Design and Fabrication of a Self-Cleaning Toilet: Developing a Student Invention

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Maric ◽  
Joey Phelps ◽  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek ◽  
Vito Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Uv Light ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Durability Test ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Toilet Seat ◽  
Self Cleaning ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Cleaning Methods ◽  
The University

The University of Connecticut Senior Design Capstone course developed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering is widely recognized by the Connecticut industry. The course provides fourth year students the opportunity for a major design experience in which they apply principles of engineering staring with the conceptual design through the basic science and mathematics, up to model, analysis, design of physical systems its components or processes as well as prepares students to work professionally [9]. This paper will discuss the issues and challenges associated with one of the Senior Design (SD) projects that was based on student generated inventive concept and sponsored by the student-inventor. The project demonstrated the design and prototyping problems on the example so called “Self-Cleaning Toilet”. The project addresses “self-cleaning” of facilities where infectious bacteria and viruses are prevalent in frequently used installations such as public restrooms. These areas tend to be difficult to keep clean often, without obstructing the functionality of the facility. The solution being proposed in this project is an intelligently designed, self-regulating, cleaning system that is able to be retroactively fitted onto a variety of toilet seats. UV germicidal irradiation was chosen as the primary method to eliminate germs for this device for several reasons. Using a UV light allows for more efficient, effortless elimination of germs as compared to conventional cleaning methods. The light encourages hands off operation, meaning that the user will not have to physically touch the toilet seat to clean it. Additionally, it allows the toilet seat surface to be cleaned continually throughout the day and in between uses, which is an unrealistic task to replicate with methods currently being employed. Multiple experiments were conducted that tested the ability of the UV light to reach all surfaces on a toilet seat. The germicidal effectiveness experiment tested the sanitation capability of the light under its intended operating conditions. Finally, the durability test indicated that the device would be able to withstand the conditions of the working environments commonly associated with bathrooms. Designs, building and testing of the prototype of such a toilet seat are described in the paper. Results from each of the testing experiments and experience gained in the creation of the Clean Light toilet design are described in the paper.

Development of an Industrially Sponsored Senior Design Capstone Program: A University and Sponsor Perspective

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vito Moreno ◽  
Eric Cutiongco ◽  
Vinay Patel
Keyword(s):  
Academic Community ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Program Manager ◽  
Design Program ◽  
Critical Feedback ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Local Companies ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

The University of Connecticut Department of Mechanical Engineering Senior Design (Capstone) Course utilizes projects that are sponsored by local companies. While this approach offers many immediate benefits to near-graduating seniors, it introduces many unique problems to the academic community. Developing and sustaining an industrially-sponsored capstone design program requires an understanding of the synergies and differences between academia and industry.[1] Key issues that are addressed in this paper are project identification, oversight, mentorship and critical feedback. This paper is a collaboration between the Program Manager and 2 of the industry Sponsors from the 2015 2016 academic year. Following a brief discussion of several projects, sponsor comments on the value and areas of continued improvement are provided.

Post-Graduation Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Industrially Sponsored Senior Design Capstone Course

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vito Moreno ◽  
Bryan Weber ◽  
Thomas Barber
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Student Perspectives ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Connecticut ◽  
Level Of Effort

Results of a survey of recent graduates who completed the Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Capstone course at the University of Connecticut are presented. Student perspectives on level of effort, effectiveness of course outcomes, and value of the course in their current jobs are presented. Overall results suggest that the industrially sponsored projects together with the class lectures have provided valuable experiences.

scholarly journals A Transformative Model for Undergraduate Quantitative Biology Education

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Usher ◽  
Tobin A. Driscoll ◽  
Prasad Dhurjati ◽  
John A. Pelesko ◽  
Louis F. Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Sciences ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Quantitative Biology ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Calculus Sequence ◽  
Mathematical Sciences ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The University

The BIO2010 report recommended that students in the life sciences receive a more rigorous education in mathematics and physical sciences. The University of Delaware approached this problem by (1) developing a bio-calculus section of a standard calculus course, (2) embedding quantitative activities into existing biology courses, and (3) creating a new interdisciplinary major, quantitative biology, designed for students interested in solving complex biological problems using advanced mathematical approaches. To develop the bio-calculus sections, the Department of Mathematical Sciences revised its three-semester calculus sequence to include differential equations in the first semester and, rather than using examples traditionally drawn from application domains that are most relevant to engineers, drew models and examples heavily from the life sciences. The curriculum of the B.S. degree in Quantitative Biology was designed to provide students with a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, and mathematics, with an emphasis on preparation for research careers in life sciences. Students in the program take core courses from biology, chemistry, and physics, though mathematics, as the cornerstone of all quantitative sciences, is given particular prominence. Seminars and a capstone course stress how the interplay of mathematics and biology can be used to explain complex biological systems. To initiate these academic changes required the identification of barriers and the implementation of solutions.

Undergraduate Research Into Motorsports Safety at UNC Charlotte

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin R. Braun
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Research Decision ◽  
The University ◽  
Process Elements

Abstract The Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) has encouraged industrial collaboration in its Senior Design capstone course. Very few projects have drawn the interest and enthusiasm as a recent set of projects in Motorsports Safety. The Senior Design course has dual purposes: to serve as an integrative capstone design experience, and to teach the basics of the engineering design process. Some of the process elements include: requirements capture, project planning and tracking, technical research, decision analysis, evaluation, and documentation.

scholarly journals How does the grade obtained at school for English and Mathematics affect the probability of graduation at a university?

Pythagoras ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Murray
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Mathematical Literacy ◽  
Percentage Point Increase ◽  
Point Increase ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The University ◽  
Better Than

Over half of all students enrolling at a particular university in KwaZulu-Natal fail to complete a degree. This article is wanting to determine to what extent the marks they obtain for English and Mathematics at school impact on their probability of graduation at this university. In addressing this problem, other student specific factors associated with their gender, race and the type of school they have attended need also to be properly accounted for. To provide answers for this study, the performance of 24 392 students enrolling at the university over the period 2004 to 2012 was followed until they graduated or dropped out from their studies. A structural equation model was fitted because it allows one to separate a direct effect from that of an indirect effect. Gender, race and school background were found to be very significant with males, Black Africans and students coming from a less privileged school background having a smaller probability associated with eventually graduating from this university. Males tend to perform better than females in Mathematics, with females performing better males in English. More importantly, however, a single percentage point increase in one’s mark for English increases the probability associated with graduating from this university far more than would be the case if their Mathematics mark were to increase by a single percentage point. In the light of these mediated results, perhaps this university should be directing their efforts more towards improving the English (rather than mathematical) literacy of students entering the university.

scholarly journals Modification of Cassava Starch Using Lactic Acid Hydrolysis in The Rotary-UV Dryer to Improve Physichocemical Properties

2018 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 01018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siswo Sumardiono ◽  
Bakti Jos ◽  
Denny Firmansyah ◽  
Rahmi Hidayatunajah ◽  
Isti Pudjihastuti
Keyword(s):  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Acid Hydrolysis ◽  
Wheat Flour ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Import Substitution ◽  
Cassava Starch ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Optimum Operating ◽  
Modified Starch ◽  
Significant Difference

Food security should be supported in an effort to utilize local products into import substitution products. Cassava starch has the potential to be developed into semi-finished products in the form of flour or starch which does not contain gluten but can inflate large baking process, potentially as a substitute for wheat flour-the main ingredient for making bread. The characteristic of the starch is influenced by the type of starch composition and structure. Natural starch has physicochemical properties i.e. a long time cooking and pasta formed hard. These constraints allow us to modify cassava starch by a combination of lactic acid hydrolysis and drying with rotary UV system. Modified cassava starch is expected to be used as a substitute for wheat flour. The aim of the research which is a combination of lactic acid hydrolysis and drying using a rotary UV system is to examine the optimum operating conditions in the drying process of starch hydrolysis with parameter the physicochemical and rheological properties of modified cassava starch. The initial process study is to hydrolyze cassava starch using lactic acid. Furthermore, hydrolyzed cassava starch is then dried using UV light in the rotary dryers system. There are a variety of changing variables, i.e. time of irradiation cassava starch-lactic acid hydrolysis products in the rotary UV light and air drying temperature. The research results show that modified starch has a better characteristic than the natural starch. From the analysis, the best point of swelling power, solubility and baking expansion is consequently 15.62 g/g; 24.19 %; 2.21 ml/gr. The FTIR result shows that there is no significant difference of the chemical structure because the starch modification only change the physical characteristics. From the SEM analysis, we can know that the size of the starch’s granule changes between the natural starch and the modified starch..

scholarly journals Joint Measurements of PM<sub>2.5</sub> and light-absorptive PM in woodsmoke-dominated ambient and plume environments

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Max Zhang ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Geng Chen ◽  
Jiajun Gu ◽  
James Schwab ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Infrared Range ◽  
Wood Combustion ◽  
Near Ultraviolet ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Saranac Lake ◽  
Near Infrared Range ◽  
Strong Linear Relationship

Abstract. DC, also referred to as Delta-C, measures enhanced light absorption of particulate matter (PM) samples at the near-ultraviolet (UV) range relative to the near-infrared range, which has been proposed previously as a woodsmoke marker due to the presence of enhanced UV light absorbing materials from wood combustion. In this paper, we further evaluated the applications and limitations of using DC as both a qualitative and semi-quantitative woodsmoke marker via joint continuous measurements of PM2.5 (by nephelometer pDR-1500) and light-absorptive PM (by 2-wavelength and 7-wavelength Aethalometer®) in three Northeastern U.S. cities/towns including Rutland, VT, Saranac Lake, NY and Ithaca, NY. We compared the pDR-1500 against a FEM PM2.5 sampler (BAM 1020), and identified a close agreement between the two instruments in a woodsmoke-dominated ambient environment. The analysis of seasonal and diurnal trends of DC, BC (880 nm) and PM2.5 concentrations supports the use of DC as an adequate qualitative marker. The strong linear relationships between PM2.5 and DC in both woodsmoke-dominated ambient and plume environments suggest that DC can reasonably serve as a semi-quantitative woodsmoke marker. We proposed a DC-based indicator for woodsmoke emission, which was then shown to exhibit relatively strong linear relationship with heating demand. While we observed reproducible PM2.5-DC relationships in similar woodsmoke-dominated ambient environments, those relationships differ significantly with different environments, and among individual woodsmoke sources. DC correlated much more closely with PM2.5 than EcoChem PAS2000-reported PAH in woodsmoke-dominated ambient environments. Our analysis also indicates the potential for PM2.5-DC relationships to be utilized to distinguish different combustion and operating conditions of woodsmoke sources, and that DC-Heating demand relationships could be adopted to estimate woodsmoke emissions. However, future studies are needed to elucidate those relationships.

scholarly journals The Impact of a Required Undergraduate Health and Wellness Course on Students’ Awareness and Knowledge of Physical Activity and Chronic Disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usha Kuruganti
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

As part of the undergraduate curriculum, the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) requires all students to take an undergraduate course in physical activity, health and wellness in their third year of study. This capstone course allows students to integrate concepts from their program regarding physical activity, fitness, and wellness. While students have anecdotally indicated that this course has improved their knowledge of health and wellness, this data had not been quantitatively assessed previously. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the course on students’ views of the impact of physical activity on disease and overall health and wellness. A survey was administered to the students enrolled in the course at the beginning and again at the end of the semester. The survey requested data in four categories; 1) the demographics of the student, 2) students’ knowledge of health agencies and guidelines, 3) students’ physical activity, health and wellness awareness and 4) students’ self-assessment of their knowledge of physical activity and chronic disease. The data showed that, at the end of the course, students felt that they improved in three areas; 1) their knowledge of health agencies and guidelines, 2) their awareness of physical activity and its impact on health and wellness and 3) their knowledge of physical activity and chronic disease. The results of this work provided information on the impact of a required health and wellness course on students’ knowledge of health and suggested that the material in the course helped their overall understanding of health. 

scholarly journals Preparing the “New” Biologist of the Future: Student Research at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah I. Duncan ◽  
Pamela Bishop ◽  
Suzanne Lenhart
Keyword(s):  
Research Process ◽  
Biological Synthesis ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Summer Program ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
University Of Tennessee ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The University ◽  
Faculty Mentors

We describe a unique Research Experience for Undergraduates and Research Experience for Veterinary students summer program at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program focused on interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and mathematics. Participants were selected to work on projects with a biology mentor and a mathematics mentor in an environment that promoted collaboration outside of the students' respective disciplines. There were four research projects with teams of four participants and two faculty mentors. The participants consisted of a mixture of 10 undergraduates in biology- and mathematics-related disciplines, four veterinary students, and two high-school teachers. The activities included lectures on both the biological and mathematical backgrounds of the projects, tutorials for software, and sessions on ethics, graduate school, and possible career paths for individuals interested in biology and mathematics. The program was designed to give students the ability to actively participate in the scientific research process by working on a project, writing up their results in a final report, and presenting their work orally. We report on the results of our evaluation surveys of the participants.

Senior Designs to Aid the Disabled: The UAB Experience

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan W. Eberhardt ◽  
Laura K. Vogtle ◽  
Gary Edwards
Keyword(s):  
National Science Foundation ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
University Of Alabama ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
National Science ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
The University

Abstract This paper presents a review of two years experience regarding senior design projects to aid persons with disabilities, for mechanical engineering students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The efforts are funded by the National Science Foundation and are aimed at developing alternative, low cost, custom devices to aid specific disabled individuals or targeted groups. A collaboration has been established with UAB Occupational Therapy and United Cerebral Palsy of Birmingham (UCP), who have provided projects which combine depth in both engineering and life sciences. The “UAB experience” described in the following includes project selection, development, student advising and overall significance. Completed designs are listed, along with efforts to bring the products to a marketable level.

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