Breaking News! Crops feel stress and get fevers too! Team 45’s goal is to provide researchers with a way to collect thermal data to identify stressed crops and optimize yield. The system allows researchers to collect 24 hours of data without interaction, using the CAT S60’s high resolution thermal camera. This is achieved using a suspended weather balloon, and an intricate data capture algorithm. The standalone system enables research in remote areas for extended periods, allowing researchers to continuously collect data to improve crop health.

Faculty Advisor: Roydon Fraser

Let’s get this par-tea started! BobaBuddy aims to revolutionize the growing billion-dollar bubble tea industry with a novel tapioca pearl maker. This innovative home appliance produces 100 raw tapioca pearls (per serving) that, when cooked, add flavor and a chewy texture into any beverage. With simple raw ingredients, the appliance conveniently automates the complex pearl making process: mixing, forming and dispensing pearls, while saving time and energy. The product provides a healthier alternative to the high-sugar, commercialized tapioca pearls without compromising the seamless cafe experience.

Faculty Advisor: Soo Jeon

The Western perspective that nature is inert, unintelligent and a commodity to be exploited is an idea that has led to unsustainable living practices. Thus, there is an urgent cultural need to demonstrate natures inherent vitality, to help people recognize that it is vibrant, intelligent and worthy of protection for its own sake. The Incubator project makes the subtle movements of trees and surrounding ecology perceptible to the human senses, to encourage the consideration of trees and forests as caregivers and having community.

Faculty Advisor: Brandon DeHart

There is an urgent need to reduce the deforestation threat caused by food production. The Mighty Microgreens group focuses on feeding the world in a way that works alongside nature, not against it. A smart hands-free home solution for growth of microgreens is our way nourishing the growing global population without threating all our futures.

Faculty Advisor: Eihab Abdel-Rahman

The race to produce autonomous vehicles has led to the rapid development of intelligent driver-assist technologies. These rely on artificial intelligence and sensors. To fully take advantage of these technologies, sensors must be constantly maintained. This project is focused on ensuring that the image from onboard cameras remains crisp and clear. We have designed a cleaning device to remove dust, dirt, snow and ice from the camera lens when driving under adverse weather conditions.

Faculty Advisor: Roydon Fraser

American football players are subject to numerous impacts to the head, these impacts cause traumatic brain injuries that are not well studied. This is in part due to the lack of data available to researchers. Our system is able to capture accurate kinematic and kinetic data in real time for research use without affecting the performance, weight or fit of the helmet. We hope that this data provides insight into traumatic brain injuries, their causes and improves concussion protocols in the NFL.

Faculty Advisor: Donata Gierczycka

The world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion people in the next 30 years and it is predicted that global agricultural output will need to increase by 70% to meet this new demand. Vertical farming offers a potential solution through improved yields and year-round growing but is primarily limited to low-calorie leafy greens. Our project focuses on the design, construction, and verification of an aeroponic vertical farm testbed to explore the viability of using aeroponic farming methods to grow calorie-dense legumes continuously year-round.

Faculty Advisor: Merrin Marcia