UC Merced Spring 2017 Innovate to Grow Program

Friday, May 12, 2017 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Table of Contents WELCOME FROM THE DEAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 event locator MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CAPSTONE INNOvATION AND DESIGN CLINIC (IDC ) schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 – 7 ENGINEERING DESIGN EXPO (GYM MAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 – 9 AfTERNOON schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 – 11 CAPSTONE INNOvATION AND DESIGN CLINIC (IDC) Team DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 – 14 ENGINEERING SERVICE LEARNING (ENGSL) TEAM DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mobile App challenge (mac) team DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 SPONSORS THANK YOU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 – 19

2 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

Welcome from the Dean Welcome to the sixth annual Innovate to Grow engineering design expo. Innovate to Grow started as an idea outlined on the back of a napkin, and has grown to be a yearly highlight for the School of Engineering and is now one of UC Merced’s biggest annual events.

We are privileged to work with our students, faculty, staff and generous supporters to make breakthrough discoveries and develop novel technologies that are directly applicable to solving the challenges faced by the region, the state and the world.

Innovate to Grow is an opportunity to not only showcase the work of our students, but also to help our friends and the community see how their investment in the School of Engineering and UC Merced is paying off. For many first-generation students, it’s also their first opportunity to experience the realities of an engineering career.

Innovation and entrepreneurship are hallmarks of the education we offer at UC Merced and the School of Engineering.

The three signature undergraduate experiential design programs showcased in this event are:

• The Innovation and Design Clinic, which is the capstone class for many of our engineering majors;

• Engineering Service Learning, which is our class that focuses on solving socio-economic challenges; and

• The Mobile Application Challenge, which is aimed at addressing pressing needs and solving open problems by developing mobile applications.

Each of these programs offers students an opportunity to work on a team-based design project that is intended to have a practical objective.

We greatly appreciate the outstanding support we receive from our external partners — companies and organizations from within the San Joaquin Valley and throughout California. These partners generously provide the design opportunities for our students and provide insights and mentorship regarding how the “real world” works. These opportunities enable our students to gain real experience dealing with real problems in order to have a positive impact on the wider world.

We are proud to have this opportunity to highlight our students’ projects, and we believe you will enjoy seeing the fruits of our research, teaching and applications that benefit our community and our society.

MARK MATSUMOTO Dean, School of Engineering

INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 3

Event Locator Map

North Bowl Parking Lot Guests, Sponsors and Judges Parking Mineral King Road

Social Sciences and Management Building (SSM)

Ansel Adams Road

Student Services Building (SSB) Classroom and Office Building (COB1) Classroom and Office Building 2 (COB2)

PROGRAM AND LOCATIONS North Bowl Parking Lot: Guests, Sponsors and Judges Parking 7:30 a.m.

Registration Opens (breakfast provided) Social Sciences and Management Building (SSM) and Student Services Building (SSB) Breezeway

8:45 a.m.

Capstone Student Presentations

Joseph E. Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center (GYM)

(COB1)

11:15 a.m.

Engineering Design Expo (GYM)

1 p.m.

Final Presentations Rancher’s Road

Capstone Innovation Design Clinic (COB1 102)

Engineering Service Learning (COB1 105)

Mobile App Challenge (COB2 130)

2:30 p.m.

Final Award Ceremony (COB1 102)

Rancher’s Road ENTRANCE

3:15 p.m.

Reception Social Sciences and Management Building (SSM) and Student Services Building (SSB) Courtyard

4 p.m.

Conclusion Lake Road Bellevue Road

Program | Friday, May 12, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

TIME

EVENT

LOCATION

7:30 a.m.

Registration Opens

Social Sciences and Management Building (SSM) and Student Services Building (SSB) Breezeway

Capstone Student Presentations (IDC)

Classroom and Office Building 1 (COB1)

8:45 a.m.

SEE PAGES 8 – 9 FOR SCHEDULE

11:15 a.m.

Engineering Design Expo

1 p.m.

Final Presentations

Joseph Edward Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center (GYM)

CAPSTONE INNOVATION DESIGN CLINIC (IDC)

Classroom and Office Building 1 (COB1 102)

ENGINEERING SERVICE LEARNING (ENGSL)

Classroom and Office Building 1 (COB1 105)

MOBILE APP CHALLENGE (MAC)

Classroom and Office Building 2 (COB2 130)

2:30 p.m.

Final Award Ceremony

Classroom and Office Building 1 (COB1 102)

3:15 p.m.

Reception

Social Sciences and Management Building (SSM) and Student Services Building (SSB) Courtyard

4 p.m.

Conclusion

SHUTTLE AVAILABLE FOR GUESTS TO AND FROM PARKING LOT.

INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 5

Friday, May 12, 2017

Innovation and Design Clinic >> Capstone

CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS

Classroom Office Building 1 – 1st Floor

LOCATION

Healthcare Design Solutions

Environmental Solutions

COB1 102

COB1 105

UCSF Fresno

Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA)

TIME

9 a.m.

Neuro-Neers Technologies (14) Portable Assessment of Autonomic Function

9:30 a.m.

10 a.m.

Valley Children’s Hospital

Yosemite – NPI – UC Solar

Syrx (5) Syringe Pump Stickiness

Microsystems (17) Microwave Bridge to UC Sierra

UCSF Fresno

Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA)

Vibronerv (15) Vibration Device for Quantification of Neuropathy

10:30 a.m.

BioCraft (6) Woody Bio Mass Utilization

Biomass Solutions (BioSol) (7) Bio Mass Paper Products

UC Merced Vivarium

Yosemite – NPI – UC Solar

MICENSOR (20) Waste Gas and Thermal Load Level Bio Sensor

H2SNOW (18) Improved Efficiency of XCPC Solar Snow Melter

6 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

e Projects >> FINAL DESIGN REVIEWS

CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS

Classroom Office Building 1 – 2nd Floor Advances In Agriculture and Sustainability

Food Processing and Water Optimization

Advanced Instruments and Controls

COB1 263

COB1 265

COB1 267

Bowles Family Farm

Scholle Packaging

La-Z-Boy

IrRIGation (10) Automated Irrigation Pipe Relocation

PacSol (12) Automatic Bag Making Optimization

Manufacturing Clamp Systems (MCS) (11) Clamp System Design for Blown Fiber Filling

Agrecom

E&J Gallo Winery

Sweep Energy

Eraticate (13) Poultry Farm Multi Rodent Trap

P&L Solutions (3) Sterox Transfer System

proTECHt (9) All Terrain Case Design for Remote Sensing Applications

Sweep Energy

Frito Lay

E&J Gallo Winery

Prometheus Ignis (PI) (8) Remote Power Generation for Sensor Applications

Integral Solutions (16) Intellifeed Optimization

Gallo Robotics In Depalleting (GRID) (2) Robotics in Manufacturing Project

UC Merced Recycling

E&J Gallo Winery

Lyons Magnus

SEL Solar (19) Solar Tractor Re-use for Compost Program

Water Wise (1) RO Reject Water Reclamation

Nitro (4) L22 Liquid Nitrogen Dosing Optimization

INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 7

Friday, May 12, 2017

Engineering Design Expo | Joseph Edward Gallo Re

Prometheus Ignis (PI) (8)

Captivated Thinking Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA)

Project Protect Healthy House

Vernal Pool Reserve Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

LEED Lab UC Merced Facilities Management

Merced County Rescue Mission Merced County Rescue Mission

Merced County Office of Education

Unmanned Aerial System

REGISTRATION

8 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

BioCraft (6)

Biomass Solutions (BioSol) (7)

Syrx (5) Valley Children’s Hospital

Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA)

Neuro-Neers Technologies (14)

Eraticate (13) Agrecom

Microsystems (17) Yosemite – NPI UC Solar

Vibronerv (15) UCSF Fresno

UCSF Fresno

Water Wise (1)

P&L Solutions (3)

E&J Gallo Winery

E&J Gallo Winery

PacSol (12) Scholle Packaging

Merced County Cooperative Extension

Naturalist APP Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

Gallo Robotics In Depalleting (GRID) (2)

Nitro (4) Lyons Magnus

proTECHt (9) Sweep Energy

E&J Gallo Winery

Engineering Service Learning (ENGSL)

MAIN ENTRANCE

Bowles Family Farm

Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA)

Get S.E.T.

IrRIGation (10)

Sweep Energy

GUEST RELATIONS

Capstone Innovation Design Clinic (IDC)

ecreation and Wellness Center (GYM)

SEL Solar (19) UC Merced Recycling

H2SNOW (18) Yosemite – NPI UC Solar

MICENSOR (20)

Growth

CADD

GrinBuddy

Groovy

Seed

Iterate

Overcome

Plan One

Reach

Road Rangers

Park Now

Good Juju

UC Merced Vivarium

Frito Lay

Manufacturing Clamp Systems (MCS) (11)

LUNCH

Integral Solutions (16)

La-Z-Boy

Mobile App Challenge (MAC)

RESTROOM ACCESS INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 9

May 12, 2017 FINALISTS AND PRIZE WINNERS CAPSTONE FINALISTS COB1 102 1:00

Finalist

1:15

Finalist

1:30

Finalist

1:45

Finalist

2:00

Finalist

ENGINEERING SERVICE LEARNING COB1 105 1:00

Finalist

1:15

Finalist

1:30

Finalist

1:45

Finalist

10 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

May 12, 2017 FINALISTS AND PRIZE WINNERS MOBILE APP CHALLENGE COB2 130 1:00

Groovy

1:09

Good Juju

1:18

Seed

1:27

Growth

1:36

CADD

1:45

Reach

1:54

Iterate

INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 11

Capstone Innovation Design Clinic (IDC) Teams Team 1 – Water Wise

Team 5 – Syrx

E&J Gallo Modesto Winery: RO Reject Water Reclamation

Valley Children’s Hospital: Syringe Pump Stickiness

Client Mentor: Benjamin Bailey, E&J Gallo Modesto Winery

Client Mentor: Dr. “Vish” Nadarasa Visveshwara, Valley Children’s Hospital

UC Merced Mentor: Derek Hollenbeck

UC Merced Mentor: Rachel Hatano

E. & J. Gallo winery, the largest family-owned winery in the world, recently installed a reverse osmosis system to filter their incoming water.

A consequence of this system is the generation of a concentrated salt waste stream. Given the company’s focus on saving water, our project was to develop a method to recover as much water from the waste stream as possible and to include estimates for required capital and operating expenses as well as savings, resulting from the recovery of water.

Syringe pumps are essential for intravenous medication delivery in neonatal units in hospitals. The syringe pumps must function at their highest capabilities but there is a “stickiness” problem that occurs within the syringes. This major problem facing modern syringes is a stickiness between the plunger and the barrel of the syringe caused by friction.

This causes pressure fluctuations, inaccuracies in medication dosages, and potential for an open system. Therefore, we must improve upon the syringes to help them match the technology of the syringe pumps and allow dosage and flow consistency with the current hospital setup.

Team 2 – Gallo Robotics In Depalleting (GRID)

E&J Gallo Modesto Winery: Robotics in Manufacturing Project

Team 6 – Biocraft

Client Mentor: Nick Heiser, E&J Gallo Modesto Winery

TCEDA: Woody Biomass Utilization

UC Merced Mentor: Derek Hollenbeck

Client Mentor: Larry Cope, President of TCEDA

As the largest winery in the world, E&J Gallo bottles over 70 million cases of wine each year at their Modesto campus. Currently, various heavy packaging materials are loaded by workers onto bottling lines, which is labor intensive and presents significant ergonomic risk to employees.

Using recent developments in robotics, our team has designed a solution to this issue of moving packaging materials by utilizing collaborative robotic arms in place of current workers. The design uses sensors and tools in conjunction with the robotic arms in order to quickly and efficiently move materials with a repeat-ability that allows the system to be used 24/7.

UC Merced Mentor: Dr. Robert Rice

Team 3 –

Biocraft is working with the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) to design a portable pellet press assembly. Currently in the Stanislaus National Forest, 50-70% of the woody biomass on the forest floor is a fire hazard and must be removed in an optimal way to improve the health of the surrounding community. A viable product to produce on-site are fuel wood pellets, which require a feedstock of biomass at 10-20% moisture content. Biocraft is working to design a drying chamber to reduce the moisture content of the biomass through pressure reduction and heat transfer. The chamber will be an integral part of the design for a portable pellet press assembly.

P&L Solutions

E&J Gallo Modesto Winery: Sterox Transfer System

Team 7 – Biomass Solutions (BioSol)

Client Mentor:Tuolumne Nick Heiser, E&J Gallo Modesto Winery

TCEDA: Biomass Paper Products

UC Merced Mentor: Derek Hollenbeck

Sponsor: Larry Cope, President of TCEDA

E&J Gallo Winery currently bottles over 70 million cases of wine each year at their Modesto campus alone. To ensure the quality of their wine, they use Sterox, a cleaning agent, during their sanitation process. Currently, this process poses some ergonomic and safety concerns among employees. To alleviate this, P&L Solutions has researched and designed a system that will not only reduce these concerns, but can be easily implemented into their current system to improve changeover efficiency.

UC Merced Mentor: Dr. Robert Rice

Team 4 – Nitro

Due to massive overgrowth of trees in Tuolumne County, two recent major forest fires, and the spread of beetles killing many trees, excessive woody biomass on the forest floor have started to accumulate.

Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) would like to find a way to utilize the biomass on the forest floor to create a compostable product. This product will not only be a productive additive back into the forest’s health, but it will also help prevent the spread of future forest fires.

Lyons Magnus: L22 Liquid Nitrogen Dosing Optimization Client Mentor: Rod Wright, VP Engineering and Maintenance and Glenn Peugh, Director of Engineering UC Merced Mentor: Prof. Ashlie Martini

Team 8 – Prometheus Ignis (PI)

Lyons Magnus West is a food products supplier that bottles syrups and sauces. These bottles are hot filled, capped, sealed and cooled on a bottling line. To prevent the bottle walls from collapsing when the product is cooled, a liquid nitrogen dosing system was introduced into the line. However, defects persist frequently due to the inconsistency of the bottling line.

Sponsor: Agustin Roldan, CEO, Sweep Energy

The objective of this project is to reduce bottle defects by finding the source of the bottle pressure variance. Deliverables for this project include a complete analysis of appropriate amount of dosing for each bottle size, measurement of internal pressures, fill volumes, system performance, and documentation / SOP for the entire dosing system.

12 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

Sweep Energy: Remote Power Generation for Sensor Applications UC Merced Mentor: Sean Johnson

Sweep Energy is an energy monitoring company that provides simple and easy to use sensors that help farmers to understand their energy consumption. This means making better decisions about how energy usage affects overall facility efficiency. The goal is to design a solution that can provide power to the sensors, without the need of expensive and invasive changes to a farm’s electrical infrastructure. This power supply design will need to generate enough power to run a few energy monitors on-site and be cost-effective. By introducing a versatile power supply to agricultural environments, this will allow for easier adoption of sensors and reduce installation times.

Team 9 – proTECHt

Team 12 – PacSol

Sweep Energy: All Terrain Case Design for Remote Sensing Applications

Scholle Packaging: Automatic Bag Making Optimization

Sponsor: Agustin Roldan, CEO, Sweep Energy

UC Merced Mentor: Felipe Mojica

UC Merced Mentor: Sean Johnson

Scholle IPN is a global leader in production of flexible packaging. A large portion of Scholle’s products are made by an Automatic Bag Maker (ABM). ABM 7 produces large volume plastic bags for a variety of products. These bags have a unique spout seal with a plastic membrane built into the spout. To prevent damage on the membrane of these spouts, they have to be hand fed by an operator onto a conveyor that leads to the ABM. The goal of the team is to design and automate this process to minimize the manual insertion by creating an efficient mechanism that will increase the efficiency of the insertion as well as reduce ergonomic issues.

ProTECHt is developing protective enclosures for sweep energy’s remote sensor systems. These systems are used to send signals to the cloud that monitors the energy usage and troubleshoots equipment in food production, manufacturing, and farming facilities. ProTECHt’s objective is to deliver functioning prototypes that allow proper ventilation of heat, protection against water and dust, while allowing for wireless signals to be transmitted with minimal interference in the environments they are exposed to. Environment conditions include extreme temperatures, high winds, and moisture. A successful design will reduce installation complexity and maintenance of multiple controllers, while providing maximum protection in remote locations.

Client Mentor: Michael Terry, Scholle Packaging

Team 13 – Eraticate

Agrecom: Multi-kill Rodent Trap Team 10 – IrRIGation

Client Mentor: Mike Altomare, President, Agrecom

Bowles Farming Company

UC Merced Mentor: Derek Hollenbeck

Client Mentor: Danny Royer, VP of Technology

Agrecom is a pest control company that provides rodent control in both agricultural and food production facilities. Rodent control in these facilities is a very difficult problem. Currently the industry primarily uses a mixture poisonous bait stations and labor-intensive mechanical traps to control rodents. Between FDA limits on poisonous bait, the negative side effects of the use of poisonous bait, and the unacceptable labor cost of other conventional methods of rodent control the industry is desperate need of a new solution. Agrecom is looking for a solution that has intelligent detection and activation with a multi-use storage system that can operate independently while also collecting valuable data on rodent activity. ERATICATE is that solution.

UC Merced Mentor: Sean Johnson

Bowles Farming Company is a sixth generation family farm that focuses on sustainability, conservation and preservation. They harvest many different crops in which they invest time and effort to ensure their highest quality. Bowles Farming Company’s objective is to design a system that eliminates or significantly reduces the required amount of labor or time to move sprinkler pipe in agriculture applications. There are two options that can be used to reach the required objective: (1) Design a system that operates with the current sprinkler system or (2) Design an entirely new system that delivers the same effects as the existing sprinkler system. Bowles Farming Company recently invested a great amount of money in their current sprinkler system so a design that implemented the existing infrastructure would be ideal. An effective design will implement the current sprinkler system, reduce labor costs, and improve efficiency by minimizing time spent relocating the sprinkler pipes.

Team 11 – Manufacturing Clamp Systems (MCS)

La-Z-Boy: Design a Clamp System for Blown Fiber Filling Client Mentor: Michael del Valle, Continuous Improvement Engineer UC Merced Mentor: Felipe Mojica

La-Z-Boy is a prominent furniture manufacturer specializing in making customizable furniture that focuses on making a house a home since 1928. A customizable option is the use of blown-fiber pillows as backs & arm support. However, this cloud-like experience has led to numerous injuries within the manufacturing plant due to a manual process with a large outlet pipe resulting in employee having strains, sprains, and even surgery as corrective actions due the wide grip needed. The goal of this project is to create an autonomous clamp system for various bags to mitigate any such event from further occurring again.

Team 14 – Neuro-Neers Technologies

UCSF Fresno: Portable Assessment of Autonomic Function Client Mentor: Dr. Mark Stecker, UCSF Fresno UC Merced Mentor: Rachel Hanato

The rise in the predominance of diabetes and affiliated complications can be related with compelling burdens on a patient’s quality of life and with great costs. As one of the most common diabetic complications, peripheral neuropathy (PN) affects over half of patients. PN affects both the small and large fiber nerve network within the human body and results in a loss of nerve function, which may lead to further health complications. Neuro-Neers Technologies focuses on developing a cost effective diagnostic tool to quantifiably detect the functionality of small nerve fibers by measuring the body’s ability to thermoregulate by sweating.

INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED | 13

Team 15 – Vibronerv

Team 18 – H2SNOW

UCSF Fresno: Vibration Device for Quantification of Neuropathy Client Mentor: Dr. Mark Stecker, UCSF Fresno

Yosemite-NPI-UC Solar: Improved Efficiency of XCPC-Solar Composting Toilets and Potable Water Access for Cold Climates

UC Merced Mentor: Rachel Hanato

Client Mentor: Steve Shackelton, Ed Dunlavey

70% of diabetic patients develop signs of neuropathy, a loss of sensation due to nerve damage. This could lead to foot ulcerations or accelerated deterioration of injury after falling (commonly seen with seniors); in worst case scenario, amputations. To provide an upgrade in diagnosing nerve sensory perception failure, team Vibronerv is designing an electronic device in replacement of the century old technique practiced by doctors across the nation, namely the tuning fork test. By creating a wireless prototype that monitors three critical variables: vibration frequency (generated between 2 to 2000Hz), displacement, and pressure; neurologists will be able to quantify neuropathy subjectively. The next step is to conduct IRB approved testings as to determine the vibrational perception thresholds amongst both healthy and neuropathy sample groups.

UC Merced Mentor: Felipe Mojica

Team 16 – Integral Solutions

Frito-Lay Modesto: Intellifeed Optimization Client Mentor: Axel Arias, Maintenance Manager, Frito-Lay and

Matthew Bryant, Maintenance and Engineering Director, Frito-Lay UC Merced Mentor: Dr. Robert Rice

Frito Lay’s Modesto site runs specialty items called the “12 sack” and the “singles”. To produce these items, Frito Lay runs them exclusively through an automated sorter called the “Intellifeed”. Currently the 12-sack line is fed manually due to the inefficiencies of the current vacuum system. The vacuum is supposed to pick up each bag and drop them on a separate conveyor belt, but the current system does not orient them correctly. Frito Lay would like to optimize the current system to produce an automated process for feeding the 12-sack machine from the intellifeed.

Team 17 – Microsystems

Yosemite-NPI-UC Solar: Microwave Bridge to UC Sierra Client Mentor: Steve Shackelton, David Thorpe, Kristina Rylands UC Merced Mentor: Felipe Mojica

UC Merced is collaborating with Naturebridge, a new campus built in Yosemite National Park, to use its facilities during the summer months when Naturebridge is not actively using the campus. UC Merced would call this summer campus UC Sierra. Currently the Naturebridge campus has no access to the internet; however UC Sierra will require high speed internet in order to function at a comparable level to other UC summer campuses.

Our team’s goal is to design a system utilizing microwave dishes and fiber optics to deliver internet from UC Merced to the Naturebridge campus.

14 | INNOVATE TO GROW – UC MERCED

The purpose of our project is to design a system capable of melting snow into safe water without burning biomass or fossil fuels in remote locations where obtaining safe water is difficult during winter. The design should be portable to transport to remote sites and easy to assemble in wilderness environments. Materials should be able to withstand environmental extremes of low temperature, humidity, seismicity, and wind. There will be intentional positive applications with organizations such as the UN and poverty-sighting programs of NGO’s working to support emerging societies with remote communities facing challenges of clean water.

Team 19 – SEL Solar

UC Merced Recycling: Solar-Tractor Reuse for Compost Program Client Mentor: Matthew Hirota, UC Merced UC Merced Mentor: Sean Johnson

As part of UC Merced’s Triple-Zero Commitment of zero landfill waste by 2020, the UC Merced Recycles team sorts compost from all upper campus waste, and tips it into a dumpster using a battery-powered electric hydraulic bin lift. The two options for charging involve either 1) pushing the lift about 300 yards to the nearest power outlet or 2) connecting to a pickup truck battery using jumper cables — both of which are inconvenient and potentially hazardous options. By pairing a solar panel and battery system previously designed for UC Merced Recycles with the bin lift, the safety, convenience, and energy efficiency of the composting program will be improved.

Team 20 – MICENSOR

UC Merced Vivarium: Waste Gas and Thermal Load Level Biosensor Client Mentor: Axel Arias, Maintenance Manager, Frito-Lay and Matthew Bryant, Maintenance and Engineering Director, Frito-Lay UC Merced Mentor: Dr. Robert Rice

The UC Merced Department of Animal Research Services (DARS) is trying to deviate from the standards of the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” (the Guide) by using a breeding technique called trio mating. This involves having one male mouse and two female mice in a cage in order to produce more mice in less time. To justify this, DARS needs a device that can monitor levels of carbon dioxide, ammonia, and temperature with little disturbance to the mice and which can also provide easily accessible data. By using this device, they will be able to record these levels to ensure that waste gasses do not reach hazardous levels and have specific data to justify their methods of housing mice.

Engineering Service Learning (ENGSL)Teams LEED Lab

Project Protect

Leading the way towards sustainability

Reducing the effects of anti-biotic resistant bacteria

COMMUNITY PARTNER: UC Merced Facilities Management

COMMUNITY PARTNER: Healthy House

Faculty Adviser: Thomas Hothem, Ph.D.

Faculty Adviser: Miriam Barlow, Ph.D.

In partnership with the UC Merced Sustainability Council, the LEED Lab Engineering Service Learning team will be performing the Existing Buildings Certification: Operations & Maintenance (O&M) for the Science and Engineering 1 building (SE1) at UC Merced. Utilizing technical and design principles, the LEED Lab team will be gather technical data on operations, and the maintenance activities as part of the application process. Participation in this project satisfies LEED Accredited Professional certification requirements.

In Cooperation with Healthy House, the Project Protect Engineering Service Learning team is working to reduce the communication gap between healthcare providers and their patients. By creating a user-centric mobile application, the team is providing users with a list of questions and prompts to aid them in understanding the treatments by their doctors.

The app will be in four languages, English, Spanish, Punjabi, and Hmong to help address this need of our multi-ethnic community and will have basic profiles of symptoms and background information on the most prevalent bacterial and viral illnesses in the Merced community.

Naturalist APP Field Guide application for our reserve

Get S.E.T.

COMMUNITY PARTNER: Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

Revolutionizing K-12 instruction in Merced County

Faculty Adviser: Thomas Hothem, Ph.D.

The Naturalist App Engineering Service Learning team, in collaboration with the UC Merced Vernal Pools and Grasslands Reserve, is creating a mobile application that contains a searchable field guide of collected information and observations about the Reserve. The field app highlights the area’s flora, fauna, geology, history, and climate. Additionally, the app will be able to accept crowd sourced tagged descriptions and photographs from the Reserve into a growing research library of observations.

Vernal Pool Reserve Solar groundwater well conversion

COMMUNITY PARTNER: Merced County Office of Education Faculty Adviser: Petia Gueorguieva, Ph.D.

The Get S.E.T. (Science, Engineering, and Technology) Engineering Service Learning team works to with local educators within the Merced County Office of Education to develop supplementary science curriculum to support local K-12 teaching efforts in Merced County schools. These educational supplements cover basic math, physics and other sciences and various aspects of technology, such as robotics and rocketry. Team Get S.E.T. designs labs and educational projects that improve learning outcomes with the goal to increase students’ interest in these subjects.

COMMUNITY PARTNER: Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

Captivated Thinking

Faculty Adviser: Martha Conklin, Ph.D.

Economic Development through innovative partnerships

To help maintain the ecological diversity of the Merced Vernal Pool and Grassland Reserve, young cattle are introducing to graze as a land-use management tool. During grazing seasons, water is provided to the cattle from groundwater wells. In an effort to stay true to the Triple Zero Commitment from UC Merced, the Vernal Pool Reserve Engineering Service Learning team is developing an a method to convert a diesel-powered groundwater pump to an environmentally friendly solar ground water pump.

Unmanned Aerial Systems Informing agricultural practices through automated scanning COMMUNITY PARTNER: Merced County Cooperative Extension Faculty Adviser: YangQuan Chen. Ph.D.

The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Engineering Service Learning team is working with the Merced County Cooperative Extension (MCCE) to design solutions for the agricultural community in Merced County. Currently, they are designing a technology that will scan and detect a disease found in grapes called Pierce’s Disease. By combining image stitching and spectral analysis of diseased plants, they are working to identify prospective problems in the grapes before the disease spreads to other vines.

COMMUNITY PARTNER: Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority Faculty Adviser: Nigel Hatton, Ph.D.

Every quarter, the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority creates an economic snapshot of Tuolumne County, a series of reports that project the economic health, and potential for growth. In partnership with incarcerated men at the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown, California, the Captivated Thinking Engineering Service Learning team are working to design a software to create this economic snapshot. The finished product will save time and money for the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority.

Merced County Rescue Mission Improving patient care among Merced County’s homeless population COMMUNITY PARTNER: Merced County Rescue Mission Faculty Adviser: Dean Mark Matsumoto, Ph.D.

The Hope Respite program through the Merced County Rescue Mission (MCMR) provides people in crisis, who do not have a home, a place to stay while they recover after receiving medical treatment, saving the county $3.3 Million in hospitalization cost since it opened. The MCRM Engineering Service Learning team is creating a system to transfer paper medical records to a digital case management program to better account for the services provided by the rescue mission.

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Mobile App Challenge (MAC) Teams Growth: Growth is an app of a fully automated green house that can be con-trolled with your smartphone. Using a raspberry pi and other sensors, the app will be able to control the humidity, amount of water, temperature, and amount of light the plant receives. Although this concept already exists, team Growth will be able to create it at a much lower price. (Under $100) CADD: The team is designing an iOS/Android app to help people who are suffering from memory loss (Alzheimer’s Disease, Amnesia, etc.) to remember events and family/friends that are important in their personal life. By setting an everyday notification to their phone, it would provide an image along with content or quiz to improve their memory. People who can edit can be family or friends on the user’s account by using a code on the app to add images and details. Images can be uploaded from their phone to the account. However, the people who are using the code would not be able to access the account to receive the notification.

GrinBuddy: This app is a platform for self-awareness. It observes your physical and mental health and provides feedback by sending “smiley” icons on your phone screen. That smiley face represents the user’s physical and mental satisfaction. This app uses GPS to find your location and the icon will change based on the number of hours you spend in the gym, in the office, at social gatherings, at church, visiting national parks, etc. The app is also light — installation will not use up much space nor consume much battery/memory to present graphs and data. By affecting emotional part of the brain, it will be more effective to motivate people to be healthier just like a personal health manager.

Groovy: Team Groovy plans on designing an app that allows users to keep track of politicians relevant to their communities. The app will accomplish this by extracting data and facts about politicians from websites focused on fact checking and political analysis. It will also have a component dedicated to helping people through the voting process – by showing if they are qualified to vote, how to register, where to go vote, and how to fill out a ballot correctly.

One of the ways it will benefit society is by helping users access information about political candidates, ensuring that voters make more informed decisions (i.e. Providing people with data on how often the candidate follows through with promises etc).

Seed: UC Merced’s college community culture flourishes on free and open ideas and promoting services in the interest of fellow students. Seed provides members the option of posting or finding a job of their choice/skill level to accommodate the busy schedule and tight budget of a college student. Based on location and category, finding services for the price you like will be made simple through bidding on a post. Those jobs that would not like to have the bid feature will have the option of using Seed’s platform to host a job at set price.

Iterate: In the past fifty years, computers have gone from a state of non-existence to the forefront of our modern economy. Despite this, programming still retains a sense of complexity and obscurity that precludes most people from even participating in this burgeoning industry. Looking forward, the ability to add to this sector will be essential to compete in the global economy. However, the options available to learning the language of computers are slim. On one hand, there are learning tools like Scratch, which teach programming concepts, but fail to expose would-be programmers to practical syntax. On the other hand, standard IDEs have steep learning curves and are often intimidating to newcomers. Iterate offers a middle path between these options, teaching the logic and syntax of code, but in a safe and simple environment.

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Overcome: Overcome is an application that helps people to pass the post break up period easier. Facebook statistics reveal that there are roughly three million first dates every day. We connect people with the similar problems in the same area to build support groups, while blocking every call and contact from the ex. This app connects its clients to certified psychological consultation centers. The social impact of this this app includes: converting an epidemic social problem into an opportunity; job creation and customer acquisition; providing new customers to psychological centers; diverse advertising opportunities and providing data for psychological researches.

Plan One: In this age, a mobile phone is considered a necessity. It is now more than a simple tool that facilitates communication through calling and texting. This app aims to save and extend battery life by minimizing the CPU usage through inhibiting applications that is not central to the system (i.e. disable their notifications and other capabilities). Thus, the phone can last longer in between charges and more information can be stored for additional hours of outdoor experience.

Reach: Communities sometimes struggle with getting enough volunteers to help them with certain events or causes even though at times there is plenty of help. Typically, volunteer organizations must actively look through different outlets to find potential service events or ways to invest their volunteer work.

Allowing all city notifications and events to be seen through one source will make it easier for everyone. This app will display requests for volunteers for any task, however large or small. Display modes include a local map view of volunteering sites and a calendar of volunteering events. Users can gain credits for completing requests and top users are displayed on leaderboards, highlighting their accomplishments. This app not only makes it easier to find volunteers/ events, it also enables users to keep track of how much they have helped in their community.

Road Rangers: The aim of this app is to have users report on the quality of the road to help improve road safety and efficiency, and avoid needless damage to the driver’s vehicle. One important factor that drivers tend to ignore when traveling from Point A to Point B is road conditions. Most of the times the road may be smooth which would not raise any concern. However, there roads that may not provide for an optimal driving experience and may cause unnecessary damage to the driver’s vehicle (i.e. the tires). Currently the US ranks #16 globally on road quality, which is something that needs urgent improvement be improved considering the US is the #1 country with the most vehicles.

ParkNow: Due to the time consuming process posed by parking in high traffic areas, the ParkNow app offers a solution. The app will show users a map of the desired parking lot and use colors to help users painlessly identify where they may park. Each row within the parking lot will display an integer value for how many spots are available in that row. Each row will also have a color, based on the number of spots available in that row. A red row would signify be a filled row; a blue row, a nearly empty to ½ remaining spots; and a green row would signify a ½ remaining or a completely empty row.

Good Juju: “Good Juju” is a lifestyle application that allows users to choose 4 life aspects, set goals for each one and receive rewards for progress. Each aspect object holds a list of unique goals, each goal object has a specific layout template that allows users to track each specific goal. Each goal has an amount of Juju that correlates with the goals difficulty. Progress over time after 1 week shall be distributed for users to “reevaluate” their life aspects based on the amount of Juju earned. Diamonds can be purchased online while Juju can only be earned user experience. Experience levels will vary throughout completion of tasks based upon different aspects.

Thank You to Our Sponsors PROUD SPONSOR OF THE INNOVATE TO GROW EVENT

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE MOBILE APP CHALLENGE

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE INNOVATION AND DESIGN CLINIC

PROUD SPONSOR OF ENGINEERING SERVICE LEARNING

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PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER | May 2017