Capstone Design Fair showcases high-tech gadgets and innovative design
Schulich School of Engineering students tackle real-world problems in their final-year projects
By Lisha Hassanali
April 6, 2016
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/files/...8f55e1902a1e40
The annual Schulich School of Engineering Capstone Design Fair showcases and celebrates the design projects of final year Schulich engineering students, like the Wing Chun Training Dummy, shown here, that adjusts for different heights. Photo by Riley Brandt, University of Calgary
A tabletop hockey game with real ice, wireless speaker technology, and an adaptive tricycle wowed crowds with their innovative designs. Nearly 100 projects were on display at this year's annual Capstone Design Fair, all imagined, designed, and created by more than 500 Schulich School of Engineering students.
“Working on this design, I learned how to think and to find answers on my own,” says Scott Sokolosky, mechanical engineering student and team member with the ASHRAE ice hockey table project. “From a technical point of view, the technology we used in the table is no different than what is in your fridge at home.”
Applying technical knowledge in a collaborative environment
The Schulich School of Engineering believes future engineers learn best by doing. Final-year engineering students spend months developing their engineering ideas from concept to design and often to prototype in the Capstone Design program.
“Capstone is a chance for students to synthesize their learning and one of the most significant educational opportunities in their degree program,” says Ron Hugo, associate dean (teaching and learning). “It’s a very rich learning experience. Students apply technical knowledge and develop professional skills like time management and teamwork.”
Collaboration is a key component of the capstone course and students learn to work together, much like they would in real scenarios. In many cases, students acquire new skills in addition to applying their engineering education.
Learning business skills to complement engineering education
“We have an entrepreneurial project, so we really got to know the business side and about delivering a sales pitch through Innovate Calgary,” says Jenny Xing, electrical engineering student and team member of the Future of Shopping project. “We designed a new way to shop benefiting customers and retailers with our scanning technology.”
This year, the annual student project showcase was held at the Olympic Oval for the first time. The larger space accommodated both the growth of the program and allowed the campus community and public to get a sneak peek at the inventions of tomorrow.
Volunteers from industry, all professional engineers, judged the capstone design projects at the fair.
The 2016 Capstone Design Fair award winners:
Chemical Engineering First Place: Manufacture of Herceptin Biosimilar for Cancer Treatment
Chemical Engineering Second Place: Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) Production
Civil Engineering First Place: The Recreation Centre Structural Design
Civil Engineering Second Place: The New Headworks Building at the Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant
Electrical and Computer Engineering First Place: Development of a Motion Based Wireless MIDI Controller
Electrical and Computer Engineering Second Place: Substation and Pumphouse Design
Geomatics Engineering First Place: Smart Cities for Smart Citizens
Geomatics Engineering Second Place: Road Curb Detection From Mobile LiDAR Data
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering First Place: Fluidization of Fine Powders In Bulk Solid Heat Exchangers
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Second Place: Parks Explorer For Easter Seals Camp Horizon
Multi-Disciplinary Engineering First Place: Design of an underwater robot for navigation and exploration
2016 Capstone Design Fair Video award winners:
Geomatics Engineering: LiDAR Road Sign Detection
Geomatics Engineering: Pedestrian Navigation and Athletic Analysis Using a Wearable Device
Mechanical Engineering: Seal Wear Testing Apparatus
Mechanical Engineering: Small Scale Water Purification System
Mechanical Engineering: Adapted Trike