Judebert.com (Entries tagged as UCF)

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 7

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:14:17 -0400

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-guided rocket, aerodynamic bicycle farings, a life-size remote control and motion base, an SUV car wash, an autonomous oil-spill cleaning robot, and a couple of unusual EVs.

This time: multi-touch computer table! Wi-fi blood pressure monitor! Mine clearing robot car!! Frikken' BEER PONG TABLE... with frikken' LASERS!!! And EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!

Sorry, I got carried away. Not so many exclamation points. But all that other stuff? Totes.

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 7"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 6

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:39:53 -0400

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 seen a plasma-guided rocket, aerodynamic bicycle farings, a life-size remote control and motion base, an SUV car wash, and an autonomous oil-spill cleaning robot. Is that enough awesome for you?

Well, maybe for you. BUT NOT FOR ME! Today I'll be showing you the EVs I saw at the SDS.

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 6"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 5

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:36:21 -0400

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 all at the SDS and talk to the students who created them!

Today I'm returning to my environmental roots with an auto-adjusting solar collector and an autonomous oil skimmer.

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 5"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 4

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:44:43 -0400

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 surely not everything can be so exciting?

Today I'll tell you about some of the most mundane things I saw at the SDS. Despite their pedestrian nature, each one is still a real-life problem solved by engineering students. With SCIENCE!

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 4"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 3

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:18:12 -0400

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 wanted to do this sort of thing with a model airplane forever. Shouldn't be too hard, I figured: just add a wireless camera, and build a cockpit-shaped box with big joysticks for the controls. Voila! Real flying action!

These guys went a step farther. They put some accelerometers on their car, then hooked the whole thing to a custom-made motion base!

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 3"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 2

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:08:29 -0400

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. Check out the 10-foot rocket from part 1!

Today, we've got two groups of seniors with aerodynamic farings for human-powered vehicles.

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 2"

UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 1

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:59:47 -0400

Melissa by the 10-foot tall rocket (full)

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!

Continue reading "UCF Senior Design Symposium 2012, Part 1"

Judebert's EV Conversion Diary: Crashing the Party

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:35:37 -0500

On Tuesday, Greg Frenette, manager of Ford's Global Electrified Fleets, came to UCF with a prototype Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid Electic Vehicle (PHEV) to show off their new solar EV charging station. I had received an invitation via Facebook, and I planned to show up early and charge my home-built EV in the new spaces. I figured I'd be available if there was a problem, and Silent E would likely get a picture with Ford's prototype. I had even washed and waxed her for the event.

Unfortunately, one of my children got sick, and I had to take her to the doctor. I didn't have time to attend the photo-op, but I did go to the lecture.

And thus began the adventure.

Continue reading "Judebert's EV Conversion Diary: Crashing the Party"