A week or so ago, I went to the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science Annual Senior Design Symposium on Renewable and Sustainable Energy (say that ten times fast!). As it was held just before my daughter's birthday, I offered to take her with me. She was excited to go, and so we both played hooky for the day.
This wasn't the first time for either of us: I've attended all four years, and she went with me last year. We both enjoy talking with the engineers and looking at the projects, so we skipped the lectures this year and just checked out the presentations.
And took pictures!
There are too many pictures for a single post, so I'll split them up a little. (This has nothing whatsoever to do with me trying to provide more content for my webpage, no, not at all. What a crass suggestion.)
First up: a ten-foot tall plasma-guided rocket!
The guidelines for the rocket team (easier to see in the full version)
This team of aeronautical and mechanical engineers had picked a NASA competition for their project. They were required to build a rocket that would reach exactly 1 mile altitude carrying a scientific payload. They decided that they could get two birds with one stone by using their guidance system as their payload.
Most rockets control their path by spinning; the spin is controlled with gyroscopes and movable fins. This team kept the gyros, but used dielectric plasma deflectors to control the spin. They're like big exposed capacitors; when you send pulses of electricity through them, they either disrupt or enhance the airflow around the fin.
Our Heroes decided that disrupting the flow would probably provide a greater effect than enhancing it, disturbing the airflow around the fins so much that they wouldn't even have to move the fins at all. This video demonstrates the disruption (original raw video here):
Whenever you want roll, you just activate the strips on one side of each fin. The airflow on that side is disrupted, so you get lift on the other side. Et voila, roll!
There were three mechanical engineers and an aerospace engineer working on this project. Obviously building the electronics to drive the fin required an electrical engineer; one of the mechanical engineers hit the books (and the other resources) to work that part.
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 2
Melissa tries the trike (full) Let's see more pictures from the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science Annual Senior Design Symposium on Renewable and Sustainable Energy -- which is so difficult to type that I shall call it the SDS from now on
Weblog: Judebert.com Tracked: Apr 24, 06:37
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 3
Melissa drives the RC car! (original) We've already covered the 10-foot plasma-guided rocket and aerodynamic farings for two bicycles. What else did we see at the SDS? Well, how about this life-size remote control and model car? I've w
Weblog: Judebert.com Tracked: Apr 26, 06:41
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 4
What's this thing? Read on to find out. (full size) Wow, we've looked at a lot of neat stuff at the SDS. There was the 10-foot plasma-guided rocket, aerodynamic farings for two bicycles, and even a life-size remote control and motion base. But surel
Weblog: Judebert.com Tracked: May 02, 18:26
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 5
Environmentalist in a suit. (full size) What do a plasma-guided rocket, aerodynamic bicycle farings, a life-size remote control and motion base, and an SUV car wash have in common? No, not that, get your head out of the gutter! I got to see them
Weblog: Judebert.com Tracked: May 10, 07:48
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 6
On a BOAT! ... Well, NEAR a boat. (full) Wait, part 6? I never thought I'd get that many. On the other hand, breaking the SDS into small parts was inevitable: all that awesome can't be contained in one post. How much awesome? Well, so far we've s
Weblog: Judebert.com Tracked: May 16, 16:28
UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 7
Neatest tower defense game ever. (full size) It's been so long since I've updated, I figure I'd better jam everything else in here and move on. Part 7 of my series covering my trip to the SDS will wrap up a parade of awesome that has included a plasma-g
Melissa tries the trike (full) Let's see more pictures from the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science Annual Senior Design Symposium on Renewable and Sustainable Energy -- which is so difficult to type that I shall call it the SDS from now on
Tracked: Apr 24, 06:37
Melissa drives the RC car! (original) We've already covered the 10-foot plasma-guided rocket and aerodynamic farings for two bicycles. What else did we see at the SDS? Well, how about this life-size remote control and model car? I've w
Tracked: Apr 26, 06:41
What's this thing? Read on to find out. (full size) Wow, we've looked at a lot of neat stuff at the SDS. There was the 10-foot plasma-guided rocket, aerodynamic farings for two bicycles, and even a life-size remote control and motion base. But surel
Tracked: May 02, 18:26
Environmentalist in a suit. (full size) What do a plasma-guided rocket, aerodynamic bicycle farings, a life-size remote control and motion base, and an SUV car wash have in common? No, not that, get your head out of the gutter! I got to see them
Tracked: May 10, 07:48
On a BOAT! ... Well, NEAR a boat. (full) Wait, part 6? I never thought I'd get that many. On the other hand, breaking the SDS into small parts was inevitable: all that awesome can't be contained in one post. How much awesome? Well, so far we've s
Tracked: May 16, 16:28
Neatest tower defense game ever. (full size) It's been so long since I've updated, I figure I'd better jam everything else in here and move on. Part 7 of my series covering my trip to the SDS will wrap up a parade of awesome that has included a plasma-g
Tracked: Jul 11, 16:24