are some FAQs about the UCI-MAE Senior Projects program at this link. Note that there is also an answer to the question of whether you can create your own project. You can, but it will require some extra work on your part and, most importantly, finding a faculty advisor to agree to advise your project.

Additional information can be found in

Robofish
Advisor: Marc Madou mmadou@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The goal of this project is to build high performing robotic fish. The requirements for this project are the same as for ENGRMAE165 Robofish project. The team is expected to advance the design by following a rigorous engineering design process over 2-3 quarters.
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ADV COMB TECH
Advisor: Derek Dunn-Rankin ddunnran@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Professor Dunn-Rankin guides student projects in areas related to combustion and some forms of energy conversion. Interested students should contact him directly. As an example of a past project, the more information link below shows the design of plasma generation for applications to internal combustion exhaust gases to decrease pollutant emissions.
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HIGH HEAT FLUX
Advisor: John LaRue jclarue@uci.edu; Khalid Rafique krafique@uci.edu
Team Lead: Deekarul Harinath dharinat@uci.edu
Description: The objective of this project is to design, develop, and fabricate a testbed capable of producing and dissipating high heat fluxes/loads.
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CARGO PLANE
Advisor: John LaRue jclarue@uci.edu
Team Lead: Alexander Marks awmarks@uci.edu
Description: This project is meant to design a heavy lift RC airplane that follows the guidelines of the SAE Aero West Regular class competition rules.
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SPCCRFT THERMSY
Advisor: John LaRue jclarue@uci.edu; Khalid Rafique krafique@uci.edu
Team Lead: Trevor Morgan tamorgan@uci.edu
Description:The environmental conditions experienced by orbiting spacecraft are extreme due to the wide temperature range and vacuum conditions. These environmental variations pose a demanding design constraint on the engineers creating the thermal management systems for spacecraft. Most operating satellites today come equipped with radiators to reject heat from onboard electronics into space. The Variable Emissivity Radiator being researched and designed at UCI provides control to lower the outer surface emissivity during sunlight exposure, and increase it again to dissipate internal heat, all while using minimal power and no moving components.
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UAV FORGE
Advisor: Natascha Buswell nbuswell@uci.edu
Team Lead: Raashi Kashyap kashyapr@uci.edu
Description: We design, build, test, and fly unmanned aerial vehicles dedicated to autonomous remote surveillance.
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CUBESAT
Advisor: Ken Mease kmease@uci.edu
Team Lead: Benjamin Sorensen sorenseb@uci.edu
Description: Design, build and test a simulated space probe to carry a delicate payload and survive launch, deployment, descent, and landing. Competition to take place in early summer.  The Modular CubeSat project’s goal is to design, build, and launch a modular phone based CubeSat. A CubeSat is a small satellite based off of a 10x10x10 cm (1U) cube and uses a variety of consumer off the shelf (COTS) components. The researcher will be able to use the newest communication standards, allowing for higher processing and data transfer rates than were ever possible with CubeSats.
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DRONE 4 SEARCH
Advisor: Ian Harris iharris@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The purpose of the SDL-UAV project is to engineer a drone equipped with a microwave transmission and detection system that can find victims trapped underneath debris in a crash or natural disaster. The sensors on the drone will be able to detect movement due to respiration through solid material then give the longitudinal and latitudinal location of the survivor. With the development of the SDL-UAV, rescuers will be able locate and rescue more lives in future disasters today.
More Information: Contact Professor Harris

ROBOTIC HAND / Robotic Arm
Advisor: Ian Harris iharris@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Research and investigate the limitations of artificial intelligence by designing and building a robotic arm capable of recognizing and organizing object’s features based on dimension, color and temperature.
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FUEL CELL
Advisor: Jack Brouwer jbrouwer@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Professor Brouwer has advised a variety of senior project related to fuel cells, energy storage, and energy distribution and usage. Speak directly to Professor Brouwer if you are interested in these types of projects.
More Information on Advanced Energy Community

SOLAR CAR
Advisor: Jack Brouwer jbrouwer@uci.edu
Team Lead: Lizette Nguyen ucirvinesolarcar@gmail.com
Description: The team will be designing and building a solar car to compete in the 2018 American Solar Challenge. The American Solar Challenge is an endurance race covering nearly 2000 miles in 4 days. The design of the car must conform to the ASC rules and will include mechanical and electrical systems design.
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UCI CANSAT
Advisor: Roger Rangel rhrangel@uci.edu
Team Lead: Emiko Soroka esoroka@uci.edu
Description: Design, build and test a simulated space probe to carry a delicate payload and survive launch, deployment, descent, and landing. Competition to take place in early summer.
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HYPERXITE
Advisor: Roger Rangel rhrangel@uci.edu
Team Lead: Jason Lee jasonel@uci.edu; Adora Tadros aatadros@uci.edu
Description: HyperXite is prototyping a 1:2 scale floating vehicle that will achieve a top speed of 230 mph for the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition.
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LIBRA
Advisor: Haithem Taha hetaha@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: LIBRA stands for Lie bracket research aircraft. The project aims at experimentally validating a nonlinear (Lie-bracket-based) flight control technique that could be potentially used for stall recovery or high angle of attack (low speed) maneuverability. The experiment consists of: (i) designing and building a subscale commercial aircraft model that fits into the wind tunnel test section; (ii) implementing the Lie-bracket-based flight control mechanism; and (iii) designing and executing the wind tunnel experiment and performing data analysis afterwards.
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FLAPPING MAV
Advisor: Haithem Taha hetaha@uci.edu
Team Lead: Nathan Cabezut ncabezut@uci.edu
Description: The project’s objective is to design, fabricate, and fly a micro air vehicle capable of hovering. The vehicle has to be less than 15 cm in length, width, and height.
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SENSOR SOLUTION
Advisor: Andrei Shkel andrei.shkel@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Design and make a wearable detection device for UV and Polluted Air Exposure.
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ORTHOGONAL / Green Steam
Advisor: Mark Walter m.walter@uci.edu; Simon Penny penny@uci.edu; Michael McCarthy jmmccart@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Professor Penny has guided students through the build process in a variety of projects. He has most recently recruited students for his Orthogonal project. He is seeking student for his Green Steam project. Contact him directly for more information.
More Information about Orthogonal
More Information about Green Steam

RACECAR ENGR
Advisor: Michael McCarthy jmmccart@uci.edu
Project Manager: Christopher Chen chencl2@uci.edu
Description: As part of the UC Irvine Racecar Engineering team, students design, build, and test three vehicles: a mini Baja (off-road) vehicle, a mini Formula internal combustion vehicle, and a mini Formula electric vehicle. The teams compete with their vehicles at their respective FSAE competitions. Contact the proejct manager for more information.
More Information about Baja
More Information about Formula-ICE
More Information about Formula-Electric

ROCKET PROJECT
Advisor: Ken Mease kmease@uci.edu; Mark Walter m.walter@uci.edu
Team Lead: Rasheed Aziz raaziz@uci.edu
Description: Design and launch a Liquid fueled rocket utilizing methane and liquid oxygen as the only propellants. The rocket must be designed to reach an altitude of 45,000 ft so that it can be entered into the Friends of Amateur Rocketry competition.
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RESCUE ROBOTICS
Advisor: Jeffrey Krichmar jkrichma@uci.edu; Ian Harris iharris@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Design and implementation of autonomous ground and aerial vehicles capable of finding natural disaster victims and reporting back their pictures and global position.
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SMART HOME DEVICES
Advisor: Daniel Mumm mumm@uci.edu
Team Lead: Joberto Lee jobertol@uci.edu
Description: This group aims to prototype a smart home device with the intention to bring it to market. The project will incorporate knowledge of mechanical engineering, materials science, computer science, and electrical engineering. 

THERMOELECTRIC
Advisor: Jaeho Lee jaeholee@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The project will demonstrate the validity of human body powered devices by performing electro-thermal simulations and developing a proof-of-concept system. The students will evaluate performance and reliability metrics of commercial thermoelectric devices and optimize designs of thermoelectric wearable systems.
More Information: Contact Professor Lee

THERMALGNDPLANE
Advisor: Yoon Jin Won won@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The primary objective of this project is 1) to design and develop microscale thermal ground planes (2D heat pipes) and 2) test their thermal performances to use in portable electronic devices.
More Information: Contact Professor Won

TENSEGRITY WING
Advisor: Edwin A Peraza Hernandez eperazah@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The goal of this project is to design a morphing wing with inner tensegrity structure that can change its airfoil shape on demand. The key advantages of this wing are (1) that flow disturbances and drag are decreased compared to conventional wings with control surfaces as the wing outer surface will be fully smooth; and (2) tensegrity provides enhanced stiffness and control of the wing shape via a lightweight morphology, thereby making the wing very mass efficient.  Potential applications of the wing are multiple and scalable (from large aircraft to small UAVs).  The overall project will include structural modeling and design, control design, and fabrication and testing of the wing. Design requirements include: Ability to morph the wing cross-section among at least two or three airfoil shapes (optimal for take-off, cruise, and landing) and ability of the wing to safely endure aerodynamic loads. Design objectives include minimization of mass and control energy.
More Information: this is a new project; contact Professor Hernandez if you are interested.

Survivor Detection and Location Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SDL-UAV)
Advisor: Ken Mease kmease@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: The purpose of the SDL-UAV project is to engineer a drone equipped with a microwave transmission and detection system that can find victims trapped underneath debris in a crash or natural disaster. The sensors on the drone will be able to detect movement due to respiration through solid material then give the longitudinal and latitudinal location of the survivor. With the development of the SDL-UAV, rescuers will be able locate and rescue more lives in future disasters today.
More Information

REHAB ROBOTICS
Advisor: David Reinkensmeyer dreinken@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Professor Reinkensmeyer runs several robotics/automation projects, primarily for phyical therapy and rehabilitation. Below are examples of some of his projects from last year.
More Information on the Biorobotics Lab
More Information on Interactive Humanoid
More Information on Mpowrd 2.0
More Information on Force Reflecting
More Information on Propriobotics

AUTONOMOUS BOAT
Advisor: David Reinkensmeyer dreinken@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA (project may not run for 2018-19)
Description: The objective of this project is to build a robotic boat that can successfully navigate long distances on the open ocean completely autonomously, while overcoming obstacles such as weather, currents, etc.
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INTELL GND VHCL
Advisor: David Reinkensmeyer dreinken@uci.edu
Team Lead: Tony Moc tmoc@uci.edu
Description: As part of the UC Irvine Intelligent Ground Vehicle team, students will be in charge of designing and testing a vehicle that will be able to autonomously navigate through an obstacle course for participation in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). The IGVC offers a design experience that is multidisciplinary, theory-based, hands-on, team implemented, outcome assessed, and based on product realization. It encompasses the very latest technologies impacting industrial development including intelligent transportation systems, military applications, and manufacturing. The deadline of the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition creates a real-world constraint that provides potential winning recognition and financial gain.
More Information: contact the team lead

E-THERMOSENSOR
Advisor: Yun Wang yunw@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: UCI E-thermosensor team devotes to build a nano-thermocouple and connect it to a Bluetooth. This device allows users to get instant and accurate temperature report.
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FUEL CELL BATTERY
Advisor: Yun Wang yunw@uci.edu
Team Lead: Reagan Yap reyap@uci.edu
Description: The purpose of the project is to design and fabricate a self-sustaining cycle using the following main components; fuel cell, solar panel, and electrolyzer.
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SOLAR AIRPLANE
Advisor: Yun Wang yunw@uci.edu
Team Lead: Blake Echt becht@uci.edu
Description: Solar Airplane is designing and producing a continuously, autonomously-flying solar-powered UAV that will charge during the day and discharge at night, while supporting a one kilogram, generalized technological payload.
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FUEL CELL DRONE
Advisor: Yun Wang yunw@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: TBA
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M-FREEWHEEL
Advisor: Yun Wang yunw@uci.edu
Team Lead: TBA
Description: Students will design a flywheel in a vacuum chamber and spin it via a motor.
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